During the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker in Doha, Qatar earlier today, UFC commentator Michael Bisping made a pointed remark regarding the professional wrestling background of debuting heavyweight Denzel Freeman. As Freeman engaged in his first octagon appearance against Marek Bujło, the broadcast team discussed Freeman’s unique athletic trajectory, specifically his recruitment by WWE directly out of college around 2014.
Bisping, known for his unfiltered commentary style, offered a candid explanation for why Freeman’s time in the world of sports entertainment was short-lived.
“They Kept Telling Him To Slow Down”
While analyzing Freeman’s movement in the cage, Bisping shared details about the heavyweight’s departure from the WWE developmental system.
“He was on the roster for professional wrestling to be in WWE,” Bisping added, “He didn’t like it because it was just too fake. Obviously, it’s entirely fake. They kept telling him to slow down in training…”.
The comment regarding Freeman being told to “slow down” is a common critique heard by athletes transitioning from competitive sports to pro wrestling. In the scripted world of the squared circle, “slowing down” is often a safety measure to protect opponents and ensure the cooperative nature of the performance—a concept that can be alien to athletes trained to go 100% to win. However, Bisping’s dismissal of the industry as “entirely fake” contrasts sharply with the experiences of other combat sports stars who have crossed over.
“Way More Damaging Than Boxing”
The narrative that pro wrestling is “fake” or “soft” has been frequently contradicted by elite fighters who have dared to step between the ropes. Tyson Fury, the lineal heavyweight boxing champion, famously dabbled in WWE for a match against Braun Strowman. After his training, Fury admitted that the physical punishment was shocking and far exceeded his expectations.
“I don’t take any impact in boxing but wrestling you take impact every day getting power-slammed suplexed, everything you can think of,” Fury said after his WWE stint. “I would say there is 100 times more impact than in boxing… It is painful to say the least”.
Similarly, YouTube sensation turned WWE Superstar Logan Paul has gone on record stating that he finds the world of sports entertainment significantly more difficult than his professional boxing career.
“It’s like Broadway on steroids,” Paul said. “I find the mental part of WWE way more taxing than boxing”.
Bad Bunny and The Reality of “Fake” Pain
Even celebrities without combat sports backgrounds have been humbled by the reality of the ring. Global music superstar Bad Bunny, who earned widespread acclaim for his performance at WrestleMania 37, was stunned by the legitimate pain involved in the “fake” sport.
“It’s real. It’s 100% real. It’s insane,” Bad Bunny said during an appearance on The Shop. “When I was learning the first day and they were teaching me how to fall, take bumps, I said, ‘How can these people do this for 20-30 years?'”.
Bunny specifically noted that weapon shots, often dismissed by fans as stage props, carry legitimate agony. “I always believed since I was a kid that ‘oh, the kendo stick, it doesn’t hurt… But, f**k. That hurt. Like, a lot”.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit the UFC with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription. Watch the full event on ESPN+.
Bisping on WWE: Obviously it's entirely fake. pic.twitter.com/JL008eNigS
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) November 22, 2025
