7 WWE Superstars you may not believe are shy in real life

Although they regularly perform in front of thousands of people, some WWE Superstars are shy in real life.

Some superstars' wrestling gimmicks reflect their real-life personalities. For example, WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair had a larger-than-life persona as The Nature Boy on-screen. His lifestyle in real life also matched that of his wrestling gimmick.

Meanwhile, several other WWE Superstars are nothing like their on-screen characters. While they appear to be very bold in front of the cameras, they are surprisingly shy in real-life.

Here are seven WWE Superstars you may not believe are shy in real life.

#7. Women's Tag Team Champion Sasha Banks

WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Sasha Banks

Sasha Banks is one of the most popular superstars in Vince McMahon's company today. Her on-screen character is very bold and flashy. However, her real-life character seems to be a little different.

In an interview with Sky Sports in 2017, The Boss revealed that although she has a larger-than-life persona in WWE, she is a private and shy woman outside.

"When the camera is on I am 100 per cent this larger than life character, but when I come home I am this private, shy girl who feels like she is getting to live her dream every day. Sasha on TV is everything I wish I could be in normal life - being her has actually helped me and given me the confidence to stand up for myself," she said.

Banks recently broke her WrestleMania losing streak when she teamed up with Naomi to defeat Carmella & Queen Zelina, Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley, and Natalya & Shayna Baszler at WrestleMania 38 to capture the Women's Tag Team Championships.

#6. Bayley

Bayley played a cuddly fan-girl persona for several years in WWE before turning heel in 2019. As part of her Huggable gimmick, the former SmackDown Women's Champion interacted closely with fans. She even hugged a few of them on her way to the ring.

During her appearance on The Steve Austin Show in 2017, Bayley disclosed that although she is sociable on-screen, she is usually shy around people in real life.

"It's so important [to portray yourself in your character]. It makes it all easier and makes it make a lot more sense where you can just have fun and not think as hard. All you have to do is go out there and be you. Backstage I'm more laid back and even shy around people and not in the groups being loud or anything," she said.

The 32-year-old is currently out of action due to injury. Bayley is now considered a free agent.

#5. Bobby Lashley

Bobby Lashley's real-life character is different from his WWE gimmick

Bobby Lashley is one of the most dominating superstars on Monday Night RAW. However, he seems to be much different in real life from the beast he appears to be in the ring.

In an interview with Chasing Glory in 2018, the former WWE Champion spoke about his character off-screen.

"I'm a shy person. I kind of keep to myself a little bit. I'm kind of quiet," he said.

The All-Mighty also revealed that WWE might have given him some uncomfortable angles in recent years to force him to break out of his shell.

"For me, I had to figure out the why. A lot of times people don't want to figure out the why. I think part of the why for me is when I came back, they wanted people to hate me. But also, I think it's just getting me to loosen up a little bit. I trained so long with wrestling and it was always shut up and I trained. I was always a shut up and train type of person. I busted my a** and let what I do speak for me. I was a workhorse and I was always a quiet person. I think when I came back they said, we need to embarrass him enough to break out of his shell," he told Corey Graves on After The Bell in 2020.

Lashley recently defeated Omos at WrestleMania 38. The two stars were about to square off again the next night on RAW. However, MVP surprisingly betrayed The Almighty before the bell rang and attacked him.

#4. Rhea Ripley

Rhea Ripley does not appear to be very shy on-screen. Nevertheless, The Nightmare's on-screen gimmick is nothing like her real-life character.

In an interview with the Out of Character podcast last year, the 25-year-old spoke about how her on-screen character is different from her real-life personality, revealing that she is a shy person off-screen.

"My confidence isn't huge in my everyday life. I'm a really shy person and I'm not good at keeping a conversation and being a larger-than-life person. When I'm in the ring, that's where I get all my confidence and where I get to be Rhea Ripley, but still myself, which is weird to say out loud because it doesn't make sense but then it does when you're there doing it. I want to be myself, as in Rhea Ripley, but I want to have that confidence that everyone else seems to have all the time. I'm working on it," she explained.

After losing the Women's Tag Team Fatal-4-Way Match at WrestleMania 38, Ripley and her tag team partner, Liv Morgan, faced the newly-crowned champions Sasha Banks and Naomi last Monday on RAW. Nevertheless, they came up short.

#3. Brock Lesnar

Although he has no problem performing in front of thousands of WWE fans, Brock Lesnar feels uncomfortable around people in real life.

Speaking to the Stone Cold Podcast in 2015, The Beast Incarnate stated that he is not anti-social and does not have a phobia. However, he does not like people and does not mix well with others.

"I really don't like people. I'm sorry I don't. That's just who I am. I just don't like being around a bunch of people. And it's kind of ironic because I can go out in an arena full of 20 thousand people and be all right with it only because I feel like I'm in this dome and I'm protected. But you get me out in public or anywhere around a bunch of people and I just, I don't do well. It's not a phobia, no, I just don't, I get uncomfortable. I don't play well. That's just who I am," he said.

The former WWE Champion recently squared off against Roman Reigns in a Winner Takes All Title Unification Match at WrestleMania 38. Nevertheless, The Beast Incarnate lost to The Tribal Chief.

#2. WWE Hall of Famer Torrie Wilson

Torrie Wilson was one of the most popular female superstars in the early 2000s. What fans may not know, however, is that the Hall of Famer is surprisingly a shy person and does not like getting a lot of attention in real life.

In an interview with The Baltimore Sun, Wilson revealed that it was not hard for her to step away from the spotlight when she retired from wrestling because she is a shy person in real life and does not like getting much attention anyway.

"It's funny, because I love to entertain, but I am actually a pretty shy person and I don't like a lot of attention to begin with," she said.

Wilson officially hung up her boots in 2008. Since then, she has made several sporadic WWE appearances. The 46-year-old last competed last year when she participated in the 2021 Women's Royal Rumble Match.

#1. Matt Striker

Matt Striker spent many years in Vince McMahon's company as an in-ring competitor, color commentator, and host. While it might not show on camera, the 47-year-old is very shy off-screen.

In an interview with the Chair Shot Reality Show, Striker revealed that his shyness was the biggest challenge he had to overcome while pursuing a wrestling career.

"I am a very shy person by nature. I struggled with the self-promotion. Walk around like you're a star; people come up and they see you. The way I was able to come to terms with that is instead–and I see a lot of people do this–of looking down, I'll spend some time and talk to someone because I might get to know you and I might make a friend out of it whether I'm Matt Striker the wrestler or Matt the bus driver. We might end up being cool with each other. That's how I reconcile my anxieties. That was my biggest fear," he said.

The former school teacher left WWE in 2013. He has since worked in a few other promotions, including Lucha Underground and IMPACT Wrestling.

Edited by Brandon Nell