Being a legitimate tough guy in the wrestling world is obviously an advantage. It allows people to be taken seriously by fans and also means that they can look after themselves when needed. Obviously, anybody who enters the ring has to have an element of toughness about them in order to work in the sport, but some are harder than others when it comes to fighting.
However, being able to legitimately fight and look after yourself doesn't necessarily lead to success. There are plenty of tough wrestlers who have showcased that throughout their life who haven't been able to reach the main event scenes.
10 Finlay
Finlay is one of the most legitimate tough guys of all time in wrestling. The Irish wrestler was more than capable of brawling with the best and his physical style worked inside of the ring for a reason. He was technical and knew submissions, but he would have had no issues in a real fight.
While he had a great career both in WWE and WCW, Finlay was always kept to the mid-card. He held titles and put together some great moments, but when it came to being a main event star, he wasn't quite able to get to that level.
9 Cain Velasquez
Everybody knows that Cain Velasquez is a legitimate hard man. His UFC career has proven his ability to fight and handle himself, as he has had great success in that world throughout his life. He's somebody that could defeat the majority of wrestlers in a shoot, but that didn't guarantee success.
As his failed WWE career showcased, there is no guarantee to become a main eventer no matter how tough someone is. Even outside of WWE, he hasn't quite become a main event star when wrestling in Mexico either.
8 Chris Masters
Considering the size of Chris Masters, it isn't a huge surprise that he is a legitimate tough guy. The Masterpiece was able to handle himself and he has even put himself in harm's way previously in order to help others at times.
There was an incident with a fire where he uprooted a tree in order to save people. However, while Masters had a great presence, he wasn't able to be pushed into a top spot within WWE. He had a solid enough career to be memorable, but it didn't feature the main event status.
7 Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman was happy to mess around with his nunchucks inside the ring, and WWE wasn't ever going to push him as a main event player. He was a memorable talent and somebody that people still talk about, which showcases that he made an impact.
But he was never anywhere near the main event scene. After his time with wrestling ended, Blackman proved his fighting ability by becoming a bounty hunter and opening up his own MMA school, showcasing he isn't someone to be messed with.
6 William Regal
William Regal is heavily respected within the professional wrestling industry. His technical ability was always clear to see, but he is also well-known for being a legitimate hardman who has no problem dealing with backstage confrontations.
Despite his credentials both in and out of the ring, Regal wasn't someone that ever got pushed as a main event player. Instead, he had a career in the mid-card, although it was one that audiences still remember to this day.
5 Bart Gunn
The infamous Brawl For All tournament was a legitimate disaster for WWE. However, what it did highlight was the fact that Bart Gunn was legitimately tough. The fact he was able to win the whole thing, despite WWE not believing he would, showcase that he was a good fighter.
Winning that is something that could have taken him to a main event status in wrestling. However, that wasn't the case and once WWE had fed him to Butterbean, his time being taken seriously by fans was over, despite being a hard guy.
4 Jake Hager
Whether fans know him as Jack Swagger or Jake Hager, he is one of the sport's tough men in real life. He has proven that throughout his life, but despite working for both WWE and AEW, he has never been seen as the main event star.
While he has often come close, such as having a run as World Champion or being in The Inner Circle, he's not been the headline man. There have always been others working ahead of him, and while he's had a great career, it hasn't been in the main event scene.
3 Perry Saturn
Perry Saturn was another legitimately tough guy that would have no problem standing up for himself. He also happened to be a brilliant technical wrestler, often putting together fantastic matches and moments, but never in the main event scene.
He was legitimately shot when trying to save somebody from a horrific incident in the streets, proving what a tough person he was. However, Saturn didn't get the push into the main event spot inside the ring.
2 Wade Barrett
Wade Barrett had a brief run in the main event scene as the leader of Nexus. However, that isn't something that could be sustained and the Englishman then spent the majority of his career as a mid-card talent portraying a variety of gimmicks.
However, there's no denying he had the charisma to be a headline act in wrestling. He also had a legitimate background too. Barrett had built up his name as a bare-knuckle boxer in the U.K., showcasing the fact he had no issues fighting for real.
1 Haku
When it comes to legitimate tough guys in the wrestling business, Haku often comes top of the list. He has been involved in countless situations throughout his career where he has proven his toughness, having no problem in handling himself.
However, even though the entire wrestling world fears Haku, including the talent itself, he was never a main event star. Fans would easily have bought into Haku as a headline act, just because of the stories that have been told about him.