8 WWE Superstars Who Could Make the Jump to MMA

With the recent return to professional wrestling by former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, I got to thinking: Could any more professional wrestlers make the jump to mixed martial arts?

Already having made the jump from the world of choreographed bumps to professional fighting has been Lesnar and Bobby Lashley, with the latter still in mixed martial arts. 

So which professional wrestlers can make the jump? Let's take a look.

Alberto Del Rio

Remember Dos Caras, Jr.? The guy who wore the mask and got knocked out by Mirko Cro Cop's legendary head kick?

That guy was Alberto del Rio. At one point his life, del Rio was a mixed martial artist, running his professional record to 9-5. He fought in Pride twice, as well as a number of fights in the Deep promotion.

He used his background in professional wrestling to execute suplexes and submission holds. He was well versed in submissions, as he won seven of his career fights via tap-out.

If del Rio were to work on striking for a bit, he actually might not be a bad mixed martial artist.

Santino Marella

Believe it or not, the goofy guy who blows an air trombone after every win actually almost became a professional mixed martial artist.

Marella is well-versed in the martial art of judo, which would have been his base had he ventured into the world of legitimate fighting. Marella may act stupid in the WWE, but he could legitimately hold his own in the cage.

Kurt Angle

It wasn't just a gimmick—Kurt Angle is an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling. 

Angle is another guy who almost took the road to professional fighting, but he followed the money to the WWE. Angle's wrestling base would be second to none, which would allow him to work on other areas of his game to become more well rounded.

His age is a concern, as well as his submission defense (see video above).

Dolph Ziggler

Love him or hate him, you have to respect the background Dolph Ziggler brings with him.

Ziggler had a very impressive amateur wrestling career, holding a high school record for pins. He was a teammate of former top contender Gray Maynard. He went on to have a great wrestling career for Kent State, setting a school record for wins.

Ziggler is a great WWE talent due to his ability to be the heel, sell moves and put on great matches. But he could definitely make the transition to mixed martial arts. 

Jack Swagger

Since Jack Swagger is stuck losing almost every outing and has taken a huge drop-off since his last heavyweight championship reign, he should just venture into MMA.

Swagger is another guy with top-level wrestling, having competed at the University of Oklahoma. This wrestling base would be very advantageous, as he probably has some of the best wrestling credentials in professional wrestling.

Wade Barrett

Wade Barrett is one of the few professional wrestlers with an actual striking background.

Barrett was a former bare-knuckle boxing competitor in England, which is unsurprising, as many English fighters are well-versed in boxing. Being a professional wrestler, he has at least the basics down on grappling, which could evolve with training.

Barrett is a big man whose size could give other fighters problems.

Eve Torres

The lone woman on this list, Eve Torres actually has a nice background in martial arts.

Torres holds a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu from a Gracie academy in California. She also trains in kickboxing, which would round out her game.

It is evident in some of Eve's matches that she has jiu-jitsu skills. I have actually seen her incorporate a variation of a triangle choke in a match.

Women's MMA is in need of some familiar faces, which Torres could provide.  

Shelton Benjamin

Shelton Benjamin is another guy with a superior wrestling background, which would help him easily transition.

Benjamin, like Brock Lesnar, wrestled at the University of Minnesota, where he was a two-time All-American. He would have tried out for the Olympic team in 2000, but he chose to follow the money to the WWE. 

Although he possesses no striking background, Benjamin is a freak athlete. His athleticism would be an essential tool in transitioning his all-around skills.