Pro-wrestling is sports entertainment and you do not need a degree to enter it. Legends like Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin never finished college and with the career demanding that you start early, it is not that uncommon for prospective wrestlers to drop out of school.
Christopher Nowinski and David Otunga may have joined the WWE after their education at Harvard University, but most wrestlers come from far less academic backgrounds.
Here is a look at five popular wrestlers who dropped out of school/college to chase the dream.
1. Dean Ambrose
There is no better person to start off this list than the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Dean Ambrose. Ambrose’s childhood was riddled with financial and other hardships as the future ‘Lunatic Fringe’ grew up in one of Cincinnati’s East end projects.
Ambrose did not see much of a future for himself at school and started pestering professional wrestler Les Thatcher for a spot in his training school.
Ambrose’s persistence paid off eventually and Thatcher agreed to train Ambrose immediately after his 18th birthday. Soon Ambrose was part of the school that produced other noteworthy wrestlers like Shannon Moore, Charlie Haas and Umaga - but this also meant that Ambrose waved goodbye to his high school education.
2. Rey Mysterio
Before he became the spearhead of the ‘Cruiserweight revolution’ in the nineties, Rey Mysterio was a small kid growing up in Mexico – and already wrestling!!!
Mysterio was mentored by his uncle Rey Mysterio, Sr. and made his debut when he was 14 years old. Two years later, Mysterio was awarded the ‘Most improved wrestler in Mexico’ award.
Before his uncle gave him his name, Rey wrestled as ‘The Green Lizard’ and ‘Colibri’. Despite such awful monikers, fellow wrestlers saw Rey’s potential and it was future mentor Konnan who convinced Rey’s sceptical parents to let the tiny luchador drop out of high school at the age of 17 and wrestle around the world.
Not a bad decision, in hindsight!!
3. AJ Lee
AJ Lee grew up in Union City, New Jersey into circumstances that had her and her family live in ‘motels, other peoples’ houses and their car’. AJ did complete her high school education at Memorial High School in 2005 and attended Tisch School of Arts to major in film and television production and writing.
But financial strain caused her to drop out in six months and she soon enrolled in a wrestling school nearby under the tutelage of TNA and ROH star Jay Lethal. She signed a deal with the WWE two years later and after stints in FCW and NXT, was elevated to the main roster.
One WrestleMania ‘Kiss of death’ later, a new star was born and AJ went on to become the most popular female wrestler in the company since the days of Trish Stratus and her real life idol Lita.
4. Lita
The most high-flying Diva of all time, Lita – like AJ Lee – completed her high school education, but dropped out of college. Amy Dumas graduated from Lassiter High school and attended Georgia State University for a degree in education.
But she felt college was too similar to high school and dropped out when she was 18 years old. Lita played bass guitar in several bands and even worked as a roadie.
It was seeing Rey Mysterio,Jr in action at a WCW show that made Lita consider wrestling. She travelled to Mexico to train and worked in a club as a dancer to fund her cause. She would meet her future partners, Matt and Jeff Hardy at NWA Mid-Atlantic where they offered to train with her.
Lita made her way to ECW where Rob Van Dam was so impressed by her that he recommended her to veteran wrestler Dory Funk,Jr. After undergoing training at Funk’s ‘The Funkin’ Conservatory’, her tape was sent to the WWE who offered her a contract.
After floundering for a while as a tandem alongside Essa Rios, Lita shot to fame as part of Team Xtreme with Jeff and future boyfriend Matt Hardy. Lita became the most popular Diva in the company before a real life affair with Edge and the ensuing feud with Matt led to her becoming the most despised woman on the roster – but she always drew a reaction like no one else could.
5. Roddy Piper
Piper did not exactly drop out of school, rather he was expelled for showing up to class with a switchblade. After that experience at Winnipeg’s Windsor Park Collegiate, Piper had a bitter falling out with his father and left home at the age of 13.
He went on to stay in youth hostels and did wrestling purely as a means to earn some money. After stints as a jobber in AWA and NWA Houston, he finally got his big break in NWA Hollywood Wrestling where he worked as a top heel.
Several promotions followed and Piper developed his ‘Rowdy’ persona and went on to become one of the greatest heels of all time.
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