9 Wrestlers Who Became MMA Fighters
1. Dan Severn
Dan Severn is the most unique man on this list. Not only was he actively wrestling when he made his UFC debut, but he was also the reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion. When he captured the UFC Super Fight title following his win over Ken Shamrock at UFC 6, he celebrated by raising his new UFC title and the NWA Championship above his head.
Severn, an accomplished amateur wrestler who was controversially cheated out of the 1984 Olympics by a seemingly incorrect referee call, was the first wrestler to cross over into the world of no holds barred fighting. He was initially derided, as people questioned what a wrestler could hope to achieve against inveterate kick-boxers, proponents of Gracie ju-jitsu, and Sambo fighters. Severn proved all the naysayers wrong.
When he followed Shamrock to the WWF in 1998, he only agreed to sign a deal for sixty dates per year, allowing him to remain active on both the indie scene and in the world of MMA. He was undefeated in shoot fights during his WWF stint, but the company bizarrely choose to ignore the fact - whereas they'd been quick to boast about Shamrock's external successes.
Severn is one of only four men to have contested over 100 career MMA fights; the other three men to do so have all succumbed to him in the ring. It is safe to say that he is the most successful transition from wrestling to MMA of all time.