A common misguided belief that exists in the minds of fans of professional wrestling is that performers are often set for life in terms of financial requirements if they are able to make it to the WWE. While that may be true for the likes of John Cena and Brock Lesnar, it isn’t the case for everyone.
Several WWE Superstars need to choose an alternate career following the end of their pro-wrestling career in order to live a comfortable life. This is especially true for a lot of the undercard and mid-card talent who never hit the main events heights of the WWE.
In order to live a sustainable a lifestyle following their retirement from the squared circle, some of these former WWE personalities decide to become entrepreneurs. Sure, not all of them are successful, but there are some who have made it big through their own ventures.
These men and women have managed to surpass their WWE careers with their own business ventures and are highly successful outside the ring as well. So, without any further ado, here are 5 WWE employees who became entrepreneurs:
#5 Hulk Hogan
We start off with someone who was actually a bonafide legend during his time with the WWE – Hulk Hogan. Hogan – always a man with an eye for money – has engaged in a number of entrepreneurial pursuits following his retirement as a full-time professional wrestler.
He has had a number of pursuits in the food industry, having opened a number of restaurants including Pastamania in Minnesota, as well as Hogan’s Beach – a beachfront restaurant – in Tampa, Florida.
He has also dabbled with energy drinks, burgers, and a nutrition and dietary products. He has not enjoyed the greatest degree of success with all of them, but you can’t fault a man for trying to make something of himself following his wrestling career.
#4 Ted DiBiase Jr
Ted DiBiase Jr was expected to be a talent just as good, if not better, than his father – The Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase Sr. Unfortunately for Jr, things did not go as planned as he slid down the card following his run with Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes as part of The Legacy.
With his wrestling career coming to an end, and his family not being as rich as his dad’s Million Dollar Mam gimmick suggests, he decided to move back to Mississippi and become an entrepreneur.
He has been a fairly successful in his new life as a businessman, having cofounded Give Chat – a tech startup to help charities – as well as Dofflin Strategies, a company involved in strategic planning and development.
#3 Jim Ross
Jim Ross is perhaps the most famous commentator in the world of professional wrestling and is held in high regard by nearly everyone in the industry. There is no greater example of this than The Undertaker lobbying to have Good Ol Jr return and call his final match at Wrestlemania 33 against Roman Reigns.
Another passion of JR, along with wrestling is barbeques and barbeque sauce. It might seem surprising until you learn that Ross is actually from Oklahoma. After his first release from the company, he decided that barbeques could be his new source of income.
He created a line of beef products and barbeque sauces named after himself and has found a good deal of success with these products. Along with his own podcast – The Ross Report – JR has enjoyed the ability to live a life of financial comfort away from commentating.
#2 Trish Stratus
Trish Stratus is amongst the great women competitors to ever step foot into a WWE ring. She is the record holder for Women’s Championships in the company and her rivalry with Lita is considered one of the finest rivalries to grace the world of professional wrestling.
After her retirement, though, she has gone on to enjoy even more success in the world of Yoga. Returning to her hometown of Toronto, Canada, Stratus opened up a new Yoga Studio called Stratusphere Yoga, which has quickly become revered in the world of yoga.
She lives a comfortable life away from the ring and her yoga pursuits ensure that she is never struggling financially.
#1 Diamond Dallas Page
There could be no one else at number one on this list other than Diamond Dallas Page. Sure DDP was an over performer who always enjoyed great crowd support, but he was never a top tier performer inside the squared circle. But, it is a testament to his work with DDP Yoga that he even received a Hall of Fame induction at the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame.
DDP Yoga is not only highly successful financially, but has also helped a number of Superstars return from the brink of death by helping them battle their demons and addictions. Notable names on this list include WWE Hall of Famers Jake The Snake Roberts as well Scott Hall.
There is little doubt that DDP Yoga has been one of the greatest entrepreneurial exploits of our generation.
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