5 WWE Superstars who were on-screen rivals but friends in real life

It is only natural that WWE Superstars can’t please everybody inside the locker room, and it is expected that some of them will get heat from their fellow stars. However, some of these are just part of storylines that culminate inside the squared circle.

Whether it be real or just part of a compelling storyline, several instances have been documented of wrestlers being bitter enemies on-screen but friends in real life, as well as former enemies cooling off over time to become the best of buds.

Check out these WWE superstars who are now real-life buddies after feuding on television.

#5. Matt Riddle and Randy Orton

The relationship between these two completely opposite WWE Superstars did not start off well. Matt Riddle left a bad impression on Randy Orton when they met as the latter found Riddle's demeanor to be unprofessional. Orton went as far as taking jabs at Riddle on social media and even in a number of interviews.

Come 2021 and they were paired together to form the tag team dubbed RK-Bro. This rather unusual alliance was well-received by fans. The Viper seems to have already adapted well to The Ultimate Bro’s laid-back behavior as they are now good friends outside the ring.

#4. Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker

Shawn Michaels was one of the best heels at the peak of his career. However, it was during the 90s that the WWE Hall of Famer had been fighting off his personal demons. This is one of the reasons why he was disliked by both his friends and fellow WWE Superstars.

One of those superstars was The Undertaker. This was revealed in an episode of WWE Untold where The Deadman was said to be all set to "bring it" to HBK if he did not put Stone Cold Steve Austin over at WrestleMania 14. Michaels went on hiatus for a number of years after the said match.

He returned in 2002 with a reformed outlook on life, and it was during this time that he and The Undertaker formed a bond. Both of their matches at WrestleMania 25 and 26 went down in history as epic fights inside the wrestling ring.

#3. Goldberg and Triple H

There was definitely some major heat between these two titans by the time Goldberg signed with WWE in 2003. Their feud during that time was intense, perhaps more so than many wrestling fans might think.

This is due to their real-life hatred towards each other, with Goldberg believing at the time that Triple H was burying him. Goldberg left WWE in 2004 after a year’s stay with the promotion.

But time heals all wounds, as the saying goes, and The Icon would return to the company in 2016. Triple H and Goldberg are on good terms up to this day.

#2. The Rock and John Cena

It was believed that the heat between The Rock and John Cena in 2011 was just a work, but in truth, it was not. This was due to Cena calling out The Great One for not caring about wrestling when he left WWE.

The real-life feud between the two was turned into a storyline leading to what critics deemed to be a dream match at WrestleMania 28. Prior to their epic face-off, the two would take jabs at each other on social media, making their rivalry even more personal.

They would cross paths again at WrestleMania 29, and after their match, the mutual respect between them was very much evident. Needless to say, it marked the end of their real-life rivalry.

Cena would later apologize to The Rock for his past comments while the latter would give the former some advice as he (Cena) also delved into Hollywood.

#1. WWE Superstars John Cena and Randy Orton

John Cena and Randy Orton have slugged it out inside the ring over the course of their respective careers, but the two have also been friends for quite a long time. Their chemistry inside the ring never fails to please fans as their matches are such a spectacle to watch.

Cena has only made sporadic appearances in the company since pursuing his Hollywood career in recent years. To that end, the probability of them having another match in WWE is fairly slim. Despite this, the two are still keeping in touch.

John Cena recently revealed that he will be competing on this year’s final SmackDown as he will be teaming up with Kevin Owens for a tag team match against Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns.