Good Guys in Disguise: WWE Villains That Are Actually Kind and Generous
Oh man, the WWE sure knows how to create some memorable villains! But behind the scowls and trash-talking, some of these wrestlers are actually some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. It's hard to believe that the same guys who cause chaos in the ring could also perform such selfless acts outside of it.
So let's take a look at some of the WWE's most notorious bad guys who have proved that there's more to them than just their wrestler personas
The WWE Mom
Vickie Guerrero is perhaps one of the most underrated villains of the WWE. While she was a heel, she gave a truly brilliant performance and didn't receive much credit. What was most impressive was that her mean-girl demeanor was all for show.
In real life, Vickie was referred to as the "mother" behind the scenes. Known for her huge heart, she was the first person people would go to when they needed advice.
Everyone Struggles With Mental Health
Suicide is one of the scariest topics that anyone could deal with. Professional fighter Ronda Rousey was brave enough to open up about her own experience with suicide on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. After losing the much-anticipated fight to Holly Holm, Rousey said, "Honestly, my thought, I was in the medical room and I was down in the corner, and I was like, ‘What am I anymore if I’m not this?' I was literally sitting there and thinking about killing myself."
Fortunately, Rousey's husband, UFC fighter Travis Browne lifted her up from her lows and she has since bounced back, joining the WWE under a full-time contract in 2018.
Trash Talk Only In The Ring
Kevins Owens is perhaps one of the brashest and cockiest WWE wrestlers out there. He is known for his incessant trash talking in the ring and is considered arrogant and rude by many. So when fans encounter Owens out of the ring, they're always caught off guard.
His WWE persona aside, Owens is amazingly calm and respectful. Watch an interview with him and this is clear — although we're glad to see his sarcasm doesn't go anywhere!
Not A Mean Girl
Summer Rae has had an interesting career in the WWE. She wasn't all that well-liked by WWE fans and was often dismissed as a typically mean girl in the ring. But although Summer may play a less-than-sweet gal in the ring, a hidden camera prank proved she is very different in real life.
In 2015, Summer was on an episode of WWE's hidden camera prank series, Swerved. During the episode, an elderly woman desperately needed to use the restroom and made things...awkward. Not knowing she was being pranked, Summer was extremely nice to the woman and showed the real Summer is a far cry from who she is in the ring.
Hometown Hero
Booker T may have retired in 2016, but he is one of the most decorated WWE wrestlers and holds a whopping 35 championships. But while he may be one of the greatest heavyweight champions in the world, Booker T is a big softie deep down.
The wrestler is a Houston native, so when Hurricane Harvey hit the state, he had a close-up view of the widespread devastation. Anxious to give back to the recovery city, Booker T got to work. The former WWE helped package food and medical supplies for those in need and even helped build new homes for some of the families who lost everything.
Out To Inspire And Empower Women
Brie and Nikki Bella are tough in the ring, but true softies at heart and have been open about their passion for using their celebrity to help others. In 2017, the twins celebrated a career milestone at the SummerSlam when they were able to grant their first Make-a-Wish before the event. The sisters granted a wish to 10-year-old Georgina Frank, who suffers from a terminal illness. The duo spent an afternoon with Georgina, signing her gear and just hanging out.
In addition to their work with Make-a-Wish, the Bella twins also have a company called Birdiebee, which was just recently launched. Birdiebee combines philanthropy and beautiful products to support women around the world.
Triple H Cares About The Youth
Hated during his heyday with WWE, Triple H has completely turned around his villain reputation. After retiring from the action in the ring, Paul Levesque took a role behind the scenes, becoming a mentor for a number of up-and-coming WWE superstars.
A few of the young stars of the sport that have expressed their gratitude for Triple H include Finn Balor, Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Samoa Joe. They universally praise his passion and love for wrestling. It appears time has softened the former WWE villain and turned him into a very nurturing father figure.
The Devil's Favorite Demon Is Playing Both Sides
Known lovingly as the Devil's Favorite Demon in the ring, Kane is actually one of the most charitable people in the sport. First and foremost, he never says no to a photo opportunity with fans. Numerous shots of him with his loyal followers can be easily found on social media. Secondly, he not only donates to charity, he is a major force in the world of fundraising.
In 2015 Kane was the main face behind a fundraiser to help the East Tennessee Children's Hospital raise money. Putting the full weight of his name behind the event, Kane participated in a dance-off that he, not surprisingly, lost. He has also been seen working for a local Tennessee program called Faith to End Hunger, which he regularly helps prepare and serve food with.
Stephanie McMahon Runs The Show With A Smile
The daughter of WWE President Vince McMahon, Stephanie spent the majority of her WWE career as one of the sports worst villains. Things got even worse for her in 2000 when she teamed up with Triple H to reign down terror on the league. However, since taking a larger role behind the scenes, McMahon has become one of the most loved faces of the league.
Currently the Chief Branding Officer for WWE, Stephanie has earned high praise from her counterparts. Sasha Banks has called Stephanie a critical role model behind the scenes, which is surprising considering her reputation was in the dumps just a few short years ago.
Charlotte Flair Always Has Time For Fans
Starting her WWE career as a good guy, Charlotte Flair quickly learned fans preferred her bad. When the lights go down and the makeup comes off, however, Flair reverts right back to being happy and humble. In fact, sources behind the scenes claim she doesn't act anything like the entitled daughter of WWE royalty she portrays.
On the street, Charlotte is just as nice and humble with fans as she is her co-workers. She makes sure when fans ask for pictures that she gives them the time of day they deserve. Soon she will be using her talents for charitable causes too, wrestling in a mixed cage match whose proceeds will be donated to charity.
The Undertaker Is A Real Giver
The Undertaker is one scary man inside the wrestling ring. But outside the ring, he is one of the most charitable human beings around. One of the activities he's most passionate about is sponsoring sick children. He donates funds to Cheyanna's Champions 4 Children, a charity organization that offers money to families whose insurance doesn't cover life-saving treatments.
Also a big softy for our furry friends, the Undertaker started his own foundation called the Zeus Compton Calaway Save The Animals Fund. Similar to Cheyanna, the Undertaker uses this organization to help families provide their pets with life-saving treatments.
Edge Isn't So Rough Outside The Ring
Edge is one of the nastiest wrestlers an opponent will ever meet. Fans love to hate him while watching him on television. When he's out in public, however, fans love to love him, and he loves his fans right back. Retiring young, Edge now spends most of his time working for positive causes, including volunteering at the Toronto Food Kitchen.
Most notably, Edge was honored by Eblen Charities and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Museum in 2013 for his non-stop charitable work. A long list of charities Edge has worked with includes Be a Star, Make-A-Wish, Dreams Take Flight, the I Have A Dream Foundation and Turkey Tours For Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Ted DiBiase Preaches To The Choir, Literally
One time in his career Ted DiBiase offered a child $500 to dribble a basketball 15 times. When the kid got to 14, DiBiase kicked the ball away, ending the bet. Jerks don't come much bigger than DiBiase. Of course, that was all just his character, The Million Dollar Man.
When the lights went out and DiBiase was able to head home he became an entirely different person. As an ordained minister, Ted DiBiase spread the word of God and now spends his life helping underprivileged and sick children. He even films documentaries about children in need to help them receive better care.
The Miz Really Is Awesome
One of WWE's more recent villains, The Miz is portrayed as a bad guy in the ring who loves to proclaim how awesome he is. Oddly enough, he might not be lying as he is supposedly one of the nicest and most humble people in real life.
In fact, instead of spending Christmas with his family in 2017, The Miz went on a four-day USO tour to help entertain the troops. He also golfs for charity, raising money for kids with pediatric cancer. The Miz, whose real name is Michael Gregory Mizanin, might be a dog in the ring, but is a total teddy bear out of it!
The Big Show Hates The Cold
One of WE's most hated villains over the last 20 years, the mountain of a man known as Big Show is surprisingly charitable in real life. In November 2017, Big Show showed up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and bought coats for kids in need. It gets cold in the Gulf, and the Big Show doesn't like the cold!
Volunteering his time for Pat's Coats for Kids, Big Show went to Walmart that holiday season and bought large numbers of coats to donate to the charity. Including Big Show's contribution, the charity has helped distribute over 83,000 coats to children in need.
Chris Jericho Is The GoFundMe Campaign Hero
Chris Jericho has come along way since his WWE debut. Going from villain to one of the greatest wrestlers of all time isn't easy. Helping people out in need is tough too, and Y2J does that in spades. For instance, when a former colleague died of kidney failure in 2001 and the family couldn't pay for the funeral, Jericho paid for everything.
He also spends a ton of time helping a number of great causes. One of those causes is Quantum Leap Farm, which provides equine therapy to people suffering from mental and physical disabilities. Chris Jericho might be a jerk in the ring, but he is one good guy outside of it!
Roman Reigns Fights Bullying
Entering the WWE as a villain in 2010, Roman Reigns is anything but the bad guy in real life. In fact, in 2015 he was named the number 13 by Athletes Gone Good. The program tracks athletes' charity work to determine who the best "good guys" are. Reigns and John Cena were the only WWE stars to make the list.
To earn his spot at 13, Reigns was noted as having participated in Tennessee's "Dancing with the Knoxville Stars" with Kane. He has also become the face of Bully Text, an organization encouraging youth to stand up and take action against bullying.
Owen Hart's Memory Lives On
Owen Hart tragically died being lowered to the ring in a 1998 WWE appearance. His harness snapped 80 feet above the mat and Hart did not survive complications from the fall. After his death, his wife started the Owen Hart Foundation in his honor. The foundation holds annual celebrity-attended fundraiser dinners.
While Hart may make this list posthumously, it is important to recognize the impact the Owen Hart Foundation has had on hospitals and women's shelters. Over the years, major stars have attended these events, and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised for these incredible causes.
Nia Jax Is Body Positive
At six feet tall, Nia Jax is a large wrestler for a woman. After posting a revealing photo of her curves on Instagram, she is proving she isn't ashamed of who she is. She says she was inspired to post the photo after female fans thanked her for giving them confidence in their own bodies during Wrestlemania 33.
Of course, the WWE is not the only platform that Jax has been able to spread her body-positive image with. Before signing a contract with the company, Jax worked as a plus-sized model and promoted a healthy and happy lifestyle.
Kevin Nash Donates His Brain
Never nice during his career as a WWE villain, Kevin Nash has flipped the script in retirement, promising to donate his brain to CTE research after he dies. Working in a profession that forces repetitive head trauma, Nash admits to already having memory problems at 50 years old.
Unfortunately, CTE cannot be diagnosed while a person is alive. This is why Nash is willing to be a part of the research after he's gone. Hopefully, new ways can be developed to identify CTE in a living brain soon. Once that happens, with information from research obtained by Nash's brain among other, perhaps treatments can be developed for CTE sufferers.
Randy Orton Doesn't Stop Giving
Outside of the arena, WWE star Randy Orton is an incredibly giving soul. He is one of the company's most involved wrestlers with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and participates in countless fundraising events for charitable causes. He also spends time granting wishes for the Kids Wish Network, an organization similar to Make-A-Wish.
On top of spending time raising money, Orton is a volunteer for Tribute to the Troops. Before starting his WWE career, he was a member of the Marines. With all the time Orton spends making other people's lives better, we wonder how much time he has for his own happiness!
CM Punk Believes In Good Manners
CM Punk has a reputation that starts with his name. He's a punk. Except he's really not. In 2008 he bowled for the Kerry Wood's Strike Zone Celebrity Bowling Tournament to help raise money and awareness for healthy eating in schools. He also sold his car at a charity auction, all of the money of which went to kids. And finally, he paid off Joey Mercury's massive debts and helped him overcome his drug problems to rejoin the WWE. What a punk!
Oddly enough, CM Punk does have one evil fault; he believes in manners, even refusing to sign fan autographs or take pictures unless they ask politely. Whether you find that rude or funny, we promise he really is a nice guy who supports charitable causes as much as he can.
Andre The Giant Was As Gentle As They Come
One of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Andre the Giant was a scary mountain of a man during his storied WWE career. He was also one of the most beloved figures to ever grace the WWE behind the scenes. Sadly, he was also one of the most tragic.
A face for the physically handicapped, Andre was born with acromegaly, a condition where he overproduced HGH. He would never stop growing until he was deformed and fell asleep one last time on his king-sized bed. After his life was over, wrestlers from all praised the giant for being of the nicest and gentlest people they had known.
Lita Sees No Evil In The World
Like a number of stars on this list, Lita is heavily involved with the Make-A-Wish foundation. Unlike other stars, she is also involved in a high number of other organizations and has founded a few of her own.
To start with, Lita uses her celebrity to convince young people to register to vote through WWE's SmackDown Your Vote Campaign. She also raises money for multiple causes in Nicaragua through her Casa Llanta Fund. More recently, she founded the Amy Dumas Operation Rescue to help needy animals get the supplies and homes they deserve.
The Rock Isn't Hard To Move
It's hard to believe that The Rock is one of the greatest WWE villains ever created. After leaving the company to become a movie star, Dwayne Johnson embraced the good guy persona he always had outside of the ring. Not only does he spend his time working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the I Have A Dream Foundation, and the Red Cross, he also donates money disaster relief and disease research.
Most importantly, Dwayne Johnson has his own foundation, The Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation. Through his organization, he works tirelessly to improve the lives of children struggling with low self-esteem. Can you smell all the good the Rock is cooking?
Luke Harper Is Actually A Good Guy In Real Life
Luke Harper is known for being one of the more...eccentric wrestlers of the WWE. His face has been described as one that only a mother could love and he is definitely one of the last wrestlers you'd wish to encounter in a dark alleyway.
Harper's reputation is thanks to the wicked acts he has committed in the ring — some of which are downright scary. However, in real life, Harper couldn't be more different than his WWE persona. Out of the ring, Harper is surprisingly well mannered and well groomed (if you can even imagine him without the beard!). His friends even say he is one of the most articulate of the bunch. Furthermore, he's been described as one of the best people to work within the WWE.
Bray Wyatt Is Down-To-Earth
Bray Wyatt is one of the most menacing wrestlers in the WWE, which isn't surprising considering his nickname is The Eater of Worlds. What is surprising, however, is how different Wyatt is out of the ring.
Outside of his WWE persona, Wyatt has been described as one of the most down-to-Earth wrestlers and very easy to talk to. What fans might find most surprising is that he's actually extremely articulate too, which is a far cry from his WWE character's on-screen ramblings. Fans have said he is always eager to strike up a conversation and pose for photos with them.
AJ Styles Stepped Up After Hurricane Harvey
AJ Styles is known for being mean in the ring, but in his personal life, he's a very charitable athlete. He's worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation for years and regularly meets up with kids and their families.
In 2017, after Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas, AJ Styles, along with some of his WWE cohorts, stepped in to offer assistance to those in need. Styles, in particular, volunteered at the Houston Food Bank and put together boxes of food. He also helped gather medical supplies and put together medical kits for families in need. Styles wasn't the only WWE wrestler who stepped up after Hurricane Harvey.
Daniel Bryan Helped Make A Dying Boy’s Last Wish Come True
Connor Michalek was a WWE super fan when he was diagnosed with a rare brain and spinal tumor when he was three years old. A WWE super fan, Connor posted a video to YouTube in 2012 asking to meet his hero, Daniel Bryan.
The video quickly went viral and found its way to Bryan himself. The wrestler made Connor’s wish come true, meeting him during a WWE Raw Event on December 18, 2012. Bryan kept in touch with Connor and made a special stop to see him again the next summer when Raw was in Connor’s hometown. Bryan wasn’t the only WWE wrestler who stepped up for Connor though.
Connor’s Legacy Lives On Thanks To The WWE
Connor passed away on April 25, 2014, but thanks to the WWE his legacy lives on. Before his death, Connor formed a connection with wrestlers Stephanie McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque, who decided to honor him by creating Connor’s Cure. The funding program was established with the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Since its inception, Connor’s Cure has raised more than $1 million for pediatric cancer research. And, on March 15, 2015, it was announced that Connor would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He is the youngest person to ever receive the title.
Despite His Controversial Personal Life, Hulk Hogan Is Good At Heart
Hulk Hogan wasn’t widely considered a villain in the ring throughout his nearly 40-year-career with the WWE. But it was his personal life that got him into trouble. Unfortunately for the Hulk and his fans, he became better known for things like explicit tapes and racial slurs rather than his moves in the ring.
But despite the wrestler’s slip-ups, there is no denying that Hulk Hogan is one of the most charitable wrestlers out there. Hulk has been involved with various charities throughout his life and has worked with the Boys & Girls Club, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and has been a big advocate for diabetes research. That’s not all he’s done though.
Hulk Hogan’s Charitable Work Goes Back To The ‘80s
In addition to his work with the youth, Hulk Hogan is also heavily involved with the Special Olympics. Alongside John Cena and Stephanie McMahon, Hogan helped raise $25,000 for the event in 2015. That same year, he partnered with Barrett-Jackson and helped raise more than $1 million for U.S. cancer patients, veterans, and children in need.
Charitable deeds are nothing new for this WWE Hall of Famer. Hogan’s charitable goes back nearly as far as his career when he was known for work with muscular dystrophy research.
