12 times an athlete stole a professional wrestling move or taunt

Whether it's the Chicago Cubs showing off their custom-made championship belts or the Cleveland Cavaliers wearing their favourite superstar's gear, it’s apparent that many athletes and organisations not only share a unique appreciation for the wrestling industry but also borrow from it in more ways than one. Listed below are twelve real-life instances where an athlete paid homage to a pro wrestler by stealing his signature move or taunt.

#12 RKO outta' nowhere!

Credit: NESN

Seattle Seahawks cornerback and trash-talking “Legion of Boom" member Richard Sherman decided to have some fun during the usually tame AFC-NFC Pro Bowl game.

Immediately after the ball was down, Sherman tried to catch Clay Matthews off guard with an RKO Outta Nowhere but wasn't able to knock him fully off his feet. Maybe it’s because Matthews has prior experience inside a WWE ring.

Honorable mention(s):

Scottish soccer player celebrates goal with RKO

#11 Simply ravishing

What I’d like to have right now is for all you fat, ugly, out-of-shape, sweathogs to feast your eyes on the hip swivel that Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett performs after a hard-hitting quarterback sack.

“Two pumps get you a baby; three pumps gets you a fine,” said Bennett with regard to each motion of his risque dance. Of course, Bennett has attributed the swirl to one of his all-time favourites, Ravishing Rick Rude (sorry, Val Venis.)

Honorable mention(s):

#10 DTA: Don’t Trust Anybody

NBA legend and future Hall of Famer Lebron James has retired his pre-game chalk toss, but that didn’t stop him from attempting a Stone Cold Stunner on his teammate Kevin Love in the middle of a post-game interview.

Despite the fun gesture, Love had an ‘Austin 3:16’ moment of his own by chugging beers in the Cavs locker room after Cleveland overcame a 3-1 deficit to clinch their first NBA title.

Honorable mention(s):

Richard Sherman hits Tyler Locket with a post-game stunner

#9 Cam-a-mania

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton certainly introduced the sports world to the ‘Dab’ but let’s not forget the time he ran wild on the sidelines, cupping his ear like the "Immortal" Hulk Hogan.

Cam is clearly the most brazen player in football right now, and who can blame him with the astounding stats he’s already put up in his short career.

Honorable mention(s):

Scott Hartnell of the Philadelphia Flyers imitates Hulk Hogan

#8 Say hello to the bad guy

Punters in football may require a specific set of skills, but Pat McAfee of the Indianapolis Colts went above and beyond his kicking duties when his team faced the New York Jets in 2016.

McAfee’s Razor Ramon taunt oozed enough machismo to catch the attention of the Bad Guy, Scott Hall, himself on Twitter.

Thanks for the love Pat https://t.co/shCsroAC0O
— Scott Hall (@SCOTTHALLNWO) December 6, 2016

Expand Tweet

Honorable mention(s):

Arizona Cardinals WR, Steve Breaston mimics Razor Ramon

#7 You can't see him

Jose Bautista may have played his last game as a Toronto Blue Jay, but he has more in his powerful arsenal than a bat flipping home-run.

In the 9th inning of a game against the rival New York Yankees, Bautista displayed his strength out in the field by gunning down a player trying to score at home plate. He then waved his hand in front of his face to channel the Doctor of Thuganomics, John Cena.

#6 The People's Elbow

Arena football may not be as popular as the NFL, but the celebration dance that Tiger Jones of the Jacksonville Sharks once unleashed made national headlines. After catching a 4th down touchdown pass, Jones casually clotheslined his teammate and followed it up with the most electrifying move in sports entertainment: the People's Elbow.

#5 Diamonds are forever

Although a group of fans originally gave the four MMA fighters, and friends, the Four Horsewomen monicker, it was two original Horsemen Ric Flair and Arn Anderson who gave them the official blessing.

In fact, the girls are even rumoured to begin feuding with WWE’s version of the Four Horsewomen (Charlotte, Bayley, Sasha, and Becky Lynch) after the recent confrontation that took place at the Mae Young Classic.

#4 To be the man, you gotta beat the man

Do you consider yourself a stylin', profilin', limousine riding, jet-flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin' n' dealin' son of a gun? Well, Josh Reddick of the Houston Astros does.

Reddick is a major fan of the Nature Boy but when Astros fans were called a nuisance by a sports columnist for their constant “woo’ing!” during games, Ric Flair had to step in to set the record straight.

Honorable mention(s):

#3 He’s got two words for ya!

The D-Generation X crotch chop is simultaneously the most popular and overused taunt in all of sports. However, no chop can rival that of professional bowler (yes, bowler!), Pete Weber.

Also known as P.D.W., a nod to Rob Van Dam, Weber has silenced critics and peers alike with some of the most intense pro wrestling antics known to sports.

Honorable mention(s):

#2 Yes! Yes! Yes!

Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Bryan has publicly admitted to borrowing the “Yes!” chant from UFC fighter, Diego Sanchez. However, it was Hunter Pence and the San Francisco Giants that jacked it from Bryan. The chant became so popular in San Francisco that Daniel Bryan eventually showed up to the Giants World Series Parade to finally pass on the torch.

Honorable mention(s):

#1 No chance — that’s what you got!

If you're going to pay tribute to one WWE superstar throughout history, who better than the chairman and CEO, Vince McMahon? The money, the gravel voice, and most importantly, the walk, it takes b***s the size of grapefruits’ for UFC star Conor McGregor to blatantly use the same strut as fellow Irishman Vinny Mac.

When McGregor’s career in the octagon is all said and done, one has to wonder if he would actually go and work for Mr McMahon, especially since he called out the entire WWE roster not too long ago.

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