Wrestling is a very tough business, both on the mind and the body. Very few wrestlers make it big in such a tough business because there are very few spots at the top. Wrestling in the indies doesn’t always pay a lot and there have been numerous instances of wrestlers having to live out of their cars as they go between shows to save a little money for the future.
Many wrestlers never manage to make ends meet by wrestling and have to work second jobs. For some wrestlers, they have no contingency plans for retirement. For every John Cena, there are hundreds of indie wrestlers who never make it beyond the local gym, working night after night for barely enough to live comfortably.
5: TJ Perkins
The first entry into this list is WWE Cruiserweight Classic competitor TJ Perkins. Perkins started wrestling at the age of 13 and in his teens he was already wrestling for promotions all the way in Mexico. Along the way he would wound up on hard times, ending up homeless and living in his car during the recession while he was living in Florida as he tried to earn a contract for WWE’s developmental system, FCW.
Instead of letting the hard times get to him, TJ Perkins worked even harder to follow his dream of making it to WWE and today stands on the brink of his WWE debut at the CWC and he is sure to be looking to impress enough for a full-time contract.
4: AJ Lee
AJ Lee had a tough childhood. Her family wasn’t well off and AJ spent a large part of her childhood living in motels and in cars and it’s a testament to her desire to follow her dreams that she ever made it to the WWE. She had to work a variety of part-time jobs while she was still in school to be able to afford wrestling school.
In 2009 she invested all her money to fly down to a WWE tryout which ended up changing her life and she’s a former Divas Champions and respected by both fans and peers.
3: Roddy Piper
Growing up in Manitoba, Canada, Roddy Piper had a difficult relationship with his father who was an officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Roddy was expelled from high school for carrying a switchblade at a young age and he left home soon after following an argument with his father.
Roddy Piper spent the next few years alternating between living in his car and living in youth hostels. His first brush with pro wrestling came at the gym where he worked part time jobs for several wrestlers. Roddy took up boxing before wrestling and is a Golden Gloves champion. His first pro wrestling match took place in the old AWA and the rest, as they say, is history.
2: Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan’s family was not well off when he was young with his mum having to work two jobs to keep the family afloat. However, that didn’t stop Bryan from following his dream of being a full-time wrestler. Bryan moved to LA to pursue his dream and lived in his car for a period while training at the famous Inoki Dojo, before moving into the Dojo itself.
We can all agree that the hard work paid off for Daniel Bryan in the long run and he is one of the most popular WWE Superstars of all time. Unfortunately, Bryan had to retire earlier this year due to concussion issues.
1: Steve Austin
‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin is one of the biggest stars in the history of professional wrestling, but it wasn’t always that way. During his first year as a pro wrestler, Austin toured the southern United States living in his car and earning a measly $20 a night.
Austin’s luck turned in 1991 when he signed for WCW as ‘Stunning’ Steve Austin. Since then, Austin has wrestled for ECW and of course, WWE where he became a mainstream icon during the Attitude Era. From living in his car to headlining multiple WrestleManias, Steve Austin’s hard work and perseverance definitely paid off and it allowed him to retire on his own terms.
