Here's to ya, Pops! Celebrating some of WWE's famous fathers

It's Father's Day weekend, and WWE Superstars are celebrating in much the same way the rest of us do. Maybe it's stopping by your pop's place and having dinner, or it's playing catch in the backyard with your own son. No matter what you do, this is a hallowed holiday that celebrates all those dudes out there who taught us how to tie our shoes or catch a fish.

WWE has had several dynamic dads over the years, almost too many to count. Whether it's the real ones (Rocky Johnson, Bob Orton, Jim Neidhart, etc.) or the fictional fathers (Eddie Guerrero, Kurt Angle), the promotion has always recognized its proud patriarchs.

The guy who's drinking out of the '#1 DAD' coffee mug right now in the company is Rey Mysterio, who is having the time of his life right now teaming up with his son. For longtime members of the WWE Universe, it's been a lot of fun to watch as well. It's like seeing a torch being passed.

We've often seen many second-generation stars salute their legendary fathers, as well. Natalya Neidhart, Charlotte Flair, and Randy Orton have even incorporated theirs into wrestling angles. It's not only a great family moment when this happens but also a great way for WWE to pay tribute to its past.

WWE has always been proud to salute fathers everywhere, even if they are of the fictional variety

On a very special day like this, did Jason Jordan reach out to Kurt Angle to extend him well wishes? Or is there any bad blood there for Kurt missing out on so much of Jason's life? One can only wonder how that kayfabe connection would turn out eventually and if their' family ties' still bind them to this day.

Torrie Wilson once brought her dad to work, where he became very friendly with one of her fellow employees. (But we won't get into the details of that right now.)

We can also only speculate as to whether or not Mark Henry got a card in the mail this week from Hand. You know? One that lets him know that the family is doing well, and that little Hand Jr. is starting kindergarten next year.

Of course, being a father in the world of sports entertainment can turn ugly, as well. In the past, we've witnessed a paternity battle in WWE that would put anything Maury Povich has produced to shame: Eddie Guerrero's hilarious antics as he tried to prove to the world that he was the real 'babby daddy' of Dominik Mysterio.

Oddly enough, this was the first time we would see Dom on WWE television, long before he became an active wrestler himself. He was very young at the time and was portrayed as 'the kid torn between two fathers.'

It would all sound like some kind of dramatic soap opera, except for the genius of Guerrero, who was never afraid to up the stakes in terms of humor. His use of incessant overacting was a wink and a nod to the audience during the angle. It made the whole crazy thing work perfectly.

The 'Who's Your Papi?' story was so comical and entertaining that fans still buy and wear the famous t-shirt to this day.

Then there are the other kind of WWE dads, the ones who took us to our first wrestling matches or watched along with us

Many professional wrestling fans tie their love of the game to memories of their childhood, and usually their father. For many of us, the action in the squared circle was so real, especially if your dad was getting fired up right along with it. You got as excited as he was, even when you were little, and you weren't always sure what was going on.

Sometimes, he would stay up late after working an extra shift on the weekend just to watch Saturday Night's Main Event with you. He might have even stopped off at the local store to pick you up a couple of those "rasslin' magazines you like so much".

Or maybe he took you to your first, real wrestling show, holding your hand securely as he guided you through a bustle of what seemed like a billion bodies.

Then, you enter the arena. The smell of the air, the grunts and groans in the ring, and the crowd's roar all unfolded before you, like some strange but magical world. All the while, with your dad by your side... cheering all the way.

It's one of the reasons that wrestling has been enjoyed by so many throughout the years. It's been passed down from one generation to the next, and from a father to his children. Like all good things should be.

Happy Father's Day.

Sportskeeda salutes dads everywhere as we recognize this Father's Day 2022.