The creators of Married With Children were HUGE wrestling fans. And they weren’t shy about it! They named the Bundy family after none other than King Kong Bundy himself!
The Bundy’s neighbors, Steve and Marcy Rhoades? Yep, you guessed it! Named after “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes! Even Al’s coworker, Luke Ventura, was named after a wrestler – Jesse “The Body” Ventura! Talk about a wrestling power couple!
And who could forget Al’s epic showdown with “Big Bad Mama” in the GLOW episode? Al Bundy in the ring? That’s a pay-per-view I’d buy!
In 1992, the Al Bundy character introduced a 1992 episode of WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event on Fox. Al mentioned names like Papa Shango and The Ultimate Maniacs and proclaimed that this was the greatest night of his life.
So, there you have it! Married With Children, a show that on the surface seems to have nothing to do with wrestling, is actually packed with nods, winks, and tributes to the world of sports entertainment. From the names of the main characters to the over-the-top storylines and the exploration of masculinity, wrestling’s influence on the show is undeniable. Watch the video embedded on this page for more on Married With Children’s connection to pro wrestling.
