5 Football Players Who Became WWE Wrestlers (Photos)

Posted on the 08 March 2024 by Info4blog

1. Thomas Boric

Thomas Boric, better known by his ring name “Kato,” is a Croatian professional wrestler and retired footballer.

His professional soccer career began with the Calgary Boomers of the North American Soccer League, where he was a goalie. Later, he was signed by the Tampa Bay Rowdies, for whom he played until 1984.

Boric began his career as a professional wrestler at a Tampa Bay wrestling school after his professional football career ended, and he was signed to WWE in 1990, where he performed under the ring name Kato. He won the 1991 Royal Rumble suit, the Intercontinental Championship, and the WWE World Tag Team Championship during his career with WWE.

2. Mason Ryan

Barri Griffiths, better known by his ring name Mason Ryan, is a Welsh professional footballer and wrestler.

He began his professional soccer career as a center back for Porthmadog FC, but his career was cut short due to a knee injury. In 2006, he began training to become a professional wrestler. He became a WWE wrestler twelve years ago. He won the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship in 2010 and made his first appearance on the main roster in 2011.

3. Antonino Rocca

Antonino Rocca became a professional wrestler and footballer in Argentina.

Rocca became well-known for his unique, acrobatic, and flying grappling style as a football player when he relocated to Argentina before the Second World War. He began his professional expert wrestling career with the WWE, where he was named the WWE World Heavyweight Champion for the first time.

He died on March 15, 1977, in New York, United States, at the age of fifty-five.

In 1995, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Magnificence, and in 1996, he was inducted into the Wrestling Observer’s weekly tunnel of fame.

4. Eva Marie.

Natalie Marie Coyle, better known by her ring name Eva Marie, is a 37-year-old professional wrestler and American football player.

Eva Marie began her professional soccer career as a striker with Diablo Valley University in Pleasant Hill, California. She received junior college all-American accolades and eventually went to Arizona State University, despite her inability to play due to a lack of self-confidence. She eventually transferred to California State University, Fullerton, where she was persuaded to play football once more by the football coach.

She signed with the WWE eight years ago and made her debut on the main roster under the ring name Eva Marie, later becoming the manager of the Bella Twins later that month. She began wrestling in 2015 as part of the NXT women’s division before returning to the main roster the next year and officially becoming a part of the SmackDown brand the following year. She retired from WWE four years ago. Eva Marie returned to advertising three months ago after re-signing with WWE.

5. Stuart Tomlinson

Stuart Charles Tomlinson is a 35-year-old English skilled wrestler and footballer who plays for Altrincham as a goalkeeper.

Tomlinson began his professional football career in 2003 with the Crewe Alexandra youth team. He spent six years of his entire career with the club, including a loan spell with Stafford Rangers in 2004. After that, he joined Port Vale until leaving the club in 2012. In the same year, he was signed by Burton Albion, but he retired due to injury the next year.

Soon after his professional football career ended, Tomlinson began his training as a professional wrestler on a developmental deal with WWE. He was signed to WWE in 2014 and made his debut professional wrestling appearance at the NXT live event in 2014 as Hugo Knox……….See More

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