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Ken Shamrock Admits WWE Was Harder Than MMA
Ken Shamrock delivered a surprising assessment of his career, arguing that his time in WWE was more difficult on him. The UFC Hall of Famer provided a glimpse into the daily grind of pro wrestling versus that of MMA.
Shamrock is an MMA pioneer, having competed on the very first UFC event and helped establish Pancrase in Japan. He was also a trailblazer for WWE, carrying over his MMA background and incorporating it into his in-ring style and presentation. His pro wrestling success paved the way for other MMA fighters, including Ronda Rousey, Matt Riddle, and Shayna Baszler, to follow years later.
Shamrock’s experience competing at a high level in both carries significant weight. Given the physical demands and grueling schedule, it’s understandable why he considered WWE to be more difficult.
Ken Shamrock Compares Physical Toll of MMA vs. WWE
Ken Shamrock was among the top fighters in the world when he decided to move to WWE. He was a former King of Pancrase champion and the inaugural UFC Superfight champion. However, the UFC’s ownership could not meet his financial demands, so he pursued a lucrative WWE offer.
Although he was putting his health at risk in MMA, Shamrock was confident in his skills and knew he could protect himself. WWE, however, was a different challenge, as he had to trust another wrestler to execute maneuvers on him to tell a story.
During an appearance on The Unyielding Spirit, Shamrock said UFC was much easier on him. ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man’ emphasized that WWE’s schedule required him to perform physically demanding matches far more often.
“If you ask me in my prime, fighting was easier because I could take people out quickly. I could have a two-minute match. Over,” Shamrock said. “In [pro] wrestling, we’re doing 15 [minutes] if that’s the slot.”
He added:
“You’re taking all those bumps, you’re taking the shots, you’re still getting hit, you’re still taking chairs, you’re still getting slammed, you’re still going over to the top rope. There’s all these things that you are physically doing,” Shamrock said. “You’re doing them not one time a week, but four times a week. Over and over again. It’s crazy the amount of punishment your body takes willingly.”
Shamrock Revealed He Was Called a Sellout After Leaving UFC for WWE
Shamrock once revealed that he was called a sellout by the MMA community after leaving UFC for WWE. The MMA pioneer said that although the decision was difficult, he felt that it was necessary to continue supporting his family, gym, and group home.
Shamrock recalled that being the first major UFC star to cross over to WWE wasn’t met with a positive response. However, he noted that it became accepted as time passed.
“I think a lot of these people that are crossing over and doing [pro wrestling] now, they should be thankful that they’re not the first ones to have to do it because it wasn’t a pretty sight for me,” Shamrock told Sportskeeda MMA in 2023. “Being in that realm of being this celebrity in fighting and people turning on you, it’s not fun. You hear a lot of things, there’s nothing you could do about it. But you know, being successful heals everything.”
Giancarlo Aulino Giancarlo Aulino is sports writer who covers UFC for Heavy.com. He began writing for Heavy in 2025 after providing MMA coverage for Sportskeeda. Giancarlo is an experienced journalist and interviewer, having covered soccer clubs Toronto FC and York United FC as a full-season reporter, and also producing sports coverage for Toronto radio station VIBE 105.5FM.
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