Pro wrestling is my first love. We met when I was five years old and I’ve never looked back. The only thing that equates my love of wrestling, is my love of comic books. A love that is shared by many wrestlers themselves, as evidenced by the attire (or paint) of guys like Kofi Kingston, Prince Devitt, and Rey Mysterio.
Like many comic fans, I am looking forward to the upcoming film X-Men: Days of Future Past. In honour of that I began looking at Marvels mutants, their powers and their abilities, and seeing who in the wrestling world could have some of these abilities. After all, through the eyes of a five year old, wrestlers certainly did seem superhuman.
An honourable mention who is not on the list is Tyler Mane, as he already played a mutant. (Sabretooth in the first X-Men film from 2000) Without further ado, here is a list of 10 wrestlers, past and present, who might be mistaken for having mutant powers.
Wrestling with Comics
John Cena – Healing Factor
Chris Benoit might have been known as the Rabid Wolverine and CM Punk may have had Logan sideburns, but John Cena has his healing factor. Much like Wolverine, Cena has often seemed unbreakable, especially in the last half of the 2000s. That alone could seem like enough of a comparison, but it is Cena’s ability to come back when sidelined that is his true “mutant power”. Almost every single time John Cena has been injured significantly enough that he is forced to take time off, he comes back earlier than projected. I have often worried that he may be pushing himself too hard or coming back too soon and may re-injure himself, but every time he proves me wrong. When he tore his pectoral in 2007 he was estimated to be out of action for seven months to a year, yet he returned at the Royal Rumble a mere four months later.
Mick Foley – Shape Shifter/Chameleon
One of the legacies that Mrs. Foley’s baby boy has left behind are his personas, the three faces of Foley: Cactus Jack, Mankind, and Dude Love. All three had very distinct personalities and unique mannerisms, yet it was something that was still, understandably, handled by WWE in a tongue-in-cheek fashion. So what makes him more like X-Men villain Mystique than someone like Charles Wright (aka The Godfather, Kama, and Papa Shango)? Quite simply, Foley is a shape shifter outside the ring as well. He has become a best selling author, an actor, stand up comedian (embarking in some spoken word tours over the last few years) and what makes him a true hero, he’s very active with several charity organizations.
Cesaro – Super Strength
No one can doubt the raw power of the Swiss Superman. His trademark Big Swing, and winning the André The Giant Battle Royal at WrestleMania XXX are all the proof one needs. Though he doesn’t strike as imposing a figure as Mark Henry or Brock Lesnar (more on him later), much like the mutant Colossus turning his body to metal for increased strength and durability, when Cesaro cranks it to another level, fans are treated to a feat that isn’t often seen in wrestling by a man his size. If anyone can be described as having mutant-like strength, it’s the King of Swing, Cesaro.
Bam Bam Bigelow – Agility
There has been a plethora of agile men in wrestling throughout the years, but Bam Bam Bigelow was agile despite his size. Much like original X-Men member, Beast, he was able to throw his weight around quite literally. Known as much for his diving headbutt and enzuigiri as he was for his splashes and avalanches, quite possibly his most awe-inspiring maneuver was his top rope moonsault which was one of the best for a man his size.
Bray Wyatt – Telepathy/Mind Control
You don’t need to be Professor Xavier to see the impact Bray Wyatt has made in WWE, and while he is very skillful in the ring, possibly his greatest asset is his mind. Bray is able to manipulate those around him, either convincing them to join his crusade, or simply playing mind games. No matter what a wrestler does, even if they get the better of him, they can never be sure if that wasn’t exactly what Bray wanted them to do. Bray Wyatt can defeat you before you even set foot in the ring.
AJ Lee – Reality Manipulation/Mental instability
Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlett Witch has the mutant ability to warp and change reality to whatever she chooses. An unfortunate side effect to this power in the comics saw Wanda have a mental breakdown, and mental breakdowns are AJ Lee’s specialty. AJ has indeed warped reality, albeit mostly in her own mind, with every relationship she has had. Turning on the poor unsuspecting men in her life on a whim as she gets some crazed idea in her head. This instability has affected her friendships and job as well, losing her GM position after convincing herself that John Cena and her were more than friends, only to turn on him a short time later, like she has done with every person who has gotten close to her.
Adrian Neville – Flight/Super Speed
You don’t get a nickname like “The Man That Gravity Forgot” without being able to get a little airborne. And much like Northstar of the X-Men and Alpha Flight teams respectively, Neville couples his aerial abilities with some amazing speed. The NXT rising star is still young and has most of his career ahead of him, so I am sure that he has merely scratched the surface of what he can show wrestling fans, as he climbs to new heights faster than any star before him.
Earthquake – Create Seismic waves and tremors
As soon as I thought of the idea for this article I immediately matched up the mighty Earthquake with The evil Brotherhood’s Avalanche, who can cause tremors and earthquakes by creating seismic waves from his hands. I often feel that Earthquake doesn’t get the credit he deserves for the impact he made in WWE, specifically during his feuds with Hulk Hogan and Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Though he wasn’t the biggest big man in the business, much like Bam Bam Bigelow, Earthquake could throw his weight around and really shake things up.
Kane – Pyrokinesis
Since his debut Kane has been linked with fire, and has often been seen calling upon it and manipulating it to his desired effect, much like Pyro, a mutant who can’t create flame, but can bend it to his will. Despite changes in his gimmick, whether heel or face, fire has always played a role in Kane’s mystique. It has become part of his identity, and though it’s not an in-ring skill, it is no less terrifying.
Brock Lesnar – Unstoppable Superhuman Strength
While discussing the idea for this article with my wife, she told me that Brock Lesnar had to be on this list. “He’s like the Juggernaut” she said. I explained that, while he is associated with the X-Men and is the brother of Charles Xavier, Juggernaut actually gets his power from the gem of Cyttorack. Without missing a beat my wife said, “I know, but Heyman is Lesnar’s gem” and she couldn’t be more right. Brock Lesnar is unbelievably strong, but without the guidance of Paul Heyman it is arguable if Lesnar would still be where he is now, the unstoppable juggernaut who conquered the Undertaker’s streak.
There have been so many wrestlers over the years, and even currently, who could be on this list. Who do you think should be on here? Let us know with the hashtag #MutantWrestlers and don’t forget #LWOSwrestling
Photo credit wwe.com
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