UFC Fighters that could make the jump to the WWE following merger

With the UFC and WWE merging, there’s now an opportunity for more MMA stars to step into the squared circle.

By Nick Simon@Nick_JSimon Updated Apr 4, 2023, 5:44am PDT

Major groundbreaking news came on Monday when it was announced that the WWE and UFC would merge into one company controlled by Endeavor Group.

Over the years, UFC stars like Ronda Rousey, Ken Shamrock, Matt Riddle, and more seamlessly transitioned from the octagon to a wrestling ring. Brock Lesnar started in the WWE and then went to UFC, where he became the heavyweight champion. Afterward, Lesnar then went back to the WWE. This merger will present plenty of opportunity for UFC stars to try their hand at pro wrestling, and we’ll go over a few possibilities below.

Conor McGregor

At the top of the list is Conor McGregor, the highest-drawing fighter in the history of UFC. He has accumulated numerous accolades in his decade-long career in UFC, including becoming the first fighter to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously.

McGregor’s cartoonish antics both in and out of the octagon parallel, a top-heel character straight out of Monday Night Raw, and he’s served as the biggest lightning rod in the entire spot. It has long been speculated if and when he’d jump to the WWE. He even tweeted it out on Sunday. With the merger, McGregor appearing on WWE television becomes a distinct possibility.

Amanda Nunes

Like McGregor, Nunes is another big name that could be used to mix it up in a pro wrestling ring. The current women’s featherweight and bantamweight champion said in a 2020 interview that she’d be open to a run in the WWE when her MMA career ends. Now that becomes a realistic possibility.

If Nunes makes a jump, she’d have a ready-made feud with Ronda Rousey on day one. Nunes TKO’d Rousey at UFC 207 in December of 2016, Rousey’s final match in UFC. Who doesn’t love a good revenge angle?

Aljamain Sterling

Current UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has been a charismatic figure in the organization and has backed it up with an impressive 22-3 record. At 33 years old, he’d still have a long career ahead of him in pro wrestling.

He has a good look and is stylish with the 14K gold rope chain he wears everywhere. On top of that, his nickname is “Funk Master,” which you could put on a t-shirt or a billboard instantly. Following the Petr Yan knee controversy at UFC 259 in 2021, Big E even said that Sterling could emerge as a babyface in UFC. The potential is there for him to make the jump.

Nate Diaz

He might be a free agent as of now, but who wouldn’t love the prize-fighting, trash-talk style of Nate Diaz in the WWE? It seems like a match made in heaven. There was a lot of talk about a possible Logan Paul/Nate Diaz boxing fight. If that doesn’t materialize, you have a lot for a big PPV gimmick match if you want to do it in WWE.

Jorge Masvidal

He’s already had a small stint in AEW, but you can’t tell me that Jorge Masvidal wouldn’t be prime for the WWE spectacle. His upcoming fight in the octagon might be his last. Masvidal could easily transition into sports entertainment, especially given his promo ability.

Holly Holm

Hear us out on this one. Holly Holm just came off a win and is still great physically. WWE loves a colossal event. What is one event that the WWE would love to do if they can pull it off with another ex-UFC fighter? It would be huge if they could somehow get a Ronda Rousey/Holly Holm rematch at a Summerslam or big pay-per-view.

UFC Fighters that could make the jump to the WWE following merger

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