Celebrities and athletes you didn’t know appeared at WrestleMania

WWE’s WrestleMania is the biggest spectacle in sports and it has only gotten bigger as the company’s reach has grown exorbitantly over the last two decades.

Saturday night will be the start of WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas with sold-out crowds expected to flock the home of the Las Vegas Raiders both nights. Not to mention the city itself turning to a haven of pro wrestling throughout the entire week leading up to the event.

If there’s one thing fans can bet on, it’s that celebrities and famous athletes of all kinds will be in town for the event. “Monday Night Raw’s” first episode on Netflix in January was a good indication of who will be at WrestleMania as Travis Scott, Vanessa Hudgens, Macaulay Culkin and Danielle Fishel were just some of the celebrities who appeared in the crowd.

Sports fans who don’t usually follow pro wrestling may not know that WrestleMania has featured celebrities and athletes since the event’s inception in 1985.

Read below for a list of celebrities you may not have known participated at WrestleMania.

Cyndi Lauper

Cyndi Lauper was having all the fun in the 1980s, and she ingrained herself in the pro wrestling world after her hit song “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” debuted in 1983. She appeared at the very first WrestleMania as Wendi Richter’s manager. Richter went on to defeat Leilani Kai for the then-World Wrestling Federation Women’s Championship.

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali was a bad man during the height of his boxing career and even made an impact on pro wrestling. He got into a confrontation with Gorilla Monsoon in 1976 and then reappeared for WrestleMania I as a special guest referee for Hulk Hogan’s tag-team match with Mr. T against Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper. Hogan and Mr. T won the match, helping catapult pro wrestling to new heights.

William Perry

NFL players have a history of making appearances at WrestleMania. William “The Refrigerator” Perry was at WrestleMania 2 in Chicago and took part in the WWF vs. NFL Battle Royal. He was among the last NFL players eliminated in the competition, which was won by Andre the Giants. Jimbo Covert, Ernie Holmes, Harvey Martin, Bill Fralic and Russ Francis also participated on the NFL’s side.

Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper rocked the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit for WrestleMania III as he escorted Jake “The Snake” Roberts to the ring for his match against The Honky Tonk Man. The Honky Tonk Man won the match, but it was the start of Roberts gaining favor with fans.

Lawrence Taylor

New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor had a major role in WrestleMania than just participating in a battle royal. He went 1-on-1 in the main event of WrestleMania XI in 1995, going head-to-head against Bam Bam Bigelow. Taylor was praised for his performance as he defeated Bigelow.

Regis Philbin

Regis Philbin served as a guest commentator at WrestleMania VII with late “Jeopardy” host as the in-ring announcer for the main event. Hulk Hogan defeated Sgt. Slaughter to win the WWF Championship.

Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson was the baddest man on the planet in the 1990s and his celebrity took him through a storyline involving “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels in 1998. Tyson had been partnered with Michaels and Paul “Triple H” Levesque in the D-Generation X stable. He was named as the special enforcer for Austin and Michaels’ match at WrestleMania XIV. He ended up turning on Michaels and helping Austin win the WWF Championship.

Donald Trump

Before he was president, Donald Trump had a huge storyline in WWE that tied into his popularity from “The Apprentice.” He was in the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23 against Vince McMahon and backed Bobby Lashley in a match against McMahon’s competitor Umaga. If Lashley lost the match, McMahon would have had to shave Trump’s hair and vice versa. Lashley won and Trump helped Steve Austin shave McMahon’s hair. Trump is a WWE Hall of Famer.

Snoop Dogg

The legendary West Coast rapper has appeared at multiple WrestleMania events during his career. He was the master of ceremonies for WrestleMania XXIV for a tag-team match between Maria and Ashley Massaro and Beth Phoenix and Melina. He accompanied Sasha Banks to the ring for WrestleMania 32 and was thrust into an impromptu match against The Miz at WrestleMania 39.

Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian was the hostess for WrestleMania XXIV in 2008 as her popularity in pop culture soared.

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi

Reality TV star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi took the world by storm as one of the key members of the hit show “Jersey Shore.” She competed at WrestleMania XXVII in 2011 as part of a mixed six-person tag-team match. The team of “Snooki,” John Morrison and Trish Stratus defeated Dolph Ziggler, Michelle McCool and Layla.

Rob Gronkowski

New England Patriots legend Rob Gronkowski made an appearance at WrestleMania 33 in 2017 to help his friend Mojo Rawley win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. He was the host of WrestleMania 36 in 2020 and won the WWE 24/7 Championship.

Johnny Knoxville

Comedian Johnny Knoxville had a rivalry with Sami Zayn in 2022, and it culminated in a match at WrestleMania 38. He defeated Zayn in an Anything Goes Match with the help of the “Jackass” crew.