Bobby Lashley vs Dave Batista and 5 WWE Wrestler Fights We'd Like to See in MMA

The bout between Bobby Lashley and Dave Batista never fully materialized, but the possibility of two former WWE stars meeting in the cage captivated MMA audiences across the nation.

Most fans dismissed the fight as nothing more than a freak show, but that's exactly why we would've liked to watch it. It's a fight that fans can sit back and enjoy.

We, along with the fighters, wouldn't have to worry about rankings or fighting safe to keep their jobs. Every fan would have some way to get enjoyment out of the Lashley-Batista fight along with the others on this list.

WWE fans would finally get to see how these reported "backstage bad blood" feuds would go in the real world and MMA fans would have 15 minutes of comedy by laughing at the former wrestlers attempting to actually hit each other.

Bobby Lashley vs. Dave Batista

The bout between Bobby Lashley and Dave Batista would provide fans with perhaps the most muscle mass inside a a cage.

It would also likely be either an exciting, short bout or a long, boring one as both men would likely gas hard.

Lashley actually has an amateur wrestling background and was in training for the Olympics until a knee injury derailed his Olympic plans.

Batista has "trained" with some credible MMA gyms, but I wouldn't say he's well-versed in the martial arts. He also tears a muscle every time he takes a deep breath it seems.

Lashley has heart issues but I'd still take him in this bout.

Lashley def. Dave Batista via injury (torn biceps/triceps/pectoral)

Chris Jericho vs. Goldberg

If you Google the names "Chris Jericho" and "Bill Goldberg," you're likely to come up with a number of different accounts about their backstage scuffle in 2003.

UGO.com provides perhaps the most simple and unbiased story about the incident during a quick search.

The basics are Jericho had an issue with Goldberg from their WCW days and things eventually escalated into a backstage brawl that saw Goldberg attempt to shoot on Jericho only to be put in a headlock and be restrained by the much smaller Jericho.

Goldberg has trained MMA as a side hobby for quite some time and if you've ever seen some of his matches, he uses quite a few MMA techniques. Jericho's main martial arts background came as a result of training in Stu Hart's infamous "Dungeon."

It'd be interesting to see if Jericho could use his speed and submission wrestling to negate the strength of the larger Goldberg. I'm leaning towards Jericho given he's already had success against Goldberg.

Jericho def. Goldberg via exhaustion.

Edge vs. Matt Hardy

The backstage heat between Edge and Matt Hardy eventually spilled onto TV screens as both men were able to work with each other even though they had an intense hatred for one another.

The hostility stems toward a woman (doesn't it always?), a WWE diva named Lita. Hardy and Lita were dating behind the scenes until Edge decided to make it a love triangle and "stole" Hardy's girl.

WWE decided this backstage story would actually be good television (something they're not known for nowadays) and created a feud between the two that focused on Lita.

Hardy is in no condition to do much of anything these days as he is dealing with substance abuse issues and his life is in a downward spiral. If the fight were to happen, it'd likely be nothing short of an ugly stand-up brawl.

But hey, that means good TV ratings, right?

Edge def. Matt Hardy via TKO (Spear into ground-and-pound)

Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon

The Stone Cold Steve Austin-Mr. McMahon feud captivated wrestling fans during the "Attitude Era."

McMahon represented the corporate establishment that an everyday worker loved to hate while Austin embodied the blue-collar worker who wanted nothing more than to drink a beer and beat up their boss.

The two men never had any animosity on the same level as others on this list, but as the feud of the late 1990s, it would be entertaining to see a fight between the two play out in real life.

McMahon has his biceps and pecs (not to mention that "McMahon strut"), but Austin undoubtedly is in better shape given his age and actually having to work out like an everyday wrestler.

Austin's neck is a concern and one of the reasons that forced him into retirement, but I believe McMahon is simply too old to handle "The Rattlesnake."

Stone Cold Steve Austin def. Vince McMahon via TKO (Lou Thesz press and punches)

Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels

If Austin and McMahon was the feud on TV, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart was the feud behind the scenes.

Any wrestling fan knows about the hatred between the two men along with the infamous "Montreal Screwjob." What's amazing is that even if they hated each other, the two were able to put on amazing matches, like their Iron Man match at Wrestlemania 12.

Hart has a submission wrestling background stemming from training with his father in the "Dungeon" while Michaels is one of the most gifted athletes to grace the squared circle.

Much like their on-screen matches, it would be a case of Michaels attempting to use his speed and athleticism to avoid Hart's submission attempts. I'd go with the "Excellence of Execution" if this escalated into a real fight.

Bret Hart def. Shawn Michaels via Verbal Submission (Sharpshooter)