5 Greatest WWE Superstars who used their real names
Being a WWE Superstar is extremely difficult. From traveling to putting their bodies on the line, it has to be considered one of the toughest jobs out there.
On top of everything else, the WWE roster often takes on changes to their persona and their names. There are some independent wrestling stars who sign with the company under one alias and it gets changed upon their debut.
It is pretty rare that WWE allows someone to keep their real name, but it gives the performer the opportunity to continue building their brand after their careers are done.
In the early days, Bob Backlund became the face of the promotion and was a two-time WWE Champion. All of that was accomplished under his real name.
27 years ago today, Bob Backlund defeated Bret Hart to become WWF Champion https://t.co/jaidG4xbMb
Using your birth name at any level of professional wrestling helps to keep your identity close to the vest and make things under your terms. Various stars have been able to rise to superstardom without making that change.
In this article, let's take a look at the five greatest WWE Superstars who used their real names.
#5 Former Four-Time WWE Champion Kurt Angle
“Team Angle”. 6 months was way too short for this faction. #itstrue #TeamAngle @CharlieHaas @Sheltyb803 https://t.co/n2m9p29Sbf
Kurt Angle debuted for WWE at Survivor Series 1999 as a world-renowned Olympic Gold Medalist. It wouldn't make too much sense for the company to change his alias for his debut. Angle was one of the most decorated athletes to ever grace the squared circle in the promotion.
Angle had one of the most remarkable rookie years in WWE history. He went on to hold the Intercontinental and European Championships at the same time. He won the King of the Ring tournament and finished up his first 12 months by defeating The Rock at No Mercy 2000 to win the WWE Championship.
After such a spectacular maiden voyage in WWE, it wouldn't be surprising if the rest of his career came up a little short. However, Kurt Angle went on to achieve even more accolades, winning five more world championships and being a top star for the promotion during his entire run.
Angle also continued his wrestling career following his departure from WWE. The Olympic Gold Medalist won every title available to him in TNA, now known as IMPACT Wrestling. Following a successful near-ten year run with the company, Kurt Angle returned to Vince McMahon's promotion and was inducted into the 2017 Hall of Fame class.