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WWE is known for its larger-than-life characters and over-the-top personas. WWE legends and icons such as The Undertaker, The Rock, Triple H and more have all crossed over into the psyche of mainstream media.
However, most viewers of Monday Night RAW or Friday Night SmackDown often forget about the person behind the portrayal of their favorite WWE Superstars.
As is the case with most actors in a television or film production, many wrestlers adopt a "stage name" or character whose name is different to their birth name.
This is often done for trademarking purposes or because their real name doesn't have the "showbiz" ring to it that is required of a professional wrestler. But there are a few exceptions to this rule.
Certain professional wrestlers utilize their real name for their on-screen persona. This can be due to their prior career in sports or entertainment. It can also be because they wish to blur the lines between fiction and reality when it comes to their professional wrestling character.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at five WWE Superstars who wrestle using their real names.
#5 Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton
Born Randal Keith Orton on April 1, 1980, Randy Orton has gone on to become one of the most successful and iconic WWE Superstars in WWE history.
The Viper made his WWE main roster debut on SmackDown in 2002 and has since developed into one of the most tenured superstars on the current roster.
The former WWE World Heavyweight Champion is a third generation wrestler. His father, WWE Hall of Famer Cowboy Bob Orton Jr. and his grandfather, Bob Orton Sr., both competed at a high level in the industry. The lineage of the Orton name is likely the reason why The Aprex Predator decided to use his real name as his on-screen persona.
Randy Orton's CV reads as one of the most successful in WWE history. Orton is a 14-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Other championships won by The Viper include the Intercontinental Championship, United States Championship and WWE Tag Team Championship.
Randy Orton has also claimed other accolades, such as the 2013 Money in the Bank briefcase, and has won the men's Royal Rumble match on two occasions in 2009 and 2017 respectively.
#4 Former WWE NXT Cruiserweight Champion Drew Gulak
Current WWE Monday Night RAW Superstar Drew Gulak is seen by many as one of the most underrated talents on the WWE roster.
Gulak made his WWE debut as part of the 2016 Cruiserweight Classic Tournament on the WWE Network. After being eliminated from the tournament by Zack Sabre Jr., Gulak eventually transitioned to the main roster on Monday Night RAW as part of the cruiserweight division.
Drew Gulak quickly became a staple of the cruiserweight division on 205 Live, eventually winning the Cruiserweight Championship at Stomping Grounds in 2019. After losing the championship to Lio Rush on an episode of NXT in October 2019, Gulak was drafted to SmackDown.
The former champion then engaged in a feud and subsequent alliance with Daniel Bryan on SmackDown. This included an excellent match between Bryan and Gulak at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view in 2020.
During the 2020 WWE Draft, the former Crusierweight Champion was drafted to Monday Night RAW. Currently still a member of the RAW roster, Gulak has been seen pursuing the 24/7 Championship and a brief feud with Angel Garza.
#3 Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy
Current WWE RAW Superstar Jeff Hardy, born Jeffrey Nero Hardy, is one of the most iconic superstars of all time.
Beginning his WWE career in the midst of the infamous 'Attitude Era,' Jeff Hardy has continued to wow the WWE Universe for close to two decades. Utilizing his death-defying, high-risk offense, Jeff Hardy has gone on to transition from a tag team wrestler into an incredibly successful singles star.
Jeff Hardy is a former 3-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion. In addition, Hardy has captured the Intercontinental Championship, United States Championship, European Championship, Light Heavyweight Championship and Hardcore Championship.
The singles accolades accompany The Charismatic Enigma's nine WWE Tag Team Championships with his brother Matt Hardy in WWE.
Jeff Hardy is currently competing on the Monday Night RAW roster. Hardy recently scored his first victory since January on RAW by defeating Cedric Alexander this past week.
Hardy has also promised the return of his famous 'No More Words' entrance theme when live fans return to WWE programming. Given that WWE returns to touring in July, the long wait to hear the music again may soon finally be over.
#2 Former WWE NXT Champion Keith Lee
WWE Superstar Keith Lee describes himself as "limitless," which many onlookers of his matches would agree with.
The former WWE NXT Champion is considered by many to be one of the best big men currently on the WWE roster. In addition to being a one-of-a-kind talent, Lee is also a history maker.
Keith Lee cemented his place in the history books when he defeated Adam Cole in 2020 to become the first ever WWE Superstar to hold the NXT Championship and the NXT North American Championship simultaneously.
This was followed by a call up to Monday Night RAW after SummerSlam that year. Victories over the likes of Randy Orton quickly followed his move to the red brand. However, Keith Lee has not been seen on WWE television since February earlier this year. It was subsequently reported that Lee was removed from television due to an undisclosed medical issue, preventing him from being cleared by WWE to compete.
While it's not yet known what issues are preventing Keith Lee from returning, reports indicate that he is actively looking to get medically cleared. Here's hoping that the former NXT Champion returns soon.
#1 Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion John Cena
WWE icon John Cena is one of the most recognizable WWE Superstars of all time.
Cena currently holds the joint "record" with WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair for the most World Heavyweight Championships in company history at sixteen.
Since 2015, John Cena has stepped back from performing for WWE on a regular basis. Cena has continued to make sporadic appearances for the promotion, but they have become far more infrequent in recent years.
John Cena's last WWE appearance came during WrestleMania 36 Night Two in 2020. Cena was defeated by "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt in a Firefly Fun House match. Due to the ongoing global pandemic, the match was altered to a pre-taped, cinematic presentation.
It appears John Cena's WWE return could be on the horizon. Rumors continue to swirl that Cena is set to compete at this year's SummerSlam pay-per-view from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A potential showdown against current Universal Champion Roman Reigns has been suggested. A match between the two faces of their respective generations, Cena vs Reigns would certainly be a major box office draw for WWE.
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