Tough Enough Star Now Grapples Gators in Louisiana

Most Pro Wrestling fans are likely familiar with WWE's old tryout show, Tough Enough, but one face from a nearly 10-year-old season of the show has an interesting job back home in Louisiana. Zamariah "ZZ" Loupe was featured on the sixth season of the wrestling reality show at the age of 16, but now, at 28 years old, ZZ is making a living grappling with gators in the bayou.

How a Crazy Cajun Got WWE's Attention

Zamariah was scouted for the sixth season of Tough Enough and instantly became a fan favorite. ZZ grew up in Kraemer, Louisiana, in the family business of giving swamp tours, and by 14 years old was already successfully wrestling alligators. By the end of the season, ZZ had created a following of fans who accepted the nickname "Baby Gators" and maintained popularity with fans when he ended up as the runner-up for that season.

After Tough Enough ended, ZZ got a shot on another one of WWE's tryout/training/scouting shows, Breaking Grounds. After being on a few episodes of that show, ZZ finally got his first match in WWE's NXT brand. That was his only match in a real WWE ring during a real WWE show. For one reason or another, things didn't work out, and ZZ was out of there by the end of 2016.

ZZ still wrestled on occasion with Kenner, LA-based promotion and wrestling school Wildkat Pro Wrestling. But in more recent years, ZZ's wrestling boots have had time to dry off while his swamp boots are deep in mud.

Giving Up Grapplers For Gators

Since his wrestling career was put on the back burner, his career as a swamp tour guide and alligator wrangler has taken off. Today, ZZ is a business owner, having taken on the family business, not just a business owner, he's become a successful influencer sharing his adventures in the swamp to over 208k followers on TikTok.

In an interview with VICE, the real reason ZZ left wrestling behind became clear, while still in his very early 20s, his mother's health took a steep decline. With the health and well-being of his family weighing on his mind, he came back to take on the family business, Zam's Swamp Tours.

Jim Ross' 10 Greatest Calls in WWE

There's no debate to be had -- Jim Ross is the greatest commentator in the history of professional wrestling. JR's run during WWE's Attitude and Ruthless Aggression Eras remains unmatched, even when considering the longevity of Michael Cole's career and the explosive personality of Joey Styles in ECW.

No commentator has ever put more of themselves into the role, often calling matches as if they were biblical battles unfolding in a WWE ring. JR could make you believe that the ultimate fight between good and evil was taking place right before your eyes. He allowed a generation of wrestling fans to put their hopes and dreams into an antihero like Stone Cold Steve Austin, while stirring the WWE Universe's seething hatred for demonic villains like Triple H.

This list isn't about JR's best catchphrases like "Business is about to pick up!" or "Bah Gawd!" It's about compiling the times when Jim Ross' commentary elevated a moment to the highest level possible, evoking emotions in the viewer that rival any call in sports or entertainment broadcasting.

Check out our definitive list of the greatest calls in WWE history from Good Ol' JR -- Jim Ross!

Gallery Credit: WWE