One of the key components to a wrestler’s persona is his or her billed hometown. In today's era, more and more Superstars are using their actual hometowns as their announced hometown. However, there are still a few who are billed from areas in which they actually have no connection whatsoever. This was once a common practice, especially during the Golden Era when the Superstars were built to be these larger than life heroes and villains.
The reason behind this practice is not something that is really talked about. It’s not a secret trick to success, but rather just not really thought about too often. One idea is that a particular WWE Superstar may be from a town that doesn't really line up with or match their gimmick.
For instance, The Undertaker was actually born in Houston and currently resides in Austin, Texas. But, even though both Austin and Houston are great cities, neither of the two lines up with his dark, creepy gimmick. With this said, Taker was most commonly announced as being from “Death Valley.”
After searching through a huge list of WWE Superstars from the past, as well as the present, here is a look at 10 WWE Superstars who were billed from places that they were not really from.
#7 Apollo Crews
Billed From: Stone Mountain, Georgia
Actual Hometown: Sacramento, California
Apollo Crews is one of the newer up and coming Superstars with a ton of raw of potential. As “Uhaa Nation”, he quickly grew into one of the most prominent independent stars in the world before WWE took notice and finally offered him a contract.
So far, Apollo Crews has had a slow start to his main roster run with WWE, but hopefully, with time, he can prove to the powers-that-be that he is not only worthy of better booking but he could be a prime candidate to be a future main eventer.
Apollo is currently announced to be from Stone Mountain, Georgia, however, he is originally from Sacramento, California. It is also worth noting that as a child, Apollo’s family moved from Sacramento to Atlanta.
On an interesting side note regarding Stone Mountain, there is a former WWE Superstar that was once billed from Stone Mountain, GA, WWE Hall of Famer, Jake “The Snake” Roberts.
#6 Goldust
Billed From: Hollywood, California
*Has also been announced from “the deepest, darkest corner of his mind”
Actual Hometown: Austin, Texas
He's one of the most underrated and underappreciated WWE Superstars of all-time and even today and even though he’s just a few cups of coffee away from being 50 years old, Goldust is still competing full-time alongside R-Truth in their duo commonly known as The Golden Truth, until his recent apparent heel turn on Smackdown Live.
Early on in his career, when he was simply known as Dustin Rhodes, it was a lot easier to use his actual hometown as the city he was billed from. However, once Goldust was born, everything changed and for obvious reasons, Goldust just did not seem like the type of character you would see out on the streets of Austin, jumping from bar-to-bar.
With that said, a place such as Hollywood seemed to be much more fitting for someone as eccentric as Goldie. It’s also worth nothing that there was a time when Goldust hailed from “the deepest, darkest corner of his mind.”
#5 Hulk Hogan
Billed From: Venice Beach, California
Actual Hometown: Augusta, Georgia
Considering the current state of affairs surrounding Hulk Hogan, my opinion about him may not be very popular with some readers, but it is what it is.
Hulk Hogan is without a doubt the most iconic name in all of professional wrestling history. Hogan was the marquee name at the time of the birth of Wrestlemania and the wrestling boom of the 80’s. He was the ideal larger-than-life hero that everyone looked up to and a great face to lead the company into the mainstream. Hogan was the catalyst Vince McMahon needed at the time.
As far as where Hogan was billed from, you have to understand that at that time, in the early 1980’s, Hulk Hogan represented the type of look you would commonly see working out at Muscle Beach. Therefore, it made perfect sense to announce him as being from Venice Beach, California.
The past few years have been very tough for Hulkamaniacs worldwide. However, Hogan has not run from his accusers and he has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Needless to say, for someone who has contributed on such a large scale like Hulk Hogan has, it's time to extend a little forgiveness and let the man come back home to wrap up his storied career.
#4 Tyler Breeze
Billed From: “Seasonal Residence” in various locations
*Has also been announced to be from Daytona Beach, Florida
Actual Hometown: Penticton, British Columbia, Canada
Since being brought up to the main roster, Tyler Breeze has gone from top NXT star to bottom-of-the-barrel laughing stock. The current tag team run with Breeze and Fandango is an insult to the potential which lies within both Superstars.
Contrary to popular belief, Prince Pretty is a proud Canadian, from Penticton, British Columbia. However, Breeze needed a hometown that would be more fitting for... well, a prince. When it was all said and done, the creative powers-that-be decided on a name that surely would be a one of a kind, which was the various “Seasonal residences” they have used.
For instance, some of the elite places used as Tyler’s seasonal residence are Campo Grande, Brazil, Cairo, Egypt, and Milan, Italy, just to name a few. It’s also worth noting that Breeze has also simply used Daytona Beach, Florida as his announced hometown.
Hopefully, Tyler Breeze can get back to those winning ways he once enjoyed as one of NXT’s top Superstars. As for now, he is still teamed up with Fandango as two “fashion police”.
#3 Lana
Billed From: Moscow, Russia
Actual Hometown: Gainsville, Florida
Lana is far and away one of the most underrated and underutilised talents on the WWE payroll. The way she has been able to flawlessly transform herself into a very believable Russian persona, it’s pure magic. She has added to Rusev’s value over the course of his career and now it appears the company is ready to focus more so on her individual career.
If you have watched the reality television show Total Divas, then you are fully aware that Lana’s real voice sounds nothing like what you hear on WWE programming. In fact, she sounds nothing at all like the boastful ‘Ravishing Russian’ she portrays.
Lana is actually a normal, red-blooded, cherry-pie-eating, Fourth-of-July-celebrating American. While Lana is originally from the Gainesville, Florida area, she resides in the beautiful city of Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, Rusev.
#2 Bray Wyatt
Billed From: Snake Bight, Florida
Actual Hometown: Brooksville, Florida
You don't have to like him, but you must respect the work this man has put in as he has completely transformed himself from the shell of a human known as “Husky Harris”, to the top-tier Superstar we now know as former WWE Champion, Bray Wyatt.
Bray Wyatt is known for having one of the most unique and captivating entrances in wrestling. However, there is rarely ever mention of where he is billed from. With that said, it is still announced on the rare occasion, mostly at house shows that he’s from Lafayette, Louisiana, or Snake Bight, Florida. Contrary to what some may believe, Snake Bight is not a mythical, made-up town. This town actually exists and it is in the Everglades area of south Florida.
Bray Wyatt is a third-generation Superstar, from the rich Windham/Rotunda bloodline. Blackjack Mulligan, Barry Windham, and Bray’s father, Mike Rotunda, are just a few of his close family members with a highly successful wrestling background. Bray’s real-life brother, Bo Dallas is also a current WWE Superstar.
Their sister, Mika Rotunda, is also someone we could soon see in a WWE ring and has had a couple of tryouts at the WWE Performance Center and has apparently caught the attention of NXT coaches and staff.
#1 Vince McMahon
Billed From: Greenwich, Connecticut
Actual Hometown: Pinehurst, North Carolina
While we rarely get a full, superstar entrance from The Boss these days, there was a time when this was a common occurrence. Vince McMahon may have been close to his father for the majority of his life, but early on, Vince had no relationship at all with his biological father. In fact, he was 12 years old before he ever actually met Vince Sr.
Vince was born in the rural, Moore County town of Pinehurst, North Carolina. That area would be his home while he was growing up, but as we all know now, Mr. McMahon was destined for bigger and better things and a small North Carolina township would not be capable of containing Vince, nor his ego.
Along with his executive duties, McMahon has also spent a lot of time in the ring, competing in high-level feuds with some of the top names of all-time. During the Attitude Era, Vince spent a ton of time inside the squared-circle and despite his humble North Carolina upbringing, Vince was normally announced to be from one of America’s wealthiest towns, which is Greenwich, Connecticut.
