Eric Bugenhagen is a professional wrestler who is most known for fighting under his real name in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) developmental brand NXT. He was born on December 1, 1987, in Franklin, Wisconsin, United States. He’s also known as Rik Bugez in the ring, and he’s famous for his rock star gimmick, which he’s been employing since 2019.

The net worth of Eric Bugenhagen

Eric Bugenhagen’s net worth is believed to be over $1 million as of mid-2020, thanks to a successful professional wrestling career. While he isn’t a regular on NXT, he is regarded as a major up-and-comer in professional wrestling and has appeared on a number of NXT house shows.

Early Life and Education

Eric grew up in Franklin and exhibited a great athletic proclivity from a young age. He grew up watching professional wrestling on what was then known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). In order to pursue a career as a performer, he immediately discovered that many professional wrestlers began their careers as amateur wrestlers. He was a member of his local high school’s wrestling team during high school, winning two championships in the process.

He went to the University of Wisconsin – Madison after matriculating. The university is one of the state’s largest and oldest public colleges, with over 1,200 acres of land. It is also known as one of the Public Ivies, with an academic system comparable to the private Ivy League. The university has produced a number of high-profile graduates who are notable for both their highly competitive collegiate sports teams and their scientific discoveries in nutrition science. He majored in Nutrition and minored in History at the university. In the meantime, he was a four-year letter winner for the university’s wrestling team.

In 2011, he was also named one of the best amateur wrestlers in the United States.

Career

NXT – Professional Wrestling

Bugenhagen went on to pursue other interests and career choices after graduation, believing that wrestling was no longer a part of his life. His enthusiasm in professional wrestling intensified in the mid-2010s, and he decided to test out at the WWE Performance Center, where he was quickly offered a developmental deal with the WWE’s NXT brand.

NXT was established in 2010 as a developmental area for wrestlers who aspire to join the company’s main roster.

However, it has grown into its own brand, becoming the home of many top indie performers while also providing some of the most memorable matches in recent memory, as many wrestling commentators have noticed. While technically a developmental brand, NXT has been regarded as WWE’s third main brand, and in 2019, the company signed a television deal with the USA Network to begin broadcasting shows from an Orlando, Florida arena. NXT is praised by many for its compelling narrative, well-developed characters, and high-quality wrestling.

Bugenhagen debuted in a 2017 show against Lars Sullivan, which he lost, after preparing for a few years.

A few days later, they fought again, and he lost for the second time in a row. A month later, he teamed up with Heavy Machinery to face The Forgotten Sons and Chad Lail in a six-man tag match. This resulted in his first two consecutive victories, including a rematch a few days later. His second match was against Adrian Jaoude, his third singles encounter, and he lost again.

He subsequently took a year off from participating in NXT programs, focusing on training and other projects. He also required a new gimmick, so he resurfaced in 2018 as Rik Bruges, competing against Kassius Ohno in a house show.

He next appeared in a house show alongside Mansoo Al Shehail against Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch, teaming up with Riddick Moss in a tag team bout against the Street Profits. Over the next several months, he continued to compete in house shows, including some battles against Damian Priest, then known as Punishment Martinez.

Bugenhagen continued to work the house show circuit in 2019, winning a single match against Mansoor. He fought Dominik Dijakovic a few nights later but lost that match as well. However, his performance impressed management, and he was given the opportunity to make his NXT broadcast debut under his real name of Eric Bugenhagen.

New life

He introduced his new role, a flashy rock star with long hair and a handlebar moustache, on television. He’s depicted yelling and playing air instruments like the air guitar, as though he’s in a rock band from decades ago. He fought Drew Gulak in his debut television match and lost.

Despite these setbacks, fans praised his personality and gimmick, with many highlighting his innate charisma as a potential future star. Despite the success of his first appearance, he hasn’t been seen as a wrestler on television since most likely because nothing has been devised for him. He’s also been working hard to improve his abilities.

He’s appeared in backstage scenes and as part of a crowd to help fill the arena since fans are still not permitted to congregate at wrestling events.

Personal Experiences

Eric appears to be married, however, he hasn’t revealed any information about her, instead of sharing photos of them and their child. She frequently appears in his internet writings as a guest and appears in performances in his support. He enjoys bodybuilding and weightlifting, particularly powerlifting, in his spare time. He also plays the guitar and has been working on matching his voice to his role. He’s also a big proponent of nutritional and bodybuilding supplements, and he works with Psycho Pharma on that.

Quick Facts on Eric Bugenhagen

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