How MMA Changed Pro Wrestling

Shane and Morro, The Old Bucks, are back in the Gorilla Room to look at one of the biggest influences on modern professional wrestling — mixed martial arts.

Over the last three decades MMA has reshaped how wrestling presents fighting, from harder striking styles to shoot-inspired characters and submission-heavy matches. The lads discuss which wrestlers managed to blend MMA elements into their style successfully, and which attempts never quite clicked.

Legitimate fighters crossing into wrestling also comes under the microscope. How well did names like Ronda Rousey and Ken Shamrock translate to the wrestling world?

The conversation then goes deeper into the origins of MMA-influenced wrestling, examining how Karl Gotch helped shape the philosophy of Antonio Inoki, and how figures like Akira Maeda helped push the development of strong style in Japanese wrestling.

Along the way the lads also touch on the strange contradictions of wrestling fandom — how many fans claim to miss the fun, over-the-top characters of the 1980s while also criticising anything that feels too goofy today.

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