“Wait – I thought professional wrestling wasn’t a sport? Isn’t that shit fake?”

The common thread among sports fans seems to be that professional wrestling/sports-entertainment – whatever the heck you want to call it – is a joke. Although the kicks and fists (for the most part) are not “real”, it still takes a great amount of athleticism to compete inside a WWE ring. As the WWE has evolved over decades, more and more of the content has focused on the performers athletic abilities.

Perhaps the greatest evidence of this is the active participation of professional athletes in sports-entertainment. Since the WWEs global takeover of professional wrestling following the first WrestleMania in 1985, the wrestling business and professional athletes have long been associated. This can be seen in two specific areas: former professional athletes who retired and then made a career out of professional wrestling, and athletes who explored sports-entertainment while still in their physical prime. Part one of this list will countdown the top five professional athletes who retired from sports, and then found success inside the squared-circle.

Honourable Mentions

The Rock

Do you smell what the Rock is cookin’?

Perhaps the most famous wrestler in history, The Rock once had aspirations to be a professional football player. A 1991 National Champion with the Miami Hurricanes, The Rock dreamed of one day stepping on an NFL field.

Now, The Rock would go on to briefly sign with the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL, but never played a game in the CFL – so technically, The People’s Champ doesn’t qualify for our list. Hey Wally Buono, WWE fans say thank you for cutting his ass!

Although he never made the NFL, The Rock became one of the greatest WWE performers of all-time, and all it takes is a swipe through Netflix to realize the man was made for fame.

Kurt Angle

Although not considered a professional athlete (Olympians fall under the amateur realm), a list about athletes in wrestling would not be complete without Kurt Angle.

Representing the U-S of A, Kurt Angle would capture a Gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games in freestyle wrestling. Not only did Angle bring home the Gold, but he did so with a broken freaking neck (I am not kidding – look it up).

Following his wrestling career, Angle packed his bag and headed for Stamford – and would become one of the best professional wrestlers of all-time. Considered by many as the greatest in-ring technician in history, Angle would go on to win 21 total championships within four different promotions.

Although Angle once battled with addictions related to pain medication and alcohol, he has since cleaned his act up, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017. He currently serves as the on-screen General Manager of Monday Night Raw.

5. Roman Reigns

Only reason Roman makes the list is so I can rip him to shreds. Terrible in-ring performer. Even worse on the microphone.

Reigns played College Football and was a three-year starter for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, playing alongside NFL legend Calvin Johnson. Roman would go undrafted (no surprise) in the 2007 Draft and would then go on to have a one-year stint with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL.

Roman Reigns in all his CFL glory. Can you believe the Eskies let him wear 99… in Edmonton?

Think of this for a second – this guy had the nerve to wear number 99 in the city of Edmonton. Goes to show you what a complete and utter fool this idiot is. He now graces our televisions every Monday night, and arenas across North America continue to boo him – not because he’s unathletic, but because he sucks.

4. Steve McMichael

A consensus first-team All-American with the Texas Longhorns in 1979, the defensive tackle would be drafted by the New England Patriots in 1980. McMichael spent the majority of his NFL career with the Chicago Bears, where he made two Pro Bowls, and would help the Bears to a championship during Super Bowl XX.

McMichael would venture into the world of professional wrestling during the mid-1990s, and actually appeared at ringside at WrestleMania XI during the main event (more on that match in part 2 of this article).

Billed as Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael, he would eventually make his way to WCW where he would find success in commentating. Soon after, Mongo would venture inside the squared circle, becoming the WCW United States Champion, and at one point even joined Ric Flair’s faction ‘The Four Horsemen’

3. Ken Shamrock

The classic example of when getting punched in the face for real gets boring.

One of the biggest stars in the history of MMA, and known as The World’s Most Dangerous Man, Ken Shamrock has headlined over 15 main events in his MMA career. One of the UFC originals, Shamrock would test his luck inside the squared-circle, joining the WWE in 1997.

Shamrock would go on to have a rather successful career in professional wrestling, becoming a one-time Intercontinental Champion, a one-time World Tag Team Champion, as well as capturing the 1998 King of the Ring. In 1997, Shamrock even challenged Shawn Michaels for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Although he never became World Champion, it’s hard to deny the impact that The World’s Dangerous Man had in WWE during the Attitude Era.

2. Ronda Rousey

From The World’s Dangerous Man, to the Baddest Woman on the Planet – Ronda Rousey has already taken the WWE by storm.

The first ever female member of the UFC Hall of Fame, Rousey is a house-hold name. A long time WWE fan, Rousey’s Rowdy moniker was originally used by WWE Legend (and Canadian!) Roddy Piper. Following her retirement from MMA, the arm collector made a childhood dream come true and headed for the WWE.

Ronda made her on-screen WWE debut while still an active UFC fighter, during WrestleMania 31 in March 2015, assisting The Rock in a confrontation with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. Although it seemed as a one-off, Ronda has since signed a full-time contract with the WWE, and made her official in-ring debut at WrestleMania 34, where her and fellow Olympian (and previously mentioned) Kurt Angle defeated Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.

It’s clear there is a bright future in the WWE for Ronda Rousey. Management seems invested in her run and the WWE Universe has, so far, responded positively to the Rowdy one. Ronda Rousey will look to build on her already successful WWE career when she challenges Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women’s Championship at SummerSlam.

If Ronda is number two, then… WHO’S NEXT!?

1. Bill Goldberg

The former University of Georgia Bulldog was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 11th round of the 1990 NFL Draft. Goldberg would go on to play with the Rams in the 1990 NFL Season, and would later suit up for his hometown Atlanta Falcons from 1992 to 1994.

Although he reached his ultimate goal of making the NFL, Goldberg also became one of the most successful performers in WCW history, becoming a one-time WCW Champion, and once held the longest winning streak in professional wrestling history. Following the collapse of WCW, Goldberg would find his way to WWE in 2003, becoming World Heavyweight Champion. Due to issues backstage, Bill would leave the company following a victory over Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XX in 2004.

As they say, time heels all. The Master of the Jackhammer returned in 2016, defeating Canadian Kevin Owens to gain his third World Title. In 2018, during WrestleMania 34 weekend, Bill Goldberg was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy in professional wrestling history.

For all of those reasons and more, Goldberg sits at the top of The Undrafted’s list of professional athletes who made a career out of sports-entertainment.

So, there you have it – the top 5 professional athletes to ever make a career in wrestling. Disagree with the top 5? Feel we missed someone? The Undrafted would love to hear from you in the comments section below.

Part two of Athletes That Found Success Inside the Squared-Circle will explore those who ventured into sports-entertainment for a cameo appearance, while actively competing in professional sports. Until next time, I got two words for ya…

The Undrafted