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In 2019, the phrase "kayfabe is dead" is likely more of a given rather than an occasional truth, as fans and pro wrestlers alike have given up on maintaining kayfabe outside of the ring with the idea of pro wrestling being a "work" becoming more and more culturally understood.
We live in a day and age where pro wrestlers such as Steve Austin, Chris Jericho and more have podcasts in which they reveal backstage details about putting matches together, they openly "break character" and speak as themselves, and insight into the inner-workings of the business has never been so readily available.
Despite the concept of kayfabe being mostly dead in 2019, there are a handful of pro wrestlers out there who continue to "work" fans both in and out of the ring, in order to progress not only storylines but in order to strengthen the belief in their respective characters.
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Given the above, let's take a look at 5 pro wrestlers that never (or very rarely) break character.
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#5 The Undertaker
In recent years, fans have been treated to occasional breaks of character from future WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker, but for the better part of his decades-long career, The Dead Man has remained as enigmatic outside of the ring as he is inside of the ring.
The Undertaker has had a few "gimmick" changes throughout his career, playing The American Badass biker version of 'Taker, playing the Big Evil heel version of 'Taker, and altering his classic Undertaker look throughout the years as seen in the photo above.
But while character tweaks might have been a mainstay for The Undertaker throughout the years, one thing which has always remained constant is that fans rarely caught a glimpse of Mark Calaway, the real-life man who plays the iconic Undertaker in WWE.
#4 Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio is a future WWE Hall of Famer and current living legend, and there is perhaps no more recognized Lucha Libre star in the world than the master of the 619.
Rey Mysterio wowed fans and introduced America to the Lucha Libre style of pro wrestling when he made a name for himself in WCW, and he was able to get over despite the lack of one major aspect of a pro wrestling character often necessary in order to get over with fans - a face!
Rey Mysterio has been wrestling under a mask for the majority of his career, and while he did wrestle without the mask for a brief time during his WCW run, he was able to achieve the better part of his fame in both WCW and WWE while covering his face, a typical selling point for most wrestlers, with a variety of masks.
Not only does Rey Mysterio sport his famous masks in the ring, but he also wears a mask whenever he is outside of the ring and in public, as evidenced by his recent appearance at an NFL game. Rey Rey is certainly dedicated to his brand and Lucha Libre roots, which are characteristic of the iconic masks.
#3 MJF
All Elite Wrestling star Maxwell Jacob Friedman, aka MJF, is one of the most hated (or beloved?) heels currently working in the pro wrestling business, and one of the main reasons why he has been so successful thus far in his career is because he refuses to break character.
MJF is known for remaining in character no matter the situation, be it on social media, during interviews with members of the pro wrestling media, or even during appearances on talk shows. Anyone who speaks with MJF better be prepared to deal with one of the most unfiltered personalities in the wrestling business. No example of this is better than one of MJF's most recent Tweets:
Remaining in character as MJF goes a long way in establishing a connection with fans, as it not only strengthens MJF's ability to play his character, but it blurs the lines between fiction and reality and keeps fans guessing as to what the real MJF is like.
Once fans feel like they know who a wrestler is in "real life", the harder it might become for the fan to buy into the character they see on television, making MJF's decision to present himself in character on a consistent basis a very wise decision.
#2 Ric Flair
WWE Hall of Famer and The Nature Boy, Ric Flair, is famous not only for remaining in character in a public setting but for literally "living his gimmick."
Flair's real name is Richard Fliehr, but during the fantastic ESPN 30 for 30 special on Ric Flair, The Nature Boy discussed how Richard Fliehr does not really exist anymore, and he lives his life as Ric Flair.
Throughout his heyday in pro wrestling in the '70s and '80s, Flair helped popularize the concept of a pro wrestling Champion by carrying himself as a Champion both inside and outside of the ring. Fans bumping into Flair at a local hotel, or airport, or bar, saw the "World Heavyweight Champion" version of Ric Flair as opposed to the real-life version of Richard Fliehr the father, husband, etc.
Flair has talked at length about how his in-character lifestyle often jeopardized relationships in his real-life, including relationships with his spouses and his children, one of whom is current WWE star, Charlotte Flair.
Despite any downside to Ric Flair never breaking character in his storied pro wrestling career, the upside has clearly been the creation of one of, if not the best, pro wrestling superstar of all-time.
#1 Elias
Current WWE Superstar Elias is known for his guitar-strumming, mean-spirited heel character, which fans have been privy to whether or not Elias is inside a pro wrestling ring.
Elias has done a tremendous job of adding depth to his WWE character by always playing the role of The Drifter whether or not he is on television, and numerous outside of WWE projects have helped establish Elias as a great WWE personality.
During WrestleMania 34 weekend in New Orleans, Elias actually made appearances on the streets of NOLA and even in a few bars and clubs to show off his heel persona and play a few "gigs" featuring his music.
WWE also released an album from Elias titled "Walk With Elias," and the record featured songs such as "Nothing I Can't Do" and "The Ballad of Every Town I've Ever Been To...", which while musically fun, offered classic heel shots at cities in America and WWE fans in general. For a short time during his WWE main roster run, Elias played a budding babyface, and even then he never broke character.
Which other pro wrestlers do a great job of never breaking character? Let us know in the comment section and be sure to follow SK on Twitter and Facebook!
