World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) will soon be joining Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) under the Endeavor Group umbrella, thanks to a multi-billion dollar deal announced earlier this week from Endeavor head cheese Ari Emanuel. The new-look sports conglomerate is expected to continue swapping talent “when appropriate.”
So who will be the first UFC fighter to make the jump to WWE?
UFC lightweights Paddy Pimblett and Conor McGregor seem like obvious choices, based on their outspoken personalities and flair for the dramatic. But the oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag have heavyweight hurter Derrick Lewis leading the list as a 4-to-1 favorite.
Here’s the complete betting breakdown:
First UFC Fighter to Join WWE
Derrick Lewis 4/1
Tai Tuivasa 5/1
Molly McCann 6/1
Paddy Pimblett 7/1
Conor McGregor 9/1
Dustin Poirier 10/1
Kamara Usman 10/1
Amanda Nunes 14/1
Khamzat Chimaev 14/1
Holly Holm 20/1
Jamahal Hill 20/1
Jon Jones 20/1
Ciryl Gane 25/1
Israel Adesanya 25/1
Michael Chandler 25/1
Brandon Moreno 35/1
Curtis Blaydes 35/1
Sean O’Malley 35/1
Justin Gaethje 40/1
Valentina Shevchenko 40/1
Alex Pereira 50/1
Islam Makhachev 50/1
Sean Strickland 50/1
Nationality of 1st UFC fighter to Join WWE
American (USA) 4/5 (-125)
British (all of UK) 5/2 (+250)
Australian 5/1 (+500)
Brazilian 15/2 (+750)
Russian 12/1 (+1200)
Will there be a UFC/WWE tag-team match?
Yes +2000 (20/1)
Will there be a UFC/WWE co-event in 2024?
Yes -140 (5/7)
No +100 (1/1)
Will Dana White become president of WWE?
Yes +2500 (25/1)
Endeavor share price on April 30 at market close
Over/Under $19.5 USD
UFC fighters transitioning to pro wrestling (and vice versa) is nothing new and former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, along with stablemate Shayna Baszler, continue to enjoy success on the WWE roster.
Not sure it beats Tito Ortiz and his rubber mallet, but to each his own.