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Wrestling is one of the most outlandish professions in the entertainment industry. With their physiques, costumes and larger than life characters, the cast of characters backstage at any one time could do anything in the world.
However, when a performer leaves the business, naturally the eccentric aesthetics diminish and stars often revert back to their former appearances. Whichever gimmick they played during their wrestling days, life outside the wrestling business doesn’t really necessitate the need for fancy costumes, masks and face paint.
Many wrestlers look a lot different when they transition into life after wrestling. Wrestlers look completely different after their wrestling days. Superstars become almost unrecognizable once they step out of the squared circle.
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We will talk about five of the wrestlers who have become like this.
#5. Mikey Whipwreck
Mikey Whipwreck was a huge part of the early days of ECW. Many of you might not know, Stone Cold got the inspiration of 'Stone Cold Stunner' from him, which he used to call Whippersnapper at that time.
Whipwreck became an underdog of the ECW roster. Whipwreck became the youngest ECW Champion in company's history at the age of just 22. The notoriety and success achieved in ECW even saw him have a brief run in WCW in 1999 but he returned to ECW before a year.
Whipwreck is a former ECW World Tag Team Champion with Yoshihiro Tajiri before ECW disbanded. He even appeared in TNA for a one-shot in 2004 and at both ECW reunion shows, Hardcore Homecoming and One Night Stand, in 2005.
However, now he looks completely unrecognizable. With a little extra weight and bald head, Whipwreck today doesn't even look like he used to 10 years ago.
Here's how Mikey Whipwreck looks now:
#4. Perry Saturn
Running roughshod over ECW as one half of The Eliminators and eventually making huge headlines when he jumped to the WWF, Saturn was seemingly a made man in the business by 2000. His impressive physique and excellent ability in the ring made him a stalwart of weekly TV, and he won multiple championships throughout his career.
His career came crashing down after he left the WWE in 2002. After a brief stint in TNA, along with a handful of tours with New Japan, he retired from professional wrestling. Since then, his life has turned around.
Perry Saturn looks drastically different now and is suffering from the effects of brain trauma, he still tries to maintain an upbeat attitude. This is how he looks now:
#3. Droz
One of the saddest wrestling tales of the last 20 years is that of Darren Drozdov. A former NFL nose tackle for the Denver Broncos, the man who would become Puke in the WWF was a genuine athlete prior to entering the wrestling business.
After a brief spell in ECW to hone his craft, Droz graduated to the big leagues and was given was introduced as the unofficial third member of the legendary Legion of Doom.
After achieving some success after a rivalry with Hawk, Droz's career was cut short as a result of a botched running powerbomb from D'Lo Brown on SmackDown in 1999, Droz landed on his head and suffered paralysis. Since then, Droz has been on a wheelchair and looks like this now:
#2. Vladimir Kozlov
Upon his introduction into WWE, Vladimir Kozlov was presented as a lumbering sambo expert with potential and strength. His physique matched the billing and his build was solid. However, his physique was far from the impressive physiques of The Rock, John Cena or Triple H. He was even considered the next big thing in WWE. However, he never became the one.
Fast forward a decade later and a whole lot has changed - including Kozlov's appearance. Incredibly, he looks better now than his wrestling days.
He has made a huge name for himself after departing wrestling industry. He has been a huge part of the movie industry with his real name Oleg Prudius. He was even featured with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in Fast and Furious 8. It looks like Vlamidir Kozlov has moved with time. This is how he looks now:
#1. Tank Abbott
Anyone who was watching WCW during 1999-2000 will likely remember the introduction of Tank Abbott. A former UFC fighter from the pre-Zuffa era of Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn, Abbott was an intimidating star from the no holds barred days and carried his reputation through to WCW.
He was eventually bought for a match against Goldberg considering both of them legit fighters. However, the feud between the two never capitalized. Vince Russo even pushed Abbott to hold the WCW Championship after Bret Hart vacated the title due to injury. That also never happened and the former-UFC fighter left WCW shortly thereafter.
Since retiring from wrestling - and hanging up the MMA gloves for good - Tank has changed up his look dramatically. Rather than looking like a cross between Steve Austin and Jim Neidhart like he used to look like, he now has a full beard and head full of hair. This is how he looks now:
