It is safe to say that many wrestling fans also watch other sports, so why not incorporate both worlds together? From a booking stand point, it is pretty easy. Just claim that they were a star athlete in another sport (whether or not that is true doesn't really matter) and you immediately have a simple backstory that fans can accept. It is much easier to get the fact that a sports star wants to branch out into other fields, than it is for a person who comes from "Parts Unknown" and doesn't speak. "Hey! That is so and so, from ," has been uttered many times by announcers during a wrestlers debut to try and establish a wrestler immediately in the eyes of the fans. Does this work all of the time? No, but sometimes they can leave enough of an impact that they are not forgotten after time. Face or Heel, it doesn't matter. You could have been a great American hero, or a vilified brute who was disowned from their respective sport. What they all have in common though is that they made their impact in a different realm, and now are lacing up their boots to step into the squared circle. Some wrestlers have had great success with these gimmicks, but also, many have been cut from the roster.
Brandon Tischer is an avid wrestling fan who has been watching since he was a kid. He, along with his friends, have made a pact to never miss a Wrestlemania together.
