NFL star and avid wrestling fan, George Kittle, went viral this week after a video of him performing the Rock Bottom on his Pro Bowl teammate, Kyle Juszczyk, surfaced on social media. Following the video’s release, Kittle took to Twitter, offering to compete at WWE’s WrestleMania 39 event on April 1st and 2nd.
His tweet quickly caught the attention of WWE Superstar and former pro footballer Baron Corbin, who responded with an iconic Chris Pratt meme, asking Kittle to “shut up.”
@WWE I am available April 1st and 2nd https://t.co/qds0r5mLed
— George Kittle (@gkittle46) February 6, 2023
George Kittle Wouldn’t Be The First Celebrity To Appear At WrestleMania
The NFL athlete’s post has since sparked excitement and anticipation among wrestling fans, who are now speculating whether Kittle will actually make an appearance at the popular event.
It’s perhaps not out of the question, as Kittle has made multiple appearances in the wrestling world in recent years. In November he was presented with a mask from AEW wrestler Penta El Zero M at an NFL game. Additionally, he has previously attended WWE events, including hanging out backstage with some of the wrestlers.
Nor would it be out of the ordinary for WWE to bring in a celebrity from outside of wrestling to compete at WrestleMania. Since its inception in 1985, the “show of shows” has featured celebrity involvement in the ring. At the inaugural event, television star Mr. T teamed with Hulk Hogan to take on Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff in the main event, and the likes of Cyndi Lauper, Liberace, and Muhammad Ali were also heavily featured.
Celebrities and sports stars competing at WrestleMania is a trend that has endured through to the modern era. Amongst the most notable examples are Floyd Mayweather, who faced The Big Show, and future US President Donald Trump, who was in the corner of Bobby Lashley for his match with Vince McMahon’s rep Umaga in the famous Battle of the Billionaires.
Lashley won the match, meaning as per pre-match stipulations Vince McMahon had to be shaved bald. Trump assisted with the haircut before being on the receiving end of a Stone Cold Stunner from guest referee Stone Cold Steve Austin.
At WrestleMania 37 in 2021, world-renowned recording artist Bad Bunny competed at WrestleMania, teaming with Damian Priest to defeat The Miz and John Morrison, in which Bunny delivered a memorable performance. Last year, YouTube megastar Logan Paul got in on the act, joining forces with Miz to battle the Mysterios.