5 pairs of WWE Superstars you may not know were traveling buddies
Several WWE Superstars have developed close friendships while working together. Some of these wrestlers, including Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville, Angelo Dawkins & Sami Zayn, and Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa, became roommates. Others became traveling partners.
While fans probably know some of these duos, they may not know about a few others. Here are five pairs of WWE Superstars you may not know were traveling buddies.
#5. Wade Barrett and The Great Khali
Both The Great Khali and Wade Barrett joined WWE in 2006. Apart from working together, the two superstars were once traveling buddies.
In an interview with WWE Inbox, Barrett chose Khali as his least favorite travel buddy.
"My least favorite person to travel with was The Great Khali. Too big. I had no room in the car, especially if I had to sit behind him. And I couldn't understand a single word he said," Barrett said. (0:19 - 0:44)
Barrett is currently a color commentator on SmackDown. Meanwhile, Khali left the company in 2017. He has since made several sporadic appearances. In 2021, the former World Heavyweight Champion entered the WWE Hall of Fame.
#4. WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle and Randy Orton
Between 1998 and 2006, Kurt Angle traveled with a few superstars, including Brock Lesnar, The Big Show, Shelton Benjamin, and Charlie Haas. The Olympic Gold Medalist and Randy Orton were also once traveling buddies during The Viper's early days in the company.
Speaking on her Wives of Wrestling podcast, Orton's wife Kim revealed that WWE banned the two superstars from traveling together after The Viper kept turning up late to events.
"I think it was after that time they told Randy he wasn't allowed to drive with Kurt because he kept being late. So like, he was nervous, he was new, and he had to be on time.... He was like, 'Oh, you know, I was driving with Kurt.' He thought he had kind of like the pass because he was with Kurt. They were like, 'No, no, no, he [Kurt] has the pass; you have to be here on time.' So, they were like 'maybe; you don't drive with him anymore,'" she said. (H/T: GiveMeSport)
While Angle retired from in-ring competition in 2019, Orton is still on the Monday Night RAW roster. He's currently out of action due to injury.
#3. Terri Runnels and The Big Boss Man
At Terri Runnels’ second marriage, her good friend and frequent traveling partner, The Big Boss Man walked her down the aisle. https://t.co/TJEE131jQZ
While working together in WCW and later in WWE, Terri Runnels and The Big Boss Man became close friends and also traveling partners.
In an interview with WWE, Runnels disclosed how her relationship with Boss Man developed as they went on the road together.
"Knowing him that long and being on the road for hours and hours and hours... he became my father, my brother, my best friend. We talked about our children. (...) I was very fortunate that his wife understood our relationship. A lot of wives would not allow their husbands to have a single, blonde female riding with them. That wouldn't fly. Angie knew our relationship and respected it. She would say to me, 'Terri, I know that when he's on the road with you, he's safe, he's good, and I don't worry about him,'" she said.
The 56-year-old also explained what Big Boss Man was like on the road, revealing that they had a routine.
"We always liked to drive the next day into towns. Some people liked to drive that night and wake up in the town you're going to do TV in, go to the gym and all that. We always liked to stay over. We'd go to our hotel, he'd tell me what he wanted from room service and go call Angie. I'd order room service and get in my PJ's. We'd watch a pay-per-view movie or TV together and eat room service. He always kissed me on the top of the head and say, 'Good night, sissy.' He gave me away at my wedding in lieu of my father," she added.
In 2003, the Stamford-based company released Big Boss Man from his contract. A year later, Runnels was also let go. While Runnels stepped away from professional wrestling, Boss Man competed for a few months in Japan. However, he sadly passed away in September 2004, aged 41.
#2. WWE Hall of Famers Billy Gunn and Stone Cold Steve Austin
Over the years, Stone Cold Steve Austin has traveled with several superstars, including Kevin Nash, Diamond Dallas Page, and Mick Foley. The Texas Rattlesnake also traveled with WWE Hall of Famer Billy Gunn.
During an appearance on The Steve Austin Show, Gunn recalled what Austin was like as a traveling buddy.
"You were kind of a pain in the ass. (...) Like, having to get you water and stuff, that thing, and if I'd touch your water, you'd lose your mind! That's one thing about you I can remember, is that when we had our water in the car, if I even moved it or touched it, [imitating Austin], 'you didn't put your lips on this, did you?'" Gunn said. (H/T: WrestlingInc.)
Despite this, Austin complimented Gunn's driving skills, stating that he was a safe and excellent driver.
"One thing I used to enjoy about traveling with you, you [were] a good wheelman because I would not let all of my travel partners drive a vehicle. Now, you were a safe driver, an excellent driver," Austin said. (H/T: WrestlingInc.)
While Austin is currently retired from in-ring action, Gunn is still an active competitor in AEW. He recently lost to Swerve Strickland on Dynamite.
#1. Cody Rhodes and Bryan Danielson
After a short run in WWE between 2000 and 2001, Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan) competed for a few years on the independent circuit before returning to WWE in 2009. His second run ended a year later when the company fired him again.
A few months after his second release, Danielson returned to the Stamford-based company. During his third run, he traveled on the road with Cody Rhodes. In an interview on the My Mom's Basement podcast, The American Nightmare spoke about riding with Danielson.
"We rode together pre and just entering the Yes Movement. Pre-Yes Movement I'd say had been a little bit of a darker, more melancholy time. Things weren't going exactly great, and it was interesting that the man, the human being, has never really changed – just an honest to a fault, no pun intended to MJF, but a genuine salt of the earth. You hear very little negative ever about Bryan Danielson," Rodes said. (H/T: 411Mania)
While Danielson left WWE to join AEW last year, Rhodes departed Tony Khan's promotion earlier this year to return to WWE. The American Nightmare is currently out of action due to injury.