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A tattoo is a huge commitment. Not only can they be expensive, but inking means a permanent stamp on your body, as well as placing a lot of trust in the artist.
For some people, a tattoo is a long thought out process, whilst for others, it is an instant decision, sometimes to commemorate a huge moment, other times because they're wasted.
In WWE, there have been plenty of superstars with tattoos, with some revealing why they decided to change their bodies, and some superstars have a lot better reasons than others.
Here are six WWE Superstars with a story behind their ink.
#6 CM Punk takes the Pepsi Plunge
When fans look at the iconic Pepsi logo of former WWE Superstar, CM Punk, they may at a first glance believe that the straight edge savior got the tattoo for his love of the refreshing drink.
And whilst there’s no denying that Punk clearly is a fan of the drink, the Pepsi tattoo is also a subtle message about his straight-edge lifestyle.
One of his oldest tattoos, Punk got the famous striped logo after seeing so many people get tattoos of their favourite beer companies, defiantly announcing his straight-edge belief that he would refuse alcohol in favor of the popular soda.
This tattoo did lead to some issues however when he joined WWE as licensing issues meant the logo was sometimes excluded from WWE games and figures, as the company did not want to pay a huge fee to Pepsi.
The MMA star’s love of the beverage even found it’s way into his move-set, with the Pepsi Plunge and Pepsi Twist being some of Punk’s most iconic wrestling moves, before he retired in 2014.
Now competing in UFC, Punk continues to show his tattoos in fights, with his opponents seeing the words DRUG FREE on his knuckles as Punk wails into them.
#5 The Rock's heritage
If you’ve followed the career of the Brahma Bull, then you’ll know that the Rock is very proud of his Samoan heritage.
The son of Rocky Johnson and grandson of High Chief Peter Maivia, it’s hard to truly understand The Rock’s connection to his heritage, without understanding the meaning behind his most personal and painful tattoo.
Unlike common tattoos that use a needle, the pe'a tattoos are constructed with pieces of bone, turtle shell, & wood, and often takes 3 people to apply.
Traveling to Hawaii for the excruciating procedure, the shoulder tattoo took a total 60 hours to complete, split into three 20 hour sessions, and was designed entirely by freehand.
As intricate as it is, The Great One has said the message of the tattoo itself is very simple, saying it’s a representation of three things - family, protecting family, and being a warrior his enemies can’t hold down.
#4 A true Punk
With her red hair, an alternative image, and risk-taking offence, Lita was unlike any woman on the roster during the Attitude Era.
And whilst there have been other tattooed women in WWE, none compare to Lita - in terms of ability or championship success.
Setting herself apart from the blonde bimbo archetype of the early 2000s, Lita sported a large demon tattoo on her right arm, with an assortment of skulls on her left.
What is far more interesting though, is the tattoo fans never got to see, which is hidden away on the inside of her lips, which reads Punk.
Despite what some fans may believe, this has nothing to do with CM Punk who Lita used to date, but was inked on years earlier when she was living with a musician in a house that often hosted Punk bands.
During a performance by Railhead, the young Lita allowed her roommate commemorate this chapter of their lives with some ink, saying the process didn’t hurt at all, perhaps due to how fast it happened.
#3 Brock Lesnar’s drunken sword fight
We’ve all heard the story: a guy quits his job, his life spirals out of control, this dude gets wasted, and wakes up with a tattoo he doesn’t remember getting.
It doesn’t matter how big or bad you are, this can happen to anyone - man or woman, and even a Beast.
To Lesnar’s credit, he at least remembers getting the huge sword on his front inked, though has admitted he was very drunk at the time.
The Beast Incarnate has also stated that the sword itself is a metaphor of the pressure he felt at the time, as WWE were blocking his attempts to wrestle for New Japan, pressure that didn’t mix well with Lesnar’s substance abuse problems.
Eventually joining New Japan, Lesnar would clean himself up before joining UFC, whom he left to return to the WWE in 2012, now sporting his iconic sword, which no-doubt strikes fear into his opponents.
#2 Wade Barrett inks up for his favorite band
It doesn’t matter if you won season 1 of NXT, and are a multiple time champion, when your favorite band contacts you, you’re bound to geek out.
This was just the case with Wade Barrett, who despite his massive success in the States, remained loyal to his British roots, and sports a bouquet of red roses, the official flower of his home-county of Lancashire.
Surrounding the rose are the words ‘Boredom, Culture, Alienation, and Despair', which may seem like the usual cries of an angsty teen, but any UK indie rock fan worth their salt will recognise them as the lyrics to Little Baby Nothing by Manic Street Preachers.
Although MSP never really made it big in the US, they were massively popular in England, where both Barrett and the band hail from.
In fact, Barrett was even contacted by guitarist James Dean Bradfield, who offered the superstar his services for the former WWE star’s theme song, to which Barrett could only respond that his mind was blown, in a tweet.
#1 Hardy wears his roots
As the Charismatic Enigma, Jeff Hardy certainly has a unique look when he competes, splashing his body in face paint, and donning his full-length arm sleeves.
For over 20 years now, Hardy has entertained fans across the world, with his few, massive tattoos being instantly recognisable to the WWE Universe.
Most striking of his tattoos, is the large root that stretches across the former WWE Champion’s entire right arm.
In an interview, Hardy explained how he got the ink to remind him of humanity’s connection to the earth, with our planets ability to fuel trees through water being similar to the human body’s ability to create life with blood.
Not satisfied with just one tattoo, Hardy has a dragon on his left leg, though has admitted that this was inked in secret, as an act of rebellion against his father.
A talented artist, Hardy has even designed some of his own tattoos, which appear on his right hand, a difficult task when you realise the Charismatic Enigma is right-handed, and had to use his left hand to draw.
