Comparison of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts

Professional wrestling and mixed martial arts (Also known as MMA) both combine grappling and strikes. In MMA fights are competed over, in contrast to professional wrestling where the outcomes and moves performed are often scripted or predetermined. Despite the differences in competition, there have been people that have competed in both professional wrestling and MMA.

Comparison

Professional wrestling could be considered a performance art which combines athletics with theatrical performance.[1] Matches are contested on a pre-determined basis, where the fight on display is merely for entertainment purposes. Viewers are integral to a professional wrestling match, as the audience is who the action is for. Professional wrestling mixes many styles of amateur wrestling, striking and showmanship to display a fight, whilst the two performers work together to achieve a "worked" fight. Professional wrestling was first popularized in the 19th century Europe as a carnival attraction.

Mixed Martial Arts, is a hybrid of many types of physical full-contact sports; including wrestling, boxing and Martial Arts, such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The early 1990s saw the Ultimate Fighting Championship popularize the term "Mixed Martial Arts", for such a bout. Competitors in MMA are generally skilled in many different styles, however, it is possible to be only proficient in one type of combat. As some professional wrestling moves are simply worked versions of legitimate holds, there can be a crossover between the two.[2]

Possibly the most successful pro wrestler and MMA star is Brock Lesnar, who has won the world championships in both the WWE[3] and UFC.[4][5] Other wrestlers to have won a championship in both MMA and Pro Wrestling include Bobby Lashley (Shark Fights Heavyweight Championship[6] as well as the Impact Global Championship[7]), and Dan Severn who won the UFC Superfight Championship, and the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

Rivalry

Since MMA's rise to prominence in the 1990s, some pro wrestlers or MMA fighters have been cynical against the other's profession. This can be an attack on the sport as a whole, or acting as a fan dismissing certain actions within that sport.[8]

List of MMA records

Below is a list of professional wrestlers to have appeared in an official Mixed Martial Arts match; as well as their career win/loss record. All records are written as W-L-D.

Name W L D Ref
Tank Abbott 10 15 0
Aaron Aguilera 0 1 0
Schuyler Andrews 2 1 0
Daria Berenato 2 1 0
Josh Barnett 33 7 0
Shayna Baszler 15 11 0
Dave Batista 1 0 0
Scott Bigelow 0 1 0
William Brenneman 0 1 0
Canek 1 0 0
Anthony Carelli 0 1 0
Alberto Del Rio 9 5 0
Don Frye 20 9 1
Kazuyuki Fujita 15 14 0
Masakatsu Funaki 39 13 2
Jack Gallagher 2 0 0
Tony Halme 0 4 0
Quinton Jackson 37 13 0
Nathan Jones 0 1 0
Kid Kash 0 1 0
Yujiro Kushida 6 0 2
Bobby Lashley 15 2 0
Muhammed Lawal 21 6 1
Brock Lesnar 5 3 1
Jushin Thunder Liger 0 1 0
Taka Michinoku 0 1 0
Ikuhisa Minowa 59 37 8
Nick Mitchell 0 1 0
Rodney Mack 1 1 0
Shinsuke Nakamura 3 1 0
Yuji Nagata 0 2 0
Naoya Ogawa 7 2 0
Sean O'Haire 4 2 0
Craig Pittman 2 2 0
Mike Polchlopek 1 1 0
Daniel Puder 8 0 0
CM Punk 0 2 0
Rodney Begnaud 1 1 0
Jeremiah Riggs 7 7 0
Matthew Riddle 8 3 2
Ronda Rousey 12 2 0
Bas Rutten 28 4 1
Kazushi Sakuraba 26 15 1
Yukio Sakaguchi 6 7 1
Bob Sapp 11 16 0
Kensuke Sasaki 2 0 0
Hikaru Sato 24 23 4
Gzim Selmani 4 2 0
Dan Severn 101 19 7
Ken Shamrock 28 17 2
Paulo Cesar Silva 2 6 0
Minoru Suzuki 30 20 0
Katsuyori Shibata 4 11 1
Yoshihiro Takayama 1 4 0
Akebono Tarō 0 4 0
Sylvester Terkay 3 1 0
Steve Williams 0 1 0
Tadao Yasuda 2 4 0
Naofumi Yamamoto 0 1 0
Yoshihisa Yamamoto 14 25 1

References

  1. ↑ Barthes, Roland (1957). "The World Of Wrestling". Mythologies. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  2. ↑ Hanstock, Bill (November 12, 2017). "An MMA Fighter Won A Fight With A Shoot Dragon Sleeper". Uproxx.com. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  3. ↑ Michael McAvennie (2003). "WWE The Yearbook: 2003 Edition". Pocket Books. p. 200.
  4. ↑ Spade, Bobby (September 2, 2008). "Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture". NoDQ.com. Archived from the original on September 6, 2008. Retrieved September 2, 2008.
  5. ↑ Ordoñez, Milan (December 19, 2017). "Jim Ross: Fans are 'jonesing' for Lesnar's UFC return because MMA is lacking superstars right now". Bloody Elbow Magazine. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  6. ↑ Gerweck, Steve. "Bobby Lashley wins MMA title in Lubbock". Gerweck.net. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  7. ↑ "TNA Impact Wrestling Results (8/11): Damien Sandow TNA Debut, Titles Vs. Title, Lashley Vs. Storm".
  8. ↑ Burke, Tim (Dec 18, 2017). "Daniel Cormier disses pro wrestling spots, gets into Twitter beef with Cody Rhodes". Bloody Elbow Magazine. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
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