10 Highly Inspiring Wrestling Redemption Stories

Happy Birthday to Jake Roberts, who turns 66 today!

It is honestly amazing that the legend has made it this far, considering that he has knocked on death's door more than just a few times during his life and career.

Despite all of his issues and the scandal attached to him, Jake has come out of it on the other side and is actively contributing to the business in a positive manner as a manager and coach for AEW.

It is heartening to see someone who clearly has so much knowledge to give being able to do so after most had presumed he would inevitably become a wrestling statistic, another performer gone before their time, a victim of their vices.

The Snake managed to get better thanks in large part to the efforts of Diamond Dallas Page, who took him in and ensured that he stayed the course. Roberts was rewarded for cleaning up with a WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2014 and it's been (mostly) positive stuff since then.

On this occasion, it seems only fitting to look at other inspiring redemption stories, whether they be a wrestler coming back from the brink of addiction, a wrestler turning their careers around or, well, something else entirely.

10. Drew McIntyre

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After something of a false start being put in a tag team with British veteran David Taylor, Drew McIntyre returned from a stint in developmental to be anointed by Vince McMahon personally as 'The Chosen One'.

Branded a sure-fire future WWE Champion by the chairman, the Scotsman was given a public endorsement that very, very few before (or since) have received.

The early signs were good, as Drew was given a push on television and won the Intercontinental Title within a few months. Most had him pegged as the winner of the Money in the Bank ladder match (and subsequent guaranteed title opportunity) at WrestleMania XXVI, but the honour went to Jack Swagger instead and McIntyre's momentum began to stall.

Before too long, he found himself as a supporting player in the comedic Three Man Band stable, which was designed more as a showcase for 3MB leader Heath Slater.

It was a gradual, but startling, fall from grace and the most shocking thing about his June 2014 release was that it wasn't really shocking at all.

Just how had this man, who had all the tools to be one of the faces of the company, end up on the scrap heap?

Well, Drew didn't sit around crying about his squandered potential for too long, hitting the international and independent wrestling scenes with a vengeance and establishing himself as a force in every promotion that he worked for.

During his time away from WWE, every aspect of his game noticeably improved to the point that WWE came calling back, offering him another opportunity three years after they gave him his pink slip.

McIntyre then worked his way up from NXT to the WWE Title, fulfilling the prophecy that Vince McMahon spoke of over a decade beforehand. A textbook case of hard work paying off and how a release can sometimes be a blessing in disguise.

9. Dustin Rhodes

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Dustin Rhodes has been through a lot and has had to carry a heavy burden throughout his long and illustrious career.

Coming into the business as the son of the legendary Dusty Rhodes, Dustin had to contend with living up to the legacy of one of the most beloved performers ever, who also happened to be an influential figure behind-the-scenes.

Then there was Goldust, an incredibly controversial gimmick which coincided with the deterioration in the relationship between him and his famous father. Goldust was good to Rhodes, but it was a million miles from 'The Natural' and could have been a career-killer if not handled right.

Rhodes' career had its ups and downs, some bitter exits and triumphant comebacks, but the nadir was undoubtedly his mid-2000s spell in TNA, an era that saw the emergence of the utterly bizarre and truly regrettable Black Reign character.

It was during this period that Dustin's substance abuse issues began to spiral out of control, as he indulged in heavy drugs and alcohol binges. He was noticeably suffering, his weight ballooning and his performances falling well short of the expected standard.

It all came to a head one night when Rhodes hit rock bottom. Realising he was at the depths, he climbed to the top of a hill in the middle of a storm in order to get enough cell phone reception to call his dad and ask for help.

The next day, Dustin entered WWE-sponsored rehab and completed the treatment programme, cleaning up his act to the point that WWE gave him another chance and allowed him to revive his career.

He had some great years in WWE after, the peak arguably being he and brother Cody capturing the WWE Tag Team Titles, with Dusty watching on from ringside.

Rhodes is now flying the flag for AEW, and while his ring work and backstage mentoring is exemplary, the most important thing is his continued sobriety and commitment to staying healthy, something he has done for the last thirteen years.

8. David Arquette

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It is bad luck (and Vince Russo stupidity) that David Arquette found himself on the receiving end of fans' wrath in 2000.

It wasn't like it was the actor's own idea to make himself WCW Heavyweight Champion in a bid to promote the film Ready to Rumble (he was actually against it), but he bore the brunt of the audience's frustrations regardless.

Nevermind that Arquette was a genuine fan of the business himself and actually donated the money he made form his WCW appearances to the families of fallen wrestlers, such as Brian Pillman.

For years he had to live with the stigma of being involved in one of the stunts that many believe had led to the death of the US's second biggest wrestling organisation.

The trolling he had received was the impetus for David Arquette transitioning from the silver screen to the squared circle and deciding to try his hand at wrestling, despite being in his mid-40's and coming in with all that WCW stigma.

Proving his sincerity, Arquette plugged away on the indie scene, paying his dues in often brutal ways, such as when he received a scary cut during a death match with Nick Gage.

The Scream star put the work in and clearly took his quest seriously, as documented in the brilliant documentary You Cannot Kill David Arquette, which charts his foray into the indie wrestling world.

A good sport all around, David Arquette proved his doubters wrong and managed to live out a dream, redeeming himself in the process.

7. Nick Gage

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Nick Gage may not be everyone's cup of tea, given that he specialises in ultraviolent death match wrestling, but his story is, ultimately, a hopeful one.

Gage certainly suffered for his art but he also suffered in another way, with a life filled with personal tragedy.

He struggled with opiate addiction for years, had his immediate family pass away in horrific ways and, at his lowest, found himself out on the streets , flat broke and without a place to stay.

It was then that he walked into a New Jersey bank, shortly before Christmas 2010, and told the teller that he had a gun, demanding money.

He walked out with around $3,000 but was forced to surrender to authorities a week later. Gage ultimately ended up serving four years in prison and was forced to pay compensation to both the bank and the woman he demanded the money from.

Since then, he has had his slips (including a return to jail after a probation violation) and regrettable incidents such as the aforementioned Arquette match gone wrong, but, by and large, he has rehabbed his public image and forged a strong bond with wrestling fans.

These days he's the reigning GCW Champion and something of a chair-swinging mascot for US indie wrestling.

As GCW owner Brett Lauderdale stated in Gage's Dark Side of the Ring profile, his story is one of redemption for now at least, but every day is a battle.

Let's hope he continues to win it.

6. Chris Candido

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Like many from his era, Chris Candido had issues with substances like drugs and alcohol.

A wrestling prodigy who had been doing it since before his teens, Candido made an impression on the indie scene in the early 90s, particularly as a member of the Smoky Mountain Wrestling roster, before making his way to WWE, along with girlfriend Tammy 'Sunny' Sytch.

As one half of the Bodydonnas tag team, his spell there didn't exactly set the world on fire, and it was also while with the company that his drug issues really started (compounded by his fractious relationship with Sytch).

Realising backstage politics were working against him, Candido skipped (see what I did there?) to ECW, where he enjoyed much more success over a three-year spell, reinventing himself in the process.

Post-ECW it was off to WCW, where his issues continued to worsen, and he was only around for a few months.

Soon, ECW and WCW were both defunct and WWE weren't calling, so Chris made his living independently in the US and internationally, though he burned bridges due to his backstage behaviour and habit of sometimes no-showing events.

In the end, he recognised that - still in his early 30's - he had a lot more to give and decided to kick the bad habits. His conduct and performances over the following months earned him a spot on the TNA roster.

According to Chris' brother Johnny Candido, things were much better on the home front between Chris and Tammy, too.

Sadly, while this redemption was taking place, 'No Gimmicks Needed' broke his leg in a freak accident during TNA's Lockdown 2005 pay-per-view.

Days later he collapsed at home and passed away later that evening, the cause of death being listed as acute pneumonia, a complication resulting from taking some sleep medication he had taken under doctor's orders.

5. Bret Hart

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After being forced to retire from the business, Bret Hart had a lot of baggage to deal with.

His career had ended abruptly due to injury and, not too long after and while suffering form post-concussion syndrome, he suffered a debilitating stroke.

Add to that the still-fresh wounds of the Montreal Screwjob and tragic death of his brother Owen (as well as both of his parents in 2003) and it's easy to see that things were not looking great for The Hitman during this period.

Having been on the outs with WWE for years, his unceremonious exit from the company still rankled, preventing him from making a grand return and enjoying a sendoff befitting a performer of his stature.

After finally mending fences with Vince McMahon, Bret was able to put aside the bad blood and come back to help compile a DVD retrospective of his career, which led to a Hall of Fame induction in 2006.

It provided a sense of closure for Hart, who had been through so much and really deserved the honour.

Years later, things had escalated to the point that the Excellence of Execution was brought in for a storyline, which included a public reconciliation with Shawn Michaels and WrestleMania match with McMahon.

It wasn't the technical masterpiece that fans of Bret were used to seeing, but it was cathartic nonetheless and a more dignified sendoff than what happened at the 1997 Survivor Series.

4. Kurt Angle

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After taking to the business quicker than just about anyone in history and establishing his legacy as one of the greats in just six years of an exemplary WWE career, Kurt Angle left the promotion under a cloud with some speculating that he may be professional wrestling's next major tragedy.

The Olympic Hero was suffering, particularly when it came to his neck, which was first broken in his pursuit of the gold medal a decade earlier.

Falling apart and dependent on pain pills, Angle began acting erratically, which included sending threatening messages to Vince McMahon.

Things got so bad that Angle was either fired or quit (depending on which account you read and choose to believe), with WWE happy to see him go in the hopes that he would sort himself out and maybe make it back one day.

That didn't happen, as Kurt opted to sign for TNA shortly after his release. He worked there for close to ten years and had a fantastic second career. Watching Angle perform, you wouldn't be able to guess the extent of his problems but, behind the curtain, things were bad.

Angle continued to have substance issues, which resulted in four alcohol-related arrests within six years. At times, his appearance began to provide clues as to his true physical condition and, as good as he still was in the ring, he usually made headlines for negative reasons.

The last of his DUIs convinced him to seek help and he checked into WWE-sponsored rehab in 2013.

Once clean and sober and after a few years had passed without incident, WWE gave him the call and informed him that he would be inducted into the Hall of Fame class of 2017.

It turned out to be the beginning of an extended farewell to WWE fans, as he became the on-screen Raw General Manager before easing back into action, culminating with his retirement match at WrestleMania 35.

He hung up the singlet with his status as one of the best ever firmly intact and with his past indiscretions forgiven.

3. Eddie Guerrero

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Eddie Guerrero worked his entire life never thinking he would be able to earn a living wrestling for WWE and, when he got there, he arrived as damaged goods.

Having made his reputation in Mexico, Japan, ECW and WCW before, Latino Heat was considered one of the most talented performers in the business.

However, Eddie had been involved in an almost-fatal car crash on New Year's Day 1999 and was hurting bad. He was miraculously able to come back, defying the doctors who said he would perhaps never walk again, but he did so too soon and quickly became addicted to pain pills.

Guerrero was able to hide it well enough in WWE but by May 2001 there was no more hiding, especially when he showed up at an arena, passed out and was deemed to be in 'no condition to perform'.

He was given the ultimatum of attending rehab or losing his job and wisely chose the former. Regrettably, after completing the programme and in training for his comeback, he got a DUI and WWE cut him loose.

Heaping on the misery, Eddie was going through a separation from his wife Vickie and was experiencing financial difficulties, too.

Starting from the bottom, Eddie hit the indies, working here, there and everywhere, while trying to balance his bookings with maintaining his sobriety and practicing his newfound faith.

The hard work paid off because, months later, WWE offered him another shot in the big time, having been impressed with his performances and encouraged by reports of his recent conduct.

Eddie Guerrero returned to WWE and had an exemplary second career there, winning the Tag Team, Intercontinental, United States and, incredibly, WWE Title within a couple of years. He also won Vickie back and reconciled with his family.

When he passed away in November of 2005, he left us as one of the most beloved superstars of his generation, lionised by all who knew him and his loss still felt to this day.

2. Shawn Michaels

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Shawn Michaels was one of, if not the, best performer of the 90's, but those exceptional matches resulted in injuries and an ego that made the Heartbreak Kid a reviled figure among some sections of the WWE locker room.

Michaels climbed the ranks and went from a dependable tag team wrestler to perhaps the most spectacular singles performer in the industry, winning all the titles there were to win and having classic match after classic match.

As good as things were between the ropes, though, they were just as bad outside of the ring.

HBK was another victim of the dreaded substance abuse issues, which no doubt effected his backstage demeanour and had his colleagues queueing up around the block to smack him where his smile used to be.

A powerful dressing room influence, Michaels would frequently wield his power in an attempt to either get his own way at the expense of others and/or harm the careers of those he viewed as enemies.

It was not uncommon to watch Shawn do his thing on WWE television in the late 90's and see an obnoxious, yet supremely talented, man who was clearly partaking in some ill-advised recreational activities.

Things came to a head when he injured his back a the '98 Royal Rumble, doctors advising him to undergo potentially career-ending surgery after dropping the WWE Title to Steve Austin at WrestleMania XIV.

After he went under the knife, Michaels was still around in various capacities, such as acting as the commissioner, but his personal problems worsened. WWE eventually stopped calling him and some of his best friends, including Triple H, cut off contact with him.

Thankfully, he was able to pull himself together, citing his young son Cameron as his inspiration. Following that, Shawn found his way back to WWE, where he had another eight-year run that solidified him as one of the GOATs, before saying goodbye to active competition on his own terms.

He is still involved today, as one of the main coaches and producers for NXT.

1. Scott Hall

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As bad as Shawn Michaels' problems got, they never got as bad as his Kliq buddy Scott Hall's.

The former Razor Ramon was one of wrestling's premier hellraisers, with the booze and drugs wrecking a once promising career.

Hall's problems really escalated while he was working for WCW in the late 90's, so much so that the company incorporated them into storylines. He ended up leaving WCW in early 2000 and bounced around for a couple of years before coming back to WWE for the New World Order reboot, where it became evident just how bad off he was.

The Bad Guy only lasted a few months before being fired due to several outside-the-ring incidents, brought about due to his substance abuse issues.

The following decade saw Hall work for TNA and on the independent scene, but he continued to make headlines for his personal life, not his work in the ring.

There were more incidents, health issues and trips in and out of rehab. At one point, Hall's best friend Kevin Nash believed that Scott was close to death and many others in the industry feared the worst.

Like Jake Roberts, Hall's saviour was his wrestling brother, Diamond Dallas Page.

During his stay in the 'accountability crib', Hall got clean and sober and improved his physical and mental health. The following year, WWE let him know that he was going to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, something that had seemed unfathomable just a couple of years prior.

There have been a couple of public relapses since, but Scott Hall continues to bounce back and should be commended for his resilience.