A pro wrestling locker room might look like a tough guy's environment to those who look from the outside, but it's also a place where wrestlers either get to fulfill their dreams or see their dreams shattered. There's always a variety of emotions going on behind the scenes, but the wrestlers put on their character masks and perform with the sole intention of entertaining the fans.
Wrestling fans have witnessed many heartwarming and heartbreaking moments that happened on-screen over the years, but most of them have never seen such emotional moments that occurred backstage over the years. With that said, let's take a look at ten behind-the-scenes pictures of WWE wrestlers being emotional.
10 Becky Lynch's Reaction To Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn's WrestleMania Moment
Having their own WrestleMania moment is a dream for every wrestler in the industry, and many of them have experienced the feeling over the course of the past 39 years. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn had their big moment when they defeated The Usos to win the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships on Night 1 of WrestleMania 39.
While Owens had a similar moment after competing against Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 38, it was the first major WrestleMania moment for Sami Zayn. Becky Lynch, who is one of Owens and Zayn's best friends and one who has enjoyed such a monumental WrestleMania moment, couldn't hold back her happy tears when Owens and Zayn walked backstage after their win.
9 Triple H Congratulates His Protégé
Triple H is one of the main factors behind NXT's transition from a reality television show to the third official brand of WWE. The Game worked tirelessly with his team to recruit the best talent from all over the world and provided them with the best opportunities in the Black and Gold brand before they broke out into the main roster.
Seth Rollins is one of the NXT graduates who made it big on the main roster, and Triple H played a big role in Rollins' success following his call-up. The Game took Rollins under his wing as his protégé during their time together in The Authority faction, and here's a picture of Rollins thanking and sharing an emotional moment with Triple H after winning the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 31.
8 Vince McMahon Congratulating Eddie Guerrero
Vince McMahon was very high on Eddie Guerrero right from the moment the latter left WCW to sign with WWE in January 2000. However, McMahon's faith in Guerrero got shaken a bit after he had to release the latter from his contract following his DUI arrest in November 2001. But McMahon rehired Guerrero in 2002, and the latter worked his way up the ladder, which eventually led to him defeating Brock Lesnar at No Way Out 2004 to win the WWE Championship.
He shared a heartwarming moment with Vince McMahon backstage after his big moment, and as seen in the picture, McMahon has a big smile on his face, satisfied with Guerrero's progress.
7 Triple H Before The First Women's Royal Rumble
Stephanie McMahon announced a revolution in the WWE Women's Division in 2015, which slowly led to female superstars getting more opportunities in both monetary and creative aspects.
WWE abolished the term 'Divas' in 2016 and announced women's versions of major match types like the MITB ladder match and Hell in a Cell. WWE followed it up by announcing the first-ever women's Royal Rumble match at the titular event in 2018. It was a big opportunity for all the members of the women's division to get a big payday, and Triple H addressed an emotional and excited lot before they went out to make history at Royal Rumble 2018.
6 Daniel Bryan Breaking Down Backstage
Daniel Bryan had to make the toughest decision of his life when he had to announce his retirement from in-ring competition in 2016. He had to step away from the ring after his previous issues with concussions took a big toll on his body, and he announced his retirement in an in-ring segment on the February 8, 2016, episode of Raw.
He gave a tearful farewell to the WWE Universe that night but also broke down backstage and was seen being comforted by his wife, Brie Bella. However, Bryan went through various physical assessments and managed to get cleared to return to the ring again in 2018.
5 On This Day!
Another wrestler who faced a similar situation to Daniel Bryan was The Rated R Superstar Edge. The 11-time world champion had to retire from in-ring competition in 2011 after a neck injury turned out to be a career-ender.
He announced his retirement on the April 11, 2011, episode of Raw and relinquished the World Heavyweight Championship on the following episode of SmackDown. WWE inducted him into the Hall of Fame in 2012, but Edge didn't give up just like that and took his time to heal and get back in shape before he made his in-ring return at Royal Rumble 2020. Here's a picture of Edge sharing an emotional moment with his wife, Beth Phoenix, after he walked back after competing in his first match in almost 11 years.
4 The Enforcer With The Tribal Chief
The Anoa'i Family has provided numerous talented wrestlers to the industry, and it's a gift that keeps on giving as Solo Sikoa became the newest member of the family to make his WWE debut in 2021. He's the son of WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi and the brother of multiple-time tag team champions, The Usos. After making his debut in 2021, he worked his way through the NXT system before joining his brothers and cousin Roman Reigns on the main roster as part of The Bloodline at the 2022 Clash at the Castle event.
He became an integral part of the storyline and aligned himself with Reigns in the Bloodline Civil War. He teamed with Reigns at Money in the Bank 2023 in a match against The Usos, and here's a picture of him sharing a grateful moment with his cousin backstage at the event.
3 Brock Lesnar & Paul Heyman Backstage At WrestleMania 30
Brock Lesnar did the unthinkable at WrestleMania 30 when he defeated The Undertaker to end his iconic 21-0 undefeated streak. The moment left the entire WWE Universe in shock, and the cameras captured the crowd, showing all sorts of emotions as The Deadman embraced the huge defeat.
It was the same scene behind the screens as well, and even Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman were seen high on emotions looking at The Undertaker get back on his feet and make his way back, which clearly shows how much The Deadman is respected among his peers.
2 Vince McMahon Crying While Presenting Shawn Michaels His HOF Ring
The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels retired from in-ring competition after losing his match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 26. He had a 26-year-long career as an in-ring performer and was one of the faces of WWE throughout his stay with the company and held a special place in the heart of Vince McMahon.
McMahon didn't hide his emotions when Shawn Michaels got inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011, and he was seen fighting back his tears when he presented HBK with his Hall of Fame ring.
1 One Last Time
WWE has been the home of numerous legendary performers over the years, and The Undertaker holds a special place among them. Making his debut at Survivor Series 1990, The Deadman sent chills down the spines of every member of the WWE Universe throughout his legendary career that lasted three decades.
He had his last match against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36 and announced his official retirement at Survivor Series 2020. Cameras captured The Deadman sharing emotional moments with his peers and family backstage, but this shot of him sitting in his locker room before he made his iconic long walk one last time holds a very special place.
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