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Pro Wrestlers Then & Now
Pro wrestling has been one of the most successful staples of pop culture for over 5 decades now, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Many young folks have had their own special generation of wrestlers, and many characters have become timeless. But where are they now?
Wrestlers have had varying lives outside of the sport, from falls from grace, personal business ventures, and Hollywood fame. But many have untold stories, and lots have had some surprising lives outside of the ring. Click “Start Slideshow” to see what they’re doing now.
Hulk Hogan – Then
Hulk Hogan was one of the biggest personalities to ever take over wrestling, and there haven’t been many to be as successful since. In the 80s, he brought wrestling to national fame with his patriotic character, and made the WWE a household name.
Hulk Hogan – Now
Since his retirement from wrestling, Hogan hasn’t really had a dull moment. He was inducted, removed, and then let back in the WWE Hall of Fame, had his own reality TV series, and hosted another show. He hasn’t left the spotlight, and even appears in WWE events from time to time.
Sting – Then
Sting is one of the biggest names in wrestling history, and dominated the WCW and TNA branches for years. He also had notable feuds with teams such as the Four Horsemen and New World Order. He won 25 wrestling championships over his illustrious career.
Sting – Now
After defying the odds and signing with the WWE under a legends contract in 2014, an unfortunate injury forced him to retire in 2016, and he was inducted to the Hall of Fame that year. Today Sting does mostly conventions and interviews, often highlighting his Christian faith.
Bret Hart – Then
Bret Hart came from a family of wrestlers, but he sure was the one who stole the spotlight. He won both WCW and WWE titles during his career, and helped bring wrestling to a worldwide audience. His famed feud with Vince McMahon also led to a number of memorable moments.
Bret Hart – Now
Today, the Canadian son still makes the WWE proud, with his participation in conventions and documentaries on the company’s behalf. The Montreal Screwjob incident may have affected his WWE career, but he has gone on to be one of the biggest supporters of the sport since.
Trish Stratus – Then
Trish Stratus burst onto the scene at the beginning of the century and found superstardom immediately. She was one of the most active Divas ever, and also won Diva of the Decade, along with 7 WWE Championships and 4 PWI Woman of the Year awards.
Trish Stratus – Now
The Now Hall-of-Famer retired in 2006, married her high school sweetheart, and has moved on to acting as well as fitness instruction as her career path in the time since. Not only has she appeared in movies and magazines, but she also owns her own yoga studio.
Shawn Michaels – Then
“The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels is one of the most familiar faces in the ring, where he dominated everything from Raw to Wrestlemania. He also founded D-Generation X, and also took part in The Midnight Rockers for the AWA. He won a total of 4 world championships.
Shawn Michaels – Now
These days, Shawn Michaels has appeared in movies and even some surprise ring appearances, mostly fighting in legacy matches with the likes of The Undertaker, and Triple H at the Crown Jewel In Saudi Arabia. He now works as a producer for WWE NXT.
Rey Mysterio – Then
Rey Mysterio is one of the most lucrative acts in WWE Raw history, as going on over 30 seasons now, the Chula Vista native has been a staple character. He started wrestling at just 14, and popularized the Lucha Libre fighting style, which highlights many aerial moves.
Rey Mysterio – Now
Mysterio is still fighting tall in Raw action today, as he just recently had a notable feud with modern standout Seth Rollins. He was looking to be on his last legs after a major fight, but the doctors repaired his eye after the altercation on Extreme Rules.
The Rock – Then
Can you smell what The Rock is cookin’? Surely, millions did, as this seminal superstar helped escalate wrestling to new heights and all-time high ratings. The former football player dominated the 90s’ Attitude Era, where he famously talked all kinds of trash and won titles.
The Rock – Now
It’s no big mystery where The Rock is today, as he’s been dominating Hollywood since his departure from wrestling in 2004. He’s literally the highest paid actor in existence with roles in dozens of films, and they all are hits in the box office no matter what. A true superstar.
Sable – Then
Sable was a popular commodity the second her promiscuous persona invaded wrestling, as her costume choices were especially popular among fans, earning her lots of exposure elsewhere in pop culture. Though starting her career in 1996, she only fought 3 years before a bomb dropped…
Sable – Now
In 1999, she quit unexpectedly while simultaneously filing a $110 million sexual harassment lawsuit towards the WWF. Though she briefly returned to fans’ surprise in 2003, she left again, but married Brock Lesnar in 2006, who she now has 3 kids with.
Lex Luger – Then
Three-time world champ Lex Luger was most famously known for his impressive build, but his All-American transition to the WWE in the 90s is what granted him eternal fame. His traditional moves were perfectly modern in the ring, and his bodyslam was one of a kind.
Lex Luger – Now
His 2008 freak accident sidelined him for good, but his recovery led to his second career path, which was a bit unexpected – motivational speaking. He commonly travels the country talking about substance abuse, and he also often talk about being a born-again Christian as well.
Virgil – Then
Virgil may be most commonly known for his role as bodyguard for the million dollar man Ted Debiase, but he was also known by other monikers like Soul Train Jones, the Breadstick King, and simply Vincent. He later fought with NWO during his time in the WCW.
Virgil – Now
Today, Virgil has had an interesting resurrection, and has drawn wide internet attention for his stange, lonely promotional runs where he is seemingly in the middle of an empty building with nothing at his booth, spawning the viral meme, “Lonely Virgil. It even has its own action figure.
The Undertaker – Then
No one had a more threatening aura than The Undertaker. Mark Callaway is not only 6’10″, but one of the most decorated wrestlers of all time, winning 21 straight Wrestlemania matches, and 17 championship titles in the WWE. His horror gimmick often stole the show.
The Undertaker – Now
One of the cooler parts of the entire Undertaker character is that nearly nothing is known about his Callaway’s personal life, mostly so you don’t see him as anything other than scary. However, as his appearances in the ring have waned, The Last Ride documentary still has fans reeling.
Stacy Keibler – Then
Known as “The Weapon of Mass Seduction,” everyone was high on Stacy Keibler’s good looks and throat-smashing kicks. She brought the perfect mix of beauty and talent to the ring in a way that hadn’t been seen before, and she excelled in many high profile broadcasts.
Stacy Keibler – Now
After her career in wrestling ended, Stacy Keibler competed in the second season of Dancing With The Stars, finishing a respectable third. She dated George Clooney in 2011 before settling down with now husband and Future Ads CEO Jared Pobre, with whom she’s decided to pull away from the spotlight with.
Tito Santana – Then
Tito Santana is one of the 80s superstars who helped bring wrestling international fame, being crowned Intercontinental Champion and competing in the very first Wrestlemania in 1985. He also went under the moniker El Matador while fighting in certain matches.
Tito Santana – Now
Birth name Merced Solis, the former wrestler now has a very admirable job – high school spanish teacher in New Jersey. Outside of school though, Tito still makes appearances around the wrestling convention circuit, and even a few here and there in independent leagues.
Kevin Nash – Then
Much like the Undertaker, Kevin Nash was literally gigantic in the ring. Standing at 7 feet tall and 300 pounds, Nash was most typically known for his time in the WCW with New World Order. He later transitioned to Diesel, and won a championship in 1994 along with 3 others for WCW.
Kevin Nash – Now
Today, Nash has taken part in a handful of movies, including “The Expendables,” “The Punisher,” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” He’s also been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice, with both New World Order and his Diesel moniker.
Scott Hall – Then
Scott Hall was one of the founding members of New World Order, but before that he went under the name of Razor Ramon. His famous intro line, “You know who I am, but you don’t know why I’m here,” was the main tagline of WCW Nitro.
Scott Hall – Now
Despite his fame and career in the WWE, Hall had a number of personal setbacks that led to him living with fellow wrestler Diamond Dallas Page. Page helped him get back on his feet, and now he’s not only on the convention circuit, but he owns his own ProWrestlingTees shop.
Tori Poch – Then
Tori Poch had to work hard to make it to the big leagues, waiting 10 years after her debut in 1988 to compete in the WWF. In her first season she found Sable for the women’s championship, and fought in the league’s first hardcore match a year later.
Tori Poch – Now
When she lost both high profile matches, and posing as Kane’s girlfriend stopped working out, she decided to retire instead and became a full-time yoga instructor, owning a whole studio and the whole nine yards. Today she also runs her own Youtube channel.
Ric Flair – Then
Commonly referred to as the greatest wrestler of all time, Ric Flair was one of the most boisterous figures to ever dominate the WWE. He won 22 World Championships, and even though they only recognized 16 of them, he was the first to win both WCW and WWE titles.
Ric Flair – Now
The Nature Boy’s iconic “WOO” is still one of the most popular catch-phrases, and he not only manages his daughter Charlotte in the WWE, but he also works as a brand ambassador, along with doing some of his own podcasts on the side. To most, he’s still untouchable.
Ted Dibiase – Then
Ted Dibiase’s career was all about money, and his nickname of “The Million Dollar Man” states just that. He was widely praised for his technical ability in the ring, and it led to him winning a whopping 30 titles throughout his illustrious career, where he mostly played a villain.
Ted Dibiase – Now
Dibiase’s 20-year career ran from the 70s through the 90s, and retired after winning some of the most notable events, like WWE’s 24/7 Championship, and 3 tag team titles with Irwin Schyster. Today he works as both a color commentator and ordained minister.
Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat – Then
Richard Blood would have also been an appropriate wrestling name, but The Dragon was his notable title once joining the WWF. Before that, he’d competed in other leagues such as AWA and WCW. His giant fireball act was always a crowd pleaser as well.
Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat – Now
Despite him fighting in the early years of wrestling glory, Steamboat has still appeared in 10 modern wrestling video games, including the popular 2K franchises today. And if that doesn’t seem like enough, he also has had 5 wives. Now, he mainly focuses on bodybuilding.
Sunny – Then
Often considered the first “Diva,” Sunny was easy on the eyes and fierce in the ring, but she actually didn’t fight from the start. Rather, she was the manager for the Bodydonnas in 1995, and won Manager of the Year in ‘96. However, her rivalry with Sable and outstanding personal problems pushed her away a few years later.
Sunny – Now
Sadly, Sunny’s own personal struggles ended up costing her WWE career, forcing her to bounce around for years after, while also combatting arrests. In 2012 she was diagnosed with cancer, but has since fully remissed and has since written an autobiography “A Star Shattered: The Rise & Fall of Wrestling Diva Tammy ‘Sunny’ Sytch.”
Jake “The Snake” Roberts – Then
Jake The Snake fought in a bunch of American and Mexican leagues before joining the WWE, where he became an instant hit. His nickname came from his untrustworthy character, who often turned against many competitors, and also used snake-like mannerisms.
Jake “The Snake” Roberts – Now
When he was done bringing snakes into the ring and landing the devastating DDT move, he also ran into some trouble, and like Scott Hall, moved in with Diamond Dallas Page to get back on his feet. Today, he’s rebounding by starting his own routine of doing spoken word.
Kane – Then
Another 7 foot goliath, Kane took on the Attitude Era in a big way, terrifying audiences with his iconic masks. Kane was a common ally of The Undertaker, where he also used common moves such as the Tombstone Piledriver and Chokeslam. He recorded the most Royal Rumble eliminations, won 3 World Titles, and 12 Tag Team championships.
Kane – Now
Today, perhaps the most surprising of any former wrestler, Kane is the Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, where he was elected in 2017. He’s also an actor, author and businessman, which proves he’s a truly well-rounded individual.
Diamond Dallas Page – Then
Diamond Dallas Page is a gem both inside and outside of the ring, beginning his career in 1988 and then moving into the WCW 3 years later. While he was a common staple up until the WWF days, his recurring injuries plagued him and unfortunately forced him into retirement.
Diamond Dallas Page – Now
Today, Page is widely applauded for his motivational personality, which also included him taking Scott Hall and Jake “The Snake” Roberts under his wing and help them recover from various addictions. He also makes a living as a motivational speaker, author and fitness instructor, mainly specializing in yoga.
The Iron Sheik – Then
Khosrow Daivari, better known as The Iron Sheik is one of the most interesting personalities pro wrestling has ever seen. He went from bodyguarding the Shah of Iran, to WWE Champion, to coaching the US Men’s Olympic Wrestling team. Quite the professional resume.
The Iron Sheik – Now
Today The Iron Sheik is still a phenom, making appearances on Howard Stern regularly, and lighting up Twitter with his bombastic comedy and hostile rants. He still is commonly regarded for his soft personality, and a documentary called “Sheiky-Baby” was made in his honor.
Barry Horowitz – Then
With a pat on the back, Barry Harowitz had a legacy that most wrestlers would dread – being set up to lose. Not only did he make everyone else in the business look good, but he had fun doing it. He was one of a kind in the industry.
Barry Horowitz – Now
Nowadays, Barry Horowitz spends his day doing meet and greets at various wrestling events around the country, and remains active on his Facebook page, talking to fans and reminiscing about the glory days. He hopes to one day be inducted into the hall of fame for his role.
