The biggest spectacle in sports entertainment is on tap April 7. WrestleMania 35 will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Fitting that a football stadium plays host to WWE’s biggest annual event as many of the athletes who have participated in WM have wrestled and played football in their careers.
Steve McMichael
Steve “Mongo” McMichael wrestled in WCW. He also accompanied Lawrence Taylor to the ring for the Giant LB’s match with Bam Bam Bigelow. McMichael was one of a number of wrestlers who served as pseudo-managers for LT.
Harvey Martin
Harvey Martin, a great Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman (pictured right) was involved in a battle royal that features football players with wrestlers at WrestleMania 2.
Bill Fralic
The late Atlanta Falcons lineman Bill Fralic was another of the football players to take part in the battle royal at WM 2. n 1986, Fralic also returned to the WWE on July 4, 1993, to participate in the Stars and Stripes Challenge trying to body-slam the 550-pound then-WWF champion, Yokozuna.
Jim Covert
Jim Covert, pictured blocking for Steve Fuller also was one of the six football players to appear in the battle royal in 1986.
Ernie Holmes
Ernie Holmes was a Pittsburgh Steelers lineman who also was called on for a spot in the 1986 battle royal.
Russ Francis
Russ Francis competed in the battle royal, which was won by Andre the Giant. He also made appearances in the AWA and NWA Hawaii.
William Perry
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William “The Refrigerator” Perry joined his Chicago Bears teammate Jim Covert in the battle royal at WrestleMania 2.
Ed ‘Too Tall’ Jones
Another great Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman, Ed “Too Tall” Jones was a guest referee at WrestleMania 2, an event that featured a lot of gridders.
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor was involved in a major program with Bam Bam Bigelow. The bout took place at WrestleMania 11 in 1995.
Carl Banks
Carl Banks was one of the guest managers for Lawrence Taylor at his match with Bam Bam Bigelow. Banks and Taylor were in the same linebacking corps for the New York Giants.
Rickey Jackson
Rickey Jackson was another NFL linebacking great who served as a manager for LT at WrestleMania 11.
Reggie White
Reggie White was another Hall of Famer who helped out Lawrence Taylor in his victory over the late Bam Bam Bigelow in 1995.
Chris Spielman
Chris Spielman took his place along with other greats as managers for Lawrence Taylor in the football fiesta that WrestleMania 11 became.
Rob Gronkowski
There has been much speculation that Rob Gronkowski could take a turn in WWE now that his football career is over. Gronk helped his buddy Mojo Rawley win the Andre the Giant battle royal. In fact, Bray Wyatt, a current WWE Superstar, has already thrown down the gauntlet saying he wants to face the New England Patriots star in the ring.
Paul Maguire
A former Buffalo Bill and longtime football announcer, Paul Maguire was involved in a skit at WrestleMania VII.
Dick Butkus
Chicago Bears Hall of Famer and linebacking legend Dick Butkus has had a couple flirtations with WWE. He was a guest ref at WM 2 and he also was involved with the first run of the XFL.
Brock Lesnar
Then there was the wrestler — and UFC star — who tried out for the Minnesota Vikings. Brock Lesnar gave it a go but didn’t have what it took to stick with the NFL franchise. However, he makes for the perfect transition for wrestlers who also played football at some point in their careers.
Goldberg
Bill Goldberg came out of Georgia to the NFL. He didn’t have a great deal of success but did play for the Rams, Falcons and Panthers. Once off the gridiron, Goldberg became a sports entertainment megastar.
Ron Simmons
Ron Simmons was a great college football player at Florida State. He had less success in pro football after being a sixth-round pick by the Browns. Inside the ring, Simmons was a damn! good performer.
Ernie Ladd
Ernie Ladd was an AFL star and member of the 1963 champion San Diego Chargers. He didn’t wrestle at WrestleMania, but was an announcer at WrestleMania 2.
Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes was a Southern superstar who went on to become a WWE Hall of Famer. The bionic elbow didn’t help him after his college career at West Texas State, now West Texas A&M. He did try out for the Patriots and saw some action with the Hartford team in the Continental Football League.
Lex Luger
Lex Luger (flexing next to driver Steve Grissom) played college ball at Penn State and Miami. He saw a bit of time with the Green Bay Packers. Luger saw action in multiple WrestleManias.
Roman Reigns
A current huge Superstar in WWE, Roman Reigns played college ball at Georgia Tech and saw some action as a Minnesota Viking. He’s currently in a major story line as he has recently returned from battling leukemia for a second time.
Vader
One of the most athletic and agile athletes to play football and wrestle, Leon “Vader” White came out of Colorado and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams. He was on the Rams when they appeared in Super Bowl XIV. Much of Vader’s career was in Japan and WCW. He did, however, make appearances in matches at WrestleManias.
Paul Orndorff
Paul “Mr. Wonderful” Orndorff scored 21 touchdowns at the University of Tampa. That made him worth a 12th-round pick for the New Orleans Saints. He didn’t cut it due to injuries. However, he became a huge part of the foundation of WrestleMania.
John Layfield
John “Bradshaw” Layfield (left) played at Abilene Christian and tried out for the Los Angeles Raiders. He did play in the World League of American Football before becoming a wrestler. He had a great run as a tag-team partner of another gridder, Ron Simmons.
Brian Pillman
The later Brian Pillman had a memorable run in WWE and also spent time with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Ahmed Johnson
Anthony Norris was known as Ahmed Johnson in WWE/WWF. He first played college ball at Tennessee and has some time with the Dallas Cowboys in 1990-91. He was around for WMs 12 and 13.
Mojo Rawley
Mojo Rawley played college football at Maryland. He was a practice squad member of the Green Bay Packers in 2009 and Arizona Cardinals in 2010. His greatest fame in WWE came when his buddy Rob Gronkowski helped him win the Andre the Giant battle royal on the WrestleMania 33 kickoff show.
Titus O’Neill
Thaddeus Bullard is known as Titus O’Neill in the WWE. He played college ball at Florida and went on to play in the Arena Football League. O’Neill was a participant in the battle royal at WrestleMania.
Baron Corbin
Baron Corbin is a current WWE Superstar. He is scheduled to face Kurt Angle in the Olympic gold medalist’s retirement match at WrestleMania on Sunday. He played college ball at Northwest Missouri State and was a practice squad player for the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals.
Steve Austin
One of the biggest names in the history of WWE/sports entertainment, Steve Austin played college ball at North Texas State. He went on to become one of the most legendary of Superstars in the ring.
Dwayne Johnson
The Great One, Dwayne “The Rock” played college football at Miami and then saw time in the CFL before transitioning into sports entertainment. He’s now simply in entertainment as one of the biggest box-office actors of this generation.
Jim Ross
A multi-time Hall of Famer, the great wrestling voice of Jim Ross also has football in his background. He worked for the Atlanta Falcons in 1992 on their radio broadcasts. Of course, he is also known for his love of Oklahoma football.
John Cena
John Cena went to Springfield College in Massachusetts and was an All-American center at the Division III school. He’s gone on to become one of the great babyfaces in sports entertainment history.
