Published 15:13 IST, June 4th 2020
Ben Stokes given grand entry in WWE appearance, joined by The Miz and Dolph Ziggler: Watch
England's World Cup hero Ben Stokes celebrated his birthday on Thursday, June 4, 2020. Here's a throwback to the time when the all-rounder featured in the WWE.
English all-rounder Ben Stokes celebrates his birthday on Thursday, June 4, 2020. The 31-year-old has established himself as a pillar in the England line-up across all formats, contributing massively with both bat and ball. The Rajasthan Royals star had a stellar 2019 summer, where he led England to their maiden World Cup title, while he single-handedly won The Ashes Test match at Headingley. On the Ben Stokes birthday occasion, here is a throwback to the time when the Englishman featured as a guest timekeeper at a certain WWE event in 2016.
Ben Stokes birthday: England all-rounder does the in-ring walk at WWE in Newcastle
An aggressive persona on the cricket field, Ben Stokes featured in a WWE event in Newcastle in 2016, a month after being clubbed by Carlos Brathwaite for four consecutive sixes in the T20 World Cup final. The Rajasthan Royals all-rounder was presented to a packed Newcastle wrestling arena with the help of traditional heavy walk-on music. Also, as Ben Stokes marched towards the WWE ring, a montage of some of his remarkable England moments was being played on the big screen.
The World Cup hero's love for WWE doesn't really come as a surprise for his fans. The Rajasthan Royals star is a self-proclaimed WWE fan and revealed that he religiously watched the Triple H, Kane, Big Show, Undertaker, Stone Cold and other WWE stars as a child.
Ben Stokes birthday: WATCH Ben Stokes walking the ring in a WWE event in Newcastle
Ben Stokes brawl incident
While Ben Stokes does not shy away from a fight on the field, he certainly doesn't pull his punches of it. The English all-rounder has been involved in a couple of incidents where he used his brute force to find his way out of the situation, a la WWE. In 2017, Ben Stokes was arrested for his involvement in a street brawl near a nightclub with two men, along with teammate Alex Hales. The all-rounder subsequently missed the next two Test matches, one through suspension and the other due to the injury sustained in the fight.
The Ben Stokes brawl made the cricketer his sponsorship with New Balance. The Rajasthan Royals star later in 2018 was charged with affray along with the two other men and appeared before Bristol Magistrates' Court. Stokes defended suggesting that he was defending a gay couple from homophobic abuse from the other two men and was acquitted. However, Stokes was fined £30,000 and banned by the ECB for eight matches.
Updated 15:13 IST, June 4th 2020