10 Pro Wrestlers Who Would Have Made Intriguing MMA Fighters

Kurt Angle

The frustrating thing for those who would have loved to see how Angle would have done in MMA competition is that it was very close to happening. The Olympic wrestling gold medalist turned pro wrestling savant negotiated extensively with UFC President Dana White and twice appeared close to signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Angle was past his physical prime, but with his athletic pedigree and mental determination, he might well have succeeded if his body was able to hold up through training camps.

Angle is one of America’s all-time great amateur wrestlers, but not all wrestlers adapt well to MMA. Of course, the same is true for amateur wrestlers getting into pro wrestling. Pro wrestling offers its own set of unique physical challenges, and yet, Angle was a virtuoso in adapting to the new game. He adopted an athletic, physical style and in less than two years was one of the best pro wrestlers in the world. That is a hard transition, and Angle made it look as easy as anyone ever has. That type of rapid process in a new physical endeavor speaks well to how Angle could potentially have done picking up the MMA game.

With the money that is now available to elite mixed martial artists, Angle may be part of the last generation of amateur wrestling greats interested in trying out MMA who do not end up doing so because of better financial options elsewhere. It will leave fans of pro wrestling and MMA wondering “what if” for many years to come.

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