WWE Stars: Where Are They Now

Script written by George Pacheco

WWE Stars: Where Are They Now?

Evolution is a mystery. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're taking a look at the superstars of the WWE, specifically the long and winding road from their early careers to what they're doing today.

Since a lot of the biggest names in wrestling are still very much in the public eye, just look at the Rock, we’re instead focusing on wrestlers who have the most interesting stories about their post-wrestling career.
For the record, we're not passing judgment upon any of these professionals, but rather comparing where life has taken these kings and queens of the squared circle.

#10: Jimmy Wang Yang

You could be forgiven for not remembering Jimmy Wang Yang's tenure with the WWE, coming onto the scene as the Attitude Era transitioned into the millennial Ruthless Aggression period. Nevertheless, this journeyman wrestler performed in the company's cruiserweight division, appearing mostly on such third tier programs as "Sunday Night Heat" and "Velocity." If you're a Cincinnati native, however, then you might be more aware of Yang's local pest control business, or the line of "party bus" ventures throughout the local area. It may not be glamour and bright lights, but there's something to be said about making an honest living.

#9: The Great Khali

The Great Khali possesses the distinction of having enjoyed interesting career paths both before and after his WWE heyday. Born Dalip Singh Rana, the man we know as Khali was a Punjab police officer prior to stepping into the squared circle, where he stunned audiences by dominating early matches with The Undertaker during the mid-2000s. Today, Khali only makes sporadic, brief appearances on WWE television, preferring instead to enjoy celebrity status in his native India. He also opened up a wrestling school and indie promotion by the name of Continental Wrestling Entertainment, and has even tried his hand at acting.

#8: Val Venis

Hello, ladies. Perhaps contrary to popular opinion, the in ring career of one Sean Morley didn't end after his gimmicks of Val Venis and The Right to Censor were put to rest in the WWE. Morley continued to work as a wrestler within such promotions as Mexico's CMLL, New Japan Pro Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action. Today, he's turned his attention towards another burgeoning market, namely that of legal cannabis distribution. Morley works in Arizona for a local dispensary, turning his personal interest and hobby into a new line of work.

#7: Nathan Jones

Nathan Jones may not have had the most impressive career with the WWE, but the odds are highly likely that you've seen this fearsome-looking Aussie on the big screen. Jones has enjoyed a fairly in-demand career as a silver screen heavy, winning small roles in big films, such as "Troy," "Mad Max: Fury Road" and the 2011 "Conan the Barbarian" reboot. This actually isn't all that surprising, given that Jones engaged in all sorts of physical activity and competition before utilizing his real life incarceration for armed robbery as a pro wrestling gimmick. From powerlifting and arm wrestling to MMA and the squared circle, Nathan Jones seems to have done just fine for himself.

#6: Vladimir Kozlov

Born Oleg Prudius in what was then the USSR, Vladimir Kozlov debuted in the WWE as a typically villainous "foreign heel," before eventually turning baby face in a comedy tag team with Santino Marella. Still, this doesn't take anything away from the intense training he received in several real life martial arts – training that perhaps made it a bit easier for him to transition into the world of cinema. Today, he runs his own production company, while also working as a stunt man and occasional actor, appearing in big budget hits like "John Wick 2" and "Fast & Furious 6."

#5: Mason Ryan

Professional wrestling is an art form, so what's to stop an aspiring former competitor from trying his hand at something a bit more..elegant? Mason Ryan did just that after his career with the WWE came to an end, joining the ranks of Cirque du Soleil in 2016 as a member of their Las Vegas show, "Kà." Ryan also appeared as a cast member on the British revival of "Gladiators," itself an update of the old school "American Gladiators" series, and was the star of a Welsh documentary focusing on his journey and wrestling career in the United States. Not bad for a small town boy made good, no?

#4: Diamond Dallas Page

Diamond Dallas Page seemed to work nearly every job in the business, from color commentator to manager, before finally debuting as a pro wrestler at the age of 35. This didn't stop DDP from becoming one of the industry's most popular and enduring superstars, earning championships and accolades in the WCW, TNA and the WWE. It's Page's post-wrestling career that's perhaps earned him the most good will, however, and it's all thanks to his personal brand of DDP Yoga. The lifestyle and exercise program has been credited with saving the lives of such wrestling legends as Scott Hall and Jake "The Snake" Roberts, and it's given Page a thriving career years after hanging up his boots from constant competition.

#3: Sunny

Tammy Lynn Sytch, known better as "Sunny," was one of the WWF's breakout female stars during a time when a Divas or Women's Revolution was still years away from being established. Sunny was an instant sex symbol and an early darling of the internet age, with America Online voting her as the "most downloaded celebrity" of 1996. Sytch would continue to work for such promotions as ECW, WCW and XPW, although personal issues with drug dependency and arrests for DUI, burglary and disorderly conduct would dog her work in the indies. Sytch would make headlines again in 2016, when she appeared in an adult film for Vivid Entertainment.

#2: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

You don't need to look very far to find "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. It isn't as if this defining face of the Attitude Era hasn't kept himself busy since retiring from in-ring competition, whether it be his work starring in action films or hosting his own podcasts. Steve Austin continues to work closely with the WWE, hosting an in depth interview show on their streaming service, while also hosting another series, titled "Straight Up Steve Austin," for the USA Network. At this point, the Texas Rattlesnake has a very effective, interesting and lucrative brand behind him, and he's made the most of it at nearly every turn.

#1: Kane

The career of the Big Red Machine Kane has certainly traveled down many different roads, but you'd be hard pressed to think that anyone could have guessed that this was where he would've ended up. You see, that's because the man behind Kane's mask, Glenn Jacobs, is now the real life mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, a position he assumed on September 1st, 2018. Because who said that The Devil's Favorite Demon doesn't have some really good ideas when it comes to public service? All kidding aside, we can't help but get a kick that this former wrestling icon and horror movie actor now gets to put all of that energy into local government. Hail to the Chief!