Wrestling is a sport that takes great concentration and understanding to master.
At the top end of the business, it is also a show, where people bluff, act and perform personally, as well as showing great feats of stamina, resolve and application. Those adjectives certainly describe the wrestling business, but also the game of poker. The two are not usually a natural fit for each other, but in recent years there have been instances where wrestling and poker have come together.
Detroitnews.com reports that Dash Dudley had the attributes for both, becoming successful as a wrestler at Michigan State. He stopped grappling and starting bluffing, going on to become a World Series of Poker bracelet winner, bagging himself more than $1m.
On the other side of the industry, wrestling promotion AEW launched a mobile app, focused on the world of poker. AEW, otherwise known as All Elite Wrestling, were formed in 2017 and have seen the commercial value in expanding their reach through the medium of poker. Online poker has exploded in recent years, with ease of access and a renewed focus on player safety behind the rise. Poker.org discuss how signing up for an online game is easy and painless, and can take a couple of minutes, whilst almost everyone owns a mobile device capable of hosting such games these days. With a reach like that, why would AEW not look to move into the market?
Both are fine examples of where wrestling and poker come together, but there are plenty of instances where in-ring stars have shown their skills around the felt, too. In a modern world where a brand can easily shift industries and develop avenues within other sports, wrestling’s relationship with poker could be a growth opportunity for both disciplines, especially if these famous poker-playing grapplers get behind both sports, as poker is popular in online casinos such as nombor ekor live and others. Also, nowadays you can play poker online at casino websites, making it easy for fans to enjoy the game from home.
Pat Tanaka
Tanaka fought in CWA and AWA before moving to what was then known as WWF in 1990. He starred as one half of The Orient Express with Akio Sato, a gimmick which suggested he was Japanese, despite being born in Hawaii. He certainly had to play a role for that, just as he did many years later when he appeared on the CBS Sports Network wrestling-themed special Poker Night in America, alongside former tag team partner Paul Diamond.
John Cena
John Cena is a superstar of the WWE, and he has sporadically appeared on the promotion and is even rumored to be appearing at WrestleMania 37 in April. Away from the squared circle, he has followed the likes of Hulk Hogan and The Rock into Hollywood, starring in films such as Bumblebee and Daddy’s Home 2. He is also known as a keen poker player and has expressed an interest in playing at the World Series of Poker, although he did stress he would go as a spectator first to get a feel for it.
Fred Ottman
Fred Ottman had many guises during his wrestling career, perhaps most famously appearing as Tugboat, and latterly as part of the Natural Disasters tag team with the Typhoon gimmick. Sadly, for such a talented and respected athlete, he is also well-known for his botched entrance as The Shockmaster, in which he stumbled over discarded lumber and fell on his face when making his debut. Like Tanaka, he starred in the CBS wrestling/poker special, and he has appeared in events at poker clubs, such as Sarasota Kennel Club and One-Eyed Jacks Poker Room in 2017. If you’re a fan of both wrestling and poker, you might find the ultimate poker experience at สุดยอดห้องโป๊กเกอร์ของ ยูฟ่าเบท.