It seems these days that whether you’re a fan of the wrestling or a fan of MMA, you can’t help but hear the “What if?” talk that seems to circle both the WWE and the UFC. With Ronda Rousey right off of her historic debut at the Royal Rumble, and the dirt sheets reporting that it’s all but certain that Brock Lesnar will be making his return to the UFC, I thought now would be the time to look at the top five UFC fighters I could see doing the best in WWE if they were to ever make the jump.
5. Michael “The Count” Bisping
I almost feel that it is a travesty to have Bisping this low on a list, but come on now, “the Count” would make the switch almost effortlessly. Bisping is already multi-talented in the realms of sports and entertainment, so WWE would be a perfect fit for the brash mouthed former UFC Champion. Not only is Bisping one of the best fighters to ever step into the octagon, he is arguably one of the best on the mic when it comes to selling his fights. For a lot of MMA fans, myself included, there has always been at least 1 time where it’s been easy to root against “the Count”. These days with the WWE branching out and securing more of a fan base in the UK, I could only imagine how big of a draw that Bisping would be for the ‘E if he were to ever step into the squared circle.
4. Jon “Bones” Jones
All the drama that has been surrounding Jon Jones these days makes his return to the octagon uncertain to say the least. The fallout from his latest CSAC hearing, and his upcoming USADA hearing, leave the former UFC Champion with very few options on the table. However, one of the bigger and more lucrative options for Jones might just be in the WWE. While both sides have briefly flirted with the idea in the past, now seems like the best time for WWE to pull the trigger and offer Jones a deal of some sort. Not only could Jones bring a level of legitimacy to the WWE, but the WWE could do a bit of damage repair on Jones’ public image with the fans. Booked the right way, Jones could be one of the bigger faces in the company, and could tell the story of how Jones overcame personal demons to reclaim glory once again. Depending on if Jones ends up suspended for any length of time from the UFC, the WWE wouldn’t be a bad career option at all if Bones did decide to go that route.
3. Joanna Jędrzejczyk
The women’s revolution in the WWE has been nothing short of incredible to watch, especially coming from someone who watched the revolution of women’s MMA turn into what it is today. Some may not remember, but it wasn’t too long ago that Dana White would tell every reporter the UFC had no plans of ever bringing WMMA into the fold. A few short years and a Ronda Rousey later, the sport would reach heights it had never been. To say Joanna Jędrzejczyk had a hand in that is an understatement. It took no time at all for the former UFC champion to earn the nickname “Joanna Violence”. Every time she steps into the octagon, the fans are treated to a technical masterpiece only Joanna can produce. It’s not just inside the octagon Joanna shines though, she has one of the most intimidating staredown faces in the whole entire sport, and that’s no exaggeration. Mix that with the level of charm she has in every interview, and it’s easy to see why the WWE could benefit from Joanna. Although I wouldn’t count on that happening any time soon, as the former champion is poised to reclaim her championship later this year and continue her path of dominance.
2. Conor McGregor
As controversial as it would be if it were to happen, Conor McGregor would bring a whole lot of eyes to the WWE. McGregor would fit like a glove if he were to enter the world of over the top personalities that is WWE. The 29 year old from Ireland is no stranger to the WWE either, even garnering a decent bit of “heat” from fans and wrestlers alike from some less than flattering comments he made about wrestling. That is the exact reason McGregor would work so well, he knows at the very base how to get a reaction, and he proves it every single time he has a microphone in front of him in the UFC. His fight with Floyd Mayweather became the most talked about fight of 2017, largely due to the way McGregor was able to get people to react. On each stop of the world tour the two embarked on, McGregor would prove that no one was off limits when it came to his barrage of insults. McGregor doesn’t just talk the talk, he has backed up his venomous words time and time again. Earning the nickname “Mystic Mac” early in his career, Conor would often pick the round he would defeat his opponents in. This overwhelming confidence and swagger got many of the casual MMA fans behind McGregor as he continued to break records inside and outside of the octagon. It didn’t take long for McGregor to start walking with a swagger too, one very reminiscent of the WWE’s own Vince McMahon. While McGregor may never be a full time wrestler, the possibility of the “Champ Champ” taking at least 1 big WrestleMania payday seems as likely now as it ever will be.
1. Daniel “D.C.” Cormier
Even at 38, there is no one better suited to make such a transition than Daniel Cormier. The current Light Heavyweight Champion has always been a huge fan of the WWE and has consistently shown so throughout his UFC career. It takes more than just being a fan to be able to make it in the WWE, and the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion has all the tools that one would want. Daniel not only knows how to sell the fight on a mic, but he has an Olympic background that add to his legitimacy. DC has shown for years that he is one of the most dominant heavyweights/light heavyweights in the world, with wins over some of the most elite fighters to ever step into the octagon. On July 7 of this year, Daniel Cormier will face one of his toughest adversaries yet, as he steps up in weight to challenge Stipe Miocic for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Daniel has made it known that he is more than ready to step up in weight for the fight, but this might be one of the last times we see DC make the walk to the octagon. Cormier has made it known that he is close to hanging up the gloves, so if we were to line up the champ’s next venture, why not a nice tenure in the WWE to add to what is already a Hall of Fame career like no other.
That concludes my list of the top 5 UFC fighters would could make it in WWE. It took a lot of real deliberation so I would like to take this time for a few honorable mentions: Cain Velasquez, Fabricio Werdum, Donald Cerrone, Kevin Lee, Miesha Tate, and Stephen Thompson just to name a few. Was there someone you thought should make the list? Feel free to comment below with your own Top 5 UFC Fighters who you think could make the switch to WWE.