5 backyard wrestlers who became WWE Champions
Let's face it, backyard wrestling isn't everyone's cup of tea. Wikipedia refers to it as "an underground hobby and sport involving untrained practices of professional-style wrestling, typically in a low budget environment".
It is infamous for being home to extremely violent wrestling matches, that usually include lightbulbs, chairs, mechanical tools, or even fire on some occasions. Backyard wrestling was at its peak during 1996-2001, primarily because of top wrestling companies like WWE and ECW embracing high-risk stunts and violent matches.
In the late '80s and early '90s, backyard wrestling grew more violent than ever before, forcing WWE to air adverts that stressed the dangers of this style of wrestling. After ECW folded, several lower-tier promotions kept the legacy of backyard wrestling alive. The matches are usually filmed with camcorders and the action takes place in an open environment, namely parks, parking lots, fields, or sometimes, even warehouses.
Although large corporations like WWE don't associate themselves with backyard wrestling, it's interesting to note that several top WWE Superstars were once backyard wrestlers. Let's take a look at 5 WWE Champions who were once engaged in backyard wrestling.
Also read: 5 times the fans provoked WWE Superstars
#5 Mick Foley
One look at Foley was enough for one to notice that he wasn't your traditional wrestler. He didn't have a chiselled body and the typical look that a main eventer was expected to possess. Yet, he somehow managed to rise up the ranks in WCW, and then in WWE, finally becoming WWE Champion on an episode of Monday Night Raw.
Foley's backyard wrestling background was a major factor in him achieving stardom. He knew that he needed to offer something unique and different if he wanted to hang with the big guns. He had captured himself leaping from his home's rooftop in the early '80s, which was later used by WWE to add a crucial layer to the Mankind persona.