WWE fanatics, ever wonder what happens when the ring gets quiet and our favorite wrestling icons leave those larger-than-life moments behind? Take someone like The Rock, Dwayne Johnson himself, who’s now as much a household name in Hollywood as he was in the ring. But not all our heroes chase the silver screen. Imagine swapping those championship belts for a daily grind, the adrenaline-fueled cheers for the hum of office chatter. Picture those who’ve exchanged the thrill of the slam for the thrill of the sale. It’s a wild turn from headlining WrestleMania to headlining business meetings, right?
For every John Cena who’s jumping into our movie nights and TV binge-sessions, there’s a wrestling legend clocking in for a different kind of workday. Want to find out where these titans of the mat venture when the stadium lights dim down? Where do the lords of the ring go when the cheering stops? We’ve got the lowdown on the unexpected yet relatable day jobs of WWE’s greatest who’ve stepped out of the limelight and into a new arena, just as captivating, in the everyday world.
This article was originally published on eternallifestyle.com and has been republished here with permission.
Muhammad Hassan
Mark Copani, known to WWE fans as Muhammad Hassan, carved out a memorable presence. His persona, often embroiled in controversy, left an indelible mark on viewers. Despite the potential for fame and fortune in the wrestling industry, Copani’s tenure was brief, lasting just three short years. Yet, he leveraged this time, ensuring it was a stepping stone, not just a spectacle. Prioritizing education, he returned to university with a clear vision—to shape minds rather than just entertain them.
Today, Copani stands not on the canvas battleground of wrestling entertainment but in the halls of academia. As a high school principal in New York State, he’s guiding the next generation, not through scripted battles of athleticism and drama, but through the real-life challenges of education and personal development.
Dennis Knight
Dennis Knight, or Mideon as he was called in the WCF and WWF rings, decided early on that wrestling was not his true passion. Instead of continuing with his personas in the ring, he decided to venture into the food industry.
First, Dennis moved to Florida to learn how to cook at Cafe Pointe. Once he had mastered that, he then decided to create his own catering company. If you need a caterer in Florida, you know who to call!
Rico
Another wrestling star who did not start out in wrestling is Rico. He had always been involved with law enforcement, and prior to his contract with the WWE, he spent time in the military and the Las Vegas SWAT squad.
After leaving wrestling, he continued with his former career in law enforcement. He is now a member of the U.S. Marshals and can be seen following up on important cases and providing enforcement.
Beulah McGillicutty
Beulah McGillicutty was known for her rather risque outfits in the ring rather than her wrestling chops. This made her a fan favorite, as she often worked with Tommy Dreamer.
After a while, though, she decided that it was time to start a family and pursue her dream of becoming a children’s author. She is now happily married with twin girls and has published her first book. It’s titled Gertrude the Great but is written under her given name – Trisa Laughlin.
Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman was a WWF Hardcore Champion a total of six times and was a very formidable opponent in the ring in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was a record-setter and, to this day, holds the record for the most days as a champion. He spent a combined 172 days as a WWF champion.
Since retiring, he has decided to pursue a career as a bail bondsman. He primarily works in Pennsylvania and can be seen locating people who have skipped out on their bail. We imagine he is not someone you want to get on the wrong side of.
Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase, once celebrated as the “Million Dollar Man” in the wrestling arena, embarked on a spiritual journey that led him to the pulpit. Transitioning from body slams to bible verses, DiBiase embraced his calling as a Christian minister, spreading the message of faith and hope. His commitment to spirituality showcases a stark shift from the dazzling lights of the WWE to the serene ambiance of a chapel.
As of 2023, while being signed to WWE’s Legends program, DiBiase has also been devoted to his ministerial duties, illustrating a harmonious blend of his wrestling legacy with a newfound purpose. His life now resonates with the echoes of prayers alongside the cheers of the wrestling crowd, symbolizing a captivating narrative of spiritual and professional evolution.
Lisa Mary Moretti AKA Ivory
Ivory was a wrestler in the WWE for six years in the early 2000s. She was one of the members of GLOW, just like the Netflix show of the same name. After finding international success as a female wrestler, she quit to pursue her love of animals.
She now owns and operates a dog grooming facility, which also offers boarding and doggy daycare. This service has grown, and she also offers field trips for dogs to nearby parks.
Raymond M. Lloyd
Raymond M. Lloyd, or Glacier as he is known in the wrestling world, could be seen in the WCW ring in the mid- the too late 1990s. He decided early on that there were other things much more important to him than wrestling.
Once he was finished in the ring, he became a philanthropist and fundraiser for various cancer-related organizations. He is also an accomplished marketing professional in Florida, which is his day job.
Maven
Wrestling is incredibly hard on the body, which is why Maven decided to finish his wrestling career. He could no longer wrestle without experiencing severe pain in his back, which was on top of a bunch of other injuries.
You would think he would have started a less physical job, but he is now employed at a nightclub. He works as a bouncer, who is in charge of breaking up fights and asking people at the club to leave if they are no longer in control of themselves.
Edward Harrison Leslie
Edward Harrison Leslie, AKA Brutus Beefcake, is one of the best wrestlers in WWE history. That’s why he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. You would think that Leslie would have continued in the wrestling world as a coach, but he has completely left it.
He now manages a gym in New England that is a member of the Planet Fitness family. A gym is a place he is well-acquainted with, and he claims to love his job.
Steven Keirn
Steven Keirn, better known as Skinner, could be seen dressed as an alligator hunter back in the 1990s. His wrestling character Skinner found commercial success with the WWF, but age caused him to retire.
He wasn’t finished with wrestling, though; he decided to become a coach and opened the Professional Wrestling School of Hard Knocks. From his school, he continues to train and mentor young wrestlers and prepare them for the big ring. Diamond Dallas Page is just one of his trainees.
Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Chavo Guerro Jr. might look pretty familiar, but not because he was a WWE star in the 2000s. While he continues to wrestle, he has been brought on by Netflix as both an actor and as a wrestling trainer for the cast of GLOW.
He teaches the female stars why creating a persona is important and how to embody that persona in the ring. His persona on the show is El Mayordomo, and he has some great comedic timing.
Late Scott Hall
The late Scott Hall was a professional wrestler. He is best known for his time wrestling at the World Wrestling Federation, now known as the WWE, going by his famous ring name, Razor Ramon. He first started out wrestling in the American Wrestling Association (AWA). He later moved to the WWF, where he became a four-time WWF Intercontinental Champion, impressively winning from the year 1995 until 1999, making it quite the record winning streak.
Scott Hall is also known for being one of the founding members of the New World Order. He became the world champion not once but twice, winning both the WWC Heavyweight Championship as well as the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship. To celebrate all of his amazing accomplishments, Hall has been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014. He has openly struggled with problematic behavior since the 1990s, but as of 2013, he has been working on staying healthy and sober with the help of Diamond Dallas Page. Hall died in March 2022 at the age of 63.
Michael Polchlopek
Sometimes, you need to do what you know, which is what Michael Polchlopek did. Professionally, he began working in the trades as an electrician before he joined the world of wrestling.
Once he entered the ring, he created two personas – Bart Gunn and Bodacious Bart. While he enjoyed wrestling in the WWF and the WWE, he ultimately decided that he preferred life as an electrician. He returned to his life in trades post-WWE and continues to work as an electrician now.
Eve Torres
Eve Torres had not dreamed of a career as a professional wrestler and had instead tried to become an actress and model. When she entered the world of WWE, she was an immediate star. In fact, she won the WWE Divas competition three times, which was the first time this had ever been done.
From there, she continued to wrestle for six years but eventually decided to retire from the ring. Once she had retired, she found her next passion, which is event planning. She continues to act as an ambassador for various WWE awards shows and special events.
Shawn Stasiak
Shawn Stasiak is something of a legacy, as he comes from a WWF family. His father, Stan Stasiak, was a champion in the early 1970s and actually won the Heavyweight Championship in 1973. Shawn followed in his father’s footsteps, but instead of being able to create a serious wrestling character, he was classed as a clown type.
He tried to break out of this narrative, but it was too late. That’s what his fans expected. Due to that, Shawn decided to go to school to become a chiropractor, which he now does as his profession. The next time you are in the US, you can look him up.
Rick Steiner
While Rick Steiner had a solid career in the WWF and the WCW, it seems like he may have found even more success outside of the ring. He and his brother, Scott Steiner, regularly wrestled together as The Steiner Brothers and won the World Tag Team Championship seven times.
Since quitting wrestling, Rick has financially backed a restaurant with Scott. He has also obtained his real estate license and opened his own brokerage. If you find yourself in need of a home in the state of Georgia, then you may want to give Rick a call to check out his listings.
Chris Nowinski
Wrestling is not known for its lack of contact. Chris Nowinski joined the WWE in 2001 and, after just three years, quit. During his time in the ring, he suffered a number of concussions, and any more would have left permanent brain damage.
That’s why he decided to step away from wrestling and work on raising concussion awareness through his nonprofit, the Concussion Legacy Foundation. He has also written a book about his time called Head Games.
Molly Holly
Molly Holly was a well-known female wrestler with the WWE, but once 2004 hit, her career began to decline. She could no longer compete as well as her younger counterparts and decided it was time to quit in 2005.
From there, she began working with teenagers experiencing behavior issues. The specific program she worked with is called the Minnesota Teen Challenge, and she continues to work with children who require special needs care.
Matthew Hyson
During his WWE days, Matthew Hyson was known as Spike Dudley. He crafted a groovy persona and acted as if he was under the influence of various substances when he entered the ring.
After quitting the WWE around 2005, Spike has since moved into the finance world. Oddly enough, he found he has a head for numbers and has developed specialized knowledge of the financial world, with specific attention towards transactions.
Tito Santana
Tito Santana, a celebrated WWE icon who once reveled in the roar of packed stadiums, has taken his charisma into the classroom. As a Spanish teacher, he engages a new audience, sharing the beauty of language instead of showcasing athletic prowess.
Santana, a former Intercontinental and Tag Team Champion, now captures victories through his students’ achievements, proving that life beyond the ring can be just as rewarding.
Kamala
James Harris, famously known as Kamala in the WWE, once captivated audiences with his portrayal of a fierce Ugandan warrior. His imposing figure and unforgettable persona left an indelible mark in the wrestling world. After his wrestling career, he embraced a peaceful art, creating and selling beautifully handmade chairs.
Though Kamala has since passed away, his legacy endures both in the ring and in the intricate workmanship of each chair he crafted. His transformation from a powerhouse in the spotlight to a craftsman behind a cherished piece of furniture is a poignant reflection of his multifaceted life and talents.
Gene Snitsky
Gene Snitsky joined the WWE in 2004 and competed against other major stars like John Cena. He continued to wrestle right up until 2018, when he decided to end his career because of an injury.
Since then, he has taken to being a bodyguard for other professional athletes. Most notably, he has been a bodyguard for shortstop and third baseman Alex Rodriguez. Snitsky continues to be a bodyguard and has not returned to wrestling.
Simon Dean
Another former WWE star, Simon Dean, also decided to pursue a career in finance after his time wrestling. His persona was a wrestler obsessed with staying fit, which was a pretty easy one to act out.
After fading out of the WWE wrestling circuit, he decided to move to Louisville, Kentucky. He found himself a job as a bank manager at Woodforest National Bank. The next time you find yourself in Louisville, you can check out his branch.
Barry Buchanan
Barry Buchanan first entered the ring in 1995 and was an immediate fan favorite. He had three main nicknames that he went by Bull Buchanan, B-squared, and Recon. He weighed in at nearly 300 pounds and was a whopping six foot six, which made him a very imposing opponent.
He has since retired and joined the police force in the state of Georgia. Now, he can be found investigating crimes in Carroll County and enforcing the law.
The Undertaker
Mark Calaway, who is known by the stage name The Undertaker, began his wrestling career in 1984 in the World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) company. He later moved to World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he was known as “Mean Mark” Callous until 1990. He then moved to the World Wrestling Foundation (WWF), now the WWE, and he remained with he company for the rest of his career. His gimmick was horror-themed, and incorporated scare tactics into his performances frequently.
The Undertaker had an impressive run of 21 straight victories at WrestleMania, which is WWE’s leading pay-per-view, a feat that was later named The Streak. He won main events at WrestleMania 13, WrestleMania XXIV, WrestleMania XXVI, and WrestleMania 33, but experienced his first loss at WrestleMania XXX, where he was defeated by Brock Lesnar. Also known as “The Phenom,” The Undertaker announced in April 2017 at WrestleMania 33 that after a nearly 30-year-long career, he is retiring from wrestling. Today, The Undertaker is helping in training the next generation of wrestlers.
Paul Burchill
Paul Burchill is a person who has jumped from one career to the next. Originally from the United Kingdom, Paul first worked as a teacher before he decided to make the leap across the pond to the United States.
Once there, he found himself in the WWE playing a saucy pirate persona. However, he did not want to be a wrestler forever and took his muscles into the firefighting industry. He is still a firefighter.
Scott Taylor
Scott Taylor, or Scotty 2 Hotty as he was known in the WWE, competed in the ring for a whopping 24 years. He finally called it quits in 2013, for about three years until he rejoined the WWE as a trainer.
During those three years, he got his real estate license, was a paramedic, and a firefighter. Wrestling is obviously his passion though, and he continues to coach aspiring champions. We’re sure some of them have been victorious, like him.
Tonga Fifita
Tonga Fifita was a formidable opponent in the WWF ring as he grew up playing rugby in Tonga. While he played rugby, he also began to learn the Japanese sport of Sumo wrestling.
After successfully wrestling in the WWF for 7 years, he decided to move into the automotive business in Florida. He works at a Toyota service center and is the manager of the facility. He is a skilled mechanic, as well as being a master wrestler.
Fred Ottman
Fred Ottman often competed as Hulk Hogan’s teammate. Fred has two personas, Tugboat and Typhoon. In his earlier career as Tugboat, he was a crucial good-guy sidekick to Hulk Hogan. Later on, he switched sides and teamed up with Earthquake to create The Natural Disasters, eventually securing the WWF Tag Team Championship. Eventually, though, wrestling took its toll, and Fred rolled up his wrestling sleeves.
He retired to Florida and moved to Lakeland. He works as an occupational health and safety manager for a company there. While he no longer wrestles, he does coach Little League Baseball.
George Gray
Life has not been easy for George Gray since leaving the WWE. His wrestling person was One Man Gang, and he was a solo competitor. He moved to Louisiana after he retired from wrestling and began working at one of the local penitentiaries as a guard.
Sadly, he experienced the devastation of the flooding in the region in 2016. His house could not be saved, and he has chronic back pain, which prevents him from working.
John Nord
John Nord, known as The Berserker or Nord the Barbarian in the WCW, was known for his crazy style of wrestling. Once he left wrestling, he opted for a simple life working for his brother in Minnesota.
His brother owns a car dealership, and he is one of the salesmen at it. His former wrestling career brings in customers who want to meet him.
Harvey Wippleman
Harvey Wippleman, AKA Bruno Lauer, was never one for the limelight, but he did sometimes step out of his manager role and enter the ring. One notable time was to win the WWF Women’s Championship as a man in 2001.
Now, he simply acts as a concierge and herds the wrestlers into their positions behind the stage. It’s a lot easier than wrestling.
Marc Mero
Marc Mero was a huge WWE wrestler in the 1990s, even becoming the Intercontinental Champion. Unfortunately, he was badly injured and had to step away from wrestling shortly thereafter.
He is now a motivational speaker and travels around the States talking to at-risk youth about substance abuse. He speaks from personal experience, which makes his speech more compelling.
Lita
Amy Christine Dumas, who goes by the ring name ‘Lita,’ is a professional wrestler singer and currently works as a WWE analyst. She worked in the Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) for a short time before signing with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF/E) in 1999. She originally was partnered with Essia Rios but later had a lot of success in the trio Team Xtreme alongside Jeff and Matt Hardy, who went by the Hardy Boyz. She has been named the WWE Women’s Champion four times in her career. That is an incredible achievement.
Not only has she had an incredibly successful professional wrestling career, Lita started her career as a musician after retiring from wrestling in 2006. She formed The Luchagors, a punk rock band, who released their first album in September 2007. In addition to this, Lita also began hosting her own radio show in 2013 called Amy’s Discordia. She has made some television appearances on shows such as Dark Angel, Fear Factor, The Weakest Link: WWF Superstars Edition, and Headbangers Ball in 2004.
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is best known as Triple H- short for Hunter Hearst Helmsley. He began his wrestling career in the International Wrestling Foundation, known as Terra Ryzing. Two years later, in 1994, he moved on to the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and wrestled under the name Jean-Paul Levesque, which was the name of a real French Canadian aristocrat. A year later, he then started wrestling for the WWE and eventually went by Triple H, the name with which he is most commonly associated.
Triple H won a WWF Championship in 1999, and in that same year, he and Stephanie McMahon began to engage in a storyline marriage. At that point, Triple H was considered to be one of the best wrestlers in North America. In 2003, he and McMahon actually got married- art imitating life. Triple H would go on to win 25 world championships total throughout his career, nine of which were as the WWF/E Champion and also five World Heavyweight Champion titles. That is one successful career, we would say.
Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash found success as a wrestler going under the moniker Diesel in the WWE in the early 1990s. He then left for WCW and started the wildly popular New World Order (NWO) with fellow wrestler Scott Hall. Later, he went on to wrestle as a part of the World Wrestling Foundation (WWF) and then Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He would spend seven years there before moving on to the Independent circuit. However, he only stayed at the Independent circuit for a year before making his return to the WWE for part-time appearances. Just look at those guns; we wouldn’t want to mess with him.
As well as wrestling, Kevin Nash also began to dabble in acting on both the big and small screens. His first appearance in a film was in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, in which he starred as a genetically mutated version of Shredder, aptly renamed Super Shredder. He most recently appeared in the sequel film Magic Mike XXL as a male exotic dancer. Nash has also made several appearances in television shows such as Nikki, The Love Boat: The Next Wave, and Sabrina, The Teenage Witch.
Booker T
Booker T, whose real name is Booker T. Huffman Jr., has wrestled for the WWF/E, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Throughout his wrestling career, Booker T has racked up an incredible 35 titles total. He is also the most decorated wrestler in the history of the WCW, winning 21 titles and six WCW World Television Championships. Booker T. became the first African-American wrestler to win this title, quite the achievement. He is a six-time world-champion wrestler as well.
Booker T started to work as a commentator for SmackDown, replacing Matt Striker, in addition to wrestling as a part of the WWE Royal Rumble. By July 2012, he became the new General Manager of SmackDown, working alongside Theodore Long and Eve Torres. That same year, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Booker T officially announced his retirement from in-ring wrestling on July 20th, 2016. He currently works as a panelist for Pay-Per-Views. He can proudly look back at his career history with a smile.
Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels spent the majority of his career headlining many major per-per-view wrestling events from 1989 to 2010. He has wrestled for the American Wrestling Association (AMA) and closed the flagship event, WrestleMania, which is an annual WWE/F event. Most notably, he has mostly wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWE/F). He has been a world champion a whopping four times, three of those being WWF Championships.
Shawn Michael was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011, actually a year after he announced his retirement. In 2012, Michaels began working as a WWE Ambassador. He also began working as a special guest referee for several matches. Michaels couldn’t retire completely and has continued to engage in sporadic appearances, often if the audience is lucky, to deliver his signature move, Sweet Chin Music. He has also hosted his own show entitled Shawn Michaels’ MacMillan River Adventures.
Ric Flair
Ric Flair was a very big name in wrestling throughout the 1970s and 80s and is mostly well known for his impressive career that spanned over 4 decades. He has wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF/E), National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Flair was known as “Nature Boy” since he became popular in the 1970s. He has been named the Wrestler of the Year award six times total throughout his career. Many wrestlers since have looked up to him as an icon in the industry.
Flair is actually the only person to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, not once but twice. He was inducted first for his individual career in 2008 and a second time in 2012 as a part of the group named The Four Horsemen. He was the first wrestler to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. His daughter Ashley is also a well-known wrestler who goes by the moniker Charlotte Flair. He first retired in 2006, but he shortly came out of retirement and has made several appearances since then. We hope to see more of him.
Bret Hart
Bret Hart, also known as Bret “The Hitman” Hart, is a former professional wrestler. He made his in-ring debut in 1978 and rose to great success throughout the 1980s and 90s wrestling in the WWE. He left the WWE for rival World Champion Wrestling (WCW) after the infamous “Montreal Screwball” incident. In this incident, he wrestled against Shawn Michael but lost as the match was thrown. He stayed at the WCW until 2000 when he was sadly forced to retire due to a concussion.
After his retirement, Hart continued to make random appearances in matches in the WWE in 2010 and 2011. He won his last championship in 2010 and also served as the general manager of Raw. Hart has won an incredible 32 total championships throughout his career, which has spanned over 50 years, from the 1970s until 2010. He became the first man to win both the WCW Triple Crown Championship as well as the WWF Triple Crown Championship. Fun fact: he has been married three times and has four children.
Jacqueline
Jacqueline DeLois Moore, or ‘Jacqueline,’ is a semi-retired professional wrestler, rising to fame with huge success in the WWE from the late ’90s until the early 2000s. Before then, she wrestled through World Championship Wrestling as well as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where she also worked as a road agent and manager. She wrestled as a part of a group that was called the Pretty Mean Sisters alongside fellow female wrestlers Ryan Shamrock and Terri Runnels.
Jacqueline not only worked as a referee as well as a coach for the WWF, she also became only the third woman to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship, after female wrestlers Daffney and Medusa, who won it before her. After leaving the WWE in 2004, she began working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) as a manager, but would occasionally wrestle also. She was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in April 2016. She is also experienced in tae kwon do, kickboxing, and also boxing. Don’t mess with her.
Goldberg
Bill Goldberg, who goes by the mononym Goldberg, is a professional wrestler, football player, and mixed martial arts color commentator. Talk about multi-talented. He was a successful wrestler throughout the 1990s after having a year-long winning streak that shot him to fame. It was even considered to be the longest winning streak in the history of professional wrestling. He has headlined several pay-per-view events for both the WWE and WCW, including the Starrcade event in 1998 and 1999. He was the fifth wrestler to win the WCW Triple Crown.
Once the WCW closed in 2001, Goldberg spent some time wrestling for All Japan All Pro Wrestling until 2003, when he returned to the WWE. He took many years off before returning to professional wrestling for the WWE in 2016. He most recently headlined the Survivor Series, wrestling against Brock Lesnar. Goldberg is very proud of his Jewish heritage and never shied away from it during his career, even refusing to wrestle on Yom Kippur. He has also played football professionally.
Sid
Sidney Raymond Eudy is also known by his other names, Sid Justice, Sycho Sid, Sid Vicious, and just by Sid. Sid has been a part of both the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), now called the WWE, and also for wrestling for the World Championship Wrestling (WCW). His career has spanned over thirty years, and Sid has had several successful championship runs. A six-time world champion, Sid has won the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship two times, WCW World Heavyweight Championships two times, and the WWF Championship twice.
While Sid was working for the WCW, he was a part of the group the Four Horsemen alongside Ric Flair between 1990 and 1991. He later moved to the WWF and later the United States Wrestling Association. In 2000, Sid suffered an injury while awkwardly landing on his foot and fracturing his leg. He broke his leg in half and put his career on hold indefinitely. He came back to the WWE in 2012 in a matchup against Heath Slater, which he ended up winning.
The Honky Tonk Man
Wayne Farris, also known as The Honky Tonk Man, is a wrestler who is now working on the independent circuit. The Honky Tonk Man has wrestled for the World Wrestling Foundation and also the World Championship Wrestling. He became well known for his incredible first run in the WWF when he held the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, which lasted for a record of 64 weeks before losing it to The Ultimate Warrior during the inaugural SummerSlam wrestling competition.
After returning to the WWE following his short stint wrestling on the World Championship Wrestling (WCW), The Honky Tonk Man participated in his final matches as a part of the company in 2009. He continued to make random appearances between the years 2010 and 2013 when he began only making appearances on the independent circuit. He is married to his wife Tammy, who he married in 1984, and together they have one son and one daughter.
Mick Foley
Mick Foley is a former wrestler who has wrestled for several different companies, including the WWE, the World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). He has a few different stage names, such as Cactus Jack, Dude Love, and Mankind, which make up the Three Faces of Foley. He has won an impressive 11 world tag team championships, 8 of those being WWF Tag Team Championships.
Foley announced that he will sadly make his last appearance at 2017’s WrestleMania Access as well as the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. Apart from wrestling, Foley has also worked on several successful memoirs that have ended up on the New York Times bestselling list. In addition to writing, Foley has also started acting. He has appeared in films such as Big Money Hustlas, Anamorph, Bloodstained Memoirs, Dixieland, and Chokeslam. He has also appeared in various television shows such as 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live.
The Rock
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a professional wrestler who is also a prominent actor. Before pursuing wrestling professionally, The Rock played college football for the Hurricanes at the University of Miami. He was a part of the National Championship-winning Hurricanes team in 1991. After being cut from the Canadian Football League, Johnson decided to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, Peter Maivia and Rocky Johnson, and pursue wrestling professionally. He became a very prominent figure during the Attitude Era of the WWF.
Throughout his time in the WWE, The Rock has earned an impressive 17 championship titles, which include the WWF/WWE World Championships. Leaving the world of wrestling, The Rock decided to try out his hand at acting and made his film debut in 2002 when he appeared in The Scorpion King. He broke the record for salary for an actor in his first starring role when he was paid $5.5 million for appearing in the film. He has since appeared in The Fast and The Furious franchise and many other notable films. He is now well-known in Hollywood as a respected actor.
Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon is considered to be the Godfather of the World Wrestling Entertainment. He has worked as a professional wrestler, professional wrestling promoter, commentator, announcer, actor, and film producer. He took over the company from his father in the 80s and has worked in the corporate side of the business as well as behind the scenes. He is now working as the CEO, chairman, and majority owner of the professional wrestling promotion. His ring name during his brief stint as a wrestler was Mr. MacMahon.
Vince’s grandfather Jess and his father Vincent J. were both also wrestling promoters. He is also married to the former CEO of WWE/SBA Administrator Linda Edwards McMahon. His son Shane is a part-time professional wrestler, and his daughter Stephanie is the Chief Brand Officer (CBO) of the WWE as well as the on-screen commissioner of the WWE show Raw. Vince McMahon has an exceptionally impressive net worth of $1.21 billion, which is accurate as of the year 2016.
Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan, whose real name is Terry Gene Bollea, is arguably one of the best-known professional wrestlers in the world. He became one of the most recognized and popular wrestling stars in the 80’s and 90’s, enjoying mainstream popularity and headlining many pay-per-view and premiere events. Hogan has participated in many different wrestling organizations, including the WWE, American Wrestling Association (AWA), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNAW), and World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
In addition to the fame achieved from wrestling, Hogan gained even more mainstream recognition when he starred in a reality show with his family called Hogan Knows Best and later made appearances in its spinoff, Brooke Knows Best, which focused on his daughter Brooke. He has appeared in several television shows and films, which include Rocky III, Mr. Nanny, and Santa with Muscles. He also hosted TV shows such as American Gladiators and Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling.
Stone Cold Steve Austin
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin rose to prominence during the Attitude Era and was considered to be the “poster boy” of the time. He is known for coming up with the “What?” chant that is common in professional wrestling. His “Stone Cold” persona was defined by being an antihero figure who was disrespectful, defied the establishment, and frequently chugged beers. Stone Cold Steve Austin has won 19 championships throughout the course of his wrestling career and spent the majority of his time with the WWE.
Austin’s career was at its peak when he headlined several pay-per-view events in the WWF. These included WrestleMania XIV, XV, and X-Seven. Due to serious knee and neck injuries, unfortunately, his career was cut short, and he was forced to retire relatively early. In 2009, Austin was included in the WWE Hall of Fame, being inducted by Vince McMahon himself. He is currently the host of the reality show Redneck Island and his own reality show called Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge.
Trish Stratus
Patricia Strategies, known by her ring name Trish Stratus, is a retired professional wrestler who has also worked as a fitness model, actress, as well as a television personality. She first started working as a fitness model but later decided to pursue wrestling professionally. She has been a part of the WWF/E for the majority of her career. Her storylines often included romances with other members of the WWE, including an affair storyline with the Mr. McMahon character, which angered his daughter, Stephanie McMahon.
Stratus has been named the WWE Babe of the Year three times and also has been called the “Diva of the Decade.” She officially retired from professional wrestling in 2006 after she won a record-setting seventh WWE Women’s Championship. She became a trainer for WWE Tough Enough and, at 37, became the youngest person to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013. She now owns a yoga studio called Stratusphere in Toronto and has graced the covers of several magazines.
Kane
Glenn Thomas Jacob, best known by his much more intimidating ring name, Kane, began his wrestling career on the independent circuit and later moved to the United States Wrestling Association (USWA) and eventually signed with the WWE in 1995. In 1997, he became known as Kane and was introduced as the demonic half-brother of the Undertaker. The two would partake in an ongoing feud but would also sometimes compete as a team. He became a prominent figure in the Attitude Era of wrestling during the 90s and early 2000s.
In the early 2000s, Kane debuted a new persona, forgoing his signature look with the burning red mask. However, in 2011, he returned to performing with a mask, though it was a different one than the red mask he once wore. In 2015, he reunited with The Undertaker and brought back the Demon. His last appearance took place in November 2016, but he has since decided to take time off to heal injuries. He has also appeared in a handful of films, including MacGruber, See No Evil 2, and Countdown.
Sable
Rena Marlette Lesnar, who is best known by her ring name Sable, is a retired professional wrestler who has also worked as a model and an actress. She began her career in the WWE in 1996 and became known as one of the first WWE Divas. She feuded with fellow female wrestlers Jacqueline and Luna Vachon before holding the title of the second WWF Women’s Champion. After a brief hiatus, she returned to the WWE in 2003 and became part of a friendship/feud storyline with Torrie Wilson.
Sable left the industry for good in 2004 in order to focus on spending time with her family. She was married to her first husband in 1986, whom she had her first daughter, Mariah, with until he passed away after a drunk driving incident. She is currently married to her third husband, fellow wrestler Brock Lesnar, who she has two sons with. Sable has also appeared in Playboy magazine, appearing on the cover in 2004 alongside fellow WWE wrestler Torrie Wilson.
Batista
Dave Bautista, known by his ring name Batista, is a professional wrestler, bodybuilder, mixed martial artist, as well as actor. He rose to prominence in the wrestling world in 2002 when he first appeared in a televised WWE event in an episode of SmackDown! When he was billed as Deacon Batista. He holds six championship titles, which include four WWE World Heavyweight Championships and two WWE Championships. He also holds the longest reign, 282 days, as World Heavyweight Champion.
Batista took a hiatus from the WWE in 2010 but later returned in 2013. In between those years, he took on mixed martial arts and signed with Classic Entertainment & Sports. Beginning in 2006, Batista branched out into acting and has since appeared in many successful films which include The Man with the Iron Fists, Riddick, Guardians of the Galaxy, Spectre, L.A. Slasher, Kickboxer: Vengeance, and will next appear in the sequel films Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and also in Avengers: Infinity War.
Edge
Adam Joseph Copeland, better known as Edge, is a former professional wrestler and actor who was a part of the industry for 19 years. He first began wrestling in 1992 and was officially signed onto the WWF in 1996, when he replaced Bob Holly’s opponent at the last second. He is one of the most accomplished wrestlers of all time, having earned 31 championship titles in the WWE, including a record seven World Heavyweight Championship wins and twelve WWF/World Tag Team Championship wins.
Edge was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by his longtime wrestling partner, Christian, in the year 2012. Later, in 2017, Edge’s wife, Beth Phoenix, was also inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, which made them the first real-life couple to both be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He has also appeared in several television shows, which include Mind of Mencia, Deal or No Deal, MADtv, The Flash, and Haven, and is set to be a recurring character in the fifth season of the show Vikings.
Randy Orton
Randall Keith Orton, better known as Randy Orton, is a professional wrestler as well as an actor. After being discharged from the United States Marines through a bad conduct discharge after disobeying a commanding officer and going AWOL two times, Orton decided to pursue wrestling professionally. He began wrestling at a small conference in Missouri before being signed with the World Wrestling Federation in 2001. In 2004, he won the World Heavyweight Championship SummerSlam and became the youngest winner in WWE history.
Randy is currently still wrestling for the WWE, where he is the current WWE Champion. He is in his ninth reign as the WWE Champion and performs through the SmackDown brand. He is a nine-time WWE Championship title holder. Both his grandfather, Bob Orton Sr., and his father, “Cowboy” Bob Orton, were professional wrestlers as well. Orton is married to his second wife, Kimberly Kessler, and he has two children, one from a previous marriage and one from his current marriage.
Jake Roberts
Jake Roberts, also known as “The Snake,” is a semi-retired wrestler who was best known for bringing snakes into matches and also for his signature finishing move, the DDT. The best-known snake that Roberts would bring into his matches was a python named Damian. Roberts is the son of retired wrestler Aurelian “Grizzly” Smith. Roberts started his career in the WWE, staying with the company from the year 1986 through 1992, later wrestling for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and also Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion in Mexico.
Roberts later returned to the WWE in 1996, this second stint in the company lasting for a year from 1996 until 1997. He also wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling in 1997 and later appeared in matches for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling between 2006 and 2008. Roberts began to struggle with substance abuse, which took a toll on his career. After moving in with fellow wrestler Diamond Dallas Page in 2012, he began to get his life back together. Roberts was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in April 2014.
Big Show
Paul Donald Wight II, best known by his stage name Big Show, is a professional wrestler who currently wrestles for the Raw brand. He began his career in 1995 in the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) company, when his ring name was actually The Giant. In 1999, he moved on to the WWE, where he has performed from 1999 through 2007 and then again from 2008 until present. He is a seven-time world champion wrestler, both individually and as a part of a tag team.
Big Show has impressively held the titles of the WCW World Heavyweight Champion, the WWF/E Champion, WWE’s World Heavyweight Champion, and also the WCW, WWE, and the WWF/World Tag Team Champion. He has won 23 total championships throughout his entire career. Big Show has also branched out of the world of wrestling to appear in several films and TV shows, which include Adam Sandler’s The Waterboy, Jingle All The Way, Star Trek: Enterprise, Knucklehead, Psych, Royal Pains, and Burn Notice.
Stephanie McMahon
Stephanie comes from a family of WWE involvement. Her father, Vince McMahon, is the WWE Chairman and CEO; her mother, Linda McMahon, is a retired WWE CEO/Trump cabinet member; and her brother, Shane McMahon, is a WWE part-owner/wrestler. On top of her family’s business in WWE, she also married WWE Executive and Wrestler “Triple H.”
Stephanie McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque married on-screen and off-screen for real. They have three daughters and announced their first pregnancy on WWE. She continued to work for WWE as a creative director throughout her pregnancy. In May 2016, McMahon announced that she would be writing and releasing her memoir, and it is expected to be released in 2020 after a four-year pushback.
Stacy Keibler
Stacy Keibler is also known as “The Legs of WCW/WWE” by her fans because of her unusually long legs, which made her the tallest WWE Diva. At 5ft 11 inches, Keibler is one of the few women in the professional wrestling sport who is tall enough to step over the middle of the three ropes that surround the ring. She left WWE in 2006 to move on to other projects.
Stacy Keibler dated famous actor George Clooney from July 2011; however, they ended their relationship two years later, and both moved on to new relationships. Keibler began dating Future Ads CEO Jared Pobre, and the pair got married in March 2014 in Mexico. They have a baby girl together named Ava Grace Probre, who was born just a few months after the wedding. Her last TV appearance was on the reality show Project Runway as a Guest Judge.
Kelly Kelly
Born as Barbara Jean Blank-Souray, Kelly Kelly made her debut on WWE in 2006 at the age of 19 and remained there till her retirement in 2012. She was involved in many on-screen feuds with the other girls and her on-screen boyfriend Mike Knox. Their relationship ended after Knox performed his signature swinging reverse STO on her, giving her a scripted injury and a six-week break from the program.
Kelly Kelly is now a WWE ambassador. She recently visited WWE backstage and later appeared at the Wrestlemania weekend and the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and caught up with fellow wrestlers – Maryse and Eve Torres on an edition of Table for 3. She is also featured in E!’s TV series WAGS; she is now married to former ice hockey player Sheldon Souray.