10 Times Wrestlers Bet On Themselves (... And WON!)

Practically half the WWE roster was forced to bet on themselves in 2020, budget cuts galore depleting the Raw, SmackDown, and NXT rosters during a period where, naturally, WWE recorded record profits. Many enjoyed fruitful independent runs, and stints in AEW and IMPACT.

FTR was a bit different. They requested and were given their release a mere five days before the infamous Black Wednesday dawned upon the wrestling world.

Sick of the WWE lifestyle, of the lack of opportunities, and of the treatment given to WWE's doubles division, the rechristened Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler got out, were suitably snapped up by AEW a few weeks later, and the duo went on a tag team run not seen since the Young Bucks first became hot on the indies. Flanked by Tully Blanchard - a fitting move, given FTR's probable willingness to literally die for Blanchard and Arn Anderson - they quickly racked up a series of tag team titles in AEW, ROH, AAA, and NJPW, establishing themselves as the benchmark for tag team wrestling ahead of a likely WWE comeback.

They gambled their careers during a global pandemic without the promise of new, immediate work. It was the biggest gamble you could take under the circumstances.