WWE has a long history of signing athletes from other sports.

Cynics say that it's often driven by a lust for some coverage in the national press, but it also makes sense as a way to recruit talent. Sportsmen and women, apart from being in great physical nick, have a natural appreciation of the pressures of live performance and the sacrifices associated with a life on the road.

The notion of professional wrestling as a safety net for failed football stars doesn't sit well with everyone, though. There's something less romantic about the story of a twenty-something deciding to give WWE a try for the hell of it than there is the one about a childhood fan who spent their summer holidays doing trampoline suplexes eventually making it big.

But in reality, only a selection of us are blessed with the requisite physical attributes (and the dedication that goes with it) to reach the very top. Whether we like it or not, athletes-turned-wrestlers are here to stay, and there is plenty of proof that they can thrive in their second careers.