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WWE's storied history has seen a long string of Superstars who have never shied away from helping fellow wrestlers, or even fans in some cases. Be it moral support, or financial, there have been many WWE Superstars in history who didn't think twice before extending support to other wrestlers when they needed it the most.
WWE Superstars enjoy hefty paydays for the work that they do in the ring and on the mic, but not all of them are wise with their finances. Pro wrestling is an unpredictable business, and a promising career can come crumbling down in a matter of weeks. That's why it is a big deal when one goes out of their way and spends actual money in order to help their peers. In this list, we will be taking a look at five WWE Superstars who financially helped fellow wrestlers.
#5 Batista pays off Dean Malenko and Mike Chioda's fine
Back in late 2008, Batista and Chris Jericho faced off inside a Steel Cage on WWE RAW, with the former's World title on the line. It had been a while since the PG Era had kicked off, and there were clear instructions to the WWE Superstars that blading wasn't an option at all. Batista didn't agree with the same though, and decided to take it upon himself to turn the contest interesting.
Batista did well outside the WWE umbrella as well
Batista did blade himself, and things got chaotic when both Superstars went backstage after the match. Vince McMahon was furious beyond belief at Batista, and eventually fined him $100,000. The WWE Chairman also fined Jericho, official Mike Chioda, and producer Dean Malenko, $5,000 each. Batista didn't want others to suffer for what was clearly his mistake, and paid fines for himself as well as the other three men. Batista would part ways with WWE in 2010 following his feud with John Cena, and made it clear later that WWE's PG direction was a major reason why he left.
#4 Hulk Hogan helped Ric Flair when Reid Flair was on life support
A few years back, WWE Hall of Famers Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan shared the stage at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, in Tampa. The legendary WWE duo recalled a bunch of interesting moments from the time they were active wrestlers and in their prime. During the closing moments of the show, Flair decided to tell another story involving Hulk Hogan, and how the former WWE Champion helped him when he direly needed it.
"He visited me in the hospital. He got on a private jet and flew straight there, even though he was in terrible back pain. When my son was on life support, he loaned me money. He loaned me money."
Flair and Hogan are two of WWE's biggest Superstars
Ric Flair is one of the most successful WWE Superstars in history, but it isn't exactly a secret that he was never wise with his finances. His Nature Boy persona wasn't just relegated to the squared circle, and that made for a pretty lavish lifestyle with Flair not caring much about his financial well-being. Hulk Hogan has been a close friend of Flair for years, and was there for him when he needed him the most.
#3 John Cena pays off fine for six wrestlers
The following incident was recalled by former WWE Superstar Aiden English. The Drama King once revealed how a 'Superkick party' after a dark match led to six WWE Superstars being forced to pay hefty fines, and how John Cena came to their rescue. Following a Six-Man Tag Team match featuring English, King Corbin, The Usos, Miro, and AJ Styles, the WWE Superstars decided to have a 'Superkick party', which saw everyone hitting kick after kick, and getting the official involved as well.
"The audience loved it but when we get backstage we got chewed a new one by the producers."
"We got sat down, got threatened with release, with gigantic fines, $10-20k fines."
John Cena was one of the most polarizing WWE figures at his peak
English later revealed that John Cena came for the save in real life, and ended up paying fines for everyone, including the WWE official. The total amount was apparently a whopping £88,000. Cena is one of the most respected WWE Superstars of all time, and has helped fellow wrestlers in time of need. Taking it upon himself to pay off such a hefty fine was an incredibly wholesome move by Cena.
#2 Molly Holly helped pay for Beth Phoenix's wrestling school fees
Molly Holly did well for herself during her WWE stint, and won the WWE Women's title on two occasions. Years later, when Beth Phoenix was on her way to becoming a WWE Superstar, she gave a match tape to Holly, who handed it over to Tom Prichard. A short while later, Holly advised Phoenix to join Ohio Valley Wrestling to sharpen her skills. The problem? Beth Phoenix didn't have enough money to pay for her OVW tuition.
It's a shame that Molly Holly still isn't in WWE's Hall of Fame
When Phoenix eventually went to make the first payment, she learned that Molly Holly had already paid off a good chunk of her OVW tuition fees. Holly stated that it was her way of helping the new blood like how she had once received help from others when she had kicked off her WWE run. Phoenix went on to become one of the most successful female WWE Superstars of all time, and won multiple Divas titles. It's strange to think that all these years later, Phoenix is in the WWE Hall of Fame, while Holly is yet to be given the honor, even though she fully deserves the same.
#1 CM Punk goes out of his way to help Joey Mercury
CM Punk is one of the most controversial WWE Superstars in history, and doesn't have many friends in the business. He is best known for his 434-day WWE title reign, and the 'Pipebomb' promo that kicked off 'The Summer of Punk' in 2011. The former WWE Champion also got a DVD of his own back in the day, dubbed 'CM Punk: Best In The World', in which WWE gave the fans a closer look at his career as a wrestler.
CM Punk hasn't wrestled in WWE or anywhere else in seven years
At one point in the documentary, former WWE Superstar Joey Mercury made a revelation that's bound to turn you into a fan of Punk, if you aren't already. Hard times had fallen on Mercury, following his WWE release in 2007. Punk sensed the same and went out of his way to help the fellow wrestler. Punk wrote a six-figure check to buy Mercury's house, which was about to undergo foreclosure as Mecury was battling substance issues. CM Punk has his fair share of real-life rivals in the wrestling business who have criticized him on many occasions, but one can't discount the fact that he did the unthinkable and provided major financial help to a fellow wrestler during a tough time.
