10 Wrestlers Who Flirted With Other Careers (And Then Came Back)
Those grapplers who tried out a different career, only to be drawn back to the wrestling ring.
Very few wrestlers get to spend their entire working life in and around the wrestling business. To have your first job be in professional wrestling, to continuously work in professional wrestling, and to have professional wrestling be the only job you've ever known, that is a true rarity in the professional wrestling industry.
Whether it's working a regular dayjob before their wrestling career, a background in professional or amateur sports, or even a non-wrestling venture once the boots are hung up for good, so many grapplers of yesteryear or of today have tried their hand at other careers. Like with any such switch, there are obviously those who have had major success away from the ring, and some others whose ventures were maybe not quite so fruitful.
For some wrestlers though, they've actually tried to crack a different profession, only to find themselves eventually sucked back into the wrestling world. And it's on those wrestlers that we're going to focus our attention on here.
With that in mind then, here are ten wrestlers who flirted with careers away from the squared circle, but who ultimately returned to in-ring action.
10. Brock Lesnar
Only a freak athlete such as Brock Lesnar could decide at the age of 27 that they wanted to give the NFL a crack and so nearly come close to making the cut.
Lesnar famously departed WWE at WrestleMania XX back in 2004. Having become disillusioned with life on the road, Brock simply up and quit the business. And with plenty of free time on his hands, this former NCAA Division I Champion decided to try his hand at pro football - even though he hadn't played the sport since his high school days!
Unfortunately for Lesnar, his football training was hit hard when a minivan smashed into his motorbike. Despite those injuries restricting what Brock could do, he still managed to land an initial deal with the Minnesota Vikings. However, it wouldn't be long before Lesnar was cut by the Vikings once the pre-season games were over with.
After eight years away, Brock Lesnar would finally return to WWE in 2012. But before that return, Lesnar had yet another itch to scratch - that being to compete in the world of MMA. Being the force of nature that he is, it came as no surprise to see Brock topple the legendary Randy Couture to become the UFC Heavyweight Champion during his time in the fight game.