The tweet teasing a possible entrance to the WWE by UFC fighter Conor McGregor caused me to think about other notable athletes or celebrities who have stepped into the ring.
This is by no means an exhaustive list but rather some of the more notable names to give professional wrestling a try and left their permanent stamp on the game. I am going to list my top five most influential crossover celebs. Some are athletes some are entertainers but all were larger than life game changers. What they all have in common is that there presence in the WWE no matter how brief or how long transcended and changed the business. Some brought legitimacy while others brought in a new fan base. The WWE was never the same once they entered the ring. Do you think you know who I am talking about? Read on and find out.
5. Mike Tyson
“The baddest man on the planet”, Iron Mike Tyson was the youngest ever boxing world champion at age 20. He has a record of 44 wins and 6 losses. Iron Mike won his first 19 fights by knockout and 12 of those were in the first round. Tyson joined forces with D-Generation X while feuding with Stone Cold Steve Austin upon entering WWE. Tyson was set to serve as a “Special Enforcer” for WrestleMania 14 and was expected to tip the scales in favor of HBK. Iron Mike shocked the wrestling world by betraying The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels counting out HBK 1-2-3 giving Stone Cold Steve Austin his first ever WWE Title.
4. Cyndi Lauper
The American singer who made a name for herself in the music business beginning in the early 1980s with songs such as Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Time After Time, and True Colors. While she may not seem like a natural fit in the world of professional wrestling, in the mid-1980s she helped propel the WWE brand into mainstream relevance unlike anyone before or since. It began when legendary wrestler Captain Lou Albano appeared in her “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” music video. This launched a mutually beneficial relationship that ushered in an entirely new segment of fans to the WWE universe. Lauper made her first appearance in the world of sports entertainment appearing as a guest on Piper’s Pit hosted by Rowdy Roddy Piper.
Pandemonium erupted when Captain Lou claimed credit for Lauper’s musical success to which Lauper replied by physically attacking Alabano. The battle lines were clear and the stage was set in 1984. At The Brawl to End it All Lauper acquired the services of Wendi Richter to battle on her behalf while Lou relied on the Fabulous Moolah to defend his honor. MTV broadcast the match which ultimately went in favor of Lauper and Richter. The introduction of Cyndi Lauper into the world of wrestling introduced a brand new audience to both the music world and the WWE universe benefiting both MTV and WWE. Lauper makes the list because despite not being an athlete she was able to help generate excitement and invite in an otherwise untapped audience from the world of MTV and help bring sports entertainment into the mainstream consciousness.
3. Kurt Angle
The first full-time traditional wrestler of the list. Angle brought the “three I’s” – integrity, intensity, and intelligence, along with his catchphrase “Oh it’s true, it’s true!” to WWE on November 14th, 1999. Angle brought credibility with him as his resume boasts accolades such as being a two time NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion, a gold medalist in freestyle wrestling in the 1995 World Wrestling Championship, and a gold medal from the 1996 Olympics.
In less than one year Kurt Angle would go on to claim the WWE Championship by defeating The Rock at No Mercy in October of 2000. Further evidence of Angle’s significance in the WWE universe was his submission victory over Hulk Hogan at King of the Ring in 2002. Angle put Hogan in his infamous ankle lock forcing the Hulkster into an unprecedented tap out. Angle has always been the ultimate professional as evidenced by his loss to an upcoming youngster by the name of John Cena in 2002. Angle knew the importance of growing the brand and had been a direct benefactor of being the next big thing. When it was Cena’s time Angle showed class and professionalism in passing the torch when he lost to Cena on the June 27th edition of WWE SmackDown.
Kurt Angle returned to the WWE and was named general manager of Raw in 2017. His tenure as general manager was controversial at best and Angle announced he would retire in 2019. His final match was at Wrestlemania 35 where he was defeated by Baron Corbin. The future remains unclear for Angle but he has cemented his place in WWE history as performer, general manager, and hall of famer.
2. Brock Lesnar
A man many love to hate. Often called the first part-time champion, Lesnar burst onto the WWE scene in March of 2002. By June 2002 Lesnar had already won the King of the Ring tournament by defeating Rob Van Dam in the final. Brock Lesnar then went on and defeated Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 19 to win the WWE Championship in his first WrestleMania main event.
In 2004 Brock Lesnar tried out for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He was eventually cut from the team and his NFL career never materialized. In 2007, Lesnar entered the realm of mixed martial arts. In his third fight in the UFC, Lesnar captured the UFC Heavyweight Championship. He collected a record of 5-3-1 in the UFC attaining one UFC Heavyweight championship and in his time away from WWE, he also won one IWGP championship.
Brock Lesnar returned to the WWE in 2012 where he quickly became the face of the franchise. He ended The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at Wrestlemania in 2014 and also secured victories against the likes of Randy Orton and Goldberg. His signature finishing move, the F-5 helped him attain the following impressive resume: a four-time WWE Champion, and a two-time WWE Universal Champion. Love him or hate him one cannot argue that he has had a tremendous impact on WWE. He brought a considerable amount of fans with him from the world of mixed martial arts upon his return to WWE, which showed his importance to the business. He quickly became the most polarizing figure in WWE history by refusing to commit long term to the company. Fans love to hate him but his draw is undeniable.
1. Ronda Rousey
Rousey brought her brand of Judo and mixed martial arts when she entered the WWE in 2018. Prior to her time in the WWE Universe, she earned two gold medals in Judo at the Pan American games and eventually won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics. Rousey worked the MMA circuit, competing for the now-defunct Strikeforce promotion, becoming its Bantamweight champion. This helped her carve out a reputation and allowed her to work on perfecting her vicious armbar. She became the first woman to sign with UFC and quickly dominated her division and became champion for over two years. She compiled a record of 12-2 in UFC and eventually lost her title to former professional boxer Holly Holm. Her appeal was evident as she was featured in ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue as well as in Maxim magazine.
Rousey signed her WWE contract and immediately slammed Triple H through a table, announcing her presence to the WWE Universe. She teamed up with Kurt Angle in mixed tag team action to defeat Stephanie McMahon and Triple H in her first match at WrestleMania 34. She claimed the Raw Women’s Championship at SummerSlam 2018 by defeating Alexa Bliss.
Rousey helped transform the women’s division from an afterthought to one of the hottest, most relevant divisions in WWE. Since she has joined and brought her MMA fans with her we have seen a meteoric rise in the women’s division, culminating with an unheard of triple threat Women’s Championship main event at Wrestlemania 35. This match featured Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch in a winner takes all match. This is not to say this was all due to Ronda Rousey but her name recognition, UFC pedigree, and undeniable charisma certainly helped reshape the women’s division. She occupies this spot on my list for her contributions to the women’s division of WWE as well as her impact on the WWE universe at large.
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