Over the years, more and more professional wrestlers have gravitated toward the world of mixed martial arts (MMA), particularly Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Some, like “The Rock,” “The Undertaker” and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin prefer to sit on the sidelines and take in the action. Others like Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar, however, have made the bold move of jumping over to the fisticuffs business.
But not every professional wrestler is a fan of UFC, as is the case with one of the biggest stars in WWE today, John Cena. As he recently revealed on Larry King Now, while he respects the skill it takes to step inside the Octagon and admires UFC’s business model, he’s simply not a fan.
His words:
“It’s done great establishing itself as a brand. But in comparison with us, it doesn’t resonate with me just because I’m a storyteller and I enjoy the story we can tell in the ring. And like I say, I think we do it better than everyone. [UFC] truly has marketed itself extremely well. It has fantastic exposure and there is no denying the athletic ability that it takes to step into the Octagon. It’s not something I could do. I’m not taking anything away from anyone in UFC because their success speaks for itself. But as far as it resonating with me, it’s just not something I’m a fan of.”
Not everyone sips the same tea.
The latest man to leave WWE behind for a career inside the Octagon is CM Punk, though he has yet to make his debut after signing over a year ago thanks to one setback after another.
But hey, unlike Cena, at least he’s giving it a go.