When living legend Rey Mysterio recently announced none other than a very enthusiastic Travis Scott as his future tag team partner at a joint appearance, this is far from being the first time professional wrestling has tapped in mainstream entertainment figures for a proverbial – or even literal – tag team:
From Post Malone wearing a Stone Cold Steven Austin vest among countless celebrity appeances in the ring, all the way to professed big time wrestling fans like Wale or Westside Gunn who even started their own leagues and fan events, respectively – the love for wrestling in pop culture is ubiquitous, and vice versa. Here are five more exceptional wrestling crossover moments:
Bunnies Can Fly
Acting, adidas collabs, advocating for social issues, and much more: Bad Bunny loves himself a good side quest. As a lifelong wrestling fan, it seemed only logical for Benito to step into the ring – but the level of his dedication and athleticism still surprised many.
His performances alongside Rey Mysterio and other big-timers earned him widespread acclaim. Not only in contrast to the occasional money grabs that celebrity cameos often appear to be – but as one of the most successful celebrity crossovers in WWE history overall. With one of the most impressive crowd reactions too: Just check the 2:16 minute timestamp of his match against Damien Priest in Puerto Rico if you fancy some goosebumps.
Bash at the Beach
Suppose your team just finished the NBA Finals: How about a main event wrestling match for recovery? That’s exactly what Karl Malone spoiled himself with only one month after his Utah Jazz lost to the Chicago Bulls in the 1998 Finals: He teamed up with Diamond Dallas Page to face (Hollywood) Hulk Hogan and – long time, no see – Dennis Rodman, his on-field foe, at the 1998 WCW Bash at the Beach.
Rodzilla – who already helped drive up ratings as part of Hogan’s nWo wrestling stable before – and The Mailman both delivered and the latter fulfilled a lifelong childhood dream. The match became one of the highest-selling Pay per View events ever by WCW, and seeing Malone sending the referee to the mat with a Diamond Cutter is still a sight to remember.
Kittle Me This, Kittle Me That
Often hailed as the modern day gladiators, several NFL players have also professed a profound love of wrestling – none bigger than 49ers Tight End (and co-founder of TEU) George Kittle. While his current professional football contract might hold him back from an appearance inside the ring for the time being (much to George’s chagrin, as he has expressed in the new Netflix series Receiver), it did not prevent him from at least making a rind-side appearance and help out his pal, fellow (former) NFL athelte, and media mogul Pat McAfee.
The Greatest
Muhammad Ali was the king of the ring in two worlds, which earned him a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame this year: He first crossed paths with the WWE in 1976, when he confronted Gorilla Monsoon in a match with Baron Mikel Scicluna. He starred as a guest referee at the first-ever WrestleMania in 1985, beat ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper, and helped Hulk Hogan and Mr. T (!) to secure a victory. And he presented Hogan with the Championship belt in 1994. The importance of these cameos can’t be understated:
“Muhammad Ali validated the mere presence of WrestleMania: Think about what Muhammad Ali meant to that ring. Meant to that venue [Madison Square Garden]. To the world! This is top-shelf stuff.”
Brandon Tierney, WFAN New York
“It Doesn’t Matter!”
Long before The Rock transformed from a WWE superstar into an international icon, and already one year prior to the wrestler’s theatrical debut in The Mummy Returns, Wyclef Jean delivered the first major mainstream crossover of The Rock:
Rappers had referenced wrestling in their lyrics before, but Clef took it to another level and built the whole song around The Rock’s iconic “It Doesn’t Matter” catchphrase. The accompanying music video alongside The Samoan Sensation ruled MTV back when, pun intended, it mattered big time.
