8 Wrestlers You Didn't Know Competed In MMA
4. Alberto Del Rio (9-5)
Out of all the wrestlers on this list, Alberto Del Rio's MMA career is probably both the most well-known and the most successful.
Despite coming from a family of professional wrestlers, Del Rio first demonstrated a natural aptitude for Greco-Roman wrestling and medaled at both the World Junior Championships and the Pan American Games in the sport. After missing out on the 2000 Olympics, Del Rio transitioned into a burgeoning career in pro wrestling, while continuing to utilise his amateur wrestling skills by fighting MMA. Peculiarly for MMA, Del Rio retained the Mexican tradition of donning a mask while competing and fought many of his MMA fights under the hood.
In Del Rio's debut, he defeated Pancrase veteran Kengo Watanabe by utilising his grappling skills to execute a spectacular throw, breaking the Japanese wrestler's arm in the process.
After defeating UFC veteran Brad Kohler, Del Rio was signed by PRIDE and matched with explosive Croation striker Mirko Cro Cop. While wearing a mask had helped endear Del Rio to the Japanese fans, anything that limits vision when fighting a world-class kickboxer is probably going to prove detrimental.
Cro Cop wasted no time demonstrating the enormous disparity in striking skills between the two men, pressuring Del Rio into a corner before nearly decapitating the overmatched Mexican with his patented head kick. Del Rio would continue fighting for another seven years before retiring in 2010 with a respectable record of nine wins and five losses.