One of the most interesting dualities in combat sports is the consistent migration of pro wrestlers into the realm of mixed martial arts. In fact, it’s something of a quirk because you don’t see boxers heading to MMA too often. Similarly, there is not a rush of MMA fighters heading to pro wresting company’s such as WWE.

We actually tackled the subject of pro wrestlers hitting the octagon in a recent post. For the WWE wrestler accused of essentially being an actor who does not take real knocks, MMA is a no-holds-barred way to prove yourself. For organizations like the UFC, pro wrestlers bring in the big bucks in terms of pay-per-view numbers and betting spending. When a wrestler arrives in the UFC, punters spend big on websites such as mma-betting.pro, laying down bets on household name fighters.

For the most part, it has been male wrestlers who have embraced MMA, notably WWE legends Brock Lesnar and CM Punk. However, over the years, the female side of mixed martial arts has become increasingly popular. We saw UFC star Ronda Rousey make the successful jump from the octagon to the squared circle of the WWE in recent years. 

Interestingly, one of the leading lights of the female division in the WWE may be looking to a future in MMA. Becky Lynch has recently dropped hints that she could fight in the UFC after her stint in sports entertainment. The 32-year-old has been with the WWE since 2015 but has of course been wrestling for much longer. 

Indeed, she is seen as one of the legit female wrestlers and has been in the industry since making her debut in 2002 with UK-based organization NWA Hammerlock. In other words, Lynch has been in the pro-wrestling game since she was 15. 

It seems some within the MMA world are actively interested in seeing Lynch fight in the octagon. 2017 World MMA Awards “Coach of the Year” John Kavanagh has recently said he could make Lynch a potent combat sports competitor within a year. He cited her work ethic and willingness to learn as reasons why she would transition well to combat sports.

“She’s a fantastic athlete, I challenge anyone to try and outwork her,” he told Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. “She’s a fantastic worker. If she was to say to me tomorrow: ‘You know what, I’d like to give this MMA game a go’, give me a year and I’d have her fighting at a high level. “That’s no doubt, because she has an engine. She’s tough as hell. We know what that is that she does [pro wrestling], but you do get smacked around, take big hits. That’s a big part of this game, that you have the mental toughness and the physical toughness to do it.

“She’s very, very fit, she’s a great performer. We know that she’s not gonna go out and freeze under the big lights. She would do very, very well if she was to grace us in MMA.”

Considering Kavanaugh has coached Connor McGregor to international success, it is probably worth believing what he says. 

In response to Kavanagh’s words, Lynch did not shut down the idea, instead leaving the door open to a possible career in the UFC once her WWE days are over. However, any hiatus from the WWE is unlikely to arrive in the near future. Lynch is one of the leading names in the organization, featuring in major storylines and massive pay-per-view bouts. In 2018, the Irish wrestler was named CBS Sports Wrestler of the Year and it is unlikely the WWE will want to lose such a hot property without a fight.