Pro wrestlers face some pretty unwarranted judgement from the eyes of the public when it comes to their educational backgrounds. Surely no self-respecting, well-educated person would ever trade a normal job to be a wrestler, right? Wrong!
A lot of wrestlers are extremely smart people who decided to pursue their passion instead of a normal everyday job despite having the knowledge and skills to succeed in said normal jobs.
With a number of wrestlers coming from amateur wrestling backgrounds, it is a further advantage for them to take up a college education through athletic scholarships. It is a very big mistake to assume that just because someone makes it to the WWE and other wrestling promotions, they’re dumb. Life isn’t an either or scenario.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into your list of 5 wrestlers who have college degrees:
#1 David Otunga
We start off with the most highly qualified wrestler on our list, former Nexus member and current Smackdown Live commentator, David Otunga. Before making it onto the WWE as a part of the Nexus faction, Otunga was actually a practising attorney.
What’s even more impressive is that Otunga graduated from Harvard Law School – one of, if not the most prestigious law school on the planet.
Sure, his in-ring career may have crashed and burned before it ever took off and sure, he might be a terrible commentator, but there is no denying the fact that David Otunga is one very smart cookie.
It’s no easy business graduating law school and it is commendable that after all of the effort Otunga put into graduating from Harvard, he decided to take a shot at pursuing his dreams. If you’re feeling bad that he didn’t quite make it, though, put those thoughts right out of your head.
In addition to his impressive education, Otunga is married to pop star and actress Jennifer Hudson. Apart from a terrible WWE career, he has everything else going for him. Who knows maybe he’ll do us all a favour and get back to being a lawyer soon.
#2 Michelle McCool
You guys remember when Michelle McCool came into the WWE? She was given this weird gimmick as a school teacher and no one really knew why? Well, the reason for that is that McCool has a Master’s degree in Education and was actually working as a school teacher before making the switch over to the WWE.
Seriously, how cool is it – no pun intended – that a school teacher with a Masters in Education decides to give it all up to pursue her passion of becoming a wrestler?
She had a decent run during her time with the company as she soon ditched the whole teacher thing to form LayCool with Layla and all that other diva nonsense the WWE was infamous for.
She has since quit the wrestling business, but perhaps the biggest upside to her time with the WWE is that McCool met one Mr Mark Calaway – better known to you and me as The Undertaker. The two are now happily married.
Imagine that, eh? A former school teacher marrying The Undertaker.
#3 Kane
The Big Red Machine has a college degree. Who woulda thunk it? Seriously, though, it is impressive that Glen Jacobs – the man who has played the role of Kane in the WWE for the past two decades – has had an exemplary college career.
A huge sports star who excelled in both basketball and football, Jacobs earned a degree in English Literature of all things from the Northeast Missouri State University during his time there before he came over to the WWE.
He has, of course, gone on to have one of the most storied wrestling careers of all-time as the younger brother of The Undertaker as well as a WWE Champion. In another life, though, we might well have seen Kane indulging himself in some William Shakespeare. Wouldn’t that be a sight?
#4 Wade Barrett
If I asked you what Wade Barrett has a degree in what would your answer be? Bare knuckle boxing or something like that probably. But, it’s time to suspend your disbelief because Mr Bad News actually has a degree in... Marine Biology.
Yup, Wade Barrett somehow has a college degree in one of the most specialised fields of all-time as he took a keen interest in the life forms that live underwater. Barrett says that despite the degree, it was his passion for wrestling which brought him to the WWE.
Starting off with a red-hot run with the promotion, Barrett and his Nexus faction were on the cusp of greatness before being buried by John Cena and none of the members ever really recovered.
Barrett himself had a few decent runs after that, but he soon left the company and is now working the indy scene while also dipping his toes into the movie industry.
Still, none of his work is related in any way, shape, or form to Marine Biology, though.
#5 John Cena
Speaking of the man who buried Wade Barrett, the last name on this list is John Cena himself. Before he was The Face that Runs the Place, Cena was a college football player who earned a degree in Exercise Physiology and Movement Studies before embarking on a career as a bodybuilder.
A reasonable academic decision when you consider his choice of degree and his physical prowess. Pretty soon the WWE would come calling, though, and Big Match John has never looked back since.
Having had a Hall of Fame-worthy career with him recently winning his 16th World Title to equal Ric Flair’s record, it is an absolute pleasure that we can see John Cena work his magic in the WWE and we can all be thankful that he left behind his interest in Exercise Physiology and Movement Studies to pursue his dreams in the WWE.
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