WWE features superstars from various countries, and fans have seen a number of superstars from the UK. Wade Barrett was one of those superstars, and he officially joined the company when he signed his developmental contract in 2007. He had a fairly good run with WWE, but he was granted an early release in 2016, and he then decided to take a small hiatus from wrestling altogether.
He may not compete in the ring anymore, but Wade Barrett is still part of the WWE family as a member of the NXT commentary team. Wrestling fans have undoubtedly heard a number of backstage stories about Barrett, but that does not mean that they know everything about him. If that were the case, those fans would know that his real name is actually Stuart Bennett.
10 He Was A Real Bare-Knuckle Boxer

The WWE Universe has seen multiple versions of Wade Barrett, and in 2012, he returned to WWE as a bare-knuckle brawler. When this new gimmick was introduced, fans were told that he was a champion brawler who fought on the streets of Europe.
It turns out that this gimmick was based on Barrett's real-life experience, as he was a bare-knuckle boxer in his early 20s. He began fighting when he moved to Liverpool, and he fought in several European cities. He does not regret fighting, but it did leave him with a disfigured nose.
9 Who Inspired Him To Become A Wrestler

There are quite a few wrestlers who were popular despite the fact that they weren't that good in the ring, but no one can say that about The British Bulldog. He was the very first European Champion in WWE history, but he was a former Intercontinental, Hardcore, and Tag Team Champion as well.
The British Bulldog was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020, and it was an incredible moment for his family and Wade Barrett. Barrett grew up in England, and the British Bulldog was his childhood hero. He was actually the person who inspired Barrett to become a wrestler.
8 A SummerSlam Main Event Is His All-Time Favorite Match

The British Bulldog's final WWE PPV matches varied in terms of quality, but his match with Bret Hart at the 1992 edition of SummerSlam has received a lot of praise over the years. He challenged Hart for the Intercontinental Championship, and it was the show's main event.
The match lasted nearly 30 minutes, and it ended with the British Bulldog winning the title. Barrett has seen hundreds of matches over the years, but he considers this SummerSlam bout to be his all-time favorite match. This is fitting because the match was between his two wrestling idols.
7 He's One Of The Many Wrestlers Trained By Al Snow

Every wrestler needs some level of training before stepping foot inside of a ring, and Wade Barrett was no different. When he decided to become a wrestler, he sought out the best trainer he could find, and that trainer was Al Snow.
Al is a former WWE European and Tag Team Champion, and he won the Hardcore Championship 6 times. He is arguably one of wrestling's more influential trainers, as he has taught the likes of Dolph Ziggler, The Miz, Ruby Soho, and even Cody Rhodes. There have been matches where wrestlers have faced their trainers, but Barrett and Snow have never fought each other.
6 His Acting Career

A number of wrestlers have attempted to have acting careers, and Wade Barrett has several film credits on his resume. His first movie role came in 2012 when he played a gangster in the movie Dead Man Down. The movie starred Colin Farrell, Terrence Howard, and Noomi Rapace.
He played a British contract killer in the 2016 action film, Eliminators. In 2018, Barrett received his first main actor credit for his role in I Am Vengeance, an action film which saw him play an ex-soldier turned mercenary. He reprised this role in the film's sequel, which released in 2020.
5 He's A Big Soccer Fan

Professional wrestlers are athletes, and many of them come from athletic backgrounds, which explains why so many of them are sports fans. Being from the UK. Barrett grew up loving soccer, and like most sports fans, he roots for a singular team.
He could have followed a number of high-quality football clubs, but his heart belongs to Preston North End F.C.. The club has been around for almost 150 years, and although it is no longer part of the Premier League, it still competes in the English Football League.
4 His Early Wrestling Career

Wade Barrett decided to become a wrestler when he was 21, and he made his official in-ring debut in 2004. When he started out, he went by the name Stu Sanders, and his very first match was with NWA UK Hammerlock Wrestling, where he appeared in a 30-man battle royal.
He worked for a number of English promotions, including All Star Wrestling, and Real Quality Wresting. Barrett also worked for Dropkixx Wrestling, where he feuded with Nick Aldis, and during his run with the promotion, he won the Dropkixx IWC Heavyweight Championship.
3 He Was In A Relationship With Alicia Fox

WWE Superstars are celebrities, and they all get paid fairly well, but when they are not in the ring, they are ordinary human beings just like everyone else. This means that they have personal lives, and sometimes their personal and professional lives mix.
Several years ago, Barrett and Alicia Fox were in a relationship, and they managed to remain friends despite breaking up. They spoke about their breakup on an episode of Total Divas, where he made it clear that he did not see himself spending the rest of his life with her.
2 He's Technically A Marine Biologist

Barrett knew that he wanted to be a professional wrestler, but he also knew that education was important, which is why he decided to go to university. He attended the University of Liverpool, and when he finished his studies, he walked away with a degree in marine biology.
While he was training to become a wrestler, he actually spent some time working in a lab. This degree technically makes Barrett a marine biologist, but this fact hasn't come up during his wrestling career. It is surprising that WWE never tried to give him a marine biologist gimmick.
1 He's Been Stabbed

When Barrett was a bare-knuckle boxer, he fought and defeated a very well-known fighter. He was considered to be a huge underdog, so he earned a hefty cash prize for his victory. Unfortunately, he had to fight again later that night because someone tried to steal his winnings.
The mugger attacked Barrett with an 8-inch blade, and that blade is the reason why he has an 12-inch scar along his upper back and right triceps. Barrett was able to overpower and injure his attacker, and he was able to keep his money.
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