One of the best shows on t.v. right now is Dark Side of the Ring. The VICELAND docuseries takes a deep look at the seedy side of professional wrestling.
They just wrapped up another season full of behind-the-scenes stories of some wrestlings most controvesial characters and moments. One thing I loved about the show was the wrestlers openess when it came to weed use.
It’s been widely known that pain killers and muscle relaxers are passed around pro wrestling locker rooms like candy, it’s good to know that some wrestlers took an alternative approach to pain relief and relaxation.
Even if it cost some of them their career.
Let us take a look at a few wrestlers who proudly puffed ganja before, after, and after after shows.
Charles Wright a.k.a The Godfather
Most won’t know the name Charles Wright. But if asked if they knew who Papa Shango, Kama Mufasa or The Godfather was, then lights might start to go off.
Wright got his start in wrestling in the USWF. He would become a star when he would take talents to WWE. While in WWE, he would take on three different characters, each one more unique than the other. The one thing all three had in common was that Charles Wright liked to smoke weed! So much so that his wife though his excessive use of weed caused him to lose a match.
Weed use didn’t stop Charles from becoming one of the biggest performers in the company during his time. Wright often shows off his weed use and choice of tools on his Instagram page.
Wright often shows off his weed use and choice of tools on his Instagram page.
The MVP
Hassan Hamin Assad a.k.a Montel Vontez Porter is more known for his time in the WWE as, The MVP.
A former WWE United States champion and tag team champion, he’s also a proud consumer of cannabis.
MVP spoke with Opie and Andy about his time in the WWE. During the interview he mentioned his use of cannabis and the companies policies. MVP still wrestles and smokes to this day.
RVD
Rob. Van. Damn! RVD was one of my favorite wrestlers at one point. His stint with the ECW is stuff of legends. He would eventually take his skills to the WWE after Vince purchased the ECW.
Rob made up for what he lacked in size with his speed, high-flying moves, and charisma. During his illustrious career, RVD wrestled both domestically and internationally. He is the only wrestler who has held the ECW world championship, WWE world championship, and TNA world championship.
Even with his in ring success, his pro-cannabis stance throughout his career may have held him back from some major paydays. In 2006, shortly after winning the ECW and WWE titles, he was arrested with 18 grams of cannabis.
With the WWE being big on availability, his arrest after such a big win couldn’t have sat well with the the executives.
Today, RVD lives his best life away from the ring and doing what he loves to do, smoke weed!
Today, RVD has his own CBD line When not making ring appearances, he often entertains fans on social media with virtual 420 happy hours. And all without fear of suspensions.
Randy Orton
Part of a wrestling family legacy, Randy Orton seemed to be destined for stardom in the squared circle since he first put on tights.
A former WWE world champion, U.S. and tag champion, Orton found himself on the wrong side of the WWE’s wellness policy due to his frequent use of cannabis.
It’s even rumored that he was during a taping of SmackDown, Orton was seen in the locker-room rolling a joint. He was suspended twice since 2006 over his cannabis use.
Still working for the WWE, his the use of cannabis didn’t stop him from reaching the heights of his profession several times in his career. He can light one to that.
X-Pac
As part of the Attitude Era, Sean “X-Pac” Waltman was part of a collective of wrestlers in the mid-2000’s that helped keep the WWE alive and fresh for a younger generation.
Less Hulk Hogan and all the comic book type antics that came with the 80’s and 90’s, the Attitude Era was just that. Storylines played out like a reality show. Sean was fit for the times and was a major star.
Alongside Sean Michaels, The Big Show and Triple-H, X-Pac was one of the biggest names in the company at the time.
He was also one of the biggest champions for weed use. A user himself, Sean would use his platform to stand-up for fellow wrestlers who faced suspension from the WWE over weed use.
After being arrested a few times over cannabis, Sean has since said to have gone sober.
Sidenote. Former Creative Writer for WWE, Vince Russo says that he caught X-Pac smoking a joint with fellow wrestler Road Dogg and Ben Stiller.