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A few female United States military veterans have competed in a WWE ring over the past few years.
Several former and current male WWE competitors have previously served in the United States military. Bobby Lashley, for example, followed in his father's footsteps and joined the United States Army after graduating from college. Former WWE Superstar Steve Maclin (FKA Steve Cutler) has also served in the military and participated in the war in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, a few female United States military veterans have also once competed in WWE. One of them is currently active on the main roster.
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Here are three female United States military veterans who once competed in WWE.
#3. WWE Superstar Lacey Evans
Before becoming a famous WWE Superstar, Lacey Evans served in the United States military. The current SmackDown star enlisted when she was 19 and spent five years in the Marine Corps. During her active service, Evans was a military police officer and a member of the Special Reaction Team at her base.
Speaking to The Military Times, the current WWE Superstar explained why she decided to become a United States Marine.
"I joined the Marine Corps to get out of a rough situation to learn a better way of life (...) so when I looked at the military, the branches across the board as an option to not only get out of that situation, but to find the life that I was looking for as a young 19 year-old woman, as soon as I walked into the recruiting station, when I found out that the Marines are the most challenging, I was like that's what I need in my life," she said.
In an interview with FOX in December 2020, Evans disclosed how being a former Marine helped her in WWE. She also stated that she misses being in the Marine Corps.
"I love being surrounded by my brothers and sisters. I miss it every single day. It's motivation, it's badassery, and it just picks me up. You know, everyday I go out there as a WWE wrestler, and I kick a** and take names, but this is what made me who I am today (...) [what I learned in the marines that translated to the ring?] what haven't I learned? Grit, toughness, bearing, initiative, accountability, taking the initiative to get up, get out there, get everything that you have every single day, in the ring, out of the ring, packing your bags, making flights, not being late, and being a hard-charging, confident, limitless lady, honey," she explained.
Evans left the service as a sergeant in 2014. That same year, she started pursuing a wrestling career. After competing for about two years on the independent circuit, the former United States Marine joined Vince McMahon's company in 2016.
The mother-of-two recently returned to WWE television after nearly a year of absence. She is currently on the SmackDown roster.
#2. Big Swole
After graduating from Clearwater High School, Big Swole (FKA Aerial Monroe) enrolled in college. She dropped out only a year later to join the United States Air Force in 2008.
In an interview with Borne the Battle podcast, the 32-year-old disclosed that she enlisted in the United States Air Force to keep her promise to her mother.
"I remembered promising her when I was younger, because she wanted to go to the air force. But she didn't have anybody to push her to follow her dreams. And so I was like, 'mommy I'll go to the air force for you.' And I made like this big promise about it and, cause she's like, 'yeah girl, sure, whatever you, you won't do it.' And when I was like, 'well, what do I want to want to do?' And I was like, 'well, I want to go to the air force. And I want to, I want to work on cars. I want to learn how to do a trade. I want something a little bit different than just everything.' So after senior year, I was like, 'Nope.' After the first year of college, I was, I was like, 'I'm outta here,'" she said.
Big Swole worked as a firetruck mechanic in the Air Force for two years. In 2008, she was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and underwent three surgeries while in the military.
"My Crohn's disease started to have big flare ups to the point where I couldn't do any of my duties at all. Like they had to put me on light duty and I couldn't lift anything that was like over 10 pounds and having the back to back surgeries, they were just like, okay, look, I think its about time for you to stay at the house," she added.
The Florida native left military service in 2010 for medical reasons. A few years later, Big Swole started pursuing a wrestling career. Over the past few years, she has competed in several promotions, including AEW, RISE, and SHINE.
The military veteran has also competed in three matches in WWE. Her first WWE bout came in August 2016 when she lost to Nia Jax on Monday Night RAW. Two years later, she participated in the Mae Young Classic Tournament. She got eliminated from the first round after losing to Zeuxis. A day later, Big Swole teamed up with Candice LeRae to defeat Jinny and Killer Kelly in a dark match.
Big Swole left AEW last November after her contract expired. She recently challenged Tasha Steelz for the IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Title at a GCW event. However, she came up short.
#1. Trish Adora
Trish Adora trained at the Team 3D Academy before kicking off her professional wrestling career nearly six years ago. However, before becoming an in-ring performer, the Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Wrestling World Champion spent several years serving in the United States Military.
In an interview with the Pro Wrestling Podcast, Adora disclosed how she got into the military.
"I joined right out of college. I went to college for a year. [It] wasn't for me. Started waiting tables again. One of my co-workers like 'hey, you want to join the military?' And I was like 'what are you talking about?' (...) I couldn't even understand what that even meant you know but you know you asked a couple more times and then pretty soon I was talking to a recruiter and I'm like 'oh my gosh.' You know, they start selling you. They'll give you a 20 thousand dollar bonus. We're gonna, you know, give you some help with your college tuition. And I heard that and I was like 'oh, okay,'" she said.
The Southeast D.C. native spent eight years in the United States military, during which she served in Afghanistan. Adora then decided to pursue a career inside the squared circle.
"While I was [in the Army] I had these moments where I was faced with the decision where I was like, 'All right, either I’m going to re-sign up and do this for the rest of my life, or I’m going to try out wrestling and do that for the rest of my life.' It wouldn’t be fair to me if I didn’t at least explore what wrestling was," she told the Washington Post.
Adora is currently an independent wrestler. Over the past six years, she has competed in several promotions, including GCW, AEW, and Beyond Wrestling. She also wrestled once in a WWE ring when she lost to Kairi Sane on NXT in August 2018.
