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We often look at the WWE Superstars, their net worth, their celebrity lifestyles, and wonder how amazing their life is. No doubt, it is indeed amazing. Traveling all over the world (the current global pandemic being an exception), getting all the love and support from the WWE Universe, and being able to afford luxuries are some of the benefits of being a WWE Superstar. But what is the basic necessity that one can want? It's a house.
We only start to notice WWE Superstars once they make it big and not many of us know the massive struggle that they had to go through to reach these heights of success. Not every WWE Superstar was born rich, but there were some who didn't even have a home at some point in their life.
Let's take a look at five top WWE Superstars you couldn't imagine were once homeless. Be sure to comment down and let me know your views on the same.
#5 John Cena
We start with one of the most popular and biggest WWE Superstars of all time, John Cena. Having an estimated net worth of $55 million, it's tough to imagine that the Leader of the Cenation was once homeless. It's a great example of what hard work and patience can reward you!
During a visit to Baker High School in Syracuse, New York in 2011, John Cena told the students that early in his career, he was once homeless. After coming to L.A. to chase his dreams, John Cena was once folding towels and cleaning toilets at Gold's Gym in Venice Beach, while living out of his car.
It was his "never give up" attitude that made him survive that tough phase of his life as he went on to sign with WWE, and the rest is history. He is a record 16-time World Champion in the company, tying the record with WWE Hall of Famer, Ric Flair.
#4 The Rock
Many WWE Superstars have tried to get into Hollywood, but none has achieved the kind of success like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Topping the Forbes' list of highest-paid actors in the world in 2019, The Rock has a real "rags to riches" story of his life.
The Brahma Bull faced many difficulties during his childhood, including a constant battle against homelessness. During his teenage years, he and his mom were evicted from a home they shared, as they were unable to afford their $120 a week rent.
To find a way out, The Rock started training in sports and got a scholarship to play football for the University of Miami. That didn't work out very well, but then he turned to professional wrestling and got immense success in WWE. Being a 10-time World Champion for the company and one of the biggest icons of WWE's Attitude Era, The Rock became the most electrifying man in all of sports entertainment.
While he continues to make appearances for WWE on special occasions, he is currently focused on his Hollywood career, churning out blockbusters one after the other!
#3 Daniel Bryan
WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan is a modern-day great who is always praised by fans and critiques for his amazing in-ring skills and character work. Trained by the WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, Bryan had to face many issues during those days to save money, including spending nights in his car or at the wrestling school.
While on the Why Not Now? podcast with Amy Jo Martin, Daniel Bryan spoke about the time when he was living in his car.
"I was living in Santa Monica [California] and sleeping on a dojo floor, like, on a mat, and interspersed between that, and sleeping in my car, and stuff. And so, this was for an extended period of time and people have said to me, 'wow, that must've been really tough.' It wasn't. I never thought of it as tough. It was actually a very fun period of my life and I never thought of it as, 'oh man, that sucks. I have to sleep on this dojo's floor or I have to sleep in my car,' or anything like that. It was a wonderful experience and those sorts of things never bothered me." (H/T WrestlingInc)
After retiring from in-ring competition in 2016 due to injuries, Daniel Bryan made his miraculous return in 2018 and has since been a top star in WWE. One of the biggest babyfaces of the current generation, Daniel Bryan is a five-time World Champion in WWE and has won several other championships as well.
#2 Mick Foley
Next on the list is the Hardcore Legend of WWE, Mick Foley. Famous for his three faces - Mankind, Dude Love, and Cactus Jack, Mick Foley has a special place in the hearts of wrestling fans, thanks to the stuff he has done which many others can't even imagine doing.
Being a very humble and kind person off-screen, Mick Foley has earned millions during his time as a WWE Superstar. But it was not always jolly for the WWE Hall of Famer as he used to sleep in his car to save money while attending wrestling school.
Dominic DeNucci spoke to WrestlingInc revealing how Mick Foley used to sleep in his car to attend pro wrestling school.
"He was driving from, where he went to school, yes, and then, he drove on a Friday night to come to Pittsburgh [Pennsylvania] sometimes, I would find him in front of the school, asleep in the car, a lot of times, because he wanted to. But also, I had a responsibility for him because his mom and dad, they said to me, 'you take care of [our] boy.' I said, 'I'll take care of him. If he's bad, I'll kick his ass.'"
Mick Foley announced his final retirement in 2012 after he wasn't medically cleared to compete. He is a 3-time WWF Champion and an 8-time Tag-Team Champion with several partners.
#1 AJ Lee
AJ Lee was a fiery competitor in WWE, considered by many to be one of the greatest WWE Divas Champion, a title which she won three times during her WWE career. Coming from a very poor family, her life was filled with troubles including the tough times of being homeless.
Following is an excerpt from AJ Lee's book "Crazy Is My Superpower: How I Triumphed by Breaking Bones, Breaking Hearts, and Breaking the Rules" where the former WWE Divas Champion talks about her bipolar disorder and being homeless.
“That is the gift being bipolar gave me. It blessed me with a lofty imagination, an iron will, and an unbreakable belief in the impossible. I used my gift to take myself from being homeless to being an athlete and entertainer on international television. I became a woman with a mission.”
After a successful six-year career with WWE, AJ Lee retired from in-ring competition shortly after WrestleMania 31 in 2015 due to her injury and other personal issues. Currently, she is married to former WWE Champion, CM Punk and the couple are living a happy life.
