AP Images Before pursuing a career in MMA, Brock Lesnar also took a shot at the NFL, but was cut before the season started.
- Before mixed martial arts (MMA) grew into what it is today, former professional wrestler Antonio Inoki paved the way for the sport when he fought world champion boxer Muhammad Ali in 1976.
- MMA as an organized sport began in 1980 with the "Battle of the Tough Guys" in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- Dan Severn was the first world-class wrestler to enter the UFC in 1994 and foreshadowed the success a number of former professional wrestlers have had in MMA.
- Along with Severn, household wrestling names like Ken Shamrock, Brock Lesnar, and Alberto Del Rio also grew in the MMA.
Before mixed martial arts (MMA) grew into what it is today, former professional wrestler Antonio Inoki paved the way for the sport when he fought world champion boxer Muhammad Ali in 1976. While its history dates back to the early Olympics in Greece, MMA as an organized sport began in 1980 with the "Battle of the Tough Guys" in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Since then, the sport has grown exponentially in popularity because of the UFC, which began in 1993.
As a result, professional wrestlers have parlayed their success into MMA. Some experienced even more success in MMA, while others did not perform as well.
Below we take you through the most successful professional wrestlers who tried their hand in MMA.