Tyson Fury has refused to rule out a return to WWE after beating Braun Strowman on his debut at the Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia.
The boxer marked his professional wrestling bow with victory on Thursday night, backing up his trash talk by flooring former strongman Strowman with a right hand and winning by count-out.
The undefeated Fury is set for a boxing rematch with Deontay Wilder on February 22 following their controversial draw last year, but he has seemingly not closed the door on his wrestling career.
International man of the people,🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/G76iI2YZ44 — TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) October 31, 2019
"I've got a big fella called Deontay Wilder to see to, February 22, and then we see where we go from there," 'The Gypsy King' told WWE.com.
Fury was expected to be inactive over the next few months to allow deep cuts sustained during September's points win over Otto Wallin to heal ahead of the Wilder fight.
But the 31-year-old, the lineal heavyweight champion of the world, was tempted back into the ring in a bid to settle his new-found feud with Strowman.
The pair's dislike for each other started with a ringside row on Smackdown, followed by a mass brawl a few days later on Raw, before Strowman injured Fury's ankle in a surprise training attack last week.
Those incidents fuelled the hatred ahead of their eagerly-anticipated contest, with Fury pledging to knock his opponent out and Strowman insisting the Englishman would "Get These Hands".
And it was Fury who delivered on his words by connecting with Strowman, who could not make it back into the ring in time before the referee's 10-count ended.
Do your thing, #GypsyKing.@Tyson_Fury #WWECrownJewel pic.twitter.com/7h3McmFlgy — WWE (@WWE) October 31, 2019
Fury celebrated by lifting both hands in the air and what followed next could pave the way for a rematch in the future.
Strowman did not take too kindly to the defeat and, much to the surprise of Fury who had appeared to have taken to wrestling like a duck to water, bodyslammed him to the canvas and stormed off backstage.
"It was absolutely fantastic, a great experience," said Fury, who walked to the ring in a traditional Saudi Arabian thobe and keffiyeh headdress to the Isley Brothers' song 'It's your thing'.
You had to know @BraunStrowman wasn't going to take that loss well... #WWECrownJewel #TysonVsBraun pic.twitter.com/rkvUbL18oF — WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) October 31, 2019
"I was really happy to be here in Saudi Arabia on a massive show.
"Braun is the 'Monster Among Men'. When I hit him with that piledriving right hand, I cannot believe he got back up and slammed me to the floor.
"It was a bit of a cheap shot after the bell, but what can we do? It's WWE."
