not saying find me a champion..just who would do best.....how about a guy like Roddney Piper, who was a very good submission judo guy (under Gene Lebell) and also a golden glove boxer. Plenty of other olympic wrestlers who had pro success.
Kurt Angle, maybe Haku i know that that Bret Hart would of had some success hell the Hart Family wouldve been synonmus in mma instead of a wrestling family had MMA payed the bills way back when, brets dad [Stu Hart] was a hooker and won a gold medal in catch wrestling i believe, wouldve went to the Olympics had it not been for the war or whatever it was so who knows the harts were tough for sure, even Jericho wouldve had some success as well as Booker T who i believe was a Boxer for a short while, obviously who knows how tough ones chins are but still u never who wouldve actually had Great success if mma was popular years ago..
Pretty much any of the old school wrestling champions had to be capable of fighting legitimately up until the 60's; since there was always a possibility that the opponent they were facing could shoot on them and take the title for themselves.
The best shout and criminal I forgot him, mainly because when his name com up I think 'legendary wrestler' and 'Nino Valdes' first. Quite possibly a prototype Hendo if 'MMA' existed back then.