WWE Superstars might be champions inside the squared circle, but some of them failed to live up to the expectations of the fans, as they were WWE Superstars who got arrested in real-life for serious crimes.
You’d think that larger-than-life wrestlers with million-dollar smiles and muscle-packed physiques would know how to stay out of trouble. But sometimes, a wild night, a bad decision, or just sheer misfortune lands them behind bars. Yes, even the legends.
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If wrestling titles were given out for DUIs, the Usos would be grand slam champions. The twin brothers—beloved for their tag team mastery—have had more than a few run-ins with Johnny Law.
Jimmy was arrested in 2011. DUI. Strike one. Then came Jey in 2018. Same charge. Jimmy again. Same year. And again in 2022. While the ‘Yeet’ man Jey Uso course-corrected after one arrest, his brother Big Jim seemingly found that a bit difficult to do.
Ironically, WWE even leaned into it. John Cena once roasted them live on-air over their arrest history. Savage? Yes. But if WWE has taught us anything, it’s that reality always finds its way into the ring.
William Regal looks like he was born sipping tea with the Queen. But once upon a time, this British badass had his passport stamped with “unruly”.
While flying back from Tokyo during his WCW run, Regal made a pit stop in the aeroplane lavatory. One problem: he didn’t close the door. And to make it worse? He accidentally relieved himself—on a flight attendant.
Yup. Charged with public urination, fined $2,500, and probably banned from drinking anything stronger than water mid-flight ever since. Moral of the story? When nature calls, lock the damn door.
Let’s be honest—Wade Barrett always looked like the guy you’d want in your corner during a bar fight. Turns out, he might’ve been the bar fight.
While enjoying a rowdy night in Tampa, Barrett found himself in the wrong place at the worst possible time. A fight broke out. Chaos. Flying fists. In the middle of it all? Barrett, who allegedly took a swing at a plain-clothes officer. Yup, he was arrested for battery on a police officer. Word on the street? He got tasered trying to flee—though that rumor never got confirmed.
The charges didn’t stick, but Barrett did spend a cozy night in jail. No wrestling gimmicks, just cold steel and regret.
MVP’s past isn’t just a slip-up—it’s an origin story straight out of a gritty Web series.
At just 16, MVP (real name: Hassan Hamin Assad) made the worst decision of his life—he robbed a casino on a cruise ship, armed and dangerous. The result? 18 years in prison, though he served about 9.5. Oh, and let’s not forget the kidnapping charge. Minor detail.
But the comeback? Legendary. Inspired by a corrections officer who was a part-time wrestler, MVP redirected his energy into the squared circle. Today, he’s living proof that redemption is real—and stylishly dressed in suits while managing factions like The Hurt Business.
Before he was hitting RKOs outta nowhere, Randy Orton was getting court-martialed.
While enlisted in the military, Orton refused orders and went AWOL. The punishment? Thirty-eight days in military prison and a dishonorable discharge. Not the kind of heat you want on your resume.
WWE took notice—but so did Hollywood. Orton was cast in The Marine 3 but got pulled once the studio found out about his checkered military past. Enter The Miz. Exit Randy. Still, Orton rebounded in typical Apex Predator fashion: injured, healed, re-signed, and just as deadly in the ring.
Before he was the comedic genius chasing the 24/7 title through golf courses, airports, and weddings, R-Truth (real name: Ron Killings) was living a much different life.
Fresh out of high school, Truth turned down scholarships—yeah, turned them down—to chase his dream of becoming a rapper. But dreams cost money, and his method of funding that dream? Dealing drugs. It landed him in handcuffs four separate times.
Eventually, the reality hit harder than any clothesline ever could. He walked away from the streets, refocused on his music, and then took a life-changing chance: he called Jackie Crockett of the National Wrestling Alliance and said, “I want to be a wrestler.”
From being a WWE Superstar who got arrested in real-life, to becoming a 59-time champion, Truth has shown the power of redemtion.
When Steve Austin became Stone Cold, fans fell in love with the anti-hero who flipped the bird and stunned his boss every Monday night. But outside the ring? Things got very real.
In 2002, Austin was arrested for domestic violence following an altercation with then-wife Debra Marshall. The incident cast a heavy shadow over his legacy, with fans and media questioning whether the tough-guy act had bled into his personal life. To his credit, Austin addressed the situation publicly and apologized, owning up to the pain his actions caused.
It was a rare moment where Stone Cold didn’t seem so cold. Just human. Flawed. And trying to move forward.
Jeff Hardy’s arrests are like WrestleMania matches: dramatic, chaotic, and far too many to count.
In 2009, Hardy got hit with a serious one—drug trafficking. His house was raided, and cops found enough pills to stock a pharmacy. Since then, he’s had multiple arrests, mostly for DUIs. A recurring battle with addiction plagued his career, led to rehab stints, releases, and comebacks.
But the TNA Tag Team Champion’s story isn’t over. Today, he’s still climbing. Still performing. Still fighting his demons. The Charismatic Enigma remains one of wrestling’s most tortured and beloved souls.
Matt Hardy’s career is the wrestling version of a rollercoaster: brilliant, bizarre, and occasionally derailed by controversy.
In 2011, he got busted for DUI—a bad look, sure. But days later? His house got raided, and he was slapped with multiple drug possession charges. Just when it seemed like things couldn’t get worse, he and wife Reby Sky were arrested in 2014 after a domestic dispute in a Virginia motel. Restraining orders flew, then faded, and the couple eventually reconciled.
Since then, The Broken One pulled off one of the most surreal comebacks in wrestling history—reinventing himself as Broken, Woken, and now still swinging in AEW. Four kids, a strong marriage, and a bizarre gimmick later—Matt Hardy keeps proving you can fall hard and still stand tall.
Before she was “The Queen” of WWE, Charlotte Flair was just Ric Flair’s daughter—and in 2008, her royal composure hit the fan.
A domestic dispute involving Charlotte, her boyfriend Riki Johnson, and her father turned into a three-way mess. Cops showed up. Arguments escalated. And next thing you know? Charlotte got tasered and cuffed.
She was sentenced to 45 days in jail, but the court trimmed it down to probation and a $200 fine. Lesson learned: don’t get into a screaming match with Ric Flair in front of the cops. Especially when you’re about to become WWE royalty.
Before the royal robes and the spinaroonies, Booker T was just a teenager from Houston who’d already lived through more than most.
After losing both parents by age 14, Booker made a desperate decision: armed robbery. He was caught and spent 19 months in jail. Most would fade into the system. Booker T rewrote the script.
From prison to five-time, five-time, five-time, five-time, five-time WCW Champion, to WWE Hall of Famer (twice), Booker’s journey is legend. His autobiography says it best: “From Prison to Promise.” If redemption wore a crown, Booker earned it in gold and sweat.
The current NXT Commentator is living proof that even WWE Superstars who got arrested in real-life can turn their life around by maintaining discipline and hard work.
We all know the line: “I won a gold medal with a broken freakin’ neck!” What’s less known? Kurt Angle’s battles off the mat.
Behind the Olympic heroics and ankle locks, Angle faced a turbulent road with multiple DUI arrests between 2007 and 2013. Painkillers, personal demons, and public scrutiny stalked his post-WWE career. For a man whose body had been through war, the real fight came when the cameras were off.
But just like in the ring, Angle refused to tap. He cleaned up, returned to WWE, and even got his Hall of Fame moment. One of the best technical wrestlers in history—flawed, yes, but always fighting to be better.
Even Brock Lesnar wasn’t immune to handcuffs—and no, we’re not talking about Hell in a Cell props.
Before he ever bulldozed through WWE, UFC, and your favorite wrestler’s championship reign, Lesnar got arrested for steroid possession while training in OVW. The charges didn’t stick—turns out the substances were legal—but the headlines exploded. “Lesnar Arrested” was a real thing.
Luckily, the Beast was too big to be denied. WWE shrugged it off, the world moved on, and Brock went on to destroy everything in his path, legal record be damned.
In late 2023, Liv Morgan was supposed to be focused on recovery. She was rehabbing from injury, out of action, and keeping a low profile—or so we thought.
Then came December 14th. Sumter County, Florida. Morgan was pulled from her vehicle after reportedly swerving and crossing the line. What followed wasn’t a wellness check—it was an arrest. Charged with possession of marijuana (under 20 grams) and possibly synthetic cannabinoids, Liv suddenly went from sidelined to spotlighted for all the wrong reasons.
It wasn’t the kind of return fans expected, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Liv Morgan—it’s that she doesn’t stay down for long. She’s unpredictable, wild, and now officially a member of the “yes, I’ve been arrested” club in WWE lore.
You wouldn’t expect the face of WWE, the clean-cut golden boy Roman Reigns, to have a rap sheet—but oh, he does.
In 2010, just weeks before signing his WWE contract, Roman found himself arrested in Florida on a buffet of charges: disorderly conduct, riot, intoxication, and unlawful assembly. Basically, Spring Break gone wrong.
He paid $500 per charge and walked free—but imagine if the future Head of the Table got benched before even stepping into the ring. Thankfully, fate (and some pocket change) had other plans.
Shawn Michaels has made a career out of being controversial—but his arrest? That one’s still wrapped in mystery. Despite being one of the WWE Superstars who got arrested in real-life, there are no verifiable reports on why he was actually arrested.
It happened in Louisville, Kentucky, back in the day. He got locked up in Jefferson County Jail, but what was the charge? Nobody really knows. The mugshot exists—young, bleach-blonde, pure ’90s Heartbreak Kid energy—but the details have been buried deeper than kayfabe secrets.
Was it a bar fight? A wild party? Tax evasion? Only HBK knows. And he’s not talking.
Also Read: 5 Current WWE Superstars With a Criminal Record