From Octagon to the Squared Circle? Tom Aspinall Considers Post-UFC WWE Career: “It’s a buzz.”
Paddy Pimblett might not be the only UFC fighter attempting to kickstart a career in the WWE.
Earlier this week, ‘The Baddy’ revealed that he had dreams of one day testing his mettle in the world of sports entertainment in hopes of one day becoming the next ‘Heartbreak Kid’ Shawn Michaels. Now, it sounds like the Liverpudlian will have some company as current interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall also likes the idea of jumping into the WWE ring once his MMA career is over.
“Absolutely, mate. That’s what I want to do in my post-fighting career,” Aspinall said in a recent interview. “I’ve got my show on TNT Sports now, so I like the punditry side as well. I’m very passionate about MMA, it’s been my life for as long as I can remember. I like to think that I know more about MMA than most and I can offer some kind of knowledge and breakdown to people who don’t understand MMA as well as I do. I think I’ve definitely got that to offer and I think I do that well, it’s something I enjoy and something that I want to continue to do.
“But WWE is something new and exciting for me as well. I really enjoyed it, it’s a buzz. It’s another way to get out there in front of an audience and do something not quite as dangerous, but still get the thrill. I don’t know, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. I’ve still got a lot that I want to do in my MMA career. I’m not saying that I want to hang up the gloves just yet, but I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t enjoy it. I enjoyed the whole thing” (h/t MMA News).
WWE and UFC have seen its fair share of crossover talent in recent years
Last year, the UFC’s parent company purchased World Wrestling Entertainment in a blockbuster deal that saw the two entities merged under the TKO Group Holdings banner. Thus far, there have been few crossover appearances between the two organization’s stars, but speculation continues to run rampant that before long, we’ll see UFC stars step on the WWE stage and vice versa.
The WWE has already seen its fair share of UFC fighters jump into the world of pro wrestling. Brock Lesnar, Ronda Rousey, Cain Velasquez, and Matt Riddle are just a few former fighters who became industry stars under the WWE banner.
We’ve also seen a few WWE Superstars test out their skills in four-ounce gloves. CM Punk fought twice inside the Octagon while Dave Bautista and Jake Hager, also known as Jack Swagger, briefly fought in mixed martial arts after wrapping up their WWE careers.
How do you think Tom Aspinall would fare in a WWE ring?
