Ask most wrestling fans who the biggest crossover star in pro wrestling is, and it's like they'll answer with either The Rock, or the man's real name, Dwayne Johnson. So successful has Johnson been, that he's slowly but surely becoming better known for his acting career than his wrestling one - that WWF stuff is just something the guy used to do to a lot of people, which is almost frightening to think. Others have tried to fully crossover into mainstream media, but guys like Hulk Hogan have always come back to their bread and butter, wrestling. For Johnson, a WWE return in 2011 was never necessary - the man doesn't really need the promotion's rub anymore, and certainly not the money. Instead, it was the love of it which brought The Rock back into the mix, but having had a substantial run on top once more, it's unlikely fans will see Johnson for a good while. People can believe that Dwayne Johnson used to be a full time wrestler, but what other famous people often surprise those outside the grip of the grappling bubble when it's made clear that they too once made a living from either amateur or professional wrestling?
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
