5 Crossover stars that helped legitimize WWE in the mainstream 

There's something about WWE's ability to court mainstream stars and bring them into the squared circle that is exciting to watch. Not only does it make for some of the most memorable moments in the company's illustrious history, it also helps them net the mainstream publicity they need to bring new fans on board.

Of course, this method doesn't always work and an idea can fall flat, but WWE has done very well with this for the most part. Beyond that, they have done so in a way that has helped legitimize pro wrestling in the eyes of the casual viewer and helped bridge the gap between sports fans.

With that being said and WWE being absolute geniuses at milking publicity in their favor, here are five stars who were able to bring in mainstream attention to WWE. As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and let us know your thoughts on who brought the most legitimacy to WWE over the years.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article belong to the writer and doesn't necessarily represent Sportskeeda's stand.

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#5 Donald Trump

Donald Trump brought a lot of mainstream publicity to WWE.

Donald Trump faced off against Vince McMahon in what was dubbed, "The Battle Of The Billionaires" at WrestleMania 23 and it was nothing short of bizarre. Sure, some of the promos leading up to the big event didn't land and Vince McMahon and Donald Trump never really faced off in the ring, but what did take place was well worth it.

In fact, between Trump and McMahon brawling on the floor as the arena went nuts, to Stone Cold Steve Austin stunning the future President of The United States, this was nothing short of a fever dream. Trump even got to shave McMahon's head bald at the end of the match, which was just icing on the cake for this whole thing.

In the end, this match and Trump's appearance have been credited with helping WWE gain one of its best buy rates in WrestleMania history. It was also a great moment for Lashley as well.

It did a lot for WWE and was memorable for everyone involved.

#4 Ronda Rousey

Ronda Rousey more than deserves her moniker as the Baddest Woman On The Planet

Even though her first run in WWE lasted for a year, Ronda Rousey had a big impact on the company as a whole. Not only is that evident by the way she elevated the entire women's roster during her time with the company, but also by her being a part of the main event at WrestleMania 35.

WWE has been trying to put the women Superstars on the same level as the men, but needed someone that could legitimize the roster. Fortunately for the company, Rousey signed a deal with the company, quickly became the RAW Women's champion and put on some stellar performances.

In the end, it was something that garnered a lot of mainstream attention for WWE and also really fit in with The Women's revolution angle quite nicely. While Rousey did garner some negative criticism with her latest comments on WWE, many fans are still hoping to see her return back to the squared circle.

#3 Floyd Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather was a huge draw for WWE at WrestleMania 23.

It's no secret that WWE goes all out when they do crossovers matches with other sporting personalitites and the storyline between The Big Show and Floyd Mayweather was definitely no exception.

WWE even put promoted that Mayweather's undefeated streak was on the line leading up to their eventual match at WrestleMania 24, which definitely helped raise the stakes.

Think about it! This man was a boxing champion. A man that hadn't been beaten by knockout in his entire career and WWE was going to capitalize on that anyway they could. In fact, maybe that's why they made Big Show his opponent! Not only did it present a challenge, it really left fans wondering what would happen next.

In the end, Mayweather was able to get his hands on some brass knuckles and knocked out Big Show for the win, but the match was nothing short of amazing. It was also one of the most unique crossovers that WWE had ever attempted and it really helped bring in the mainstream attention the company needed for the event.

#2 Mr. T

Mr. T was instrumental to WWE and WrestleMania's early success

Remember that time Mr. T saved the main event of WrestleMania 1?

While that might sound absolutely nutty and out of touch with reality, it is actually what happened in the hours leading up to WrestleMania 1. In fact, Hulk Hogan detailed in one of his books that Mr. T was about to no show the main event match event match due to his entourage not being allowed in at first.

Of course Hulk Hogan stepped in and convinced Mr T to go through with the match against Rowdy Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorf, but one of the biggest main events in WrestleMania history almost didn't happen. Furthermore, Mr. T almost never got a chance to leave his indelible mark on pro wrestling.

In the end, Mr. T and Hulk Hogan would go on to win the main event match that night and Mr. T continued to be a fixture on WWE television for months to come. With that being said, Mr. T's involvement in that year's WrestleMania was instrumental to getting that year's show mainstream attention and even helped cement into pop culture.

#1 Mike Tyson

Remember when Mike Tyson turned his back on D Generation X?

While WWE is a sports entertainment giant at this point in its existence and has been for several decades now, legitimacy is always something they have struggled with.

If nothing else, WWE has always faced an upward battle in the eyes of the mainstream media and while they have overcome this challenge for the most part, they still sometimes struggled to get new eyes on the product. With that being said, that's why guys with mainstream publicity are so crucial to the overall product at times.

Mike Tyson was one of the athletes that was used by WWE in getting a lot of eyeballs on their product, especially WrestleMania 14. He played an integral role in the main event of night as he was part of the storyline that saw the coronation of Stone Cold Steve Austin as the WWE Champion.

He was named as the special guest enforcer at WrestleMania 14 for Shawn Michaels versus Stone Cold Steve Austin. Interestingly enough, Tyson would double cross D Generation X that faithful night, help Austin secure the win and knock out Michaels for good measure.