TV | Pop Culture | 80s | Celebrities
5 Wrestlers Who Took Their Commitment To Their Characters To The Extreme
Sometimes wrestlers take things a little too seriously. The personas that these wrestlers take on become such a big part of them that it's hard to tell where it ends and where their real personality begins. Sometimes, their commitment to the character can lead to a lot of trouble. Several wrestlers have had some pretty serious problems thanks to their persona, here are some of the most interesting stories
Bray Wyatt did jury duty in character
To help him get used to his character, Bray Wyatt decided to do jury duty while in character. He wore the whole costume, and acted like Wyatt would on stage. Apparently it was all because Dusty Rhodes suggested it, but it worked!
The Sandman turned himself into a shut-in after he was 'blinded'
As part of the match against Tommy Dreamer, The Sandman was blinded by a lit cigarette that was flicked into his eye. He then claimed that he would have to retire from wrestling, and become a recluse.
He would stay in his house almost all of the time, and when he did he would wrap his face in bandages. Eventually he returned to the ring, but it was a huge deal at the time.
These aren't even the most dramatic cases of intense commitment to the character...
Hulk Hogan got arrested
Everyone remembers Hulk Hogan. He was one of the biggest stars of the WWE in the 80s, but did you know he was once arrested because of his teammates' commitment to their characters?
Hulk Hogan got into trouble when he was traveling with a pair of wrestlers who were known as "The Wild Samoans". Their whole persona was that they didn't speak at all. The most you would get would be a few grunts. They were known for being a little intense, as they would often eat raw fish or rip dead chickens apart on stage.
The two men didn't like to break character at all. Hogan wrote in his biography that one night he was driving with them in the car when he was pulled over. The cop noticed a gun that had fallen out of his glove box, one that Hogan didn't have the proper license for at the time.
Hogan pleaded with his fellow wrestlers to help explain that it wasn't on purpose, but they refused to speak. They both spoke perfect English, but they were completely committed to the character even though speaking up could have got them out of trouble. Because they didn't say anything, they ended up getting arrested. They didn't say anything until they were eventually released.
Nikita Koloff legally changed his name
He was known as the "evil Russian" back in his day. He adopted the Russian persona to help him break into the business, but he was actually from Minneapolis. His real name was actually Nelson Scott Simpson.
He decided to actually learn Russian as he started to get more popular. Eventually, he took it one step further by legally changing his name to Nikita Koloff!
He maintained the Russian accent for a little while after he retired in 1992, but eventually he dropped it. He has however kept his name as Nikita Koloff.
El Santo REALLY Loved That Mask
After El Santo first came on the scene, he became popular very quickly. He decided that he would never again show his face in public. His luchador's mask became a staple in his wardrobe. Whether he was eating with family or travelling with the wrestling team.
He would even travel separately so that none of the wrestlers would be able to see his face whenever he took off his mask for customs.
His career lasted 42 years, and he only revealed his real face years later. He had a famous unmasking show in January 1984 that was televised. Sadly he passed away just one week after his unmasking, but his family put it back on for his burial.