The recent retirement of Rob Gronkowski – plus the nonsensical success of Pat McAfee in the ring – means it feels all the more likely that we will again see Gronk in a WWE ring at some point. This will be great as Gronk is a natural entertainer and (as this shirt at Pro Wrestling is Real predicts) this will be the beginning of a run with Gronk once again teaming with Tom Brady, this time inside the squared circle.
This leads – because of how my mind works – to which professional athletes should try their hand at professional wrestling. Here are a few that should make the jump:
LeBron James
Call this a social experiment as much as anything else. I want to see what reactions LeBron receives in different markets all over the country.
He has so much history having played in Cleveland, Miami, and L.A., certainly not leaving those places in a way he would have wished. He also has plenty of haters in the basketball world based on his on-court attitude and lack of championships compared to MJ and the other greats at the very top of NBA history.
Would those fans boo him? Would they cheer him as an NBA superstar jumping to the world of wrestling?
I kind of have no idea and I would honestly love to find out.
Joe Marler
There are plenty of professional rugby players that would fit as wrestlers. I am going with Joe Marler because, well, just look at Joe Marler.
Surprisingly agile for his size, Marler is a battering ram of a human and is immensely strong. He is also loud, opinionated, and a whole bunch of other things that would give him a leg up when on the payroll of the WWE.
He really looks like he could have been the missing part of War Machine alongside Raymond Rowe and Hanson. Knowing WWE, however, he would be saddled with the gimmick of a dapper English gentleman complete with top hat and cane.
Somehow, that feels like it would still actually work.
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Lynch just feels like the type of athlete that Vince would have loved in a WWE ring. The fact that ‘Beast Mode’ hasn’t shown up at a WrestleMania is actually shocking. This is especially true after Lynch’s Seahawks were infamously beaten by Brady’s Patriots following a goal-line pick when they should just have given Lynch the ball.
Actually, a tag team throwdown featuring Gronk and Brady against Lynch and Russell Wilson would probably spark more interest than most of the WWE product right now…
Which professional athlete would you like to see in a WWE (or AEW) ring? Boxers are always a good choice, as are MMA fighters. How about going way outside the box with a Serena Williams or a Tiger Woods? The options are endless.
Always remember folks. Pro Wrestling is Real.
