8 Wrestling Megastars That Started As Backyarders

2. Liv Morgan

Liv Morgan Daniel Bryan
WWE

Liv Morgan hasn't yet made significant in-roads on the main roster since her December 2017 call-up, not least because several of her fellow NXT graduates had substantially longer to hone their craft, and one in particular had already perfected a 'Princess Of Staten Island' gimmick before she could establish herself as New York doll.

There are flashes of improvement thanks to the practice she gets working against the league's elite every week on Monday Night Raw, but she's had specific weapons at her disposal for longer that her four years in the industry suggest.

She discussed a surprising backyard past-life in an interview with WWE.com in 2016; “We dug four poles into the ground and put lawn chairs in front of them for buckles. We tied three pieces of industrial rope around the corners, and the only mat we had was a stacked-up pile of lawn chair cushions. When we finished, we thought it was the most awesome thing ever, and my house instantly became the after-school spot for all of my brothers’ friends. I would literally take Pedigrees and powerbombs like it was my job. I always pretended to be Lita. All the Divas were so glamorous and girly, and I was such a tomboy and didn't have nice clothes. When I saw Lita come out in baggy pants and sneakers, wrestling the boys, I thought she was the coolest thing ever. I related to her and thought she could be my friend.”

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett