8 WWE Superstars That Are Probably Much Smarter Than You

We're sure the first time you turned on WWE wrestling, and saw two men in little tights and knee pads dancing around the ring like ballerinas, you thought to yourself, “What a bunch of idiots.” However, a deeper look into the resumes of today’s WWE superstars reveals a roster of grapplers that are not only bigger than you, but probably a lot smarter.

Where do the superstars of the WWE come from? Jails, gyms, modeling magazines are probably your first thought, and while that may apply to some, most come from straight out of college. Yes, those big bruisers you see running into ring posts and flying across the ring with dropkicks are college educated professionals. Not only are they good enough to work in the company, they are more intelligent than some of the people running the front office.

This is where we thought it would be fun to take a look into the resumes of your favorite WWE superstars and recognize their academic achievements. From marine biologists to lawyers, the WWE locker room is just as prepared to take on the Jeopardy champion as they are their opponent across the ring.

Kane

Glen Jacobs may not look like the most intelligent guy you’d ever meet. Hell, the guy has been in the WWE for decades and rarely talks. However, not only is Mr. Jacobs intelligent, he is probably a lot smarter than you. Jacobs has a degree in English Literature (yes he can even write) from Truman State University. He has also spent time as a third grade teacher. Unfortunately some of his more bothersome students haven’t been seen since.

Dolph Ziggler

One look at Dolph and you see a goofy looking guy with a blonde dye job running around with a woman in her 40s on WWE RAW. Not too bright right? Nope, this is where you are wrong. Nick Nemeth is smarter than you. Nemeth was a political science major and pre-law minor at Kent State University. Nemeth was reportedly accepted into law school and planned to attend before being sucked into the bright lights and stardom of the WWE..

Jack Swagger

Big Jack certainly doesn’t come off as the brightest bulb in the bunch when he tries to match comedy wits with John Cena on Monday nights. However, Jake Hagar is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. Along with playing two sports (football and wrestling), Nemeth received a Bachelor’s Degree in finance. Don’t tell that to Vince McMahon or we may see the rebirth of Irwin R. Scheister.

Wade Barrett

Most know Barrett as a former bare knuckle fighter before striking it big in professional wrestling. What you don’t know about Stuart Bennett is that he is one of the most academically accomplished superstars in the WWE. Bennett has a degree in Marine Biology from the University of Liverpool (eat your heart out George Costanza). Prior to entering a WWE ring, Bennett worked in a science laboratory and later as a Recruitment Consultant at Venn Group's London Office. Yeah, sad to say but he is smarter than you.

Evan Bourne

While Evan Bourne always had dreams of being a pro wrestler, at 5’9” and 165 pounds he knew his chances of striking it big were extremely limited. So while Matthew Joseph Korklan trained to become a pro wrestler, he also studied and earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Even more impressive, Bourne went on to become the vice president of sales and marketing for a small mailbox company in St. Louis. Quite frankly it would appear that Mr. Korklan got more of an opportunity at the mailbox company than he has in over four years with the WWE.

Drew McIntyre

If there is one guy that should be lucky to have a fallback plan it would be this guy. Andrew Galloway may not come off as the smartest guy in the room when you hear him talk on television, but believe it or not, this guy is smarter than you. Before stepping into the WWE ring, Galloway earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminology from Glasgow Caledonian University. Maybe he should use that degree to find out what the heck happened to his push?

Matt Striker

They don’t call him the teacher for nothing. While Striker hasn’t seen much ring time these days, he is still currently under contract with the WWE which qualifies him for this list. Matthew Kaye may be the only man on the roster with a Master’s degree. Kaye has a Bachelor’s degree in History and a Master’s degree in educational psychology. Kaye was a social studies teacher at Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Queens, New York before joining the WWE. Unfortunately for Kaye, he was forced to resign when he falsely claimed 11 sick days in December 2004 and February 2005, during which time he was actually wrestling in Japan. Well, maybe he isn’t that smart after all.

David Otunga

We save the best for last with Mr. David Otunga. David may be known better outside of wrestling as Mr. Jennifer Hudson, but believe it or not, there is more to his resume. Mr. Otunga is the most educationally decorated WWE superstar on the roster. Otunga graduated the University of Illinois with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology. From there, he worked at Columbia University as a lab manager in a cognitive neuroscience center (which probably helps him in understanding Vince McMahon). Otunga then went on to attend and graduate Harvard Law School, passing the bar exam in Illinois. Otunga left a very promising career at Sidley Austin LLP to pursue his dream of becoming a WWE superstar. So yes, David Otunga is definitely smarter than you.

Eric Gargiulo is the owner and managing editor of The Camel Clutch Blog. Follow him on Twitter at @CamelClutchBlog.