Which MMA fighters could make the transition to WWE? Jim Ross tells us
Jim Ross is trying his hand at broadcasting mixed martial arts for the first time Friday night, but "Good Ol' J.R." has been a huge fan of MMA for years.
A promoter and showman at heart, Ross is rarely able to separate work from fandom. So even when he pops on a UFC pay-per-view the longtime pro wrestling play-by-play man can't help but think about which fighters would make successful transitions into WWE.
There was also a time that was his actual job. Ross is the former vice president of talent relations for WWE and was in charge of bringing in new superstars. When he looks at UFC fighters, he has a discerning eye. Ross doesn't just recognize their work in the Octagon. Their charisma and looks are important, too.
"If you really want to make money, you need to be a badass and train hard, but you damn sure have to be able to sell a fight," Ross told FOX Sports. "That's what my broadcast partner brought to the table."
Ross and former UFC star Chael Sonnen will provide the play-by-play and color commentary, respectively, for Battlegrounds MMA's one-night, eight-man welterweight tournament Friday in Tulsa, Okla. (PPV, 9 p.m.).
Brock Lesnar is the current WWE world heavyweight champion and the former UFC heavyweight champion. Who else might be able to do both?
Here, Ross breaks down which MMA notables might also be pretty darn good in the world of sports entertainment.
Most of Sonnen's interviews sound directly out of WWE anyway.
Chael Sonnen
Of course. This is a no-brainer. No one played the heel better in the history of MMA than Sonnen. "The American Gangster" didn't just talk trash, he cut promos, pro-wrestling style. Sonnen was so good at making fans hate (and some love) him that he earned two UFC middleweight title shots against Anderson Silva and a light heavyweight shot against Jon Jones. The latter was wholly undeserved, but that pay-per-view in 2013 is still one of Jones' best at the box office.
"Chael was tailor-made for pro wrestling if that’s where he wanted to go," Ross said.
Mir has the ideal look for a WWE superstar, according to Ross.
Frank Mir
Use your imagination a little bit when you look at Mir and you could almost see him in the squared circle of WWE. Mir is big, good-looking, extremely articulate and charismatic. He's cool and would probably make the perfect heel in the vein of a Kevin Nash. Mir in the NWO? Maybe. Ross said he's always been intrigued by Mir. Perhaps it's no coincidence that Mir was Lesnar's biggest rival. Too bad the trilogy fight will likely never happen.
"He wasn't a bad talker," Ross said. "He has a good personality, he's outgoing, charismatic. He has a great body."
Carwin looks like a WWE heel, says Ross.
Shane Carwin
Vince McMahon has always loved his heavyweight and Ross has always been enamored by Carwin's look and athleticism. Another former Lesnar opponent, Carwin is a broad, muscular specimen of a man. Carwin, who has since retired from the UFC, played college football, but also worked as an engineer. He's another intelligent, engaging and well-spoken big man.
"Shane Carwin had a wonderful look," Ross said. "He looked like a killer. He looked like an assassin. He looked like a wrestling villain."
Hendricks' height is what kept WWE from being more interested in him.
Johny Hendricks
The WWE once liked Hendricks, the current UFC welterweight champion, so much that Jerry Brisco, one of the organization's top scouts, had his name circled during during his days wrestling at Oklahoma State. Hendricks is vibrant, charismatic and, c'mon, that beard is wonderful. There was just one thing missing from making him the total package for WWE: He was too small. Hendricks stands just 5-foot-9.
"The size was not there for what we needed at that time," Ross said.
"Funky" Ben would be "perfect" for WWE, per Ross.
Ben Askren
It seems like Askren is trying to recreate his own version of a legendary pro-wrestling feud right now. The former Bellator MMA welterweight champion now competes for ONE FC in Asia, mostly because the UFC didn't care to sign him despite his considerable skills. Askren has been sniping against UFC president Dana White and the two have been going back and forth in the media. Maybe they can one day create a "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon-like rivalry, but White does not seem close to bringing Askren.
The knock on Askren is that he is not an exciting fighter, but few sell a better fight. Askren is a budding Sonnen when it comes to trash talk, which is why Ross enjoys him. If ONE FC doesn't work out, maybe WWE will take him.
"He's got a great personality," Ross said. "He would be perfect [for pro wrestling]."
