25 Wrestlers Who Thrived in Other Sports
Not every WWE Superstar started in the ring. Some of them were killing it in other sports before suiting up in trunks and boots. Here’s a look at 15 wrestlers who shone in other sports before (or during) their wrestling careers.
Brock Lesnar – MMA, Football, Amateur Wrestling
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Brock Lesnar wasn’t just built for WWE. Before suplexing opponents for fun, he was dominating NCAA wrestling, going 106–5 in college and winning the 2000 Division I Heavyweight Championship. In MMA, he captured the UFC Heavyweight Title in only his fourth fight. He even tried out for the Minnesota Vikings in 2004 despite not playing football since high school.
Kurt Angle – Olympic Wrestling
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This wrestler didn’t earn the nickname “Olympic Hero” for nothing. Kurt Angle won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1996 Atlanta Games with a broken neck (yes, really). Before that, he was a two-time NCAA Division I Champion and a World Wrestling Champion in 1995.
Roman Reigns – Football
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Roman Reigns wasn’t always the Tribal Chief. Back in 2007, he was suiting up for the Minnesota Vikings and later the Jacksonville Jaguars. The former Georgia Tech defensive tackle also spent time in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos. A leukemia diagnosis cut his football career short, but Reigns bounced back, joined WWE, and eventually became the face of the company.
Mark Henry – Powerlifting and Strongman
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Before calling himself the “World’s Strongest Man,” Mark Henry had set multiple world powerlifting records, competed in two Olympics, and won gold at the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic. Henry could deadlift over 900 pounds and squat over 900 pounds, too. WWE signed him straight out of the Olympics, and he went on to have a long, muscle-packed career filled with absolute power and kayfabe pain.
Bobby Lashley – MMA and Amateur Wrestling
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Bobby Lashley has a 15–2 pro MMA record while racking up wins in Bellator and Strikeforce. But long before cage fights, he was a collegiate wrestling standout and a military wrestling champ. Lashley once trained for the Olympics, but a freak robbery incident ended that dream. Still, he turned those combat skills into two parallel careers.
Goldberg – Football
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Although his NFL career never quite exploded, Bill Goldberg still made it there. As a defensive tackle from the University of Georgia, he was drafted by the Rams in 1990 and played with the Falcons for two seasons. He even had a stint with the CFL’s Sacramento Gold Miners, but unfortunately, injuries took football off the table. Luckily, wrestling came calling, and WCW molded his intimidating presence into an unstoppable streak.
Veer Mahaan – Baseball
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Long before Veer Mahaan joined WWE, Rinku Singh was a pitcher signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He earned that contract after winning a 2008 reality show called The Million Dollar Arm, which even inspired a Disney movie. Though he never cracked the MLB, Rinku played several seasons in the minor leagues.
The Rock – Football
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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had his sights set on football first. He was a defensive lineman for the University of Miami, and even backed up future Hall of Famer Warren Sapp. The NFL didn’t bite, but he joined the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders until they cut him after two months. That low point led him to wrestling, which launched his global fame. Of course, he has since become an actor and starred in Moana and Red Notice.
MVP – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
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Montel Vontavious Porter dove into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu later in life and won gold at the 2019 World Master IBJJF Championship in the Masters 4 Ultra-Heavy division. At age 45, that’s impressive. MVP brought that grappling finesse into the ring and used it to transition into a respected veteran role in WWE, even while picking up medals on the side.
Braun Strowman – Strongman Competitions
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Before flipping ambulances for fun in WWE, Braun Strowman was flipping giant tires for real. He won the 2012 Arnold Amateur Strongman World Championship and placed in several U.S. strongman contests. Standing 6’8” and weighing over 380 pounds, he looked like a real-life video game boss. WWE saw that and pounced, so within months of his debut, he was wrecking superstars across arenas.
Ken Shamrock – MMA
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Before stepping into a WWE ring, Ken Shamrock was already making waves in the UFC. As the promotion’s first Superfight Champion, he helped shape the early days of MMA and earned the nickname “World’s Most Dangerous Man.” When he moved to wrestling, he didn’t leave that edge behind. His stiff submission style and cold intensity brought a sense of realism to WWE that stood out in an era of over-the-top characters.
Ron Simmons – Football
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As a football player, Ron Simmons crushed it at Florida State. He was a two-time All-American nose guard and helped take the Seminoles to two Orange Bowls. He even placed 9th in Heisman voting in 1979, which was a rare feat for a defensive player. He later played for the Cleveland Browns and in the USFL before moving into wrestling, where he made history again as the first recognized Black world champion.
Ridge Holland – Rugby
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Ridge Holland, whose real name is Luke Menzies, played professional Rugby League in England before entering wrestling. Over nine years, he made 150 appearances, including a final stint with Halifax. Rugby’s physicality clearly shaped his ring style: stiff strikes, rough takedowns, and a no-nonsense attitude. WWE signed him in 2018, and he’s since become a regular force on TV.
Steve McMichael – Football
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Steve “Mongo” McMichael had already won a Super Bowl with the 1985 Chicago Bears before stepping into WCW. A 12-year NFL veteran and starting defensive tackle, he joined the Four Horsemen faction and even snagged the United States Championship. Though his wrestling style wasn’t exactly polished, McMichael’s personality, toughness, and helmet-to-ring transition made him one of the more unique athletes to wear both pads and trunks.
Marcus Cor Von – Football
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Known in TNA as Monty Brown and in WWE as Marcus Cor Von, this athlete was actually an NFL linebacker. He played for the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots in the ’90s and even appeared in Super Bowl XXVIII. His in-ring “Pounce” finisher was basically a football tackle with extra flair. Though his wrestling career was cut short, he showed the kind of crossover potential that fans still talk about today.