Stu Bennett (Wade Barrett)

Wade Barrett is a former pro wrestler with a British-American nationality. The color commentator of the RAW brand started his WWE after winning the NXT in 2010. The leader of the Nexus competed in five PPV events in the WWE and won three out of them. The former five-time Intercontinental Champion formed the stable Corre with some of the members of the Nexus. King Barrett won King of the Ring in 2015 and is famous for his other moniker Bad News Barrett. Additionally, he is well-known for his nicknames The Bare Knuckle Brawler, The British Bullhammer, and The Pinnacle. After his exit from WWE in 2016, the former general manager for Defiant Wrestling was active in the independent promotions for three years before returning to WWE in 2020.

Wade Barrett's Early Life

Based on Wikipedia, Barrett spent six years in his birthplace and later moved to Wales with his family. His mother and father were social workers and accountants respectively. His older brother Martin worked in a supermarket, as per Pro Wrestling Fandom. He idolized Davey Boy Smith, and Barrett's favorite is the main event of SummerSlam 1992 between Bret Hart and Smith. He was a student at the University of Liverpool in the marine biology stream and worked in a science lab before becoming a pro wrestler.

During his bare-knuckle fighting career in Europe, he competed in a notable match in Budapest, known as "The Battle of Buda". He defeated a strong opponent for a significant cash prize. Later, he survived a violent robbery attempt in which he was stabbed, sustaining a 12-inch scar from his upper back to his right arm but managed to escape with the cash. His bare-knuckle fights likewise left him with a disfigured nose, yet he has expressed no regret about that chapter of his life. Dusty Rhodes later integrated his bare-knuckle background into his WWE persona, introducing him as a European street-fighting champion and naming his "Wasteland" move after his fighting grounds.

Wade Barrett's Professional Wrestling Career

Initial days (2004-2006)

Barrett started his professional wrestling career in 2004 under the ring name Stu Sanders. He appeared in a 30-man battle royal for NWA UK Hammerlock Wrestling. He wrestled for advancements like Dropkixx Wrestling, Real Quality Wrestling, and All-Star Wrestling. He won the Dropkixx IWC Heavyweight Title in 2005 and fought with Nick Aldis and Danny Dexter.

WWE (2006-2016)

OVW (2006–2008)

After tryouts with WWE in 2006 and 2007, Barrett signed a contract in October 2007. He was allocated to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) under the ring name Stu Sanders. He made a tag team with Paul Burchill, and the pair won the OVW Southern Tag Team Title in 2008 and held it for almost two months before losing it in a four-way match.

FCW (2008-2010)

After WWE changed from OVW to Florida Title Wrestling (FCW), Wade Barrett, then Stu Sanders, teamed with Drew McIntyre. They formed The Empire to win the FCW Florida Tag Team Title in 2008 and lost the title later that year. Following an injury that required surgery, he briefly changed to commentary alongside Dusty Rhodes but got back to in-ring competition in 2009 under the new ring name Wade Barrett.

Nexus and Corre (2010–2011)

Wade Barrett competed in the first season of NXT and was mentored by Chris Jericho. He won the competition in 2010 and earned a WWE contract. After showing up on the main roster, he led the NXT rookies in framing The Nexus, an impactful stable that disrupted WWE events and targeted top stars like John Cena. Barrett challenged Randy Orton for the WWE Title on different occasions but was unsuccessful. One of their famous matches was at Survivor Series 2010, where Cena cost him the match under a stipulation that led to Cena being fired.

Barrett lost his leadership of The Nexus to CM Punk in mid-2011. This led to his SmackDown debut and the formation of another stable, The Corre, with Ezekiel Jackson, Heath Slater, and Justin Gabriel. He came out on top for the Intercontinental Title from Kofi Kingston in 2011 on SmackDown but lost it to Jackson at Capitol Punishment. Barrett later broke down The Corre after internal conflicts.

Barrett participated in the Money in the Bank ladder match in 2011 but didn't win. He started rivalries with Daniel Bryan and Sheamus, however, he missed the mark in their encounters. Throughout this period, Barrett established himself as a key figure in WWE's mid-card and tag-team divisions.

Barrett Barrage (2011–2012)

Wade Barrett declared his independence with the beginning of the "Barrett Barrage" in 2011 on SmackDown. He defeated Daniel Bryan and started a series of wins against contenders like John Morrison, Sheamus, and Randy Orton. He entered a feud with Orton, culminating in Team Barrett's triumph over Team Orton at Survivor Series 2011. Regardless of their intense rivalry, Barrett lost a Tables Match to Orton at TLC after being hit with an RKO mid-air.

The feud escalated with severe attacks, including Barrett pushing Orton down a stairwell, leading Orton to suffer a herniated disc. Orton returned at the 2012 Royal Rumble and eliminated Barrett. They finished the fight with a decisive win in a No Disqualification match on SmackDown. At Elimination Chamber, Barrett failed to win the World Heavyweight Title and suffered a partially dislocated elbow during a battle royal on RAW which sidelined him from WWE action.

Intercontinental Champion (2012–2013)

In 2012, WWE depicted Barrett as a gritty underground fighter after his return. He returned and set out on a series of wins, overcoming a few rivals. However, he suffered his first loss via disqualification to Sheamus on RAW and his first pinfall loss in a Lumberjack match on SmackDown. At Survivor Series, Barrett helped Dolph Ziggler's team secure a triumph but was later eliminated by The Miz.

Barrett won his second Intercontinental Title in 2012, defeating Kofi Kingston after losing to him at TLC. He feuded with Bo Dallas in mid-2013, losing a non-championship match to Dallas however later defeating him on NXT. During the WrestleMania 29 pre-show, Barrett lost the Intercontinental Title to The Miz however regained it the next night on RAW.

In 2013, Barrett lost the Intercontinental Title in a triple-threat match to Curtis Axel at Payback and was unsuccessful in his rematch. He failed to win the Money in the Bank ladder match for the World Heavyweight Title. Following a losing streak, Barrett scored a triumph over R-Truth on Main Event. His fight with Daniel Bryan saw a few matches, including one where a quick count from special ref Brad Maddox gave Barrett a victory on RAW.

Bad News Barrett (2013–2015)

Wade Barrett got back to WWE as "Bad News Barrett" in 2013, and made his in-ring return the next year. He defeated Rey Mysterio in Mysterio's last WWE match until 2018. He won the #1 Contender's Tournament for the Intercontinental Title and defeated Big E at Extreme Rules to catch his fourth Intercontinental Title. He successfully defended the title against Rob Van Dam at Payback however suffered a shoulder injury during a match with Jack Swagger which constrained him to vacate the title and miss months of action.

Barrett returned at Survivor Series and defeated Cesaro. In 2015, he won his fifth Intercontinental Title by defeating Dolph Ziggler in a 2-out-of-3 falls match. At Fastlane, Barrett held the title against Dean Ambrose via disqualification, however, the belt was taken by Ambrose. This finished in a ladder match at WrestleMania 31, where Daniel Bryan came out on top for the title. Barrett was set to challenge Bryan in a rematch at Extreme Rules, however, Bryan's medical issues led Barrett to face Neville in a losing effort on the pre-show.

King Barrett (2015–2016)

Wade Barrett won the 2015 King of the Ring tournament, adopting the "King Barrett" persona. He fought with R-Truth, culminating in a win at Battleground, but suffered losses at Payback and Elimination Chamber. Barrett then framed a tag team with Stardust, which finished after a loss at SummerSlam and Stardust's betrayal. He later joined forces with Sheamus, framing a tag team that scored numerous wins before eventually becoming part of The League of Nations stable alongside Sheamus, Rusev, and Alberto Del Rio.

Barrett helped The League of Nations in high-profile matches, including at WrestleMania 32, where they defeated The New Day. However, tensions inside the group led to Barrett being accused as the "weak link" and attacked by his partners. Shortly after, WWE announced Barrett's release in 2016.

Independent Circuit (2017-2020)

Swim Barrett took on non-wrestling roles, filling in as general manager for Defiant Wrestling. He was an on-screen executive and commentator for World of Sport Wrestling. He provided commentary to Lucha Underground's season four finale and the National Wrestling Alliance's Into the Fire PPV and NWA Power recordings.

Return to WWE (2020–present)

Barrett returned to WWE in 2020 as a color commentator for NXT, later marking a one-year arrangement to turn into a permanent member of the broadcast team. In 2022, he moved to SmackDown as a color commentator alongside Michael Cole and was moved to RAW the following year. Barrett got back to SmackDown in 2024 after Pat McAfee replaced him on RAW, before moving back to RAW in 2024 alongside Joe Tessitore.

Wade Barrett’s Awards and Achievements

Wade Barrett’s Physical Attributes

Wade Barrett’s Net Worth

Based on Celebrity Net Worth, Wade Barrett has a net worth of $7 million as of November 2024. King Bareett's main source of income is his salary as a wrestler and a commentator. He additionally generates money from endorsements, social media, films, TV shows, web series, etc.