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WWE Superstars are some of the most capable athletes from around the world who compete to entertain fans. Thus, it's not a surprise to learn that some WWE Superstars once competed in the Olympic Games.
The Olympic Games are the most prestigious sporting events that take place every four years, with the Winter and Summer Olympics alternating every two years within that time period.
There have been quite a few superstars and wrestlers who have shown themselves capable of competing in the ultimate global sporting event. While not all of them have been successful in winning a medal, a few superstars did manage even that distinction.
In this article, let's take a look at five WWE Superstars who had the distinction of competing in the biggest global sporting events.
#5 WWE Superstar who did not win a medal in the Olympics: Mark Henry
Mark Henry may have won the distinction of being the "world's strongest man". Unfortunately for the star, when he competed in the Olympics, he was not able to add to his resume.
The superstar did everything that was needed to win the distinction of being the strongest man in the world, winning a competition. Thus, heading into the Olympic Games in 1996, there was a lot of hope riding on him. This was before he ever entered a WWE ring.
He took part in weightlifting competitions, but heading into the Olympics, he had suffered a back injury. As a result, he was not able to do as well as he could have due to his experience. He finished 14th, where he could usually have done much better.
His performance was disappointing, but it was not something that held him back. After the Olympics, his star quality was recognized by Vince McMahon. The WWE Chairman offered Henry a high paying 10-year contract with the company, signing the superstar.
Unfortunately, his run would not go as well as it could have, but he was still impressive, finally getting the recognition he deserved in the latter years of his career.
#2 WWE Superstar who won a medal in the Olympics: Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey is one of the best legitimate athletes to have ever wrestled in WWE. While she was only with the company in the ring for just over a year, she impressed everyone for the entire time that she was there.
She won the RAW Women's title and even competed in the first-ever main event for women at WrestleMania, facing Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch. She lost the match at WrestleMania 35 and since then, has been absent from the wrestling ring.
When Rousey's name is mentioned, fans usually think of her time in the UFC or her time in WWE. However, she had a career even before that in the world of Judo. She fought and defeated almost everyone that she faced there.
She competed in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and made an immediate impression there. She competed to win the Bronze Medal, becoming the first-ever female competitor from the USA to win a medal in Judo at the Olympics.
She went on to have a very successful career from there, making history in the world of MMA.
#2 WWE Superstar who did not win a medal in the Olympics: Mad Dog Vachon
Mad Dog Vachon is a name that long-time WWE fans will be familiar with. The superstar is a part of the WWE Hall of Fame, and during his time in professional wrestling, he was extremely valuable for his contributions to the business.
The superstar won multiple titles over the years, but the title that he was most recognized for was the AWA Heavyweight title. However, he eventually made his way to WWE during the Hulkamania era of the 1980s.
It was later in his career and he didn't really fit the mold that the company was looking for at the time, as a result of which, he didn't go as far as he could have. Having started his pro wrestling career in 1951, he continued to wrestle until 1986, making for some memorable years in the ring.
Before his pro wrestling career, he competed in the 1948 Olympic Games. There, he impressed and showed off all that he could do, pinning the champion from India in 54 seconds. Eventually, he finished seventh in the competition, losing to the wrestler who went on to win the silver medal — Adil Candemir.
#1 WWE Superstar who won a medal in the Olympics: Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle is the name that wrestling fans think about first when talking about WWE Superstars to have competed in the Olympic Games.
He is the most obvious example of a professional wrestler to have done so and that is for an obvious reason. The superstar's gimmick when he came to WWE, surrounded his Olympic Games win. It's well known that he competed in the Olympic Games while nursing an injury and still managed to win the gold medal.
Ahead of the Olympic Trials, he suffered a horrifying neck injury, fracturing his vertebrae, herniating two discs, and pulling four muscles. Even so, he went on to win the trials and spent the next five months rehabbing ahead of the 1996 Olympic Games.
The future WWE Superstar then went on to compete in the Games with pain-reducing injections in his neck. He won his gold medal in the heavyweight class, defeating the Iranian Abbas Jadidi by the officials' decision.
Following the 1996 Olympic Games, Kurt Angle went on to enter the professional wrestling world, eventually being signed by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. It was the right decision for him as he became one of the best in-ring wrestlers of all time, with some of the most memorable matches in wrestling history.
Fans can also check out Sportskeeda's interview with Kurt Angle in the video above.
#1 WWE Superstar who did not win a medal in the Olympics: Chad Gable
Chad Gable always looks like he is one of the better wrestlers in WWE, from the moment he made his debut. It appears that he knows what he is doing every time that he enters the ring.
Given his history in amateur wrestling, it comes as no surprise that he is as convincing as he is.
He is one of the most recent wrestlers in WWE to have competed in the Olympic Games before turning to the professional version of the sport. He competed in the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England.
There, he tried his best to get to the top and win a medal. Unfortunately for him, things didn't work out. He got through the qualifiers quite easily, dominating a large number of his matches, but was unable to go any further after that. He could not win a medal in the Games but the experience he got from competing there was invaluable
As a result, he remains one of the wrestlers in WWE at the moment.
