To make it in Professional Wrestling, it takes a lot. It takes a lot of guts, a lot of work, and a willingness to do a lot for very little. For those select few that rise up the ranks and make it to the Superstar levels of WWE, the financial security is a little better, but you can't get hit in the head with chairs forever (though, many try)! If you're a good friend of the McMahons, and have shown creative aptitude, you could find yourself as part of the WWE machine, long-term.
Life after wrestling can be tough, especially when dealing with injuries, the change in lifestyle and the eagerness to remain in front of the crowd. Most wrestlers get into wrestling because they love it, and they suffer through years of crummy pay, small venues and more just to get that shot at stardom. So when it's gone, what do they do? Well, some find work within the business, working behind the scenes with the next generation. Others prefer to quietly live life away from the squared circle. Still others find themselves starting at ground zero with a new career, in a new field that may or may not have anything to do with wrestling.
Here are ten WWE Superstars who found careers with the company once their in-ring days were over, and ten more who's employment endeavours led... elsewhere.
21 Has A New Job: Scott Steiner (Shoney’s Investor)
Scott Steiner. Muscle Enthusiast. Crazy person. World Champion. Shoney’s Manager. Scott Steiner’s career began in WWF/E in a college-based tag team with his brother, Rick. Dubbed (appropriately enough) The Steiner Brothers, their athleticism was unmatched as they tore through the tag teams on the WWF/E roster before heading to WCW in 1996 to do the same. It was here that Scott learned that having massive muscles and multiple nicknames was way more fun than being in a team.
As a solo star, The Big Bad Booty Daddy (or Freakzilla, if you prefer) had some success as a singles star and when WCW was bought up by WWE in 2001, he made his return to the company that made him. Sadly though, his attitude, bizarre antics and general weirdness held him back and he was released from WWE in 2004. He’s made appearances in TNA and on the indie circuit since, but his continued butting of heads with other wrestlers and management seems to have not been forgotten. In 2015 it was discovered that Big Poppa Pump had invested in his own Shoney’s franchise, enlisting several of his WCW friends to help him publicize the opening. No word on if the cheese fries are in fact Freak-approved.
20 Still There: D-Von Dudley (Devon Hughes) TV Producer, Agent
When you think "Television Producer" the first thing that comes to mind probably isn't "guy who spent most of the last two decades slamming people through on-fire tables" but in the case of Devon Hughes (AKA D-Von Dudley) that's exactly what you get. As one-half of the most decorated tag team in wrestling history, The Dudley Boys, D-Von and his "brother' Bubba Ray made their bones (and broke a few) in ECW before joining the WWE Roster. They even brought along little brother Spike Dudley to make it more of a family affair. The Dudley Boys won the Tag Team Championships 11 times in WWF/E and participated in some of the greatest tag team matches in WWE history including pioneering the TLC match concept.
After successful runs in TNA and Ring of Honor as both Team 3D and their own singles characters, D-Von and Bubba Ray returned to WWE in 2016 to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. While Bubba Ray has since moved on, you can still find D-Von working for WWE. Instead of smashing people through tables though, you're more likely to find him sitting at one, working out that night's run sheet for Smackdown Live.
19 Has A New Job: Bull Buchanan (Sherrif’s Deputy)
Bull Buchanan enjoyed an almost twenty-year career inside the ropes, working with WWF/E, All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Noah. Debuting in 1995 with the absolutely terrible name "The Punisher," Buchanan caught the eye of the one and only Jim Cornette, who set him on the path to WWE. Coming up through the WWE development system and eventually landing a spot on the main roster, Buchanan was primarily a tag team wrestler, teaming with some of the biggest talents of the day. He won the Tag Titles as part of the Right To Censor faction with partner The GoodFather, but he also had tag team runs with The Big Boss Man, the Truth Commission and even John Cena, playing enforcer to Cena's "Dr of Thogonomics" character.
After parting ways with WWE, Buchanan spent some time on the indies and in Japan, but eventually retired for good in 2014.
It was then that Buchanan (Real first name "Barry") pursued and secured his dream job: A deputy with the Carroll County Sheriff's Office. At age 45, Buchanan was one of the older recruits in the Sheriff's office, but he didn't let that deter him. "Dreams do come true," he told USA today. "I've lived one dream, now I'm starting another."
18 Still There: Scotty 2 Hotty (Scott Taylor) NXT Trainer
It might be surprising to some that a wrestler who is best known for a move called "the Worm" and made his career largely as part of a comedy dancing tag-team would be teaching and training the next generation of wrestlers. But,t such is the case for Scott "Scotty 2 Hotty" Taylor. For over ten years from 1990's into the 2000's Taylor was one half of the hip-hop infuenced tag team Too Cool with Brian "Grandmaster" Christopher. Later, the pair was joined by Rikishi and became known mainly for their antics on WWE's Syndicated, lower-tier shows like Shotgun Saturday night.
In 2007, Taylor was released by WWE, but still made occasional appearances, including a "Flashback Battle Royal" on the 15th anniversary of RAW show, a Too Cool reunion to take on 3MB on Raw and he and Christopher challenged The Ascension for the NXT Tag Titles in 2014. Taylor, who outside of the ring is a trained fire fighter and paramedic, then took at job as a trainer at WWE's Performance Center on the campus of Full Sail University in Florida. He currently teaches the second-level classes and, oddly enough, is the subject of the song "2 Hotty" by Georgia-based hip-hop group, Migos.
17 Has A New Job: Haku (Tonga Fifita) Car Detailing Shop Manager
Legendary WWE wrestler Jake “The Snake” Roberts once said of Tonga Fifita (aka Haku aka Meng) “If I had a gun and was sitting inside a tank with one shell left and Meng is 300 yards away, he's mine, right? Well the first thing I'm going to do is jump out of the tank and shoot myself because I don't want to wound that son of a bitch and have him pissed off at me." Known amongst wrestlers and fans as one of the most legitimately terrifying and tough men to ever set foot in the ring, Fifita had a career spanning almost 40 years, with lengthy stints in both WCW and WWF/E. Fifita got his start in Japanese Sumo Wrestling, but in 1978 moves over to the world of Professional Wrestling.
Fifita won championships all over the world including the WWF Tag Team Championship, which he shared with partner Andre The Giant.
After leaving WWF in 2002, and making several appearances on the independent circuit, 2017 saw him working in New Japan Pro-Wrestling alongside his son Tama Tonga. These days, with his wrestling career behind him, he can be found managing the David Maus Car Spa, a high-end car detailing establishment located in Florida.
16 Still There: Prince Albert (Matt Bloom) Head Trainer, NXT
A staple of the “Attitude Era” mid-card, Matt Bloom has been known by many names. A-Train, Prince Albert, Lord Tensai, Sweet T, Tensai, and even the “Hip-Hop Hippo.” After leaving WWE in 2005, Bloom made a name for himself in New Japan Pro Wrestling, having a very successful run that included an IWGP Heavyweight Title match against current WWE Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar. Bloom returned to WWE in 2012, with a Japanese samurai gimmick that soon gave way to partnering with fellow big-man Brodus Clay in the comedy team “Tons of Funk.”
Over his wrestling career, Bloom has held the WWF/E Intercontinental Championship, The PPW Heavyweight Championship, IGPW Tag Championships (with Travis Tomko and Karl Anderson on two separate occasions) and has been part of the Wrestling Observer "Tag Team of The Year" with Anderson. Once Tons of Funk had run it’s course in 2014, Bloom “retired” and became a commentator for the NXT brand under the name Jason Albert. Bloom, a schoolteacher by trade before his wrestling career, eagerly accepted a trainer’s position at NXT, teaching the next generation of WWE Superstars. Following the departure of head NXT Trainer Bill DeMott, Bloom was promoted to “Head Coach” of NXT, a position he holds to this day.
15 Has A New Job: Diamond Dallas Page (DDP Yoga)
Normally, this kind of list would be reserved for a wrestler's shift from the squared circle to a strange, unexpected new job. In the case of Diamond Dallas Page however, DDP Yoga seems like a perfect fit. Page has long been known as a health enthusiast and when his in-ring career ended in 2010, Page shifted his focus to his DDP Yoga business. Initially billed as "Yoga For Regular Guys" this strict diet and exercise program quickly found an audience amongst Page's wrestling counterparts.
Chris Jericho in particular has stated that DDP Yoga is one of the main reasons his in-ring career has continued into his 40's.
In addition to being a healthy-living advocate, Page has also used the DDP Yoga program to help wrestling legends like Scott Hall and Jake "The Snake" Roberts overcome addiction and begin to heal their bodies and minds from years of abuse. Roberts story was chronicled in the critically-acclaimed documentary The Ressurection of Jake The Snake, in which Roberts credits DDP and DDP Yoga for saving his life. In 2017, WWE inducted the 3-time World Champion into the WWE Hall of Fame He was officially inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Eric Bischoff.
14 Still There: Road Dogg (Brian James) Smackdown Live Producer
In the era of crotch-chops and neon green, there was only one man brave enough to advise the wresting world to "Call somebody!" That's The Road Dogg, Jesse James, one-half of the massively popular tag team, the New Age Outlaws. Real name Brian James, The Road Dogg was a centre-piece of the Attitude Era and a member of the hugely popular Degeneration X stable, along with Triple H, Chyna and X-Pac and occasionally, a returning Shawn Michaels.
During his WWE in-ring career, he won the Hardcore, Intercontinental and Tag Team Championships, the latter of which he won five times with longtime partner and fellow DX member, Bad Ass Billy Gunn. His opening monologue of catchphrases were instantly recognizable to fans and prompted massive singalong from WWE crowds. James parted ways with WWE in 2001, heading to TNA where he enjoyed mild success. In 2011, he returned to WWE in order to induct his father, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong, into the WWE Hall of Fame. A good friend of now-WWE Executive Triple H, He then signed on as a road agent and has since traded his neon green sweatpants and cornrows for a suit, tie and headset as lead writer on Smackdown Live.
13 Has A New Job: Million Dollar Man (Ted DiBiase) Preacher
Proverbs 23:4-5 says: "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle." While he didn't exactly fly off like an eagle, Ted DiBiase (AKA The Million Dollar Man) did turn his back on the mega-rich character he's known for and founded Heart of David Ministry. DiBiase travels the world ministering to churches, camps and conferences including Promise Keepers and Youth of the Nation. His book, Every Man Has His Price, which is a part-autobiography and part-Christian testimony, was released in 1997.
Known for his boisterous laugh and habit of tossing around hundred dollar bills like confetti, DiBiase's Million Dollar Man character debuted in 1987 and continued appearing in WWF/E as a wrestler, commentator and manager until 1996 when he jumped ship to WCW. He was an active part of the infamous NWO stable, and in 2004 was offered a job in WWE creative where he worked his way up to head writer for Smackdown for a time. While DiBiase has made occasional appearances for WWE as the Million Dollar Man over the years, his main focus is on his Ministry.
12 Still There: Howard Finkel (Interviewer & Chief Statistician)
For those that followed the WWF in the 70's, 80's, 90's and well into the 2000's, there has only been one "voice" of the WWF/E and that is the unmistakeable timbre of Howard Finkel. "The Fink" as he's lovingly known backstage began his WWWF/WWF/WWE career in 1975, making him an over-forty year employee of the company. He became the main ring announcer for the company in 1977. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, Finkel's distinct voice can be heard announcing the winners of some of the greatest matches in wrestling history at all of the WWE's biggest events.
Finkel has said his best accomplishment was announcing at WrestleMania III, in front of over 93,000 fans. Finkel was mostly kept separate from storylines, but occasionally would be worked into what was happening on WWE TV. In 2000, Finkel took on a lighter schedule and passed the announcing torch to Lillian Garcia and Tony Chimel. Finkel still worked house shows and major events for WWE, particularly any event that was considered "Old School" or "Throwback." His most recent announcing gig was to bring out the Undertaker at the RAW 25th Anniversary Special. These days, Finkel still works for WWE as an Interviewer for WWE.com and the company's Chief Statistician
11 Has A New Job: Vickie Guerrero (Hospital Administrator)
In the beginning, Vicki Guerrero never really wanted to be in wrestling. But, when you're married to Eddie Guerrero, arguably one of the best wrestlers of all time, from one of the most famous wrestling family lineages of all time, it's really inevitable. Vicki made her first appearances for the WWE in 2005 as part of a storyline involving her husband Eddie and Rey Mysterio Jr. Tragically, On November 13, 2005, Eddie Guerrero died of heart failure. Several months later, Vicki began appearing more and more on WWE TV until she was given the role of General Manager of Smackdown and later, RAW.
Her trademark screeching, storyline affairs with talent and meddling in the lives of the superstars she managed became legendary and Guerrero was consistently involved in WWE storylines (some more controversial than others) until 2014 when she announced her departure and retirement from wrestling. What does a General Manager with a tendency to (Kayfabe) date talent and interrupt people do after wrestling? Why, get into hospital administration, obviously! In 2014 Guerrero (now married to a Kris Benson) announced via twitter "I'm the new employee of a pharmacy company!! I process patients for treatment thru insurance co. and work w doctors!! #Godisgood".
10 Still There: Billy Kidman (Peter Gruner, Jr) Backstage Producer
Billy Kidman achieved fame in the 1990's as one of WCW's most exciting Cruiserweights. Winning the WCW Cruiserwieght Championship three times as well as the Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship (with Rey Mysterio, Jr) Kidman looked poised to become a standout star of the Cruiserweight Division. His Shooting Star Press and jorts made him unique amongst the luchadore-heavy cruiserweights. In 2001, however, WCW was purchased by blood-rival WWE and Kidman was folded into the WWE roster as part of the ill-executed "Invasion" storyline. While the Cruiserwieght title continued to be fought for and defended in WWE, it did not reach the same level of prestige and excitement that it once had in WCW.
Kidman won the title four more times in WWE, but in 2005 he was released because of an argument with management over their decision to stop booking wrestlers on first class flights. In 2010, Kidman wrestled some matches for the WWE-Owned Florida Championship Wrestling (now known as NXT). After these matches, fences were mended and he was hired as a producer and road agent. Since then he has worked regularly behind the scenes on both Smackdown and Raw. There is no word on his current travel class status.
9 Has A New Job: Steve Blackman (Bail Bondsman)
If wrestling success was based purely on fighting skill and intensity, Steve Blackman would have been another Stone Cold Steve Austin. The MMA and Martial Arts expert debuted in WWE in 1997 with the nickname "The Lethal Weapon" and stayed with the company through 2002. Blackman did not win any major titles, but did earn the Hardcore Championship six times, including a feud with Son-of-The-Boss, Shane McMahon. Blackman was undefeated for almost a year in WWE, but his solemn demeanour and somewhat flat personality didn't resonate with the crowds. It wasn't until he was teamed with Al Snow in a tag team called Head Cheese (The head a reference to Snow's gimmick, the Cheese a reference to Blackman's heritage in Wisconsin) that he began to connect with crowds as the wacky Snow's straight man.
Blackman left WWE in 2002 to pursue other interests, including a self-defence school, teaching MMA and JuJitsu and, along with fellow WWE Alum Ken Shamrock, promoted the Ground n Pound brand of clothing. He appeared on the 15th Anniversary of RAW show, as well as the WWE Youtube show The JBL and Cole Show. Blackman now resides in Pennsylvania where he hosts MMA events and works as a Bail Bondsman.
8 Still There: Tyson Kidd (Theodore James “TJ” Wilson) Producer
The last man to graduate from the famed "Hart Family Dungeon" in Calgary, Tyson Kidd was bred for wrestling superstardom. Over his ten-plus year in-ring career with WWE he enjoyed success on Smackdown, RAW, NXT and even as far back as FCW and Deep South Wrestling. He's held the WWE Tag Championships 3 times and was voted the Most Underrated wrestler of 2012 by the Wrestling Observer. He was also inducted into the Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. In a horrible twist of fate for Kidd, in 2015 he suffered a life-threatening spinal cord injury in a match with Samoa Joe, just as things were beginning to take shape for he and his tag team partner Cesaro.
Kidd had a 5% chance of surviving the injury without paralysis and it took over a year of therapy to overcome the injury. Kidd's in-ring career was over. WWE could never clear him to wrestle again, so in 2017 he was hired as a producer and has worked behind the scenes ever since. Kidd is married to current WWE Superstar Natalya and along with his wife and father-in-law, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, has also been a cast member on the E Network show "Total Divas."
7 Has A New Job: Christopher Nowinski (CTE And Concussion Related Research
Christopher Nowinski is a great example of a person who needed a stepping stone to find his true calling in life. For Nowinski, that stepping stone was wrestling with the WWE. Nowinski debuted in the WWE during the first season of Tough Enough. Though he lost out to eventual winner Maven, WWE signed him to a contract and he made his RAW debut in June 2002. Nowinski was billed as the "first Harvard Graduate in WWE" a nod to his real-life alma mater. Nowinski became the youngest WWE Hardcore Champion ever, but suffered a concussion in the process.
A full year's worth of post-concussive symptoms would lead to his retirement.
Nowinski then threw himself in to researching the injury that had ended his career, he wrote a book about CTE called Head Games and works as a consultant for Trinity Partners while serving as Co-Founder and President of the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF). Nowinski is regarded as an expert in concussive injuries and regularly speaks to athletes about the dangers of CTE. He also appeared on Stan Lee's Superhumans as a non-medical expert on concussions. Nowinski has also be instrumental in recruiting athletes to donate their brains to CTE research after passing.
6 Still There: Shawn Michaels (Michael Shawn Hickenbottom) NXT Trainer & Actor
If there is one WWE Hall of Famer who's earned a quiet retirement from the ring, it's the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels. Born Michael Shawn Hickenbottom, Michaels (as HBK) had an almost 26-year in-ring career, participating in some of WWF/E's most memorable moments, and being a central figure in the highly successful "Attitude Era." Michaels has literally done everything there is to do inside a WWE ring, including holding the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships a collective 4 times. He is also the WWE's first "Grand Slam" Champion (having held the WWE, Tag, Intercontinental and European Championships) a 2-Time Royal Rumble winner, and his match with John Cena on April 23, 2007 was voted the best match ever to air on Monday Night Raw.
Michaels won the Pro Wrestling Illustrated "Match of the Year" reader vote a record eleven times and entered the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011. In retirement though, Michaels continues to work with the WWE as both an on-screen character when needed, and has recently become a senior trainer at the WWE Performance Center in Florida. MIchaels, a Born-Again Christian, has also taken starring roles in two WWE-funded films, The Ressurection of Gavin Stone and Pure Country: Pure
Heart.
5 Has A New Job: Shawn “Meat” Stasiak (Chiropractor)
The son of former WWWF Champion Stan Stasiak, Sean "Meat" Stasiak never quiet achieved his father's level of success in wrestling. While he did have an admirable mid-card career in both WWE and WCW, Stasiak's only real claim to fame is being breifly managed by Stacy Keibler (Twice) and being fired from the WWE for secretly recording conversations between other wrestlers. After said firing, Stasiak was signed by WCW where he again found himself enjoying mid-card status, even winning the WCW Tag Team Championships with partner Chuck Palumbo. Stasiak was a mainstay of WCW until the company's purchase by WWE.
His contract was picked up, and he was given a new "crazy" character that talked to himself and claimed to be from outer space. He was in the hunt for the Hardcore Title, but soon, unhappy with the direction his character was taking, he asked for and was granted his release. After his release, Stasiakl retired from wrestling and became a chiropractor. At the moment, he works for Advanced Comprehensive Medical team in Texas. In 2007, he received a certificate in manipulation under anesthesia from the Academy of Physical and Manual Medicine in New York. Stasiak also works from time to time as a motivational speaker.
4 Still There: Irwin R Schyster (Mike Rotunda) Producer, Agent
Is there a greater bad guy in the world than the one who want's to make sure your income taxes are paid up? This question is what led to Mike Rotunda's WWF/E hey day as Irwin R. Schyster (or simply, IRS). The Tie-wearing, briefcase-toting, accountant made his debut in 1991, after Rotunda himself had already come and gone from the company once before. As IRS, Rotunda was one-half of the tag team Money Inc with the Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase. When DiBiase retired from in-ring competition to become a commentator in 1993, IRS focused on singles competition, almost winning the Intercontinential Title from Razor Ramon at the 1994 Royal Rumble.
When DiBiase formed the Million Dollar Corporation stable, his old tag team partner was a natural choice for membership. After Rotunda's largely forgettable run in WCW as "VK Wallstreet" The 5-Time WWF/E Tag Team Champion who told us to "Always pay [our] taxes" re-joined WWE in 2006. He is currently a producer and road agent with the WWE, working to help talent develop and execute their matches. Rotunda's two sons, Windham and Taylor, also work as on-air talent for WWE under the names Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas, respectively.
3 Has A New Job: Ryback (Ryan Reeves) Air Bnb Operator
Where to begin with Ryback? Since developing bronchitis as part of the Tough Enough 4 reality show cast, to his unceremonious dismissal from WWE in a dispute over pay equity, it seems like Ryback just can't catch a break. Reeves, under the unfortunate name Skip Sheffield, made a splash as part of the Nexus Stable, which saw FCW/NXT "Rookies" attempting to take the top spots in WWE. After breaking his ankle, he returned repackaged as Ryback, a strongman "monster" character who enjoyed a high-level feud with CM Punk and an Intercontinental Title run.
In early 2016 Ryback was reportedly "Sent home" from a WWE event due to a contract dispute.
He asked for and was given his release three days later, and since has spent much of his time on the indie scene and on podcasts, criticizing current WWE storylines and talent. He's also been outspoke about his perceived mistreatment during his time with WWE. Which brings us to 2018, when Ryback announced his newest venture outside of the ring: Air BnB Host. That's right, for a mere $139usd a night you can stay at “The Feed Me More Townhouse of Positivity.” Filled with inspirational quotes on the walls, coffee makers and "Feed Me More" shake-making supplies, the 2-bedroom house in Las Vegas was purchased as a rental property by The Big Guy.
2 Still There: The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) Unassigned
Yup, it’s true. The Jabroni-beatin', pie-eatin', Hell-raisin', trailblazin', People's Champ is still under contract with the WWE. While Dwayne Johnson (as he's known on screen these days) operates in an "Unspecified" WWE Role, it's no surprise that he keeps one foot inside the world that made him, y'know, just in case.
This secretive double-duty may come as a surprise to anyone who know’s about The Rock’s current day job, as the Box-Office-Beating, caviar-eating, hardest-working man in Hollywood. Since starring in such action franchises as The Fast and Furious, Rampage and the forthcoming Skyscraper, The Rock's world-wide box office gross (so far) is in the $5 Billion dollar range. Having won every title the WWE has to offer, and main-evented every major PPV of his time, The Rock keeps most of his attention on being a busy working as an actor, producer and loving father. This leaves him precious little time to put boots to asses these days, with his last appearance for WWE coming in 2016 at Wrestlemania 32. But while it may not happen for a while, we, the WWE Universe, still yearn for the day when we will hear that FINALLY, The Rock has come… Home, to WWE TV.