Could WWE be bringing the Brawl for All back? Mark Mainz/Getty Images

Is WWE planning a shoot-style fight tournament?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Aug 3, 2020 8:10 PM ET

Is the Brawl for All coming back?

(Warning: Video contains some inappropriate language)

On Monday, Jon Alba of Spectrum Sports 360 tweeted that he's heard "rumblings" that WWE boss Vince McMahon is considering adding a shoot-style fight tournament to his programming catalog:

I don't know that this is happening, but there are definitely a ton of rumblings going around about a shoot-style fight tournament in #WWE.

Earlier this year, @JohnAsHimself said Vince McMahon had approved an NXT Brawl For All-esque tourney 10 years ago but dropped it.
— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) August 3, 2020

Alba added in a couple of now-deleted tweets that he doesn't know anything for sure and can't confirm we'll see UFC-style bouts under the WWE umbrella anytime soon.

Alba reversed course later on Monday, however, and added he doesn't know if the fights will be worked (scripted) or legitimate matches:

Now I can report this. A source indicates to me tonight's announcement on #RAW will indeed be about some sort of shoot-fight style...thing. @voiceswrestling first mentioned this rumor, while others like @WrestleVotes and @ryansatin have noted it would be eye-opening. #WWE https://t.co/dZ1SswiZly
— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) August 3, 2020

I can now confirm there is accuracy to this. Will be interesting to see if it's a "work" or actual shoot-fighting. #WWE #RAW https://t.co/5VDTvhFNxG
— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) August 3, 2020

The WWE Universe and UFC world have crossed paths multiple times throughout the years. Superstars Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey famously won world titles in both promotions. CM Punk often wore Gracie Jiu-Jitsu hoodies on WWE shows. Former UFC fighters Matt Riddle and Shayna Baszler are currently on the WWE main roster.

It's anybody's guess what a shoot-style WWE tournament would look like in a world where mixed martial arts events are televised every month. The previously mentioned Brawl for All tournament in 1998 is widely seen as one of the biggest marketing mistakes made by McMahon during the second half of that decade. Multiple wrestlers suffered injuries, and tournament winner Bart Gunn was knocked out by Eric Esch, commonly known as "Butterbean," in under a minute at WrestleMania XV:

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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