Why are rasslers so small now?

[liamsoren]

It's not true at all. There were plenty of "small" guys during all the 00s too. Just watch a couple of indy shows of that time and you will notice this

 

[A Pennysworth]

You try getting 2 fat bastards to go at a fast pace for 20 mins.

 

[Wariowokecancel]

You try getting 2 fat bastards to go at a fast pace for 20 mins.

Big Show vs Braun - pissbreak.

 

[Fatality]

Yeah I'm sorry but a good chuck of these big and muscular guys are garbage in the ring. These smaller indie wrestlers come equip with more than 5 moves and perform much better in the ring.

The problem with the little guys is that they do everything all the time. There's no psychology to their matches, just spot after choreographed spot. I haven't followed wrestling for almost 20 years but from the few clips I've seen, this era of 'high workrate' is just boring. Sure it's impressive to see someone dive over the ropes onto a few people but that happens in nearly every match these days so it becomes routine and loses all impact.

Just look at the live attendance and television ratings, the current trend certainly isn't even close to the success enjoyed in the past. Where is the entertainment in seeing bland little dudes hit each other with every move in the business over and over again every single match? Clearly I don't get it, which is why I and millions of other people no longer watch.

 

[asdf122345]

has to be the food these days.

 

[STRYDG]

The problem with the little guys is that they do everything all the time. There's no psychology to their matches, just spot after choreographed spot. I haven't followed wrestling for almost 20 years but from the few clips I've seen, this era of 'high workrate' is just boring. Sure it's impressive to see someone dive over the ropes onto a few people but that happens in nearly every match these days so it becomes routine and loses all impact.

Just look at the live attendance and television ratings, the current trend certainly isn't even close to the success enjoyed in the past. Where is the entertainment in seeing bland little dudes hit each other with every move in the business over and over again every single match? Clearly I don't get it, which is why I and millions of other people no longer watch.

Dont get me wrong, I understand where you are coming from. Take the attitude era for example, guys were bigger and worked well in the ring, mic and the feuds were great.

Cant comment on the eras below this as didnt watch but after that we had 10+ years of guys like Cena shoved down our throats. Same match every time basically agaisnt whoever he faced. Prehaps if they had better story telling and more compelling characters it would be fine. Any time Jericho or Angle were still wrestling I was in, they still had that going.

 

[D.R.H.]

That dude is a rapist, right?

I would say...that if you got charged with any sort of sexual misconduct in the post #metoo era...and you're not politically connected...and you're not rich as sin...and a DA says there's no evidence to charge you in spite of all that...then you're probably innocent.

 

[kuroro]

Not to mention Vince was responsible for giant men with shitty wrestling being the norm.
Bruno Sammartino 5’10
Pedro Morales 5’10
Bob Backlund 6’1
Flair 6’1
Dusty Rhodes 6’2
Harley Race 6’1
Verne Gagne 5’11
then Hulkamania 6’5

As for the builds, also look at trends. Before the WWF Hulk era they had more of a power lifter broad shoulders and barrel chest loo. Then Vince made it into a body builder look being the thing. Now it seems like having a six pack and being built like a movie star is the look. I may be off, just seems like what I have seen.

I think the point is wrestlers used to look strong, and now they don't. Even if they were only 5'10 with a wide torso or even a big belly, you believed the guy in the ring had physical traits that made him eligible for combat. I don't see that when I look at Orange Cassidy. Of course it doesn't help that all their striking and grappling looks like shit now and no one seems to have any clue how to get over as a legit tough guy anymore.

 

[My Spot]

Not to mention Vince was responsible for giant men with shitty wrestling being the norm.
Bruno Sammartino 5’10
Pedro Morales 5’10
Bob Backlund 6’1
Flair 6’1
Dusty Rhodes 6’2
Harley Race 6’1
Verne Gagne 5’11
then Hulkamania 6’5

As for the builds, also look at trends. Before the WWF Hulk era they had more of a power lifter broad shoulders and barrel chest loo. Then Vince made it into a body builder look being the thing. Now it seems like having a six pack and being built like a movie star is the look. I may be off, just seems like what I have seen.

The difference is even shorter guys like Bruno and Harley Race still looked like grown ass men you didn't wanna fuck with. Whereas the Adam Coles and Finn Balors of the world today look like children.

 

[White Whale]

Alberto Del Rio said after he left the WWE the second time most of the wrestlers there have never been in a fight. It’s likely cause they are smaller and don’t look intimidating.

Mad Dog Vachon was only like 5’7 but he was built like a brick wall and looked legitimately crazy. According shoot interviews Mad Dog was not someone you wanted to mess with.

 

[Big Nasty Edison]

Yeah I'm sorry but a good chuck of these big and muscular guys are garbage in the ring. These smaller indie wrestlers come equip with more than 5 moves and perform much better in the ring.

Dudes doing gymnastics routines with no story telling or ring psychology isn't Amy better.

 

[Big Nasty Edison]

The difference is even shorter guys like Bruno and Harley Race still looked like grown ass men you didn't wanna fuck with. Whereas the Adam Coles and Finn Balors of the world today look like children.

At least balor works out and has abs.

Replace him with fucks like the young bucks.

 

[STRYDG]

The difference is even shorter guys like Bruno and Harley Race still looked like grown ass men you didn't wanna fuck with. Whereas the Adam Coles and Finn Balors of the world today look like children.

Yeah Adam Cole does look pretty meh but damn I love his in ring work and he was damn good on the mic too. Curious then, what about someone like Tomasso Champia? Hes packed in some muscle recently, would he fit what you expect?

Dudes doing gymnastics routines with no story telling or ring psychology isn't Amy better.

Can I ask what promotions? Cos I really only watch NXT and I find their matches fun. Each to their own though.

 

[liamsoren]

Big Show vs Braun - pissbreak.

I remember Summerslam's 2017 main event and can tell you that big guys can also make a great show if booked properly. Roman's last man standing against Big Show is a good example too

 

[My Spot]

Yeah Adam Cole does look pretty meh but damn I love his in ring work and he was damn good on the mic too. Curious then, what about someone like Tomasso Champia? Hes packed in some muscle recently, would he fit what you expect?



Can I ask what promotions? Cos I really only watch NXT and I find their matches fun. Each to their own though.

Ciampa is still way too small.

 

[Crawler89]

most people learnt the big guys cant fucking go or put on a good match was more reliant on character work.
Someone mentioned the attitude era, but if you look past the nostalgia...alot of the wrestling was fucking garbage.

Alberto saying not many people have been in a fight, yet every fight ive seen him in he gets his ass beat even by old ass Tito.

People want more than big man does power slam and leg drop. Everything elses, gets faster etc.

There are legit great big guys around now - Keith Lee, Jeff Cobb, Walter that look like theyll murder you and can also fucking go, but they also don't get looked at the same way because there not like the 80s wwe guys.

I'd rather watch Okada vs Omega go for an hour than watch most big men matches of the 80s/90s/today.

The mid 2000s was filled with bigger dudes who completely washed out in WWE. For every Brock, Cena, Batista you had 50 guys you can't remember at all like Tyler Reks, Tyson Tomko etc

 

[The Diplomat]

First it was the steroid scandal in the early 90s, then it was the Chris Benoit thing in 2007. Wrestlers just can't party like they used to.

 

[Sivo The Ram]

they didnt say their prayers and take their vitamins

 

[Wrath of Foamy]

WWE is far more professional now, than it used to be back in the day.

A lot of the wrestlers either came from wrestling families, or they worked as bouncers. Steroids, painkillers, cocaine, endless partying and a hell of a lot of work and travel, they lived fast and hard.

Ever since the Benoit incident, WWE has had to really crack down on that former lifestyle.

I can see both sides of the argument. I prefer wrestling to be a bit more basic, as long as the basic things look good, but when I was younger, I did prefer the high-paced action. I like some of my wrestlers to be big and intimidating, but it means nothing if they don't have charisma with it. Sid Vicious was huge, a bit limited in the ring, but he played his role as a psychotic wall of muscle brilliantly. On the flip-side, guys like Gargano, Cole and Pete Dunne can have very good matches as well, but they aren't nearly as impressive, and sometimes they throw the match off a bit by being sloppy in certain aspects (like Dunnes flailing punches).

 

[D.R.H.]

I doubt it will ever happen but I wish Vince would at some point realize that you can do a hard split with weight classes and still make a ton of money. In his mind little guys are only good for the David vs Goliath role...boxing and MMA have proved if you keep the weight classes separate and just market them all as stars you can make money. Tyson and Floyd both drew tons of money...that's the template to use.