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Tag: Brock Lesnar

  • The 5 Greatest Crossover Athletes Who Competed in Both Pro Wrestling and Combat Sports

    The 5 Greatest Crossover Athletes Who Competed in Both Pro Wrestling and Combat Sports

    Some athletes pick a lane and stay in it. These five ignored the lane entirely. Each stepped into the scripted chaos of pro wrestling and the genuine danger of a combat sports cage, and performed at the top of both. Here’s who made it work.

    Brock Lesnar: The Blueprint for Crossover Dominance

    No one pulled off the wrestling-to-MMA switch with the same velocity as Brock Lesnar. He won the UFC Heavyweight Championship in just his fourth professional fight, 277 days after his UFC debut. For context, that’s less time than some fighters spend ranked in the top 15 without sniffing a title shot. Before that: NCAA Division I wrestling champion in 2000 with a 33–0 season, then WWE Champion at 25, the youngest ever at that point.

    The crossover is rare enough that analysts still track it — and fans following nepali casino app-style betting markets know dual-sport athletes generate outsized public interest well beyond pure MMA circles. Lesnar defended the UFC title twice: a TKO revenge win over Frank Mir at UFC 100 and a submission of Shane Carwin at UFC 116. His record finished 5–3, though his 2016 win over Mark Hunt was overturned to a no-contest after a failed drug test.

    His peak MMA run:

    • 2008: UFC debut loss to Frank Mir via kneebar
    • 2008: Defeated Randy Couture at UFC 91 to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship
    • 2009: Submitted Mir in rematch at UFC 100
    • 2010: Survived Carwin’s first-round barrage, won by submission

    Ken Shamrock: The Man Who Was Actually Dangerous

    Before Lesnar made the jump look cool, Ken Shamrock made it look credible. He moved between wrestling and MMA before anyone had a framework for what that meant. ABC News called him “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” in the mid-1990s — either brilliant marketing or a genuine warning label, depending on the night.

    Shamrock became the first UFC Superfight Champion by defeating Dan Severn at UFC 6, founded the Lion’s Den camp, and won the King of Pancrase title in Japan, where results were real. His WWE Attitude Era run included the Intercontinental Championship and feuds with The Rock and The Undertaker. He’s an inaugural UFC Hall of Fame inductee, which is the sport’s way of saying he was there before there was even a sport. Fans who use Mel Bet for combat sports wagering will recognize Shamrock as one of MMA’s original marquee names.

    Ronda Rousey: The One Who Restructured Both Industries

    Rousey didn’t just cross over; she reshaped each side in sequence. She won judo bronze at the 2008 Olympics, the first American woman to medal in the sport at that level. She became Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion before the UFC even had a women’s division. When it created one, Rousey was its first champion.

    Six title defenses followed. Five were first-round finishes. Three came in under a minute. She retired from MMA at 12–2, then joined WWE in 2018:

    • Raw Women’s Championship at SummerSlam 2018
    • Headlined Evolution, WWE’s first all-women’s pay-per-view
    • SmackDown Women’s Championship twice after returning in 2022
    • Only woman to hold a championship in both the UFC and WWE

    She’s also the only woman to headline a pay-per-view in both companies. Nobody else can say that.

    Bobby Lashley: The Least-Discussed Crossover Success

    Lashley doesn’t get the attention Lesnar does, partly because he competed in smaller promotions. That undersells his record. A three-time NAIA Wrestling Champion, he went 15–2 in MMA, primarily in Bellator. His debut lasted 41 seconds. He built his fight career on the same amateur wrestling base as Lesnar — just without the UFC platform behind it.

    His WWE résumé stands on its own: ECW Champion, multiple WWE Championship reigns, top-of-card status through the 2020s. Maintaining credibility in both worlds, without the spotlight, is harder than it looks.

    Dan Severn: The Original

    Severn did something in 1995 nobody had done before: held an MMA championship and a pro wrestling championship simultaneously. He won UFC 5 in April 1995 while holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship — two belts, two different sports, one weekend. He later took the UFC Superfight Championship from Ken Shamrock.

    Career MMA record: 101 wins, 19 losses, 7 draws. That volume is unusual even for fighters who did nothing else. Severn competed when UFC rules were barely formed and weight classes didn’t exist. His cage performances proved something the combat sports world hadn’t accepted yet — elite amateur wrestlers were genuinely dangerous, not just athletic curiosities.

    Most fighters master one world. These five treated the second one as a reasonable next project.

  • WWE’s Future Runs Through Oba Femi

    WWE’s Future Runs Through Oba Femi

    From NXT standout to WrestleMania moment, Oba Femi’s rise signals WWE’s next dominant force.

    Oba Femi looks every bit like WWE’s next breakout star. The question is not whether he will become a main-event fixture, and future World Champion, but how quickly he will get there.

    The rise of Oba Femi is not built on hype alone. It is rooted in a background that mirrors many of the company’s most successful crossover athletes. Before stepping into the ring, Femi was a standout collegiate track and field athlete, specializing in the shot put. That foundation shows up immediately in his in-ring style. His power is not manufactured. It is real, explosive, and controlled. A once in a life time talent.

    Femi’s upbringing adds a layer of authenticity that cannot be taught. Born in Nigeria and later moving to the United Stares, he developed a blend of cultural discipline and adaptability that shows up every time he is on screen. There is a calm intensity in how he carries himself, rooted in lived experience rather than performance, and it translates into a presence that feels deliberate and controlled. He does not rely on over the top theatrics to sell dominance. Instead, his demeanor, pacing and body language project it naturally, giving him a credibility that many performers spend years trying to build.

    His journey to WWE came through the company’s NIL program, a pipeline designed to recruit elite athletes and mold them into performers. While many prospects take years to find their footing, Femi accelerated through the system. By the time he arrived in WWE NXT, he already looked comfortable under the bright lights.

    Femi’s NXT résume speaks for itself. He quickly established dominance, capturing gold and positioning himself as one of the brand’s most credible threats. More importantly, he did it with consistency. His matches told a clear story. His presence demanded attention. In a developmental system filled with potential, he separated himself as someone ready now. One would think he had 10 years of experience under his belt.

    That readiness led to his call-up, and WWE wasted little time placing him in a meaningful situation… Brock Lesnar. The defining moment came on the grandest stage of them all, at this past weekends WrestleMania 42. In a result that signaled a clear shift in direction, Femi defeated and surprisingly retired the living legend of Brock  Lesnar. If that’s not a new direction, then I don’t know what is.

    Moments like that are not handed out lightly. Lesnar has long been positioned as an attraction, a measuring stick reserved for only the most trusted talent. He is the most powerful and accomplished man in combat sports history. For Femi to be placed in that role, and to deliver, speaks volumes about how WWE views his ceiling.

    There is still work to be done. Charisma must continue to evolve. Storytelling will need to deepen. Those things will be fine tuned. But the foundation is already stronger than most at this stage.

    WWE has spent years searching for its next dominant force. In Oba Femi, it may have already found him.

  • WWE RAW: Oba Femi Kicks Off Raw, Officially Arrives

    WWE RAW: Oba Femi Kicks Off Raw, Officially Arrives

    WWE RAW after Wrestlemania is always a big time show coming off of the biggest pay-per-view of the year. Tonight’s edition kicked off with the man everyone is talking about after last night, Oba Femi.

    Oba Femi defeated Brock Lesnar and sent him into retirement at WrestleMania 42. Now, The Ruler kicked off tonight’s episode of Monday Night RAW and made it very simple. The Ruler has arrived. That’s all.

    https://x.com/bodyslamnet/status/2046381325469262054?s=46

    Oba Femi has been up on the main roster for weeks, but after this huge victory at Wrestlemania, he’s truly come into his own as The Ruler. BodyslamPlus.net had the report that Oba Femi would kick off Raw. You can subscribe to find out full Raw details.

  • The Wrestlemania Rundown: The Cody Edition

    The Wrestlemania Rundown: The Cody Edition

    Wrestlemania 42 is officially in the books and.. boy did it fly by! It came and it went. What a weekend. Welcome to the Wrestlemania Rundown: The Cody Edition. Where I give my thoughts and opinions and you either agree or disagree. Let’s get into it!

    I want to get this out of the way. In my humble opinion, night 2 saved the weekend. Night 2 had the star power, the matches, and the build for these matches were better than half of the matches on night 1.

    So let’s start from the top. John Cena comes out and welcomes everyone back for night 2 of Wrestlemania after a historic and incredible night 1. Now I don’t know what show Cena watched. But I don’t think we watched the same one. He hyped up Oba VS Lesnar and then walked away.

    First up, was the match I have been looking forward to since it was announced, Oba VS Lesnar. Now I’ve seen a lot of people say that the match was way too short. Here’s the thing. For me it lived up to the expectations. This match was made to make Oba Femi look strong and it did just that. It gave Oba his mania moment. It was chaos, it was fun, and the people love Femi. The talk of the night was the ending. When the match was over, Lesnar stayed back and took his gloves and boots off and laid them in the ring. Heyman and Lesnar were very emotional to close it as he left the ring. So is he retired? I don’t think so. But we shall see. Rating: 8/10

    Next up, the 6 man ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship. The attires? On point. The match? Incredible, this match was everything I expected it to be and more. It had the athleticism, the crowd was in it, it had the spots, and the moments. It was a true Wrestlemania style ladder match. I truly didn’t expect Penta to win but to my surprise he did and I was very okay with it. Rating: 9.5/10

    Up next, Trick Williams VS Sami Zayn for the United States Championship. This match was good. I wish I had more and Trick got showcased more than he did, this match seemed to of flew by. Trick is over and Vegas HATED Sami. Trick winning the title was the right call. WWE needs to continue pushing him to the moon. Rating: 7/10

    Next was the return of the alter ego. The Demon. Dirty Dom Mysterio VS Finn Balor. Before I go into the match I just wanna say. These entrances were fantastic. The king of the luchadores entrance was great and the return of the demon was excellent. I said out loud during Finn’s entrance “he actually looks happy and looks like he’s having fun”. The match itself lived up to the story. It had everything. The addition of the street fight stipulation was a welcomed one and I feel like added a little more excitement. However I wish I had more. More outside of the ring moments and maybe even some in the crowd moments. But this match was great. I would say this was probably my 3rd favorite match of the night. 8.5/10

    Next was the Woman’s Championship match. First things first. I hated that Rhea came out last with no special entrance. I get that they may of done that for a reason but I just didn’t enjoy it. This match was pretty good. Another match I think we needed more of. The addition of IYO got a huge pop and I was very happy with that. Rhea winning was okay. We knew it would happen. I was hoping for a swerve and they kept building Jade up and getting her better but I guess not. Let’s see what’s next for her. Rating: 7/10

    The Danhausen segment was incredible. I loved everything about it and I love that they are going all in on Danhausen. He is incredible and very good for WWE.

    The main event. The match to end the weekend. Incredible, outstanding. I have so many words I could use but you would be reading this for a while. This match was everything. We knew that Roman would most likely be winning this one and at the end of the night. He ultimately did. I’m interested to see what they do with Punk now. How often is Roman going to show up? Is this ultimately leading to Riyadh for the rumored Rock VS Roman match? I guess we will wait and see. Rating: 9/10

    That’s it! Mania is over and in the books. The build now begins for the next one. Obviously we still have the Raw after Mania which is normally a very big show as well as the Smackdown after Mania. What’s in store? Who knows! It’s post Wrestlemania season.. anything can happen! But for now I give Wrestlemania 42 an overall rating of 7/10.

    Thank you for joining me on the Wrestlemania Rundown: The Cody Edition. Maybe this will become a thing for all PLE’s. Who knows! But until then remember to subscribe to Bodyslam.net and follow us for all things wrestling.

     

  • WrestleMania: Brock Lesnar Retires From WWE Following Loss

    WrestleMania: Brock Lesnar Retires From WWE Following Loss

    Brock Lesnar is no longer an active member of the WWE roster, as he has retired at WrestleMania 42 following his opening match loss to Oba Femi.

    https://x.com/bodyslamnet/status/2045991488211788043?s=46

    Brock Lesnar versus Oba Femi kicked off WrestleMania Night 2 on ESPN. In what was a fun sprint match, Oba Femi ultimately picked up the victory. But, the aftermath is what surprised all, when an emotional Brock Lesnar took his gloves and boots off, placing them in the center of the ring and signifying his retirement. Brock waved to the crowd, hugged Paul Heyman, and then celebrated with the fans while going up the ramp.

    https://x.com/bodyslamnet/status/2045991941083467953?s=46

    For Brock, this is the end of a career that started on March 18, 2002 when he debuted in WWE on Monday Night Raw. Brock was in a class at OVW with the likes of John Cena, Batista and Shelton Benjamin. Now, all except the latter are gone.

    In his career, Brock Lesnar became a 10-time world champion in WWE and has had huge moments, such as ending the Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak. Now, it’s all over. You can see highlights to Brock’s last match here.

  • WrestleMania: Oba Femi Crushes Brock Lesnar

    WrestleMania: Oba Femi Crushes Brock Lesnar

    Oba Femi versus Brock Lesnar kicked off night two of WrestleMania 42 and the anticipation was at an all-time high. Both of these beasts stood toe-to-toe and the crowd was loving it.

    The match kicked off with a simple collar and elbow tie-up, but it came to a stalemate and both men backed off. Then, Brock ran at Oba and couldn’t take him down, that’s when he realized this was going to be a tough night.

    https://x.com/bodyslamnet/status/2045989770187137316?s=46

    This match did not last long, Brock hit Oba with a couple suplex’s, threw him into the ring post, but Oba took it all with ease.

    https://x.com/bodyslamnet/status/2045990624571039953?s=46

    In the end, Brock Lesnar hit Oba Femi with an F-5, and he popped right back up, hit a Chokeslam, followed by a Fall From Grace, and won. Beat Brock Lesnar definitively with one giant power bomb!

    After the match, Brock Lesnar took off his gloves and boots and placed them in the center of the ring, retiring. Truly the end of an era.

    https://x.com/bodyslamnet/status/2045991488211788043?s=46

  • Oba Femi: I’m Stronger Than I Even Know Sometimes

    Oba Femi: I’m Stronger Than I Even Know Sometimes

    Oba Femi is headed into his first WrestleMania and has the biggest match of his life, both mentally and physically.

    On night 2 of WrestleMania 42, Oba Femi will kick off the night by going toe to toe with Brock Lesnar. These two behemoths have been on a collision course for weeks, and it’s about to explode in two days time.

    Before the clash, Oba Femi sat down for a special inside look on WWE’s YouTube channel. It was there, where he revealed that he’s stronger than he even knows.

    “I’m stronger than I even know sometimes. I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. I’m stronger than a lot of people because I lived life on hard mode in Nigeria. When I was coming up, things were tough. It was a harder life than it should’ve been.”

    Oba went on to reveal that as a kid, he used to watch bootleg DVDs to see his favorite wrestlers.

    ”My all-time favorite is Triple H, The Undertaker, the aura surrounding those men, they just seemed so grand. It was their larger than life personality.”

    Now, Oba Femi is that larger than life character to the fans in 2026. And he’ll be on the grandest stage of them all, looking to use all that strength and the hardships, ball it up into whatever he can to slay the beast, Brock Lesnar.  But, that’s no easy task.

    “I have this undying motivation to win. I’ve been in that winning mindset for so long now, that I’ve like kind of lost that underdog feel. But, that’s also a part of the reason why Brock Lesnar standing across from me, is such a big deal. Because, he would be my most recent thing to overcome. This is the highest challenge I’ve ever had in front of me.”

    Now, all that’s left to do is get ready for the fight of his life. You can see the full inside look on Oba Femi in the video below.

    (Please credit Bodyslam.net when using the above transcriptions.)