A powerhouse in the wrestling world, WWE has evolved dramatically since its inception in 1987. It now hosts more than 450 live events a year and is available across 28 languages to 900 million homes globally. Additionally, they have increased their annual pay titles from four to at least one—a testament to their success as an organization. Moreover, many fans and analysts alike see that today’s women’s division is outshining the men’s and vying for top spot on the international stage!
Superstars in the WWE come from many different nations. The chance to represent the WWE in the squared circle has been given to wrestlers from Japan, England, Ireland, and many other nations. But more superstars than most have come from the United States. Massachusetts, though, has a rich history and has produced some incredible talent for the WWE.
Which Professional Wrestlers have ties with Massachusetts?
Although the main focus of this article is WWE, we cannot discount some greatly influential and renowned athletes from Massachusetts: Mike Bennett – former X-Division Champion from Carver; TK O’Ryan & Vincent Marseglia – current Six man Tag Team Champions representing Ring of Honor in Worcester; Damien Sandow – a former WWE Superstar also hailing from Worcester. Last but not least are Eve Torres who was born in Boston but never given that billing despite being a Divas champion and current ambassador for WWE.
With a plethora of accomplishments, it is sure to be captivating to discover who will remain renowned as the most noteworthy star from this gorgeous state. Who could take the gold medal among all wrestlers? It’s time we find out!
Kofi Kingston
Kingston’s family moved to the greater Boston region after he was born in Ghana as Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah, and Boston College is where he received his education. As a member of the New Day tag team faction and one-third, Kingston rose to extreme fame. One of the most successful teams in WWE history is The New Day.
Sasha Banks
Sasha Banks, better known by her ring name The Boss, was originally born in Fairfield, California; however, she migrated to Boston, Massachusetts, at a young age, where she began her career in professional wrestling. She has held the titles of Raw Women’s Champion three times and former NXT Women’s Champion once. She is Snoop Dogg’s cousin, the famous rap artist who performed during her entrance at WrestleMania 31.
It took Sasha a long time to establish herself after she joined NXT in 2012. The iconic battles began to appear once she introduced her new persona as The Boss. Even though she already won the NXT Championship, Bayley prevented her from defending it.
John Cena
Undoubtedly, John Cena is the most renowned athlete to hail from Massachusetts. This legendary wrestler has achieved success that rivals no other in history. When he first made an appearance on SmackDown fifteen years ago, little did we know of his upcoming accomplishments; since then, he has won a total 16 world championships – matching Ric Flair’s record! His notorious battle with Kurt Angle was pivotal as it marked the start of “The Ruthless Aggression Era” and also served as proof of what an outstanding match looked like.
From there, Cena shifted into his notorious “Doctor of Thuganomics” persona. His relatability and uncensored entry raps made him an immediate success amongst fans. He quickly became a phenomenon for everyone.
He is arguably the biggest name to have ever come out of the WWE in modern times, with the former wrestler following in the footsteps of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Cena has also headed to Hollywood and become a star. Nonetheless, he is always a favorite when he returns to the ring, too.
Indeed, with sports betting becoming legal in the home state of these superstars, there will be many who may look to utilize reputable Massachusetts Sportsbooks once live in the upcoming months, in order to place their wagers on their favorite wrestlers from the state. While he may only make sporadic appearances, there is no doubt that he will always be considered a top favorite for many.
Tommaso Ciampa
Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, Tommaso Ciampa was a member of the tag team #DIY alongside Johnny Gargano. With his remarkable performance in WWE’s developmental brand, he became the NXT Tag-Team Champion. Unbeknownst to some people perhaps; Tommaso Ciampa has had previous experience with the WWE before – when he served as one of Muhammad Hassan’s lawyers on SmackDown back in 2005! Briefly working for development and then being let go sparked him to establish himself independently instead – look how far it got him!
Carmella
Hailing from Worcester, Carmella – who is married to fellow WWE employee Corey Graves – has become a star through her employment with WWE and SmackDown. She is part of an elite group of women who capitalize on any opportunity to cause trouble. Before transitioning into the world of professional wrestling, she used to be a diehard LA Lakers fan! Some argue that it was thanks to being in partnership with the beloved Enzo & Cass duo that allowed Carmella’s career to take off like wildfire – even though her persona tends towards portraying villains more often than not. Together they absolutely dominated this developing field, quickly gaining immense fame as result!
Matt Bloom
Matt Bloom has had a distinguished career all across the world, despite not being a true celebrity right now. Currently serving as the WWE Performance Center’s chief trainer, he is in charge of developing the organization’s future superstars. It’s intriguing that he has a degree in sign language and was born in Peabody, Massachusetts. Prior to breaking into professional wrestling, he toyed with the idea of playing offensive tackle in the NFL and also held a position as a teacher. Prince Albert is a fictional character created during the Attitude Era.
“professional” wrestling in Boston this weekend was absolutely glorious. pic.twitter.com/fcMA42miqh
— Adam Rossi (@rossiadam) April 25, 2022
Boston clearly has wrestling talent
Clearly, with wrestling in its DNA given the quality of the stars such as Tommaso Ciampa to John Cena, it is clear that the list of talent is endless. It’s clear that Boston has been a hotbed for professional wrestling over the years, and there are many more stars to come out of this city in the future!
