8 Wrestlers You Didn't Know Were Related
Move over, Jason Jordan.
Wrestling is family entertainment (apparently), and it's a family business. The industry is replete with famous households which have farmed in-ring livestock for generations. The names just roll off the tongue.
There's the Hart family, with such noted luminaries as Stu, Bret, Owen, Davey Boy Smith, Tyson Kidd, and, er, Teddy. Then there's the pervasive Anoa'i clan, whose tortuous tendrils seemingly extend to include just about everybody in wrestling. And what about the Heenan family? It's absolutely massive, and for some reason every member is a veritable rotter. Suppose these things run in the, well, in the family.
Siblings? Those are ten a penny. Twins? Statistically improbable, but there seems to be even more of them (because one Bella just isn't enough). And WWE are never shy about informing us if someone is a second, or even third generation wrestler. Heck, it's only a matter of time before we have a fourth generation wrestler (at 6'7" and 300lbs, Cedric Rougeau must have tempted Vince McMahon at some point. Obviously couldn't find a Mountie costume big enough.)
What about those guys and gals you didn't know were related though? In an industry always eager to give a performer a boost any way it can, it's rare for any significant familial connection to not be entirely and endlessly capitalised on. But for every Roman Reigns, there's a Michael McGillicutty, whose heritage remains hidden (in his case, until the company realised it was bloody stupid).
Here's eight sets of grapplers you didn't realise shared family ties. Warning: some are positively tenuous.
8. Hulk Hogan & Mike Awesome
Everybody knows Hulk Hogan and Horace Hogan are related. Clue's in the name, innit. But did you know that by extension Hulk is also related to Horace's cousin, Mike Awesome?
Hogan walked out of WCW following the infamous Vince Russo shoot-promo at Bash at the Beach 2000, and pretty soon after Awesome was saddled with a series of dreadful gimmicks. Horace Hogan also departed the company immediately after the incident; it's unlikely the two scenarios are coincidental.
There was a time when association with the Hulkster virtually guaranteed a seat dining at the top table - just ask Ed Leslie - but poor Mike was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Soon after Hogan's flounce, Awesome became enamored with overweight women, before adopting that '70s gimmick. The results were not good.
Still, at least he wasn't The Booty Man or Zodiac. Seems the Hulkamania rub just isn't worth it.