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These WWE Athletes Left the Ring to Pursue Regular Employment

While many professional wrestlers enjoy comfortable retirements as a result of their lucrative earnings from their time spent in the squared circle, others will need to (or may choose to) find new sources of income once they stop competing.

While some wrestlers transition into other professions that appear to be related to wrestling, others end up in rather unusual, if not bizarre, fields of work. It makes sense to transition from professional wrestling to pro wrestling training. Even switching from professional wrestling to owning a gym would seem to make sense.

However, there are also wrestlers who have gone on to become everything from real estate agents to motivational speakers to ordained ministers. You might be pleasantly humbled to learn that some of your biggest childhood heroes are probably more approachable than you’d think, as well as a little surprised to learn how they are currently depositing money into their bank accounts.

Trish Stratus

Trish Stratus

Stratus was the most successful female wrestler even though she once lost to Molly Holly. She held the title of WWE Hardcore Champion once and won seven championships.

Stratus is largely retired from professional wrestling, though he occasionally still shows up around WWE. The WWE Hall of Famer, who is now a mother, owns Stratusphere, a yoga studio.

Sean O’Haire

Sean O’Haire

O’Haire was an avid wrestler. He ventured across the globe in search of work. But it ended up taking too much work for too little pay. He had to look for a new job because he was unable to pay his bills.

O’Haire ironically quit wrestling to work as a hairstylist. Unfortunately, his financial situation worsened, and he eventually committed suicide. He reportedly struggled with addiction, according to the reports.

Kane

Kane

Kane is a WWE, World Heavyweight, and ECW champion. He also excels in tag teams, winning championships twice with The Deadman and once each with X-Pac, Big Show, and other teammates.

Kane prefers to be known as Glenn Jacobs the politician these days. Jacobs made the decision to run for Knox County mayor in Tennessee. He won the election, and despite having very little political background, he is now the mayor.

Barry Buchanan

Barry Buchanan

The wrestling career of the 275-pound, 6’6″ wrestler wasn’t all that impressive. With the Right to Censor team, he did, however, once capture the Tag Team Championship. Eventually, his contract was terminated.

After that, Buchanan entered the world of law enforcement. He is currently employed by the Georgia Carrol County Sheriff’s Department as an investigator.

Bret Hart

Bret Hart

Before switching to the more theatrical Olympic-style wrestling, Bret Hart won several amateur wrestling championships. He is regarded by some of his contemporaries as the most technically adept professional wrestler of his time.

After WWE, his life wasn’t simple and enjoyable. He first experienced a stroke from which he never fully recovered. He later developed prostate cancer but overcame it. During all of that, he managed to launch Sharpshooter Funding, a business loan firm.

Mick Foley

Mick Foley

One of the WWE wrestlers with the most respect is the four-time World Champion. Foley’s career was marked by a profusion of nick names. He has also gone by the names “Mankind,” “Dude Love,” and “Cactus Jack.”

Foley has stopped competing in wrestling, despite still having a contract with the WWE. He was admitted to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013. In addition, Foley has written New York Times bestsellers and appeared in documentaries about professional wrestling.

Spike Dudley

Spike Dudley

The wrestling career of Dudley included time in various promotions. Although he was most well-known for his work with the WWE and WWF, he also took part in ECW. He frequently performed with his on-stage brothers D-Von Dudley and Buh Buh Ray.

After switching his attention away from wrestling, he became a financial planner. He supports people’s and families’ efforts to achieve financial success. He even worked as an assistant teacher before wrestling.

Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels

Michaels was known by the monikers “Mr. WrestleMania” and “the Heartbreak Kid,” and was considered to be one of the most productive pro wrestlers in history. His professional life lasted for three decades. He won the WWF Championship three times, the WWE Heavyweight Championship once, and the WWE World Championship four times over the course of his lengthy career.

Shawn Michaels’ MacMillan River Adventures, his own hunting program since leaving the WWE, is co-hosted by him. Wrestling for My Life: The Legend, the Reality, and the Faith of a WWE Superstar is the title of Michaels’ autobiography, which was also published.

Booker T

Booker T

Booker T Booker T has achieved a lot in the sport of wrestling. He has won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship four times and the WWE United States Championship three times. He is also a member of a tag team and an individual member of the WWE Hall of Fame.

Booker T made the announcement that he would be running for office in Houston months after leaving the WWE. He was not, however, one of the twelve candidates’ names that were listed on the ballots when they were distributed. Along with starting Reality of Wrestling, he and his brother had previously opened a wrestling school in Houston.

Kevin Nash

Kevin Nash

Nash won the WCW Championship and the WCW Heavyweight Championship five times during the course of his career, which lasted more than two decades. In addition, he amassed numerous tag team titles.

He stopped competing in wrestling in 2010, but he has continued to work. He has acted in movies like Magic Mike and The Longest Yard.

Eric Bischoff

Eric Bischoff

Bischoff rarely competed in the ring but made the majority of his money as a businessman with connections to the sport. His position as WCW’s president and executive producer was his most well-known one.

He is a businessman, pro wrestler’s agent, TV host, and TV producer. He held a number of jobs prior to beginning his wrestling career, including running a landscaping company and competing as a professional kickboxer.

Dave Bautista

Dave Bautista

With Randy Orton and Evolution, Dave Bautista made his professional wrestling debut. He eventually went solo and became a frequent event headliner, like many wrestlers do. He captured the World Heavyweight Championship four times and the World Wrestling Championship six times overall.

He mostly transitioned into MMA and acting after leaving the WWE. He recently starred in My Spy and plays “Drax the Destroyer” in several recurring roles in Marvel movies.

Edge

Edge

Before joining the WWE, Edge Edge began wrestling for various independent organizations. He is one of the most accomplished wrestlers in history, having taken home 31 total WWE championships. Edge broke his neck while performing one of his routines, which was terrifying. He was renowned for not pretending to pull off his stunts, which wasn’t often. For a while, he was forced into retirement.

He briefly returned to professional wrestling in 2019, but he now prioritizes acting. In the Vikings television series on the History channel, he played Ketill Flatnose. Edge has also made appearances on numerous TV shows from different networks and even made it onto the big screen.

Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho

One of the wrestlers with the most experience today is Jericho. Jericho is currently with All Elite Wrestling even though he is best known for his time with the WWE, where he was a six-time World Champion. In actuality, he served as the promotion’s first World Champion.

He performs as the lead singer for his own rock band, Fozzy, outside of wrestling. Even television programs like Dancing with the Stars featured him. Jericho has written New York Times best sellers, just like Mick Foley.

Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar

After capturing the WWE Championship, Lesnar made the decision to branch out. Contrary to the majority of his rivals, Lesnar attempted to play professional football after he retired from wrestling rather than switching to it first. He was signed to the Minnesota Vikings practice squad, but he was never added to the roster.

After that, he achieved great success with the UFC and eventually took home the Heavyweight Championship. The UFC Heavyweight Championship and the WWE Championship have only ever been held by Lesnar, a member of the WWE. He continues to be a major draw for WWE, which accounts for his multiple title victories. Despite making few appearances, Lesnar earned the most money from WWE in 2019.

Kurt Angle

Kurt Angle

Angle had prior experience competing in competitive wrestling, unlike many of his WWE rivals. Amazingly, he helped the United States win a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Angle turned to professional wrestling, but there isn’t much money in competitive wrestling. In 2017, Angle was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Angle has served as a speaker and spokesperson for Fortune 500 companies. He has made numerous public appearances around the world as an ambassador for the Olympic Games and Professional Wrestling, as well as for AAFES (Amy Air Force Exchange Service), WalMart, K-Mart, Coca-Cola, AT&T, Walgreens, NASCAR, GNC, and other companies.

Triple H

Triple H

With more than a dozen World Championships and numerous other titles under his belt, Triple H has had an exceptional career in the WWE. Along the way, he also got married to Vince McMahon, the owner of WWE, and Stephanie McMahon.

Perhaps the marriage plays a role in Triple H’s decision to begin moving toward the executive side of the business. He is still a part-time WWE wrestler while also serving as Executive VP of Global Talent Strategy & Development for WWE and Senior Producer of NXT.

Stone Cold Steve Austin

Stone Cold Steve Austin

Six-time WWE world champion Steve Austin is one of the select few to have triumphed in the WWE Royal Rumble at least three times. He’s also one of the most beloved WWE characters ever, in part because of his rivalry with Vince McMahon.

Stone Cold stayed active despite having to retire earlier than other well-known wrestlers due to injuries. He has appeared in films and TV shows since 2009, when he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Given that he used to open beers during matches, it makes sense that he also has his own podcast and beer brand.

John Cena

John Cena

One of the most well-liked contemporary wrestlers is Cena. He is a future Hall of Famer and a record-breaking 16-time WWE World Champion. His persona changed from being a trash-talking rapper in the ring to becoming the face of the company.

The majority of Cena’s time these days is spent in Hollywood and charity work, but he still makes the occasional trip back to WWE. His most notable recent film role was in the Fast & Furious series. Cena has granted more wishes than anyone else through the Make-a-Wish foundation—over 600.

The Rock

The Rock, a 10-time World Champion, was born into poverty. From being poor when he left college to becoming one of the most well-known people in the world. He occasionally still performs for WWE, but his primary interest is Hollywood.

The Rock

The Rock has been able to make more money off the stage than inside the ring thanks to his acting. He was the highest-paid Hollywood actor in 2019. He appears in other movies like Jumanji and is one of the main characters in the Fast & Furious series.

Want to read some more interesting stuff? Check out 20 hobbies that require almost no money!

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