The industry of professional wrestling is like no other in the world of both sports and entertainment. Such is the volatility of the profession that it almost forces every employee to come out of their shell. Of course, shy people have become wrestlers and subsequently become confident entertainers in the ring.
But outside of the ring, surprisingly, a lot of those shy personalities have kept to themselves in spite of the fame. While others have come into the world of professional wrestling and completely chased the spotlight it brings. Wrestling puts you at the forefront of pop culture, thus turning you into a celebrity overnight much to the pleasure of some.
All of the superstars on this list have been prominent figures over the past decade. Of course, it’s easy to keep off grid if you’re not an established WWE superstar. Likewise, it’s hard to live in the spotlight when you’re hardly known at WWE shows, let alone by the wider public. Not every WWE superstar enjoys interacting with the fans, in fact, they’d rather keep their lives private. While some go out of their way to embrace every second of their fifteen minutes of fame.
Here are 8 WWE stars who live off the grid to avoid fans and 8 who live in the spotlight.
16 Off Grid: Charlotte Flair
As the daughter of the most notorious wrestler ever, Charlotte Flair has turned out quite the opposite to her legendary father. Where Ric Flair was reckless in his spare time and quite outgoing, Charlotte has showcased her professionalism and reserved nature. She understands that everyone only believes she’s in the position she’s in because of her father, so she gets her head down and works her butt off. To whom much is given, much is expected.
Over the past few years, Charlotte has established herself as the no.1 female wrestler in the WWE today. She is the standard of excellence in wrestling and to back that up, her captivating aura has turned that wrestling ability into star power. In the ring, she’s a larger than life personality that carries herself like a queen.
Outside of the squared circle, she’s a humble and quiet person that focuses all her energy into becoming a better wrestler.
She’s not in it for the fame, while she does this to carry on her father’s legacy, while becoming the greatest female wrestler ever. Charlotte Flair lives a life in the gym, the ring and at home resting. She’s not chasing the spotlight, instead, the spotlight followers her every time she wrestles.
15 Spotlight: Dolph Ziggler
Since day one, there’s been a certain star quality surrounding Dolph Ziggler. Even in the Spirit Squad, Ziggler stood out as a wrestler with great potential. In the ring, he carries a certain charisma that the WWE hasn’t fully utilised. He may be a 2-time world champion, 2-time US champion, 5-time intercontinental champion and money in the bank winner. You can’t say that he hasn’t had his opportunities, but in reality, Dolph Ziggler should have been a more prominent player. But despite not being pushed like John Cena or Randy Orton, Ziggler has still managed to steal the show, why? Because he loves the spotlight.
Every time the show-off steps into the squared circle, he aims to have the best match of the night. He craves the attention and buzz of having the WWE Universe tweet about him, instead of the main event match. Now with the age of social media, Ziggler has taken full advantage of his social media platforms to keep him relevant and in the spotlight. He regularly jokes online about backstage politics, thus sending the internet ablaze with speculation. Ziggler loves attention and his budding comedy career on the side shows how much he constantly craves spotlight.
14 Off Grid: Dean Ambrose
The Lunatic Fringe is an unknown quantity in today’s age of professional wrestling. Despite being an established main eventer and one of the most heavily pushed wrestlers in the WWE today, Dean Ambrose is an enigma outside of the ring. In contrast to personalities like John Cena, Dean Ambrose doesn’t live his personal life on the TV screen.
A few appearances on Total Divas because of Renee Young’s presence is as far as Ambrose will stretch to adhere to mainstream culture.
The former Shield member doesn’t care about the fame or spotlight, he just wants to step in the ring and break bones. Simple.
Dean Ambrose is so off grid that he literally refuses to conform to the social media generation. Dean Ambrose has social media accounts that the WWE forced him to make. But does he post on them? Nope. He doesn’t care because he wants his own privacy. The only time he wants a spotlight is when he’s in the main event of a pay-per-view. Outside the ring, Ambrose is a man that lives a reserved lifestyle where he counts the cost of everything he owns. Off the grid, out of sight and the ultimate enigma in modern wrestling.
13 Spotlight: Rusev
It’s been a tough ride for the Bulgarian Brute in the WWE. He started off with an unbeaten run which inexplicably ended at the hands of John Cena. After that, Rusev engaged in several meaningless feuds that have left him in the dangling in the mid-card. However, in recent months, Rusev’s fortunes have changed for the better. The ‘Rusev Day’ gimmick has taken over the WWE and shot the Bulgarian Brute to new heights of popularity.
At first, Rusev used to play a supporting role to his wife Lana as crowds across the country constantly chanted her name. Now, Rusev can stand on his own merit and popularity, thus giving him ALL of the spotlight. Outside of the ring, it’s well documented that Rusev lives in Nashville, despite spending most of his time in the celebrity-infested Florida. It won’t be too long before we see Rusev chasing mainstream opportunities to capitalize on his recent popularity. His wife already spends more time outside of the WWE than in the ring, so very soon we’ll see Rusev chasing the same ventures.
Rusev's an outgoing person in general and it won't be a surprise to see him chase other opportunities in entertainment if his run in WWE doesn't work out.
12 Off Grid: Randy Orton
It’s no secret that Randy Orton is one of the most recognizable names in wrestling history. The 14-time world champion has grown up alongside John Cena in this business and become the cornerstone of the industry. Often praised for his seamless wrestling ability, Randy Orton’s in-ring work over the years have made him a locker room example and leader. His finisher move the ‘RKO’ has become one of the most beloved moves in all of wrestling. In fact, Orton found himself trending for months last year as RKO-mania took over the internet and became a pop sensation.
Despite being the biggest thing on the internet, Randy never felt the need to capitalize on the sensation. Others in his position would have been posting every day, trying to sustain the momentum for as long as possible. But the truth is, despite being a megastar, Randy Orton has never taken too kindly to the celebrity lifestyle. He’s a married man that prefers to be spending time with his wife and kids on off days, rather than chasing mainstream attention. That’s why there are several descending reports concerning Orton’s interactions with fans. Let’s be frank, Orton prefers to be off grid and when forced to embrace his famous lifestyle, he doesn’t enjoy it.
11 Spotlight: The Miz
The A-lister and the most must-see superstar in history is a wrestler that works only in the spotlight. The Miz has come from humble and small beginnings in Cleveland, Ohio. Even when he first came into the WWE, he originated from a reality television background. A background where ordinary people try their best to reach the spotlight, this shows us that the Miz has been driven by attention from the very start.
Fellow wrestlers saw that in him and that’s why he was outcasted from the very start. Fast forward over a decade and The Miz is now one of the biggest superstars in the business today.
Just as his gimmick suggests, he now is the spotlight. He isn’t just a movie star by name, he’s a movie star by nature.
Multiple roles in films have established the Miz as a fan favourite, becoming one of the most recognizable faces from today’s WWE. His quest for the spotlight has now landed his own reality TV show on the USA Network; not even John Cena has that. This is a testament to The Miz’s hard work, belief in himself and undeniable star quality. The Miz without spotlight is no Miz at all.
10 Off Grid: Sasha Banks
When you see Sasha Banks on TV, she comes across as a confident, boastful and larger than life personality. She looks flashy and resembles everything a celebrity should be. But somehow, outside of the WWE, Sasha Banks is pretty much a quiet personality. The odd glamorous selfie and gym pic on Instagram will occur, but do any of us truly know the real Sasha Banks? For instance, the 4-time women’s champion has admitted to keeping her marriage a secret because she didn’t want to deal with public opinion. And of course, she has every right to do so.
Sasha Banks balances private life with public life as she only lets the WWE Universe see what she wants them to see. Even though she tweets a lot, The Boss doesn’t give a lot of personal insight into her life. That’s the best way to handle an intrusive world that’s always looking for potential flaws in your life. Banks likes attention, but not when it pertains to her personal life. She only wants attention in the ring and nowhere else. So, on Monday nights she likes the others on the list, every other day of the week, she’s completely off the grid.
9 Spotlight: Lana
The Women’s revolution suggested that this generation’s focus would be on the wrestling ability of women, not their looks. That revolution turned into an evolution as the females began to achieve similar feats to the men. A Royal Rumble match and an Elimination Chamber match have proven the women can do what the men can do.
As one of the most popular female personalities, Lana was meant to spearhead that movement. However, Lana’s wrestling ability hasn’t quite matched her popularity and as a result, she hasn’t become a main event player for the women’s division.
Instead, Lana has used her looks to secure herself mainstream opportunities outside of the WWE. That’s why she can be off television for several months and still have a great social media impact than her main eventing husband. She has a star quality that needs spotlight and attention. That’s why the 33-year-old has gone out of her way to appear in 10 films.
Some of her appearances have been uncredited but her need to be in the spotlight propelled her into those positions. When Lana takes her eyes off the spotlight and focuses on wrestling, she’ll become a part of the women’s evolution. And then and only then will she fully enjoy the spotlight she deserves.
8 Off Grid: Seth Rollins
In the WWE today, there isn’t a more over superstar than Seth Rollins. The former Shield member has turned Monday Night Raw into HIS ‘yard’ and basically become the focal point of the whole show. Of course, Rollins has been a main event player for several years now, but as of late, Rollins has taken on the burden of carrying the WWE, branding himself as Monday Night Rollins. However, Rollins level of superstardom hasn’t changed the way he deals and handles public life. He’s still the same wrestling fanatic that made his way across the world through Indy promotions and that’s all he cares about, being the best in the ring.
Outside of the ring & the gym, Rollins is hardly seen in public spaces, instead, he prefers to be locked up in a room playing video games.
That’s why several negative reports have surfaced online about fans’ meetings with the Architect. The boy from Iowa is still adjusting to life on the big screen, but regardless, he’s refused to allow the fame to affect who he is and how he relates socially. That’s what makes Rollins the perfect candidate to be a representative of the company because he doesn’t get in trouble outside of the ring.
7 Spotlight: Nikki Bella
Perhaps it's her downfall or maybe it's her main selling point, but Nikki Bella has an obsession with being in the spotlight. The former Divas champion has ventured away from wrestling in recent years as she continues to focus on her career in mainstream media.
Outside of the WWE, she’s embarked on forming a lucrative partnership with E! Network through shows like Total Divas and Total Bellas. On top of that, Nikki has amassed herself over 7 million followers on Instagram and 1 million subscribers on YouTube. She’s proved that she doesn’t need the WWE to become a star as she’s become a celebrated figure in mainstream culture.
Nowadays, the fearless one only returns to the ring for big occasions, such as the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble. She’s no longer a part-timer, in fact, she’s a once a year act that has spotlight to be chasing outside of wrestling. In a social media generation, it’s imperative that celebrity figures are constantly trending, posting and making an impact on the net. If Nikki’s not taking photos on a red carpet, she’s on E! having the highest-rated shows on the network. Nikki can’t avoid the spotlight and the spotlight can’t avoid Nikki.
6 Off Grid: Daniel Bryan
The recently returned Daniel Bryan has brought a new lease of life to SmackDownLive, reminding us how big of a star the former WWE Champion truly is. Even at this year’s past WrestleMania, reports state that Bryan’s return to the ring increased the rates of tickets being sold. But despite his immense popularity and universal likability, Daniel Bryan has done all he can to keep away the shining lights. However, a marriage to Brie has forced the American Dragon to come more out of his shell than he would have initially liked to.
Bryan Danielson is a man that comes from humbling beginnings. He was born in Aberdeen, Washington a small town that only boasts a population of 16,986. That size is just about bigger than an average SDLive attendance. Daniel Bryan’s late father was a logger while his mother was a therapist. It’s clear that Bryan came from a meek background and despite being a megastar, the 36-year-old has translated that mentality to his life in the WWE. His journey across the nation through several indie promotions has also helped the Yes-Movement leader keep his feet on the ground. Bryan loves and appreciates his fans, but he's just a very modest person by nature.
Even as a main eventer and the top star on SmackDownLive, Daniel Bryan is still doing all he can to keep himself off the grid.
5 Spotlight: Chris Jericho
Since stepping in a WWE ring, the Ayatollah of Rock ‘n’ Rolla has always shown that he needs and DESERVES to be in the spotlight. When you’re a world class wrestler, great actor and charismatic Rockstar it’s no wonder why you wouldn’t crave the spotlight. When it was clear that wrestling alone wasn’t going to give Y2J the spotlight he desires, the former WWF Champion ventured into avenues outside of the ring. In his career, Chris Jericho has made 8 albums with his rock band Fozzy, that’s a lot of spotlight. In the same time, Jericho has appeared in 5 films and multiple TV shows.
It’s not that Chris Jericho feels entitled to the spotlight, he was just born to bathe in it. That’s why Y2J always finds a way to re-invent himself and stay current. Despite being 47 years of age, Jericho is up to date with modern trends and means of communication. He has a weekly podcast that’s garnered millions of listens. From a wrestling perspective, Jericho now interchanges between WWE and NPJW in order to stay current and relevant. That’s who he is, he knows where the spotlight is, and he follows it to ensure that he is the spotlight.
4 Off Grid: The Undertaker
The Phenom has built a career around being the unknown entity. In fact, he’s one of the few men in the business to maintain kayfabe right until the end. For the past couple of years now, the Undertaker has made a habit of showing up once a year to wow the WWE Universe. It’s that mystique and off grid nature that has sustained the career of the 53-year-old.
If it weren’t for his wife Michelle McCool, we would literally have no idea that The Undertaker has a life outside of the WWE.
The man doesn’t do corporate or media appearances, neither does he show up in public places unannounced. The Undertaker prefers a much more peaceful life, a life in Austin, Texas where no none can bother him.
Despite being one of the most famous names to ever grace a ring, Taker doesn’t have a single social media account that he personally owns or runs. He doesn’t have the time or urge to entertain the masses online with constant updates about his life. He prefers to keep things private, inconspicuous and a mystery, just like his gimmick. When The Undertaker fully retires, it’ll be a sad moment but in reality, Mark Calaway has been semi-retired for just under a decade now.
3 Spotlight: John Cena
For well over a decade now, John Cena has been the poster boy for the WWE. He’s the man that casual viewers know and the icon that will forever be etched in the Mount Rushmore of sports entertainment. However, in recent years, the 16-time world champion has begun to fully embrace his celebrity profile. Endorsement deals with TV networks, fitness companies and Hollywood have taken John Cena to a new level of fame.
Since his high-profile and public divorce, Cena has self-admittedly become more recluse about his private life. But as we said, in the past few years, Cena has been more open with his private life, especially after entering a relationship with Nikki Bella. The once unknown enigma has become a superstar on reality television and seamlessly crossed over into the mainstream. Now the Tampa Bay resident drives his flash cars around Florida and that’s on his off days!
When he’s not in a ring, the 41-year-old is either on a red carpet or standing behind a camera filming his next piece of internet material. Cena's recent breakup with Nikki Bella has also led to mainstream attention, with Cena pouring his heart out on the Today Show professing his love for Nikki and wanting her back.
2 Off Grid: Brock Lesnar
When you think of professional wrestling, only a handful of names stand out, Brock Lesnar is certainly one of them. Headlining several WrestleManias and being the top guy in two decades has gifted Lesnar with a level of fame that can’t be comprehended by the average man.
In a way, the inclusion of Brock Lesnar on this list makes sense but at the same time, it doesn’t. The Beast is one of the biggest draws in wrestling history, but outside of the ring, he doesn’t give a single damn about the profession. That can be seen by the fact that Brock Lesnar literally only appears on WWE programming once a month, why? Because he lives in his own world where he only works when he wants to. Reports suggest that the Beast won’t even be at the upcoming pay-per-view, Money in the Bank.
Lesnar has openly admitted that he doesn’t like people. Instead, he prefers to spend his time with animals by hunting and attending farming events in his hometown.
The man grew up on a farm and developed a superhuman type of strength that has served him well in wrestling. Now, the Universal Champion lives all the way in Saskatchewan, Canada, remotely in the countryside that gives him all the privacy he craves.
1 Spotlight: The Rock
Is there a bigger name to ever come out of the WWE? I don’t think so. The Rock is a megastar in every sense of the word. His influence on people is unmatched, his fame knows no bounds and his likability is unique. The Rock is the true meaning of a success story. He came into the WWE with potential and left with stardom. Now, the Brahma Bull can easily boast that he’s been the biggest movie star of the past decade. Box office hit after box office hit has established him as a leading man in Hollywood, the same way he was a top guy in the WWE.
Having 105.8 million Instagram followers doesn’t come through luck, it comes through being in the spotlight at all times. The Rock has posted 3,550 times on his Instagram, that shows how dedicated he is to connecting with the wider public. That’s why the former WWE Champion can stroll into the WWE when he pleases. Most likely that’s at a WrestleMania, coincidently the biggest show of the year. As a movie star, actor and electrifying entertainer, spotlight comes with the territory and for The Rock; he needs it to keep his movie career as booming as it is.