Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
From extra levels of athleticism to physical strength and endurance, wrestling requires skills similar to professional boxing and mixed martial arts. It therefore comes as no surprise that some professional wrestlers started out as boxers and mixed martial artists.
From successful Olympians to former UFC Champions, we take a look into the professional careers of some of the finest wrestlers who have a background in two of the world's most renowned combat sports.
This list is incomplete without one of the greatest combat sports athletes in history. Brock Lesnar put the world on notice in 2002 when he became the youngest wrestler to win the WWE Championship at 25 years and 44 days, a record that still stands to this day. He took a break from wrestling in 2004 to join the football team Minnesota Vikings but returned after he was cut before the start of the season. But his failure to make the team became a blessing in disguise as he went on to build one of the most impressive resumes in combat sports.
Lesnar has had a back-and-forth wrestling and MMA career. He had a brief stint in Japan before signing with the UFC in 2008. He quickly became the Heavyweight Champion that same year and after a brief hiatus returned to the UFC, where he soon defeated Shane Carwin to become the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion.
He has also won several accolades in wrestling including three WWE Universal Championships, seven WWE Championships, and two Royal Rumble championships. Lesnar famously broke the Undertaker’s WrestleMania undefeated streak at WrestleMania XXX.
Before making it to the limelight as a wrestler, you probably knew him by his government name, Thomas Pestock, a pretty decent professional football player. He played in the NFL as an offensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals from 2009 to 2011. However, it may surprise you to know that Corbin was a former amateur boxer.
The 40-year-old WWE star won the Amateur Kansas-Missouri Golden Gloves regional championship, a testament to his ability to throw punches. He was well on his way to becoming a professional boxer but opted for a career in wrestling instead.
Corbin signed with the WWE brand NXT in 2012 and made his in-ring debut on October 18 of the same year. He lost his first matchup to Dante Dash but was a regular at NXT events in the years to come. Corbin won several one-on-one matches while on the NXT roster and also featured in many main events such as the NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way and NXT TakeOver: R Evolution.
Corbin was added to the WWE Main roster and made his debut at WrestleMania 32. That year, he won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, eliminating former World Heavyweight champion Kane. Throughout his career, Corbin has won several main event bouts and was the United States Champion in 2017.
After 12 years of featuring across the WWE’s three main brands, it has been confirmed that Corbin’s contract will not be renewed after it expires early this month.
Although not officially a wrestler, there have been rumors that former UFC champion Conor McGregor could appear in WWE events after Cody Rhodes hinted this in a recent interview. The thought of having McGregor in the WWE has put the wrestling world in a frenzy as fans anticipate witnessing UFC’s biggest star in the ring.
McGregor has set several records in the UFC and remains the face of the promotion despite his lengthened absence. He has yet to feature at the Octagon since sustaining a leg injury at UFC. The former UFC double champion was slated to face Michael Chandler at UFC 303 but the fight was postponed. However, the Irish fighter recently confirmed that his return date is set for 2025 as he is set to face Dan Hooker in a lightweight bout. Those eager to place their bets can get expert knowledge on how to bet on upcoming McGregor bouts via TrustnBet, a reliable source for sports betting in America.
TJ Perkins grew up a huge fan, and his combat career was greatly influenced by Manny Pacquiao, so it's no surprise that he initially started out training as a boxer. But he was also an avid wrestling fan at a young age and opted to become a professional wrestler instead.
He made his WWE debut in October 2009, appearing at ECW. He was scheduled to fight The Miz on an episode of Raw a day prior but was replaced by Marty Jannetty as part of a plot.
After a lengthy hiatus from the WWE, Perkins returned in 2016 and went on to win its inaugural Cruiserweight Championship. The Missouri-born featured at Royal Rumble in 2018 but was released from his WWE contract the following year.
Aside from the WWE, Perkins has worked with several promotions like TNA, NJPW, and ROH. He currently wrestles at TNA’s Impact Wrestling where he is a 2x Impact X-Division Champion.
Not many wrestlers on this list can boast of a successful boxing career like Anthony Ogogo. The 35-year-old British-born has earned several boxing accolades both as an amateur and a pro.
Ogogo began boxing at 12 and took home the Gold Medal at the 2004 Junior Olympics final. The following year, he won the IABA Cadet World Championships in the 70 kg division in front of 1,000+ fans in Liverpool. Ogogo also participated in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India, winning Silver Medal at the tournament. Perhaps the biggest highlight of his amateur career was winning a Silver Medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
Ogogo turned pro in 2012 after signing a contract with Golden Boy Promotions. He started his pro career 11-0, winning seven bouts by KO. Ogogo’s first loss came in a fight against Craig Cunningham for the then-vacant WBC middleweight belt. He suffered his first pro boxing loss during the matchup, sustaining an eye injury that forced him to retire in 2018.
He began to train as a professional wrestler the following year and made his debut in Suffolk, England, where he was born. Since 2019, he has been signed to the AEW Promotion of former WWE wrestler Cody Rhodes.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
