The surprising history of Aussies and Kiwis who became WWE superstars
The history of WWE in Australia and New Zealand
WWE has been a global brand for decades, with performers such as Hulk Hogan, The Rock and John Cena becoming household names across the world.
For Aussies and Kiwis however, the successful exports have been few and far between until the past decade, where a number of wrestlers from this side of the world have become champions or major players for WWE.
In this piece, we take a look at the surprisingly in-depth history of Australians and New Zealanders in WWE, from modern-day icons like Rhea Ripley and Toni Storm, all the way back to Hall of Fame duo, The Bushwhackers.
Scroll on to discover every wrestler to make it big from both sides of the Tasman.
Outback Jack
Outback Jack (real name Peter Stilsbury) was one of the first Australians to ever make a name in pro wrestling overseas.
He started his career working for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Canada, before spending three years with the WWF in the mid-1980s.
Tony Garea (left)
The godfather of New Zealand wrestling, Tony Garea (real name Anthony Gareljich) wrestled with the WWF for 15 years.
Garea captured the tag team titles on five occasions with four different partners, included Rick Martel (pictured).
After retiring from in-ring competition, Garea worked as a backstage agent with WWE until leaving the company in 2014.
The Bushwhackers
New Zealand's iconic tag team, The Bushwhackers (Robert 'Butch' Miller and Brian 'Luke Williams' Wickens) were cult favourites in the 1980s due to their wild personas and comedic moments.
The pair were inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015, mamaking them the first Kiwis to earn the prestigious honour.
Miller sadly passed away last April at the age of 78.
Colin Scotts
Colin Scotts had a brief run with WWF during the 1990s after becoming the second Australian to play in the NFL.
He would retire in 1995, despite the company offering him a new contract.
Nathan Jones
This is a wild one.
Nathan Jones was born in Queensland but as a teenager, ended up on the wrong side of the law and spent time behind bars for a string of armed robberies.
Upon his release from prison, Jones would become a powerlifting champion and competed in strongman tournaments, before turning his attention to MMA and pro wrestling.
Jones was signed by WWE in 2002 but his previous legal troubles saw him unable to enter the United States initially, but he eventually became part of the main roster.
His biggest moment came at WrestleMania 19 as he helped The Undertaker win a handicap match, but he ultimately quit by the end of 2003 due to the rigours of the travel schedule involved with WWE.
One of the most insanely forgettable runs in WWE history.
Nick Miller
Thorne's tag partner inside and outside of WWE, Nick Miller (real name Michael Nicholls) had even less of an impact with the company, spending just three years there before being released.
The Perth product now works as part of the popular TMDK group in New Japan under the name Mikey Nicholls.
Shane Thorne
One-half of a stellar tag team known as TMDK or TM61, Shane Thorne (real name Shane Veryzer) worked across the globe before being picked up by WWE in 2016.
Thorne had a mixed run with the company in both the developmental system and main roster, before being released in 2021 and moving to New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Travis Banks
A veteran of the independent scene, New Zealand's Travis Banks (real name Travis Bligh) arrived in WWE in 2017.
He worked predominantly for the company's NXT UK brand before being released in 2020.
Billie Kay (left)
The other half of The Iconics, Billie Kay (real name Jessica McKay) started her journey alongside her real life best friend in Sydney and was also signed in 2015.
Their title triumph in 2019 was one of the greatest moments in Australian pro wrestling history.
Kay has also worked for TNA since leaving WWE in 2021.
