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WWE Superstars are versatile individuals who not only make it big in the wrestling ring but also aim to be successful in other fields. There have been Superstars such as Roman Reigns, Goldberg, and Mojo Rawley who entered the world of pro wrestling after a stint in football.
On the other hand, there are several WWE Superstars who’ve ventured into Hollywood and found decent success there. Brock Lesnar left WWE in his prime to follow his dream of featuring in the NFL, and then tried his hand at mixed martial arts. While he wasn’t too successful in football, he won the UFC Heavyweight Championship while competing in the octagon.
On the other hand, Ronda Rousey walked into WWE with several medals, awards, and championships under her belt thanks to her vast experience in karate and mixed martial arts.
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Similarly, several WWE Superstars have won major awards for their work outside the squared circle.
In this article, we will look at 8 WWE Superstars who’ve won major titles and awards outside the wrestling industry.
#8 Former WWE Women's Champion Mickie James
Five-time WWE Women’s Champion Mickie James will go down in history as one of the best female Superstars of all time. James defied all odds to claim her place at the top of the women’s roster for a substantial amount of time, and she is still part of the WWE roster.
While James has made a big name for herself in the wrestling ring, it isn’t the only place where she’s left a mark. The WWE Superstar is also a singer who released her first country album titled Strangers & Angels in 2010. She followed up her first album with Somebody's Gonna Pay in 2013.
That’s not all as James won the 2017 Native American Music Awards for her single “Shooting Blanks.”
WWE issued the following press release after her win on their official website:
“To say Mickie James had a memorable night at the 2017 Native American Music Awards would be an understatement. On top of being honored as the newest member of the NAMA Hall of Fame and performing at the event, James also won the event's award for Song/Single of the Year for her track "Shooting Blanks."
James was also inducted into the NAMA Hall of Fame on the same night, making it an even sweeter victory for the Superstar.
#7 Ex-WWE Tag Team Champion Titus O’Neil
Titus O’Neil has been a prominent figure in WWE for many years now. O’Neil has not only given back to WWE on several occasions, but his work outside WWE has also not gone unnoticed. O’Neil’s charitable work outside WWE has brought him a lot of fame, and WWE has continued to use the Superstar for various charitable causes.
In 2015, O’Neil was acknowledged as the Dad of the Year by Every Thing For Dads, an organization that acknowledges the great work dads do that often goes unnoticed.
“The second annual MEGA Dad Awards 2015 are being presented by Every Thing For Dads to honor the amazing work we see dads carry out that often goes unacknowledged. These awards are given to dads who are determined to change the landscape of fatherhood for the better and for the good of all. O’Neil was up against actors Stephen Amell, Ashton Kutcher, and Vin Diesel, and soccer stars David Beckham and Kaká. Last year, O’Neil and his sons participated in WWE’s “Take Time to Be a Dad” public service announcements, and he is a regular fixture in WWE’s Community events, from Reading Celebrations to Be a STAR rallies.”
The Superstar has also won the City of Tampa Citizen of the Year Award.
#6 WWE Legend The Undertaker
The Undertaker has left a mark on the world of pro wrestling, unlike any other Superstar. Arguably the most influential wrestler of all-time, The Undertaker managed to achieve a lot during his thirty-year career in WWE.
Taker’s gimmicks were some of the finest in WWE, and fans will miss the uniqueness he brought to the company. The Deadman’s character was recognized in 2000 with an Eyegore Award in 2000. Joss Whedon, Gloria Stuart, Karen Black, and the cast of Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer were also honored during the event where Undertaker won the award.
Held annually at Universal Studios Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, the Eyegore Awards honors the achievement of individuals in the horror and sci-fi genre. According to IMDb:
“The event aims at honoring excellence and achievement in the horror and sci-fi genre and coincides with the opening night of the annual special event at the theme park Halloween Horror Nights in October.”
Fans have watched 'Taker win several championships and awards for his work in WWE, while he also won awards for his work outside the company.
#5 16-time WWE World Champion John Cena
John Cena has been one of WWE’s most iconic Superstars in the history of the company. He has managed to spread the company’s name unlike any other Superstar, and has remained one of WWE’s best merchandise movers. His influence helped him give back to the community, and Cena has granted hundreds of wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
In fact, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has awarded him with a Special Recognition Award for being the first person to grant 300 wishes. He has also won the 20th annual Chris Greicius Celebrity Awards from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. To date, the WWE Superstar has granted over 650 wishes and continues to take time out for community service.
That’s not all, as Cena has now transitioned into a major Hollywood star after his success in WWE.
In 2017, Cena won the CinemaCon ‘Action Star of the Year’ Award. This was the first time Cena won an award for his acting skills. Cena is currently busy with some movie projects and has hosted a few television shows which could lead to more awards for the Superstar.
#4 WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns is one of the top guys in WWE today, and fans have seen him transform his character smoothly to earn respect from the pro wrestling industry.
Reigns’ popularity in WWE, and the wrestling industry as a whole, has helped him land several small acting roles and other projects outside the company. However, it’s his past in football that’s been one of the most noticeable things about the Superstar’s history.
In 2016, Reigns earned the first-team all-ACC honors with 40 tackles, two recovered fumbles, and 4.5 sacks. He also captained his team Georgia Tech, to win the ACC Championship.
His Georgia Tech profile reads as follows:
“Earned first-team all-ACC honors . . . Helped the Jackets hold eight opponents to one offensive touchdown or less this season, including Georgia, Wake Forest, Maryland, Miami, NC State, North Carolina and Virginia . . . Key performer on a Tech defense that ranked 9th in the nation in pass efficiency defense and 20th in rushing defense . . . Totalled 40 tackles with nine tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks on the season, along with two fumble recoveries and a pass breakup.”
Reigns is one of the biggest WWE Superstars and he has managed to make a name for himself all around the world. While Reigns had a respectable past in college football, it’s in pro wrestling where he’s leaving an unerasable mark.
#3 WWE Planet's Champion Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan did not have the physique to scare his opponents when he started off in WWE, but the Superstar’s in-ring skills have mesmerized fans for over a decade. The former WWE World Heavyweight Champion had to go through a lot to reach the top and is now arguably one of the biggest names in the pro wrestling industry.
Bryan has credited his lean physique and fitness to his eating habits and has followed a vegan diet. In 2012, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recognized Bryan for his choices and presented him with the peta2 Libby Award for Most Animal-Friendly Athlete.
Speaking to WWE.com, The Planet’s Champion had the following to say about his win:
“I can only hope the WWE Universe, or even a small percentage of them, can man up and realize that eating all these animals – all these farm-factory animals that are treated so poorly, pumped full of antibiotics – is not the way to a sustainable, healthy world, and that's not the way you get in great shape like the World Heavyweight Champion.”
Bryan has been known as The Planet’s Champion because he cares for the environment and has tried to educate the WWE Universe about making the right choices for their future.
#2 The newest WWE Superstar Pat McAfee
Pat McAfee is a big name in the world of American football, where he was once regarded as the greatest punter of all-time. McAfee has several achievements that made him a big name before he decided to enter WWE.
McAfee earned two Pro Bowls (2014, 2016) and an All-Pro in 2014. He spent eight seasons in the NFL and averaged an astounding 46.4 yards per punt. For his great achievements in pro-football, McAfee was awarded the Pro Football Focus (PFF) Punter of the Decade.
Earlier this year, McAfee was also awarded the Tony Bruno Award to kick off the 2020 Barrett Sports Media Summit. Tony Bruno was more than ecstatic to hand over the award to McAfee, stating:
“I don’t really know Pat all that well, we go back-and-forth on Twitter, but I’ve admired him since he was a player. He’s one of those guys that everyone went to after the game to get comments from. A lot of players don’t like to talk and I think Pat, as a punter especially, pretty much showed the world the punters are football players too. Pat has emerged, and you kind of knew right away, that his future after football was going to be in broadcasting. Now that we’ve seen him in broadcasting, we’re starting to see just how bright he’s going to be.”
After working backstage for WWE as a presenter, McAfee has finally decided to show what he can do in the wrestling ring earlier this year. McAfee has appeared on NXT where he has already competed in a one-on-one match against Adam Cole.
McAfee has also formed his own faction known as The Kings of NXT, who faced and lost to The Undisputed Era at WWE NXT TakeOver: WarGames.
#1 The brains behind WWE's The New Day, Xavier Woods
Xavier Woods is one of the most creative and entertaining Superstars in WWE today. Outside the ring, the WWE Superstar is known for his love for gaming, and his YouTube channel, UpUpDownDown.
The well-known videogame YouTube channel has hosted some of the biggest WWE Superstars, including Cesaro, Sheamus, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Becky Lynch, to name a few. Woods has also created a UpUpDownDown Championship.
Xavier Woods has described his channel in the following way:
“UpUpDownDown is your cheat code to the best gaming content around! Join lifelong video game aficionado Austin Creed (a.k.a. WWE Superstar Xavier Woods) as he explores the worlds of video gaming and nerdom on UpUpDownDown! Check out all of the excitement right here on the channel, featuring in-depth WWE Superstar interviews to awesome, edge-of-your-seat virtual battles over the prestigious UpUpDownDown Championship!”
Woods' channel has earned him a Guinness World Record for being the most subscribed celebrity videogames channel with 1,633,509 subscribers (as of 22 August 2018).
Currently, the channel is subscribed by more than 2.2 million users, making it the largest personal YouTube channel of any WWE Superstar. Earlier this year, UpUpDowDown also won the Content Creator of the Year Award at the 2020 Esports Awards.
