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That bodybuilder´s nonsense.

6K views 66 replies 39 participants last post by  777 
#1 ·
I keep hearing that and its stupid and lame really, i mean, every time someone complains about a wrestler´s physique , take for example kassius ohno KO or Sami Zayn people say "this is not bodybuilding" " if you like big sweaty men go to a bodybuilding contest" "not every guy in the roster has to be a super muscular guy...etc etc", LAME im not talking about bodybuilding im talking about being in shape and to take wrestling seriously like Ziggler or Rollins hell even like The Miz, lets remember that HBK, SCSA or Bret Hart were all "small" but were always in very good shape, that´s why among other things people took them seriosly but today many wrestlers are just lazy, many of them have said they hate the gym, im saying just try to have a proper physique and that´s it .
 
#13 ·
While it definitely fits certain characters, I have an issue when certain individuals look like they don't even know what the inside of a gym looks like. There is no excuse for that at all. What's funny is this younger generation seems to have a real issue with the so called bodybuilder look, I chalk it up to pure laziness and them wanting their hero's to look like them, more of the everyday person. I didn't get into wrestling to watch my coworkers, Applebee's waiters and Best Buy employees wrestle. I enjoyed it becasue of legit super hero's and larger than life characters that I didn't see in everyday life. Sadly a lot of the magic is gone today, thank God for the part timers.
 
#14 · (Edited)
What's funny is this younger generation seems to have a real issue with the so called bodybuilder look, I chalk it up to pure laziness
I think CM Punk was one of the first big stars who were vocal about this and it pissed me off. Because CM Punk did look like an athlete somewhat back in the ol indy day (at least looked like a natural lifter who works out somewhat for several years in the gym), its just obvious he didn't care anymore about the physique aspect and got lazy especially since he was getting pushed despite his lack of physique (and yes Punk did get a big push, maybe not "Face of WWE" push but still a big push).
 
#3 ·
Eh, I want a diverse roster of all shapes and sizes. Guys like Samoa Joe and Kevin Owens wouldn’t be them if they were skinny or cut. As long as their body type matches their character and/or in ring style, it works for me.

Them getting a little bit more jacked or cutting little weight isn’t really worth it if it affects their performances.
 
#18 · (Edited)
One of the reasons I got hooked to watching wrestling was the spectacle of witnessing people who looked far from your average joe on the street trying to destroy each other in engrossing fights and programs. The whole larger than life aspect of the business depends a lot on how the talent look leagues ahead of an average human being as far as physical legitimacy goes.

The business shouldn't look like any random person can just wake up ..horribly out of shape, come in and just destroy much more menacing looking competitors who definitely look like they've worked their ass off to get to a higher level of strength and legitimacy. That just sounds disingenuous to me. In an environment like Professional Wrestling, an environment which is radically different from other combat sports and where your presence and physical legitimacy play a big part in framing your marketability which pretty much translates to the difference between prolonged success and failure on multiple occasions, there is no reason to not try to look like someone who is at least a level above in strength, toughness and legitimacy than the majority of your audience. My 2 cents.
 
#4 ·
Its better to have a variety of looks in the company as it is distinguishable for the guys, makes them stand out
What I don't like, frankly can't stand, is this notion that your physical aspects shouldn't matter when you wrestle. A guy who looks stronger than the rest should act stronger than the rest and be treated as such because it makes fucking sense at the end of the day

Also when people call someone like Brock a geek its fucking ridiculous
 
#11 ·
Absolutely, this is something that really grinds my gears.

No I do not expect everyone to be shredded and have six pack abs.

No I do not expect everyone to look as muscular as Ryback.

No I do not expect super heavyweights like Bam Bam or Yoko or Vader to be lean because their size and look gives them a different kind of credibility.

But too often you see all these smaller guys (non-super heavyweights) walking around and they don't even look in shape, nor do they look like athletes. Like seriously?

I am cool (and actually super impressed) with Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins, Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes because they actually look athletic and you can tell they put in some time in the gym naturally. Shawn Michaels used to be bashed back in the day but he actually looked like he worked out. Maybe not as much as Hulk Hogan sure but you can tell HBK did put in some time in the gym.

But Kevin Owens, Sami Zayne, Bo Dallas, CM Punk, Edge (after he stopped using steroids and for the bulk of his main event run he failed to maintain his look as an athlete IMO), good lord...

Baron Corbin is not a small guy but even his physique makes him look lanky.

Mick Foley also used to really bother me (yes his character and mic work were phenomenal) though his hardcore style meant he never needed to look like an athlete...which also brings me to my issues with hardcore style workers but that's a different story altogether.
 
#30 ·
A lot of people mention HBK, Bret being small and use those guys as a comparison a lot to back up guys like Sami Zayn, CM Punk, Dean Ambrose

But in reality HBK and Bret were much bigger, had more muscle mass and were much more defined

I don't particularly care for physique much, I think some of the guys should really work on it a bit more though, but I think the comparison I mentioned above is stupid - To me there is a clear difference
 
#64 ·
I agree that guys like Owens and Hero are great athletes but anyone who doesnt think they'd be better athletes if they lost 20lbs are lying to themselves.


I also hate the assumption that thinking a wrestler could be in better shape means you want to see guys like Nathan Jones in the main event.

The Miz is often criticised for not being a natural athlete, does tonnes of extra appearances as an ambassador and still has time to be in great shape.
 
#2 · (Edited)
I guess a good point is to look at an analogous "real sport", for example the UFC. You'll notice that except for a few exceptions, most of the fighters in the UFC have six pack abs and well-defined musculature. So, if you're looking at the WWE as a simulated athletic competition, then the guys should be in good shape. However, if you're looking at the WWE as a TV show with a cast of characters, then it's not so important.
 
#6 ·
Yea, as a bodybuilder and growing up with the Warriors, Hogans of the world, I agree. Even though at this point I'm larger and leaner than 99% of the roster (although its not a fair comparison bc A. Im not drug tested for PEDs and B. Im not on the road 300 days a year). You just have to adjust with the times, although Ill never take guys like tyler breeze, etc serious with their physique.

It is extremely difficult to maintain a good physique year round, especially on the road so much, even using drugs. But there is no excuse for KO LOL. I like him but its terrible. Joe is fine. Most samoans have that body type and it works for him and his character.

And Bret Hart and SCSA were NOT small by any means. Bret was like 6 foot and a solid 210. Austin probably 225-235. Although they look much smaller in person after meeting many. WWE production is unbelievable and doesn't receive enough praise.

Its also not fair to compare to UFC. Most of their fighters are not heavyweights. And the ones that are, are not that lean. It isn't hard to be lean at 160 lbs, especially after cutting weight.
 
#12 ·
If their gimmick correlates with their body shape, then it wouldn't matter. However, most of the roster don't pay attention to that aspect just like they don't pay attention to other aspects. Bray Wyatt, Samoa Joe, Edge, and JBL are all guys that played their part so well, people overlook their physique. However, guys like Owens, Zayn, and Ambrose (if he was let loose and had more freedom with his character, then he wouldn't be an example) don't translate well enough for people to overlook their physique.
 
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#15 ·
I think as long as their physique does not affect their abilities in the ring it matters little to me.
KO can go full on an entire night, never slowing down a bit. Great technique, great arsenal of moves.
Ryback, impressive build, few decent moves, can go 10 mins then panting like a bitch in heat.

Ofc we all have different approaches to what we value in wrestling. I'd rather watch someone like KO put on great matches, than someone with a perfect build, that lacks technique, stamina, basic ring awareness and has to get by on his looks.
Would the Cannonball or splash by KO look as intimidating and devastating if he shed 60 pounds? No. KO has matched his move set with his build and it works.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Ofc we all have different approaches to what we value in wrestling. I'd rather watch someone like KO put on great matches, than someone with a perfect build, that lacks technique, stamina, basic ring awareness and has to get by on his looks.
Cant we have some of both? No one here is saying that we want extremes. In fact everyone here is basically saying that they want great workers who also look like athletes at least. Your logical fallacy is excluding the middle as if those are the only options that you have.

Despite his great look, I hated Warrior for his complete inability to put on any decent match (other than that one match with Hogan and maybe a few of his Rick Rude matches) and nonsensical rambling promos.
 
#21 ·
I have, and always will judge a wrestler on his ability over his looks. Take Ric Flair for example. He was always in fairly good shape, but never had the shredded bodybuilder look, and he was one of the best, if not the best of all time.

On the other hand, take Mason Ryan. He had the stereotypical Vince McMahon bodybuilder look. And I think we all can agree that he was just terrible in the ring.

Granted the look helps, but if you cant back it up with performance, it doesn't really matter.
 
#26 ·
Take Ric Flair for example. He was always in fairly good shape, but never had the shredded bodybuilder look, and he was one of the best, if not the best of all time.
To be fair to Flair, a lot of his droopy physique was down to dropping a ton of weight and also wrestling to an advanced age. He was never close to looking like a bodybuilder but at certain points in the 70s/80s he was probably a good 230ish and in fairly credible shape. Case in point...




I do agree that immense talent and charisma can potentially overcome looks though- Dusty Rhodes got away with it, Jerry Lawler wasnt a big or particularly physically impressive guy either.
 
#34 ·
People moaned a while back and still do about the amount of "vanilla midgets" in the industry, it would be even more boring if everyone was a big muscle bound freak-a-zoid trying to bump around the ring roided up.
 
#36 ·
People moaned a while back and still do about the amount of "godly wrestlers" in the industry, it would be even more boring if everyone was a big muscle bound freak-a-zoid trying to bump around the ring roided up.
What the hell? Did you even read the OP? The OP was about people like you, nobody is asking for bodybuilders, nobody this is about wrestlers being fit and in decent shape.
 
#37 ·
No casual is stopping the channel on Sami Zayn or Find Balor. Why? Because they look average. casuals watch wrestling to see fantasy match ups - Gladiator vs Gladiator. Not supply teacher vs pretty boy.

That's the truth re casuals. When Zayn or any average is on TV the casuals in my household ask why I bother watching it, it may as well be a dance show that I'm watching.
 
#40 ·
Think about it, who would command more attention. Zayn or Brawn? Rusev or Balor? The casuals stop to watch big wrestlers, but it doesn't mean small wrestlers can't be successful. You just need to make sure there is a healthy dose of big and small wrestlers to compliment the roster. When Goldberg and Lesnar staredown it emits a far different feeling when say Zayn and Balor staredown. It triggers something innate within us that makes us want to watch. It's like people want to see two bulls or two alpha lions or gorilla's fight because it is exciting. They want to see high competition.
 
#38 ·
Sort of struggling to understand the OP. On one hand you don't care about a wrestlers physique but on the other hand you wish they were in shape like Rollins? As long as they have the cardio to wrestle a good match whats the problem?

You would be surprised to know guys like KO can be in shape even if they do not appear physically. I'm 5'10 227, hit the weights 5 times a week, not even close to ripped, have a gut on me and can still trail run 5km like it was nothing and i might run once every month.
 
#39 · (Edited)
This is pro-wrestling, a sport that is fake that is pretending to hold wrestling contests as genuine fights. The wrestlers are viewed as athletes where the best wrestler wrestles clean and the one who can't beat beat fights dirty because he can't beat the better wrestler. You're meant to stay in FUCKING SHAPE because of what wrestling fundamentally is. Wrestling needs a balanced roster filled with people of different sizes, but that doesn't not give you the right to influx the roster with small wrestlers. If you're a small wrestler and you're not looking like Guerrero or Beniot, you shouldn't be wrestling. Finn Balor is a small wrestler, but at least he does have a physique. Neville is the same. These two can get a pass as wrestlers who can take on bigger opponents because they look and move the part. AJ Styles looks like a athlete even though he is small. Bryan was the same, Bryan was a skinny wrestler once but he put a ton of weight to make sure he got the WWE title push. Both Bryan and Styles were extremely successful because they maintained a physique and wrestled like a athlete. Joe even though he is fat, he doesn't hide it like Wyatt and Owens. He accepts what he is and has the presence of a athlete because he presents himself like one and wrestles with a vicious style.
 
#42 ·
You're 99% right. that's usually my argument for people being in shape, in wresting. But, I do like the occasional fat person for comedic relief or if they can wrestle it's amazing.

Overall, fat and flabby = bad wrestler. You might find spots or segments where it comes in handy or they can doing a particular move well, but a 365 days a year show they'll wear out. Even Kevin Owens and Bray Wyatt have enough muscle and cardio to wrestle. I would lump in Kassius Ohno in their category though: in shape, but overweight.

really fat people who can do dives and wrestle for hours...those are the exception.
 
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