10 Secret Pasts Of WWE Wrestlers

7. Big E

Players from Iowa State probably didn't look over to see Big E gyrating his hips or playing air guitar during tense Cy-Hawk Trophy games against the Hawkeyes. E wasn't quite part of WWE's New Day group or a larger-than-life cartoon character back when he played college football.

Back then, he was a defensive lineman who was there to bulldoze opponents, not offer them pancakes. Again, this is something WWE's commentators skim over and barely mention at all; if Jim Ross was still the promotion's lead play-by-play man, he'd surely make a big deal out of E's real-sports background.

Boomer sooner!

Post-college, E decided to leave football behind in favour of powerlifting. That's something WWE obviously felt more comfortable talking about. His original gimmick pre-New Day was a weightlifting champ who chalked his hands before matches.