5 on-screen rivals who became friends

Professional wrestling is a strange business. Your best friend on-screen could be one of your most hated rivals away from the bright TV lights whereas your most hated adversary could turn out to be one of your very best friends in real life. Like I said, professional wrestling is a strange business.

Sure, once in a while you have a situation like the Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart one where the two men absolute loathe each other both on and off screen but there are also instances of true camaraderie.

Today, we're here to celebrate those friendships which were forged in the depths of scripted hatred and helped form bonds that far supersede the rules of the squared circle. In other words, here is our list of 5 on-screen rivals who became friends:

#5 Dolph Ziggler and The Miz

Dolph Ziggler and The Miz are both immensely talented mid-carders who feel they can do better given the right opportunities and the right circumstances. Perhaps this is what drew them close together after Ziggler made his presence felt on the WWE's main roster.

The Showoff and The A-Lister became fast friends with the former even being a groomsman at the latter's wedding. And, of course, who can forget their epic feud over the Intercontinental Championship last year which culminated in the Career vs Title match?

#4 Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle

Angle was one of the few people who could stand up to Brock

When Brock Lesnar arrived on the WWE scene in the early 2000s, he was dubbed as The Next Big Thing. He tore through everybody placed in his path but he lacked a true opponent. Someone worthy of challenging him to showcase his immense talent, strength, and athleticism. Step forward, Kurt Angle.

The two men had some truly superb showings inside the squared circle a number of times including, in my opinion, the best match ever in Smackdown history - their epic 60 Minute Iron Man match.

The two are incredibly close friends and this friendship very much found its roots in their classic rivalry.

#3 Trish and Lita

Trish and Lita are two of the best female WWE superstars in the history of professional wrestling. They redefined what women's wrestling was and did it in an era where beauty was preferred to skill and talent. And, at the heart of that redefinition was their superb rivalry.

A heated affair that ended up with the two former divas becoming the fastest of friends with Trish even naming Lita as the godmother to her son. They are best friends but to the WWE Universe, they will always be remembered as the best of frenemies.

#2 John Cena and Randy Orton

John Cena and Randy Orton are the yin and the yang of what the WWE has represented over the course of the last 15 years. They are both incredibly successful but they portray vastly different characters and have been involved in a rivalry that is overdone, to say the least.

But, during the course of these 15 years, Cena and Orton - despite their differing personalities - have become really really good friends. It's a little strange on the surface but their friendship has very much withstood the test of time.

#1 The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin

The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin were the two pillars that basically propped the WWE during the Attitude Era and helped usher in an unprecedented amount of success for the promotion. But, at the heart of it, they were fierce rivals.

They were both always competing for the position of top dog and as evidenced by their trilogy of Wrestlemania matches, they were both very much deserving of the title. But, at the end of the day, both Rock and Austin managed to keep the rivalry professional and develop a personal friendship that went beyond their in-ring competition.

The two biggest stars in professional wrestling are very, very good friends.

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Edited by anirudh.b