WWE and UFC might differ in terms of the fundamental aspects of their products, and in the past, both companies clashed. But now, with the new business merger of UFC and WWE, called TKO Group Holdings, fans are expecting more frequent cameos.
Slowly, the lines are getting blurred as more and more stars cross the barrier. This time, UFC 303 reached its pinnacle of excitement for fans when they saw WWE star Shinsuke Nakamura in the corner of Rei Tsuruya, the Japanese UFC star.
The chemistry between Shinsuke Nakamura and Rei Tsuruya
Now, Rei and Shinsuke both have Japanese roots, which creates a connection between the two Asian stars. There is no public record of a friendship between them, but there might be another reason for their bond.
Shinsuke Nakamura had a short run in MMA under the Unified Rules banner, so it’s possible that Nakamura and Rei Tsuruya crossed paths during an event. Whatever the reason, Tsuruya did have the upper hand in the fight, and Nakamura’s experience likely made it a bit easier.
UFC and WWE fans are delighted to see this sweet collaboration
This is a sort of forbidden door opening for the fans, and it has invoked excitement. Especially after Rei Tsuruya’s win, UFC fans are quite pleased with the appearance of wrestling legend Shinsuke Nakamura.
This crossover is making fans speculate about future WWE and UFC crossovers. Daniel Cormier had a short WWE run as a referee in the match between Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle, so we can expect more of these crossovers in the future.
Should we expect more WWE-UFC crossover?
After the merger, it became easier for both companies to work on crossovers, but there lies a big problem. UFC and WWE are different in terms of some basics. UFC, by no means, is scripted; the fights are as real as it gets.
On the other hand, WWE is a form of entertainment that goes through stages of scripting, writing, and practice. Very few stars have experienced both worlds, so it will be tough for athletes from both domains to adjust to the different forms of fighting and entertainment.
However, we can definitely expect more of these crossovers. In terms of active storylines, UFC and WWE won’t be interfering with each other. Besides this, TNA and WWE are building a great business relationship, so UFC doesn’t even have to take part in this.