7 WWE Superstars' tattoos and their emotional significance

Let’s be honest, we live in a society today where tattoos are as accepted as they have ever been. The once frowned upon form of body-art has evolved into something that is just a part of our culture. In fact, as I write this column, I am reminded of how prevalent tattoos are in the world today, as I glance down at my own ink.

Yes, I have tattoos as well. I’m not sure exactly how many, but I think after about 30 or so, they all started to morph into one giant piece of art. Oh, and to soothe your curiosity, no, I have never been to jail and yes, I have always kept a job. However, that notion too has been debunked, regarding tattooed people not being able to get a job.

Our doctors, police officers and even school teachers are heavily tatted these days.

When I first started watching wrestling, back in the early 80’s, you really didn't see many wrestlers with tattoos. Of course, things were different back then and we as a society have grown to be much more open-minded about things that were once considered entirely too provocative, or taboo, so to speak.

I can't remember exactly when I first saw a wrestler with tattoos, but I believe one of the first wrestlers I saw with a significant amount of tattoos was Bam Bam Bigelow. I’m sure there were plenty of guys well before Bam Bam’s time, I just can't think of many at the moment.

Fast forward to the current era of professional wrestling and boy, how things have changed. Not only do tattoos and professional wrestling have more of a common relationship, there are probably more current WWE Superstars with tattoos than without.

Some have more, some have less, but many of them have at least one tattoo. While some of today's Superstars have tattoos with very little meaning, as they could have been a result of an impulsive mistake from their younger years, there are some that have strong, personal and sometimes emotional stories behind them.

In this column today, we attempt to shed a little light on some of the more meaningful tattoos on your favourite WWE Superstars.

#1 Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns comes from a family that is very proud of their Samoan heritage. Just like his cousin, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Roman has a large Samoan-themed tattoo covering his entire right arm, shoulder area, as well as a portion of his chest. This sort of tribal design is very common in the Samoan culture.

Roman is very close to his family and very proud of who they are and what they have accomplished. His tattoo is a common reference to the Samoan Warrior, which is the theme behind most Samoan tribal tattoos.

However, hidden within this tattoo is another, much smaller one of a turtle. The turtle is incorporated into his larger piece, hidden on the inside of his wrist. This is the tattoo he considers to be the most important to him because it is a dedication to his daughter.

#2 AJ Styles

AJ Styles has a constant reminder of his four children.

AJ Styles was one of the biggest signings in recent WWE history. Since he arrived, the former WWE Champion has not disappointed in any way. AJ is such a talented performer and one that the fans have certainly gotten behind, in a major way.

If you were to meet AJ Styles and have a brief conversation with him, there are a couple key facts about the Superstar that you would quickly find out. One of those being that AJ is big on family. Like any other father, AJ loves his children more than anything. That’s why this particular tattoo is so meaningful.

Along AJ’s right ribcage, he has the birthdates of his four children tattooed, with the oldest being on the top and the youngest at the bottom. AJ has three boys and one daughter, AJ has a pink bow tattooed on the fourth date, signifying that she is his one and only daughter.

#3 Baron Corbin

The Lone Wolf has some very special portrait tattoos.

Baron Corbin is enjoying the best days of his wrestling career right now, as he is set to challenge Dean Ambrose at Wrestlemania 33 in hopes of coming away with the Intercontinental Championship. If Corbin can somehow pull off the win, it would surely be the biggest win of his career.

Baron has come a long way since his frustrating days in NXT when he had a very difficult time passing the proverbial learning curve. Corbin has improved his entire body of work immensely since arriving on the main roster.

Growing up just outside of Kansas City, Baron had an unbreakable bond with his father, as well as his grandfather. Both men have always been considered his biggest inspirations in life, which is the reason Baron has both of their faces tattooed on his leg.

Corbin's dad passed away tragically in 2008, due to complications from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, more commonly known as mad cow disease. Baron also has a number of other tribute tattoos as well, including one of his dear friend and star of MTV’s Jackass, Ryan Dunn. Dunn passed away in a fatal car accident in 2011.

#4 Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins has come a long way since his early years.

Seth Rollins has been one of the top guys on the WWE main roster for quite some time now. Despite the massive amount of success he has achieved and being the outspoken architect he is today, it is a staunch contrast from the person he once was.

In his teenage years, Seth was not a very popular kid. In fact, he was quite the introvert, which is exactly how he describes himself. Seth lived the straight-edge lifestyle and didn't have many friends, which is why he would spend most of his time inside, just listening to music alone.

The tattoo Seth has on his wrist is one he got when he was 19 years old, struggling to find his path in life. The tattoo is the depiction of a burning page with the inscription “forever.” Seth states on his personal website, that this particular tattoo is something that reminds him of who he once was, where he once was and how far he has come.

#5 Enzo Amore

You might be surprised at the meaning behind this one!

Enzo Amore is the resident funny man for WWE. He’s a free-spirited, fun-loving, crowd-pleasing certified G...and you can't teach that! However, fans would probably be surprised to learn that Enzo lives a much more structured life outside of the ring than most would probably assume.

For Enzo, family is everything. Growing up in the greater Tri-State region, Enzo was extremely close to his entire family, but the relationship he had with his father is what inspired him to follow his heart and chase his dreams.

Enzo’s dad was a pretty well-known club disc-jockey in their local area. In fact, Enzo was once the disc-jockey for the NFL’s New York Jets, prior to signing with WWE. By now, you have probably noticed the microphone tattoo on Enzo’s right hand.

That mic is the exact same one his father used throughout his career. The tattoo is was desined to be a tribute to his father and a constant reminder of how much he means to Enzo and his success in life.

#6 Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens does indeed have a softer side.

Kevin Owens may seem like a complete jerk on television, but I'm pretty sure if you were to ask his family, they would have a different interpretation of the type of person the former WWE Universal Champion is.

While Kevin doesn't appear to have many tattoos, each one does have a special meaning behind it. For instance, the tattoo shown in this photo is on his right wrist and it says “Karina,” which is his wife's name.

Kevin and Karina were married in 2007 and have two children together. They have a son named Owen, who was named in remembrance of Owen Hart. Kevin and Karina also have a daughter named Elodie. Kevin also has tattoos which are tributes to his children as well.

#7 Randy Orton

Inside the squared circle, he is known as The Viper. He is one of the most feared, calculated predators in the company. He has defeated the who's who of the wrestling world, has a laundry list of title victories to his credit and still has plenty of fuel left in the tank. However, outside of the ring, Randy Orton lives a different life.

Having met Randy Orton at a hotel he and I were both staying at once, I must admit, he wasn't very friendly to his fans. There were a number of young fans who waited hours for the chance to get an autograph, only to be completely ignored by the seemingly irritated Superstar.

In all fairness, this was at a hotel and I’m sure Randy just wanted to get some sleep.

Orton may very well be the most tattooed of all current WWE Superstars, with the exception of maybe The Undertaker. One thing you’ll notice about all of Orton's tattoos is that they are all in black and gray. But, if you look closer, you’ll notice he does have one in full color, which is his daughter's name, Alanna, as well as her date of birth and a red rose over the top of the name.

Randy has mentioned that that tattoo is the only one with colour in it so that it stands out and provides a constant reminder of how much his daughter means to him.

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Edited by Staff Editor