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| Randy Couture was an Olympic-level wrestler before his UFC conquest |
When answering this question, break it down into two different answers: The first is whether it's better to have a wrestling or BJJ background for MMA, the second is how a wrestler would do against Roger Gracie.
For the first, most fighters these days train both, but if you're just starting MMA, a wrestling background is generally better to have, because no matter what other skills you tack on, wrestling will still probably be your strongest area. Wrestling gives you the ability to determine where the fight takes place- it provides a fighter with both good takedowns and good takedown defense. In addition, it also gives a fighter great top control, which is more important in MMA than pure grappling competitions because it allows you to maintain a top position while landing ground strikes. Learning submission defense is also easier than learning takedown defense, meaning a good wrestler with solid submission defense and solid striking is a difficult fight for anybody.
This basically leads into how to beat Gracie. A wrestler would probably be best advised to use their wrestling "in reverse" by keeping the fight on the feet and trying to out-strike Gracie. After all, he's practically untouchable on the ground, but his only MMA loss has come via knockout. That loss, incidentally, came at the hands of Mo Lawal, who has an Olympic wrestling background, and he did exactly as I just explained.
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