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In today's generation of WWE, Bobby Lashley is one of the most featured superstars in the company. First making his WWE debut in 2005, Lashley has come a long way in achieving success, as he's had multiple runs in the company. However, as he finally won the WWE Championship after over 15 years of his wrestling career, it's safe to say his WWE career was an overwhelming success story. Furthermore, it's also worth noting the successes of Bobby Lashley's livelihood before getting into professional wrestling, going back to when he was in the United States Army.
Related: Bobby Lashley Reveals He Was Offered Roles In "Mortal Kombat" And "Stranger Things"
The Rise Of Bobby Lashley's Professional Wrestling Career
Bobby Lashley had a lot to prove when he made his WWE debut in late 2005 on the SmackDown brand, especially starting his professional wrestling career right from WWE's Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental system. Although he's been through ups and downs, Lashley has garnered an impressive professional wrestling career. Lashley's accolades include being a multiple-time WWE Champion and ECW Champion. he also took part in many big matches in his professional wrestling career, including the infamous "Hair Vs. Hair" bout at WrestleMania 23 against Umaga and defending his WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 37.
Even though he's in his late 40s, Bobby Lashley continues to dominate and kick ass in the ring. Someone who was involved in combat sports, from his amateur wrestling days to when he competed in professional fighting, Lashley's athleticism allowed him to quickly adapt to the entertainment world of professional wrestling despite his initial lack of experience.
Related: Bobby Lashley Pitched Gaining 70 Pounds For A Depression Storyline In WWE
Bobby Lashley's Upbringing In The United States Army
One of the more fascinating things about many professional wrestlers is their upbringing. Someone like Bobby Lashley, who's still one of the biggest stars in today's generation of wrestling, has a colorful past that some may be surprised to find out.
When Lashley first arrived on the scene in WWE, his past with the United States Army got brought up as a way of promoting his character. However, Lashley's veteran status isn't a gimmick, as he was legitimately in the army for a couple of years before he got into professional wrestling.
It's worth noting that Bobby Lashley grew up in a family of army veterans, as one of his sisters was in the U.S. Air Force and his father was an army drill instructor. After graduating from Missouri Valley College with a Bachelor's Degree in human-service agency management and recreation administration, Lashley enlisted in the Army from 1999 to 2002.
While enlisted, he continued his amateur wrestling by joining the World Class Athlete Program. During his U.S. Army stint, Lashley captured the gold and silver medals in freestyle wrestling at the International Military Sports Council. After Bobby Lashley left the army, he had plans to wrestle for the 2004 Olympic Games by representing his country. However, because he sustained a knee injury after protecting himself from a bank robbery, his injury caused him to end his amateur wrestling career.
Bobby Lashley's Unique Reputation As An Amateur Wrestler In The U.S. Army
Considering that WWE has shown massive respect for the U.S. Army, hence the annual Tribute to the Troops show since 2003, it's no surprise that Bobby Lashley's past with the army would get brought up as a selling point when he first showed up on the main roster. Being known as a stand-out amateur wrestler while serving in the military, many fans may find it appealing to a wrestling character.
For the most part, wrestling fans probably know about the many stand-out amateur wrestlers who stepped into the world of professional wrestling. Obviously, everyone's aware of Kurt Angle's real-life amateur wrestling accolades, as he was a former two-time Olympic gold medalist before getting his big break in WWE.
Related: Bobby Lashley Reveals He Was Offered Roles In "Mortal Kombat" And "Stranger Things"However, what's fascinating about Bobby Lashley is he accomplished so much in amateur wrestling while simultaneously in the U.S. Army, which is especially unique to him. And it isn't surprising, considering Lashley's impressive physicality allows him to succeed in multiple ventures. Any reasonable person knows Bobby Lashley's not the type of guy to mess with, but his past accomplishments in the Army give him that mystique image of being more badass than he already is.
