Standing at 6’2” and weighing in at 285lbs, Eric Bugenhagen is a former WWE superstar from Franklin, Wisconsin.
And he’s quite the character, notching up hundreds of thousands of followers on social media who tune in to see him lifting massive weights while comparing his efforts to wacky scenarios.
Now, he’s bringing that charisma to our TV screens as ‘The Bull’ on Prime Video’s reboot of American Gladiators.
1) He Was an Elite NCAA Wrestler
In his younger years and long before the bright lights of WWE, The Bull was a competitive wrestler.
After winning a state title at Franklin High School, he went on to wrestle for the NCAA Division I University of Wisconsin team from 2006 to 2011, qualifying for the NCAA Championships twice and ranking among the top ten US amateur wrestlers in 2011.
He also earned a degree in Kinesiology and went on to coach wrestling at UW-Madison.
2) He’s a Former WWE Superstar
Bugenhagen signed with WWE in 2017 and became best known as Rick Boogs on SmackDown, where he famously played Shinsuke Nakamura to the ring on an electric guitar.
He competed at WrestleMania 38 before suffering a torn quadriceps/patellar tendon injury. Bugenhagen was released from WWE in September 2023 and officially retired from wrestling in January 2024.
3) He’s Built a Major Fitness YouTube Channel
Since leaving wrestling, The Bull has become somewhat of a social media sensation among fitness enthusiasts.
His YouTube channel, which covers weightlifting, fitness, comedy and mindset, has amassed over 360,000 subscribers and more than 200 million views.
American Gladiators premieres on 17 April on Prime Video.
SEE ALSO: American Gladiators Reboot: Everything You Need to Know
