Mojo Rawley has been in NXT from 2012 and it has taken him a long time to get a main roster call-up, a call-up that many thought would never come. Rawley’s pro wrestling career hasn’t been smooth sailing and his singles push in NXT fell flat on its face with his career, only picking up steam after he teamed up with Zack Ryder to form the Hype Bros.
Rawley finally got his call-up to SmackDown Live last week during the WWE Draft and will be joining fellow Hype Bro, Zack Ryder. Rawley also introduced himself to the WWE Universe when he ran out at WWE Battleground to save Ryder from Rusev’s post-match attack. With the Hype Bros set to reunite on SmackDown Live, let’s take a closer look at Mojo Rawley.
#5 Connection between Roman Reigns and Mojo Rawley: College Athletes
Mojo Rawley played college football for Christopher Newport University before earning a scholarship from the University of Maryland and competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Rawley spent three years there and won the Jim and Pat Thacker Postgraduate Scholarship for being one of the top student-athletes in the Atlantic Coast Conference for all sports and all schools.
He also was named to the All-ACC Academic Team in 2008 and was a three-time Dean’s List student and was also a two-time All-USA South Athletic Conference All-Academic Selection, a member of the President’s Leadership Program, Honors Program, and Student Executive Board of the Business School.
#4 His roots in life and in the ring
Rawley, real name Dean Muhtadi, is part Syrian, part Palestinian. He was born in Alexandria, Virginia to immigrants. He even learned to speak Farsi (Persian) before joining NXT, hoping it would be a channel to a part of the IWC.
Rawley’s biggest inspiration growing up was the Ultimate Warrior and it isn’t just his gimmick that identifies with the Warrior’s controlled frenzy – Rawley’s a boulder of energy in real life as well.
#2 Academic brilliance
Mojo Rawley attended T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia which was featured in the movie “Remember The Titans”. He was a four-year started on the football team and consistently maintained the highest GPA in the team all four years and was a member of various extra-curricular organizations.
Rawley started interning with financial services firm Morgan Stanley when he was in seventh grade and was the youngest athlete ever to be accepted into the University of Maryland’s MBA program.
#2 Former NFL player
Mojo Rawley played American Football throughout high-school and college and got picked up by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent after the NFL draft in 2009 on a trial basis. He signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2010 and was nicknamed “The Iron Sheikh” for his freakish strength. However, he sustained a long-term injury during training camp soon after which left him in the Injured Reserve.
Rawley’s injury ended up ending his professional football career and after rehabilitating for 18 months and rejecting various NFL offers to make a return, he ended up signing with WWE and the rest is history.
#1 Homegrown talent
Mojo Rawley is another graduate from WWE’s state-of-the-art Performance Centre which has consistently churned out talent. Prior to joining WWE, Mojo Rawley had never wrestled before although he was a childhood fan of professional wrestling and has talked about practicing moves in his living room with his brother when they were kids.
Rawley has gone through the ringer in WWE and has emerged a strong performed with a unique infectious energy. Homegrown talent like Rawley show the potential of the Performance Centre and its ability to make Superstars out of dedicated and talented freshman and grizzled veterans alike.
