WWE champion asked Vince if he could fight in UFC, reveals Mr. McMahon's reaction

WWE United States champion Bobby Lashley recently spoke to Fightful in an interview and made many notable revelations about his fighting career. The former WWE champion also revealed that he once asked the former CEO and Chairman of WWE, Vince McMahon, if he could fight in the UFC. However, McMahon ended up rejecting Lashley’s proposal.

During the interview, Lashley was asked to shed light on his MMA career and if he still has the MMA fighter in him. Replying to the question, Lashley recalled the oversation with Vince and said, “It's still in me. I'm just that guy. I was talking before because I know that we were doing stuff with the UFC. Vince and Stephanie and all them was sitting ringside and I was in the stands also. I'm texting Vince, 'Can I get in there?' He's like, come on.“

'You can't just fight and not train,' says Bobby Lashley

Admitting that he still has the MMA fighter in him, Lashley revealed that he loves fighting, before explaining what it takes to do so. “So I still have it in me. I love fighting. Before when I was fighting, it was kind of stay busy until I get back here, I just always knew I was gonna be back. So I was like, 'Let me take some fights, stay active, continue doing what I enjoy,' and it was something that kept me honest, you know? You can't just fight and not train. So I had to keep consistent. I had to keep training, keep doing everything. I knew that I was gonna come back, but I did enjoy fighting,” he added.

"I wanted to fight in both [UFC and WWE] at the same time," Lashley told Sean Ross. "But I understand that Vince didn't like that idea."

A closer look at Bobby Lashley's MMA career

It is pertinent to mention that Lashley previously quit WWE in 2008 and went on to enjoy a successful MMA career. He appeared in promotions like Strikeforce, Bellator among other companies and has a 15-2, win-loss record to his name. Although he last stepped inside the cage for a bout in 2016, his stellar record, which also includes a 5-0 win streak in Bellator, displays his stature in the sport.

During an appearance on The MMA Hour in February, Lashley revealed details about his decision to quit MMA. “I was like, if I want to do this thing full time, get in the UFC and make a run or stay with Bellator and run for that title, I’ve got to put it all together and it was challenging. I didn’t find a way that I could do it and I didn’t want to take any time away from my kids, so I was kind of in an awkward situation,” he said. Interestingly, Lashley’s most fruitful partnership came with Bellator, which allowed him to compete for the promotion and also book for pro-wrestling matches.