Alberto Del Rio
One of Punk’s rivals in WWE, Del Rio attempted to parlay his existing professional wrestling career with a stint as a legitimate fighter, with - pun fully intended - mixed results. Competing back then as the masked técnico luchador Dos Caras Jr, Del Rio will likely be best remembered for his sobering head kick knockout suffered at the hands of a then red-hot Mirko Cro-Cop at Pride Bushido 1.
It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Del Rio however. The Mexican would go on to compile a decent, if rather unremarkable 9-5 professional record before a developmental contract with the WWE ended his fighting career in 2010.
Bobby Lashley
Viewed for a short time as the next ‘Brock Lesnar’ due to his hulking frame and amateur wrestling pedigree, Bobby Lashley was all set to be the next big WWE superstar. Things didn’t go as planned however and he soon found himself released from his contract. With MMA fast becoming a highly lucrative option for collegiate athletes, Lashley put his grappling credentials to good use and, almost a decade later, is still competing professionally.
Currently under contract with Scott Coker’s Bellator MMA, Lashley may never have hit the heights of his fellow WWE alum, but he remains one of the best pure athletes to have competed in both the cage and the squared circle.
Ken Shamrock
A true pioneer of mixed martial arts, former UFC champion Ken Shamrock decided to take a break from the sport to pursue a career with the then-WWF back in 1997. The move was a surprising one, but ultimately helped build an awareness for a promotion that at that point was struggling for exposure thanks to its poor reputation with mainstream audiences.
Vince probably didn’t care about the UFC’s plight however. From his point of view Ken Shamrock was a perfect attraction superstar thanks to his billing as ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man’. Shamrock was heavily pushed, winning the Intercontinental title and even defeating The Rock at WrestleMania. Ultimately however Shamrock realised that MMA was his true calling, and he eventually returned to the sport he so greatly influenced in late 1999.
Dan Severn
While it may appear that Shamrock was the first early UFC star to try his hand at professional wrestling, it was actually Dan Severn who had made a name for himself in both fields. Having won the prestigious NWA championship in 1995 (a feat he would later repeat), Severn soon embarked on a brief run with the WWF in 1998. The run wasn’t nearly as successful as his former rival’s, but Severn still played a key role in several high-profile feuds as the company continued to transition into what we all lovingly refer to as ‘The Attitude Era’.
Creative differences would cut Severn’s WWF career short, with the legendary fighter going on to improve his MMA record to an incredible 101-19-7 before finally retiring at the age of 54.
Brock Lesnar
It’s arguable that the UFC wouldn't be what it is today without Brock Lesnar. Leaving the WWE in 2004 after an unprecedented rookie run, Lesnar soon found himself in the Octagon following a failed attempt to break into the NFL. Lesnar floundered in Gridiron, but he found his true home inside the cage, using his massive frame and freakish athleticism to capture the UFC heavyweight championship in only his fourth professional fight.
A main event superstar from the moment he entered the promotion, Lesnar was by far the biggest box office draw the UFC ever had and undoubtedly helped elevate the company to a whole new level of mainstream awareness.
Lesnar was set to remain as the UFC’s crown jewel, but illness changed all that as the champion was beset by a crippling bout of diverticulitis. The disease eventually forced Lesnar to hang up his gloves and return to the world of professional wrestling. The rest, of course, is history.
Will CM Punk succeed in the UFC? Do you see any future crossover stars? Leave your comments below!
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