Gzim Selmani, best known to WWE audiences as Rezar, has revealed that his background in MMA and kickboxing nearly led him down a different combat sports path before he signed with WWE.
According to Fightful, Selmani submitted Oli Thompson in 2014, a performance that caught the attention of major MMA promotions. Selmani said, “At the time, we had multiple offers from Bellator, and we had some talks with [the UFC],” referring to interest that came when he was 18 years old.
Selmani went on to become known in WWE as one half of The Authors of Pain alongside Akam, with the tag team gaining prominence for its power-based style rooted in his amateur combat sports background.
The comments offer new insight into Selmani’s path to professional wrestling, highlighting that he was a sought-after prospect in MMA circles before ultimately pursuing a career in WWE.
