Ken Shamrock and Brock Lesnar were not creations of the UFC, but their crossover appeal had a massive impact on the promotion’s success. Shamrock brought star power from the WWF when he returned to the Octagon, reigniting interest in MMA during its early days. Lesnar, already a household name from WWE and a decorated amateur wrestler, took the UFC mainstream, drawing millions of pro wrestling fans to the sport and breaking pay-per-view records.

In the 1990s, wrestling’s larger-than-life personas like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin dominated pop culture. Most young men didn’t want to be Royce Gracie or Randy Couture—they wanted to be Steve Austin. However, the tide has shifted, with UFC overtaking wrestling as the go-to spectacle for combat sports fans. While wrestling’s influence remains strong, the UFC now showcases fighters as athletes to emulate.

Credit still goes to Dana White for capitalising on stars like Shamrock and Lesnar while building homegrown talents like Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, and Conor McGregor. The combination of these stars, the Ultimate Fighter series, and skilled broadcast teams helped make the UFC the global phenomenon it is today.