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Real life brothers Bray Wyatt and Bo DallasPro Wrestling is accpeted to be a scripted sport hence the name Sports Entertainment. But as WWE learned during the time of the Monday Night Wars, the best characters on screen are the ones who remain as close to their real life persona as possible.Case in point -Dwayne Johnson becoming a world famous superstar after shedding his Rocky Maivia character in favour of his more natural The Rock persona.A 1980s fan might have fainted in disbelief if some one had told him that Hulk Hogan who advised kids to say your prayers and eat their vitamins had been caught in a sex tape scandal.Save a few notable exceptions, the era of over the top persona of wrestlers is definitely over. This list takes a look at 5 superstars whose on screen persona resembles their real life selves.
#1 C M Punk
C M Punk is the best example of a wrestler who has successfully incorporated his natural characteristics into his wrestling character. Starting out by wrestling in the backyards of his friends’ houses as part of Lunatic Wrestling Federation, Punk’s gimmick has remained same through out his career – a no drugs, no alcohol straight edge superstar which is actually how Punk is in real life.
Punk tweaks his personality depending on whether he works as a heel or a face – displaying a ‘holier than thou’ attitude in the former to draw heat from the fans.
His worked shoot on Raw in 2011 when he ‘aired his grievances’ on Raw led to WWE becoming relevant in pop culture again owing to his brutal honesty. How the WWE fans would like to see some one like Punk again considering the current condition of the roster.
#2 Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam gained traction as an ECW wrestler in the final years of the 20th century and he carried that reputation when he joined the WWE. RVD went on to become one of the most popular superstars in WWE history and was voted as the best wrestler in the world in 2001 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated at a time when Stone Cold and The Rock were at their peaks.
But one thing has remained constant throughout his wrestling career – his laid back personality. You would rarely find RVD doing intense promos or getting in to a shoutfest with a fellow wrestler on T.V. Instead, Van Dam would always appear relaxed and would often let his in ring actions speak louder than his words.
This is exactly how Van Dam is in real life and it is difficult to listen to RVD either in real life or a promo segment without him uttering the words ‘cool’ or ‘dude’.
#3 Stone Cold Steve Austin
The man who ushered WWE in to the Attitude Era, Stone Cold’s on screen personality as the authority defying, foul mouthed Texan was just an extension of how he was in real life, with the volume turned way up.
Austin always remained true to his Texas roots and was a serial beer drinker in real life as well. Compare and contrast Austin’s earlier personas like the Ringmaster and the Hollywood blondes and you would see how natural his Stone Cold persona appeared to be.
There is only one rattle snake – on screen or off!!!
#4 Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy has always been an enigma – The cruiserweight who was willing to do any dangerous move for the sake of making a match better. Jeff jumped off ladders, went through tables, leaped off the top of steel cages and pretty much did everything that was considered impossible in the WWE.
During the end of his first WWE run, Hardy was given the gimmick of a lost soul character, which is exactly how he is in real life as well.
Hardy has battled drug and alcohol issues and once turned up to defend his TNA World title against Sting intoxicated. But he is also an artist – dwelling in to painting and music and all together giving the impression of being an outcast in real life.
WWE and later TNA booked Hardy in a similar manner, alluding to his real life issues and describing him as some what of a Jim Morrison clone – A troubled genius.
#5 Shawn Michaels
Steve Austin may have led the WWE during the Attitude days, but as Shawn Michaels once said – ‘I was attitude before it became a catchphrase’. Indeed, WWE’s transformation from a family product to an edgier item started when Shawn Michaels introduced his real life personality in to his character.
Michaels was portrayed as a cocky, vain villain who mocked the establishment. HBK was every inch the hard-to-work with, self obsessed ego maniac backstage as well. He formed his group of influential wrestlers known as the Kliq who would hold considerable sway over booking decisions, refused to lose to real life rivals in the ring – notably Bret Hart and pretty much blew his own trumpet.
Incredibly, HBK would return to in ring competition after a gap of four years a changed man – He would accept Christ in to his life and display the difference in the mannerisms of his inring character as well.
Well, in the case of the Heart Break Kid, what you see onscreen is exactly what you get in real life.
