An ass-whooping is an ass-whooping. And that’s what everyone witnessed this past Saturday at UFC 203, as CM Punk made his MMA debut against Mickey Gall. The former WWE Superstar — known for his brash personality and “pipe bomb” promos on the mic — looked like one exploded on his face. Punk’s first trip inside the Octagon didn’t go-to-well, as Gall promptly took him to the ground and pounded on him, forcing Punk to tap out two minutes into the opening round.

The result wasn’t a surprise to most, as the 37-year-old Punk quickly found out how real things are outside of the wrestling ring. While Punk’s transition to the UFC wasn’t as successful as he hoped, it’s paved the way a bit more for pro wrestlers to try their hand in MMA. Previous attempts by Brock Lesnar, Bobby Lashley and Ken Shamrock have shown that with the right training and background, victory and money can be had for those willing to try.

Looking at the current WWE/NXT roster, there’s talented athletes and fighters that could certainly make the jump. With that in mind, we pick out the gladiators best suited to walk inside the Octagon.

Shinsuke Nakamura

Before the red-leather-wearing, enigmatic superstar we all know and love became NXT Champion, he earned his battle wounds competing in MMA early in his career. Shinsuke Nakamura had a brief run in MMA in the early 2000s with five matches, the most notable one being against Daniel Gracie. Even though Nakamura’s stint in MMA was quick and forgettable, it no doubt made a major impact on his wrestling career. Applying that mixed-combat striking and submission style into his repertoire — highlighted by his finishing move Kinshasa — has helped Nakamura earn the “King of Strong Style” moniker.

At 36 years old, time isn’t on his side and the wear and tear on his body would hinder what he could do. While highly unlikely, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Shinsuke might want to bookend his career with another go in MMA. Even if it’s just for one night, it would be a highly entertaining spectacle to watch.

American Alpha (Chad Gable & Jason Jordan)

Two for the price of one, as these guys are the most legit MMA prospects in WWE. Not only are they the most talented tag-team in the company, but Chad Gable and Jason Jordan are arguably the two most skilled, pure wrestlers on the roster as well.

With an amateur wrestling background, Chad Gable is an Olympic wrestler, having competed in the London 2012 Summer Olympics. His speed, agility and mat work have brought comparisons to Olympic gold medalist, Kurt Angle. Fans have dubbed him Angle 2.0, going so far as singing Gable’s name to Angle’s old theme song. Jason Jordan also has an amateur wrestling background, but more on the light-heavyweight side, competing on the NCAA Division I level at Indiana University. His college run was filled with accolades and many wins, including going on an epic 35-0 run. With his size, speed and power, it’s easy to see why people see a big future for him in pro wrestling.

Relatively young (Gable – 30; Jordan – 27) and with impressive amateur wrestling foundations to build on, both Gable and Jordan could compete as MMA fighters and thrive in their respected weight-classes.

Cesaro

The “Swiss Superman” is an athletic freak of nature, with crazy agility and scary strength. Having wrestled all over the world, he’s left fans in awe with his impressive physical abilities in the ring. Anything he wants to do against an opponent, he does because he can.

Cesaro’s basically in the same boat CM Punk was prior to leaving WWE for the UFC. Cesaro’s unsatisfied with his push and role in WWE and is basically wasting away his prime years. He should be holding a championship around his waist instead of involved in a pointless feud against Sheamus. 

But if he leaves, what are his options? A return back to the independent wrestling scene is certainly a possibility, or he might go to Japan and work for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). If he wanted more of a challenge, Cesaro just might be interested enough to see what kind of deal he could get in the UFC. Unlike Punk, Cesaro’s a legit super athlete who could flourish in MMA with the proper training and team behind him. Even at 35, he could still find crossover success in a short but effective run.

Asuka

“Asuka’s gonna kill you…Asuka’s gonna kill you!” is the terrifying chant every opponent hears when facing “The Empress of Tomorrow.”

The most dominant and feared competitor in the women’s division is almost tailor-made to compete inside an MMA cage. Since arriving in NXT last fall, Asuka has gone undefeated, claiming the NXT Women’s Championship in the process. Don’t let her cute smile or kaleidoscope attire fool you. She’s destroyed everyone she’s faced — cleaning out the division, which she could easily do to both RAW and Smackdown Live as well. She’s basically the female version of Brock Lesnar.

Just like her fellow countryman, Shinsuke Nakamura, Asuka is known for her kicks, strikes and submission moves. Her no-nonsense attacks and style could translate well in the world of MMA. Maybe UFC and WWE could do a talent exchange of sorts, where Ronda Rousey or Paige VanZant can dabble in the WWE, while Asuka appears on a season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Rusev

Packaged as the real-life version of Ivan Drago, Rocky Balboa’s foe, Rusev is a monster of a man. I’m still waiting for him to utter these words in one of his promos:

Just on physical size and attributes alone, Rusev could pursue a run in the UFC if he wanted to. Sure he’d have to work on his mat wrestling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, but the man has intangibles that make it difficult to match up against. This former power lifter is as tough as they come in WWE and would be a prized addition to the UFC heavyweight division. The man is so confident of his skills in a ring or an Octagon that back in June he tweeted out that he’d like to face Brock Lesnar. “The Bulgarian Brute” versus “The Beast Incarnate” would be a very appealing match for either WWE or UFC.