Professional wrestling is in a league of its own compared to many sports around the world, especially when it comes to the factor of age. With the big four in America in addition to things like tennis and football, athletes tend to slow down in their mid-30s, but in our industry, they can keep going for much longer – sometimes even into their 50s.
It isn’t always the smartest thing to do, and it doesn’t necessarily enhance their legacies, as most of the time wrestlers tend to cling on for far too long before retiring. With that being said, the WWE is populated from head to toe with guys that are in this age bracket, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.
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Which is all well and good, but it doesn’t take away from the shock of learning about the age of some of your favourite Superstars. Perhaps it’s the make-up that decreases the years or maybe it’s their insane work ethic, but one way or another we can guarantee that a few names on this list will surprise you. Oh, and a special mention goes down to Asuka and Bobby Roode down in NXT who are 35 and 40 respectively.
Former WWE writer buries Judgment Day HERE
So without further ado, here are 10 surprising WWE Superstars who are 35+.
#1 Finn Balor – 35
Finn Balor is one of the most exciting talents to walk through the doors of WWE for quite some time. The Demon King has the look, the subtle mic skills and the in ring ability necessary to thrive at the highest level and that’s been clear for everyone to see – including the guys and girls behind the scenes. After all, he WAS the first Universal Champion.
But what some people may fail to realise is that Finn is actually half way through his thirties, which may come as a shock to those who see him as a baby-faced assassin. Of course, this isn’t exactly a problem, but it does make you appreciate just how long the Irishman spent plying his trade over in Japan in order to get the reputation that he has today.
Jamaica, Ghana, Boston; he’s from somewhere alright.
#2 Kofi Kingston – 35
In terms of dedication to the cause, Kofi Kingston is right up with the best of them after his many years of service in WWE. The former Intercontinental & US Champion had been thrust into meaningless feud after meaningless feud for a long time prior to his time with The New Day, and fans seem to forget about just how important he’s been to the mid card structure of the company since he arrived.
With over a decade in WWE, Kofi is still going strong at 35, and given the durability of Superstars these days, we hope that he’s got many more fruitful years ahead of him in the business. He may never ascend to the main event scene on a permanent basis, but at least we’ve seen him become more relevant to the weekly product.
It's time for some Fandangoing.
#3 Fandango – 35
What a guy. After debuting way back in 1999, the man we now know as Fandango worked for a number of years on the independent circuit before being snatched up by WWE in 2006. Since then he’s portrayed several different gimmicks and personas, including Johnny Curtis, before finally falling into the dancing Fandango character that we see today.
It's been an exceptionally long journey thus far for the guy, and while he does have a WrestleMania victory over Chris Jericho under his belt, it’d be interesting to see what kind of things he’d say in interviews if he were to be released tomorrow. With that being said, he seems to be enjoying his time alongside Tyler Breeze right now, so maybe things will turn around for him soon.
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#4 Cesaro – 36
Arguably the strongest man in WWE, Cesaro is about as underrated as they come with the company failing to pull the trigger on pushing this guy to the moon. Obviously, not everyone can be thrust into a main event position, but the Swiss Superman has proven time and time again that he is capable of hanging with the big boys.
His many years on the independent circuit have given him the experience necessary to succeed, and his tenure in WWE has almost reached the five-year mark already. This man is ready for bigger things and if Vince isn’t going to give them to him, then perhaps he needs to look elsewhere in search of glory.
He is, indeed, awesome.
#5 The Miz – 36
Just over twelve months ago, Miz was still in the early stages of his partnership with Maryse, and the majority of fans were expecting his run to be as lacklustre as his previous few reigns with the title. However, we were all wrong as the Awesome One once again proved himself to be a real player in the company.
It’s the first time in a while that Miz has managed to grab the attention of fans from all corners of the WWE Universe, with many forgetting that his journey started way back in 2002. Hopefully, he can continue to carve a great path for himself, enhancing his legacy with each and every passing day.
Ten.
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#6 Tye Dillinger – 36
Tye Dillinger has jumped through every single hoop that WWE have put in front of him and now, after years in the developmental wilderness, he’s on the main roster as a part of SmackDown Live. Isn’t that just the greatest story you’ve ever heard? Because to us, it’s incredibly heartwarming especially after hearing about how great the guy is behind the scenes.
With people like Dusty Rhodes singing his praises and stating that he was ready for the big time years ago, it feels like we’ve all been on this journey with Tye even though he only really hit the mainstream in the last twelve months or so. He’s certainly come a long way from being super kicked by Shawn Michaels.
AxelMania continues to run wild.. sort of.
#7 Curtis Axel – 37
One of Curtis Axel’s greatest traits is that he is the son of the legendary Mr Perfect, but unfortunately, that’s also one of his biggest weaknesses. The former Intercontinental Champion has seemed like a Superstar who has been greatly underutilised over the last few years, and it turns out that he’s older than many of us would’ve thought.
At 37, Axel is further towards the back end of his career, and that’s a shame given how little he has achieved within the WWE. Sure, he’s still managed to have a few memorable moments, but it’s likely nothing compared to what he could’ve done had the company gotten behind him as a technical and cocky heel champion.
Bullet Club For Life.
#8 Karl Anderson – 37
You can just tell that Karl Anderson is already a disgruntled member of the roster and if you don’t believe us, then just go and watch one of his many podcast appearances alongside Luke Gallows. Sure, the guy is earning good money, but he comes across as a Superstar who wants much more than that.
We aren’t insinuating that he and Gallows should break up, but WWE needs to change the way in which they book and present the two as a tag team. They haven’t felt like a threat since the first few months of their run, and it’s no coincidence that AJ Styles was alongside them during that period of time. Just a suggestion, guys.
The King of Strong Style has arrived.
#9 Shinsuke Nakamura – 37
This one may be the least shocking dependent on your knowledge of Japanese wrestling, but Shinsuke Nakamura just seems like one of those top names that will never age. His charisma and undeniable skill, inside the squared circle, continue to amaze fans all around the globe, and that looks set to continue on SmackDown Live.
The blue brand is already starting to build him up as a main event star, and given his style, we’re confident that he can ride that momentum for the next few years at the very least. The prospect of seeing his entrance at WrestleMania next April in New Orleans already excites us, and we haven’t even got through SummerSlam yet.
Phenomenal.
#10 AJ Styles – 39
What is there to say that hasn’t already been said? AJ Styles has come into the WWE and has instantly made an impact far beyond his wildest dreams, with Mr TNA quickly transitioning into becoming Mr WWE. Because of the seamless nature of this move, many will be surprised to learn that the Phenomenal One turns 40 later this year.
Once again, that isn’t necessarily a detriment, but given his high flying style, we’re curious to see how the company will handle him slowing down over the next few years. It may lead to yet another heel turn in order to protect him from potential injuries, but then they’d be robbing us of seeing AJ at his very best.
Time will tell.
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