List of celebrities involved with WrestleMania
WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the promotion World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), formerly known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and is considered the flagship event of the company.
The events feature wrestlers from the promotion's roster competing in a variety of professional wrestling matches (with predetermined outcomes, though portrayed as legitimate). The WrestleMania franchise debuted in 1985 with WrestleMania I,[1] and has been produced annually since then. WrestleMania 36 was the most recent production.
Aside from professional wrestling performances, celebrities have been a major key in the production of WrestleMania events. WWE involves them to attract more hype and media attention for the event, in an effort to boost pay-per-view buys, and ticket sales.[2][3] The celebrities involved with WrestleMania events have come from a range of occupations, including singing, acting, sports, and modeling, and have been used in a variety of roles, such as live musical performances, backstage segments, ringside managers, and on some occasions even as wrestlers.
Overall, there have been 99 celebrities involved at WrestleMania: 31 athletes, 29 musicians, 19 actors, and 20 from various other backgrounds. Nine of these celebrities would subsequently be inducted into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame.
Celebrities
- – indicates inducted into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame
Actors
Athletes
Celebrity | Profession | Appearance | Role | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|
Muhammad Ali | Professional boxer | WrestleMania I | Guest referee for the main event | |
Carl Banks | Linebacker for the New York Giants | WrestleMania XI | Manager of Lawrence Taylor in his match against Bam Bam Bigelow (Scott Bigelow) | |
WrestleMania 2 | Guest referee | |||
WrestleMania VII | Involved in a skit | |||
Jim Covert | Offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears | WrestleMania 2 | Wrestled in a Battle royal, an elimination style match in which the last person remaining is the winner, involving other NFL football players | |
Darryl Dawkins | Basketball player | WrestleMania 2 | Judge for the boxing match between Mr. T and Roddy Piper (Roderick Toombs) | |
Lou Duva | Professional boxing trainer | WrestleMania 2 | Manager of Roddy Piper in his boxing match against Mr. T | |
Eric Esch | Professional boxer | WrestleMania XV | Fought in an unscripted Brawl For All match, knocking out opponent Bart Gunn (Mike Polchlopek) | |
Bill Fralic | Offensive guard for the Atlanta Falcons | WrestleMania 2 | Wrestled in a Battle royal, an elimination style match in which the last person remaining is the winner, involving other NFL football players | |
Russ Francis | Tight end for the San Francisco 49ers | WrestleMania 2 | Wrestled in a Battle royal, an elimination style match in which the last person remaining is the winner, involving other NFL football players | |
Joe Frazier | Professional boxer | WrestleMania 2 | Manager of Mr. T in his boxing match against Roddy Piper | |
Rob Gronkowski | Tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers | WrestleMania 33 | Was in the crowd for the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal where he got into an argument with Jinder Mahal. Gronkowski then entered the ring and helped his friend Mojo Rawley to win the match and trophy. | |
Ernie Holmes | Defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers | WrestleMania 2 | Wrestled in a Battle royal, an elimination style match in which the last person remaining is the winner, involving other NFL football players | |
Rickey Jackson | Linebacker for the New Orleans Saints | WrestleMania XI | Manager of Lawrence Taylor in his match against Bam Bam Bigelow | |
Ed Jones | Defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys | WrestleMania 2 | Guest referee | |
Tommy Lasorda | Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers | WrestleMania 2 | Guest ring announcer at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles | |
Paul Maguire | Linebacker for the Buffalo Bills | WrestleMania VII | Involved in a skit | |
Billy Martin | Second baseman for the New York Yankees | WrestleMania I | Guest ring announcer | |
Harvey Martin | Defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys | WrestleMania 2 | Wrestled in a Battle royal, an elimination style match in which the last person remaining is the winner, involving other NFL football players | |
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. | Professional boxer | WrestleMania XXIV | Wrestled in a No disqualification match against The Big Show (Paul Wight) | |
Steve McMichael | Defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears | WrestleMania XI | Manager of Lawrence Taylor in his match against Bam Bam Bigelow | |
Ken Norton, Jr. | Linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys | WrestleMania XI | Manager of Lawrence Taylor in his match against Bam Bam Bigelow | |
Shaquille O'Neal | Basketball player and analyst | WrestleMania 32 | Participated in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal | |
Vinny Pazienza | Professional boxer | WrestleMania XV | Guest referee for the Brawl for All rules match between Eric Esch and Bart Gunn (Mike Polchlopek) | |
William Perry | Defensive lineman for the Chicago Bears | WrestleMania 2 | Wrestled in a Battle royal, an elimination style match in which the last person remaining is the winner, involving other NFL football players | |
WrestleMania 22 | Appeared as a part of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2006 | |||
Kevin Rooney | Professional boxing trainer | WrestleMania XV | Judge for Brawl for All match between Eric Esch and Bart Gunn | |
Pete Rose | Player/Manager for the Cincinnati Reds | WrestleMania XIV | Guest ring announcer and involved in a physical altercation with Kane (Glenn Jacobs) | |
WrestleMania XV | Dressed as the San Diego Chicken and involved in an altercation with Kane | |||
WrestleMania 2000 | Was involved in an altercation with Kane and Rikishi (Solofa Fatu) | |||
WrestleMania XX | Appeared as a part of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2004 | |||
Chris Spielman | Linebacker for the Detroit Lions | WrestleMania XI | Manager of Lawrence Taylor in his match against Bam Bam Bigelow | |
Lawrence Taylor | Linebacker for the New York Giants | WrestleMania XI | Wrestled in a standard wrestling match against Bam Bam Bigelow in the main event | |
Mike Tyson | Professional boxer | WrestleMania XIV | Ringside enforcer for the main event and was involved in a physical altercation with Shawn Michaels (Michael Hickenbottom) | |
Bob Uecker | Catcher for the Atlanta Braves | WrestleMania III | Interviewer, Guest commentator, Guest Ring Announcer | |
WrestleMania IV | Interviewer, Guest commentator, Guest Ring Announcer | |||
WrestleMania XXVI | Appeared as a part of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2010 | |||
Chuck Wepner | Professional boxer | WrestleMania XV | Judge for Brawl for All match between Eric Esch and Bart Gunn | |
Reggie White | Defensive end for the Green Bay Packers | WrestleMania XI | Manager of Lawrence Taylor in his match against Bam Bam Bigelow | |
Larry Young | Umpire | WrestleMania XI | Guest referee | |
Musicians
Other
Celebrity(s) | Occupation(s) | Appearance | Role | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kitana Baker | Model | WrestleMania XIX | Involved in a pillow fight with WWE Divas, Torrie Wilson and Stacy Keibler | |
Tanya Ballinger | Model | WrestleMania XIX | Involved in a pillow fight with WWE Divas, Torrie Wilson and Stacy Keibler | |
Rona Barrett | Gossip reporter | WrestleMania VI | Interviewer | |
Ray Combs | Comedian/Game show host | WrestleMania VIII | Guest ring announcer | |
Tara Conner | Beauty queen | WrestleMania 23 | Escorted Donald Trump to the ring during the "Battle of the Billionaires" | |
Chet Coppock | Radio broadcaster | WrestleMania 2 | Guest ring announcer | |
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders | NFL cheerleading squad | WrestleMania 32 | Performed their signature dance to "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC and were a part of The Rock's entrance | [60] |
Morton Downey, Jr. | Talk show host | WrestleMania V | Guest on Roddy Piper (Roderick Toombs)'s "Piper's Pit", an in-ring talk show segment | |
Gennifer Flowers | Model and Porn actress | WrestleMania XIV | Guest ring announcer and interviewer | |
Mary Hart | Entertainment Tonight host | WrestleMania III | Interviewer, Guest Timekeeper | |
John Menick as Herb | Portrayed Herb in Burger King's "Where's Herb?" | WrestleMania 2 | Guest time keeper at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York | |
Kim Kardashian | Reality TV star | WrestleMania XXIV | Hostess | |
Robin Leach | Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous host | WrestleMania IV | Read the rules of the tournament and Presented the WWF Championship to Randy Savage after Savage won it in a tournament | |
G. Gordon Liddy | Political figure/radio talk show host | WrestleMania 2 | Judge for boxing match between Mr. T and Roddy Piper | |
Maria Menounos | Television host | WrestleMania XXVIII | Teamed up with Kelly Kelly to defeat Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres | |
WrestleMania 31 | Guest interviewer | |||
WrestleMania 32 | Guest interviewer | |||
WrestleMania 33 | Guest interviewer | |||
Clara Peller | Star of Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" commercials | WrestleMania 2 | Guest time keeper at the Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont, Illinois | |
Regis Philbin | Morning TV talk show host | WrestleMania VII | Guest commentator for the main event between Hulk Hogan and Sergeant Slaughter | |
Nicole Polizzi | Reality TV star | WrestleMania XXVII | Participated in a 6-person mixed tag team match with Trish Stratus and John Morrison against Dolph Ziggler and LayCool (Layla and Michelle McCool) | |
Zuleyka Rivera | Beauty queen | WrestleMania 23 | Escorted Donald Trump to the ring during the "Battle of the Billionaires" | |
The Rockettes | Dance company | WrestleMania I | Escorted Liberace to the ring as the guest time keeper | |
George Steinbrenner | New York Yankees owner | WrestleMania VII | Involved in a skit | |
Alex Trebek | Game show host | WrestleMania VII | Guest ring announcer | |
Donald Trump | Businessman Host of The Apprentice 45th President of The United States |
WrestleMania IV | His owned venue hosted the event | |
WrestleMania V | His owned venue hosted the event | |||
WrestleMania VII | Interviewed in the crowd | |||
WrestleMania XX | ||||
WrestleMania 23 | Was physically involved in WrestleMania 23 with the "Battle of the Billionaires." | |||
Sal Vulcano | Comedian | WrestleMania 35 | Appeared on the pre-show | |
Sy Sperling | Hair Club For Men owner | WrestleMania X | Gave a hairpiece to WWF ring announcer Howard Finkel | |
Vanna White | Game show hostess | WrestleMania IV | Guest time keeper | |
Keith Colburn | Captain of the FV Wizard (Deadliest Catch) | Wrestlemania XXVIII | Appeared in a backstage segment with Santino Marella and Mick Foley | |
Al Roker | Today Show weatherman | Wrestlemania 33 | Guest ring announcer | [63] |
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