10 WWE Superstars Who Were Homeless Before They Were Famous

Most successful WWE wrestlers have so much money they would never be able to count it. However, having a successful wrestling career is much harder than most people think!

10 WWE Superstars Who Were Homeless Before They Were Famous

Many wrestlers made substantial sacrifices for their craft, including homelessness. In fact, these 10 WWE wrestlers were homeless at one point in their life.

1. TJ Perkins

TJ Perkins enjoyed quite a bit of success from the very start. After succeeding in New Japan and CMLL, he made his way to the United States.

But this is where it went wrong for this wrestler’s career. After failing to pursue his WWE wrestler career, he ended up homeless. 

Perkins talked about his experience in great detail after winning the Cruiserweight Classic. 

“Before I knew it, I was struggling and I was homeless. My parents also went bankrupt back in Los Angeles, and they were relying on me.”

Things worked out for Perkins as he was eventually signed by the WWE. Unfortunately, he was released again from the company in 2019.

2. Rich Swann

Rich Swann’s story is one of the most tragic ones in this overview of homeless wrestlers. After all, the wrestler lost his parents at a very young age.

When he was 12, Rich Swann’s father was murdered. Only four year later, his mother died due to illness.

The heavy losses Swann suffered led to him turning to cocaine. Because of his addiction, he eventually turned homeless.

Swann turned his life around and eventually ended up in the WWE. However, he was released some years later because of a domestic battery charge.

3. Daniel Bryan

Fan favorite Daniel Bryan did not have the easiest time making it to the big leagues. In fact, he sacrificed a lot in life to get where he is today.

Daniel Bryan pursued his dream to become a professional wrestler and travelled the world. He sought up the best wrestling schools, including many in Japan, to seek the best possible training.

Becoming a wrestler was expensive though, and it eventually led Daniel Bryan to be homeless. To get by, he slept in his car or at the wrestling school.

Fortunately, Daniel Bryan went on to become one of the biggest wrestlers in the world. He is living proof that hard work pays off.

4. AJ Lee

AJ Lee’s struggles are widely documented. Over the course of her life, she dealt with poverty, homelessness, but also bipolar disorder.

Before she was a famous wrestler, AJ Lee grew up in a poor family. As a result, she struggled financially from a very young age, eventually becoming homeless.

Of course, her life was not made any easier when she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Fortunately, AJ Lee made the best of it.

After her wrestling career, AJ Lee wrote a book about her life. She also discussed her bipolar disorder in great detail.

AJ Lee wrote how bipolar disorder actually gave her gifts. It is certainly a beautiful way to look at how mental illness does not have to ruin your life.

“That is the gift being bipolar gave me. It blessed me with a lofty imagination, an iron will, and an unbreakable belief in the impossible. I used my gift to take myself from being homeless to being an athlete and entertainer on international television. I became a woman with a mission.”

5. Chyna

Some wrestlers in this overview of homeless wrestlers will surprise you, mainly because they were so successful. One of the more tragic homeless wrestlers in this overview is none other than Chyna.

Chyna is one of the WWE superstars who were homeless before their career hit off. At one point, she shared an with another homeless man with only an air mattress on the floor.

Unfortunately, this story in our overview of superstars who were homeless does not end well. Chyna was found dead in her home at the age of 45.

6. Perry Saturn

And there are some bizarre stories in this overview of superstars who were homeless. One of the most bizarre is undoubtedly Perry Saturn’s story.

In 2004, Perry Saturn saved a woman from being raped. During his rescue, he suffered a shot in the neck and the shoulder.

This is when things turned dark for the wrestler. Shortly after the incident, he became addicted to meth and became homeless for two whole years.

In 2016, Saturn also revealed he suffered a traumatic brain injury. As a result, he filed a lawsuit against the WWE.

Unfortunately, the case was dismissed by district judge Vanessa Lynne Bryant two years later. It is believed that Saturn has recovered from his meth addiction, but still struggles physically.

7. Roddy Piper

Roddy Piper mentioned his abusive father in several interviews during his lifetime. He also revealed that he was out on the street when he was just a teenager. 

Legendary wrestler ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper died in 2015.

8. Mick Foley

Mick Foley has a reputation for being one of the most frugal wrestlers out there. And it seems his frugal quality actually has a reason behind it.

When Mick Foley started out in pro wrestling, he was homeless. It led him to sleep in his car and basically wear the same clothing for long periods of time.

The clothing Mick Foley wears today still is undoubtedly a nod to his humble beginnings. This is one of the few stories that actually has a happy ending.

9. The Rock

It is difficult to imagine that someone as successful as The Rock was once homeless. However, this was the case.

When he was fifteen, The Rock and his family could not pay their $180 a week rent on a tiny apartment. This led them to become homeless.

The Rock vowed to seek success and he did. However, it did not come easily.

10. John Cena

Even a millionaire like John Cena struggled and was homeless. During the early days in his career, he could not make ends meet.

Fortunately, his “hustle, loyalty and respect” led him to the heights of the wrestling industry. Now, John Cena is building a successful Hollywood career.

In short, John Cena is living proof that hard work does pay off.