The WWE gives wrestlers an incredible amount of wealth, fame, and status, which many use to give back to those who adore them and the sport. Many athletes have used their stature and platform to give back to the less fortunate. The WWE has done a lot of charitable donating including Tribute to the Troops, Connor’s Cure, involvement in Make-A-Wish, hosting fundraisers, and giving millions back to Children’s Hospitals, foundations, and disaster relief organizations.
We should celebrate the following ten WWE athletes who have given the most time, energy, and money into their communities and to those who needed it the most.
10 Undertaker
The most notoriously dark and cold-hearted wrestler has surprisingly done a considerable amount of charitable work outside of the ring. Undertaker in 2013 auctioned off his prized customized West Coast Chopper bike which he called “The Ghost.” All of the proceeds went to the American’s Mighty Warriors veterans support group in Austin, Texas, a charity that honors the sacrifices of our troops and their families by providing programs that improve quality of life, resiliency, and recovery.
Despite his confrontational persona, he is actually very caring. Undertaker was also very fond of his Zeus, his dog which passed away in 2004. Zeus inspired him to establish The Zeus Compton Calaway Save the Animals Fund at Texas A&M. The charity helps fund life-saving treatments for pets.
9 Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan has committed a series of extremely considerate and thoughtful acts outside of the ring. The popular WWE figure and leader of the YES! Movement shared on his Instagram that he donated his hair to a Wigs for Kids charity, which provides wigs for children who have lost their hair due to a myriad of different ailments or diseases.
Bryan has also donated his time in the form of offering gardening lessons to the highest bidder at auctions and has competed in events like charity dance-offs as well.
8 Randy Orton
Despite his reputation in the ring, Randy Orton is an upstanding guy, and his track record of charity and giving back proves it. Orton been involved in the Make-A-Wish Foundation countless times and has participated in dozens of fundraising events. 'The Viper' has put in a surprising amount of charity work over the course of his WWE career.
Orton, as a Marine, sacrificed a lot for our country and continues to give back by volunteering overseas with Tribute to the Troops. Orton has made many appearances granting wishes for the Kids Wish Network as well. Orton is regularly involved in the D.C. Auto Show as a part of the “Randy Orton Experience” where he spends hours upon hours with fans in autograph signings and taking pictures with fans. Orton may be cold on camera, but the man is anything but when it comes to his involvement with charity.
7 Hulk Hogan
Tough guy Hulk Hogan has proven himself to be a man with a charitable side as well. Hogan auctioned off his custom Hulkamania-themed convertible for charity, the 50 Legs charity foundation which helps amputees afford prosthetics. Hogan's 1994 Dodge Viper RT/10 Roadster was decked out from head to toe in Hogan's classic Red and Yellow look.
Hulk has also been a supporter of the Boys and Girls Club of America as well as the American Diabetes Association. He also helped raise $150,000 at a benefit that went towards Connor’s Cure, A HERO Foundation and The Grace Project. One of the G.O.A.T.'s of wrestling also has a wonderfully caring and giving nature.
6 CM Punk
Chick Magnet Punk has fulfilled many wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, as well as a similar charity called the Kids Wish Network.
Punk has also joined the Kerry Wood’s Strike Zone Bowling Tournament, a tournament that sets out to improve the health of Chicago children through healthy eating and enhanced education. The rebellious wrestler also has an artistic side. He has painted customized chairs for the Chicago Cubs to be auctioned off, and in 2015, auctioned off his first car, a 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo to charity. Phil Brooks is straight-edge and a great example for children that kindness and responsibility can be cool.
5 Triple H
Triple H, alongside Daniel Bryan, helped to create Connor’s Cure, a charity for brain and spinal research which is dedicated to the young boy who passed away due to terminal illness.
Triple H has also founded the Triple H Trust which serves as a safe haven for underprivileged city children who live in areas of high deprivation. Paul Levesque also founded Triple H Therapy which provides small animal and farm-related therapy services to special needs children. The beast of a man in the ring proves to have a real philanthropic and heroic giving nature which should be celebrated.
4 Stephanie McMahon
Stephanie was another key member of Connor’s Cure, alongside Triple H, they founded the charity fund in honor of Connor Michalek, the avid young fan of wrestling who unfortunately passed away at the age of 8. Donations to Connor’s Cure will provide funds for pediatric brain and spinal cancer research, and medical care for children and their families, a truly moving and admirable foundation.
Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and Connor Michael have all created something great and have financially and emotionally supported thousands and have shined a bright light of love that continues to thrive.
3 Vince McMahon
Though technically not a wrestler, McMahon has stepped into the ring a number of times. McMahon has donated millions of dollars to universities and schools throughout America and worked alongside the Close Up Foundation to give students the opportunity to visit Washington D.C. McMahon has a net worth of billions but has spent much of his time and money giving to other foundations like Achievement First, Ridgefield Academy, Greenwich Alliance for Education, and many others. He donated $3 million to Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut and another $2.53 million to build a tennis center at the Young Peoples Community Center in Pennsylvania. The often comedic presence has proven to be extremely charitable.
Alongside his wife Linda, the McMahons have given tens of millions of dollars to build communities and support the underprivileged.
2 Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson holds an impressive list of charitable work, including contributions to the ‘Make-A-Wish Foundation’, the ‘I Have a Dream Foundation’, and the Red Cross. The Rock can easily make a claim to be the most electrifying man in charity, making appearances and donating to a number of causes including AIDS/HIV research, disaster relief, Parkinson’s disease, and much more.
The Rock even has his own charity properly named ‘The Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation’, which provides support and programs to enrich the lives of children with low self-esteem, and improving their lives through fitness, inspiration, and education. Whether he's hanging out with kids on set or visiting them at the hospital, The Rock has proven he's anything but an intimidating guy.
1 John Cena
We all knew who #1 is. The man with a heart of gold and the world record for most Make-A-Wishes granted ever (over 600!), Cena’s causes include the Boys & Girls Club, Kids Wish Network, Special Olympics, ‘Answer the Call’, Susan G. Komen Foundation, and the list goes on and on…
In 2011, John Cena donated 9 million frequent flyer miles he had accumulated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and 4.5 million more in 2013. Cena donated over $500,000 to help fight the California wildfires and became the 2018 recipient of the Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award for his philanthropy. For the savage sport these wrestlers compete in, they are truly the most respectable, upright people in terms of giving back and should be celebrated endlessly.