JoeDirt Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 Although WWE cannot officially make it a rule for fear of a discrimination lawsuit, WWE talent relations has the opinion that new wrestlers must be 6 feet/225 lbs to have a chance in the company; the taller and heavier the better. Considering WWE's best workers tend to be right around that minimum, many worry that WWE is risking not hiring the Benoits and Angles of the future. Credit: PWInsider No surprise here, but what does that say for the cruiserweight division? And if a guy is 5-11 they won't hire him? Stupid.
tekcop Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 well... Austin wasn't really all that big. Wouldn't it make more since to try and model new guys after their biggest star ever?
The Metal Maniac Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 Of course not. This company hires only on looks. Screw talent - if you look like a star, you're in.
Guest Shoes Head Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 There's something about roided up hosses which makes me mark on their way to the ring. The "look" is a part of wrestling and helps getting over. It's just a matter of mixing in the right amount of pure workers to put on entertaining matches.-
Slayer Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 This company hires only on looks. Screw talent - if you look like a star, you're in. Looks like the WWE has caught up with the rest of the entertainment industry then
Hunter's Torn Quad Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 Wouldn't it make more since to try and model new guys after their biggest star ever? No, because then you'd get stuck in the mindset of only looking after a particular look. And that's their biggest problem when it comes to new talent. By only being interested in a certain 'look', ie big and jacked to the gills, when it comes to people they'll give big pushes to, WWE have great limited their options. If Vince were open minded enough to look for a mix of looks, then he'd probably be in much better shape, because he'd have more choice when it comes to who to push. As it is, he only has one real choice: big. Anything else only gets chosen out of desperation.
Guest whitemilesdavis Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 That doesn't seem to be a new policy. Oh, Austin was bigger than 6' - 225lbs.
tekcop Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 Wouldn't it make more since to try and model new guys after their biggest star ever? No, because then you'd get stuck in the mindset of only looking after a particular look. And that's their biggest problem when it comes to new talent. By only being interested in a certain 'look', ie big and jacked to the gills, when it comes to people they'll give big pushes to, WWE have great limited their options. If Vince were open minded enough to look for a mix of looks, then he'd probably be in much better shape, because he'd have more choice when it comes to who to push. As it is, he only has one real choice: big. Anything else only gets chosen out of desperation. I'm not saying that way is right... just that it would make more sense then what they're going for. Oh, Austin was bigger than 6' - 225lbs. I know, but it said a minimum of that size. Just knowing the WWE, they're looking for the next 'Taker instead of the next Angle or Austin--size wise.
Hunter's Torn Quad Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 Wouldn't it make more since to try and model new guys after their biggest star ever? No, because then you'd get stuck in the mindset of only looking after a particular look. And that's their biggest problem when it comes to new talent. By only being interested in a certain 'look', ie big and jacked to the gills, when it comes to people they'll give big pushes to, WWE have great limited their options. If Vince were open minded enough to look for a mix of looks, then he'd probably be in much better shape, because he'd have more choice when it comes to who to push. As it is, he only has one real choice: big. Anything else only gets chosen out of desperation. I'm not saying that way is right... just that it would make more sense then what they're going for. How it would make more sense, when you're still limiting your choices ? Limiting your choices for new talent never makes sense.
RavishingRickRudo Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 How it would make more sense, when you're still limiting your choices ? Limiting your choices for new talent never makes sense. Unless you exclude, like, sexual deviants and racists, then it would make sense. Hmm...
Guest Fook_Theta Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 I guess you haven't been paying attention to wrestling for the last thirty years, Rudo.
B. Brian Brunzell Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 So, what they're telling me is that I get to look forward to ALL-HOSS, ALL THE TIME programming on WWE tv for years to come? Sweet. **drinks hemlock**
SamoaRowe Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 This is just another act of WWE focusing on areas that aren't going to help them any while ignoring the huge problems of the company (creative).
JoeDirt Posted November 17, 2004 Author Report Posted November 17, 2004 So they aren't going to hire any more cruiserweights? When guys like Rey retire the division will just be gone? I can see that happening... CM Punk is 6-1, about 220, so he's about as "small" as the WWE is willing to go. I really doubt he's going to get a contract if they're only looking for hosses. Samoa Joe is big enough, but I don't really see anyone else in the indies really able to get a chance in the WWE...which is why I guess Vince wanted to do this Tough Enough, since most of them are big guys. I'm sure we'll be seeing Matt Morgan again soon. And Heidenreich will stick around. Does OVW have any other hosses left?
Hunter's Torn Quad Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 Does OVW have any other hosses left? No, but they do have guys not ready for prime time but will be called up anyway because they look jacked.
HollywoodSpikeJenkins Posted November 17, 2004 Report Posted November 17, 2004 I'm 6 foot and around 225 lbs. Give me a year or two and I can be signed. Perfection.
justcoz Posted November 18, 2004 Report Posted November 18, 2004 Vince and his "yes men" 's obsession with hosses will forever piss me off. I understand that you want some talent to look like stars. To be larger than life personalities. That has always been a part of pro wrestling's appeal. But the company need to realize that athleticism doesn't always come with genetics and athleticism is a huge part of wrestling. Like someone already stated. There problems right now don't stem from the looks of their talent or the sports aspect of their programming. It's related to the lack of entertainment and character development which comes from a poor creative team more than anything. Ratings went up when Eddie Guerrerro and Chris Benoit won their brands championships. They went down when their reigns were poorly booked. You have industry legends like Shawn Michaels, Benoit, Guerrerro, Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Rey Misterio, Mick Foley etc. who never fit into the stereotypical look of a pro wrestler but found success due to their unique styles, characters or charisma. There was still a place for the Rock, Austin, Taker, Nash, Hogan, HHH, Big Show, Sid, etc. but in many cases the little guys made them look like bigger stars. Those little guys often carry the big guys to great matches. It would be hard to argue that the Undertaker gained more by wrestling HBK, Foley or Bret Hart as opposed to Giant Gonzales, Kamala and King Kong Bundy. You need a mix of looks and styles. Too much of the same of anything hurts the product. That's evident today in WWE where everyone is forced to wrestle the "WWE Style" and required to have one specific look to grant a push. Why more time is spent on pushing Heidenreich, Mordecai, Lance Cade and Mark Jindrak rather than a Paul London, Spanky or Jamie Noble. The smaller guys would more than likely get over before the others and Vince refuses to buy that despite the fact that HBK got over more than say the Warlord. You have a generation of wrestlers who were brought up on Benoit and HBK that are going to get the shaft by McMahon for green bodybuilders. How striking is the Big Show's presence when the rest of the roster are his height, shape, etc.? Big Show is less impressive when you bring in a guy who can't work and just to put him in Big Show's face because he's the same size.
Kahran Ramsus Posted November 18, 2004 Report Posted November 18, 2004 Big Show may look less impressive, but he's also more charismatic and is a smarter in-ring wrestler than pretty much all of the new guys combined.
Matt Young Posted November 18, 2004 Report Posted November 18, 2004 There goes another one of my lifelong dreams. Matt Young: 5'9", 125 pounds.
Adam Posted November 18, 2004 Report Posted November 18, 2004 I'm 6'3" and over 220, pity Im halfway across the world.
CanadianChick Posted November 18, 2004 Report Posted November 18, 2004 There goes another one of my lifelong dreams. Matt Young: 5'9", 125 pounds. You could be a diva. Hopefully this doesn't change the standards for females getting hired. I would hate to think that the 'ol "blond, thin, big tits" criteria is ineffective now. Perish the thought!
Matt Young Posted November 18, 2004 Report Posted November 18, 2004 There goes another one of my lifelong dreams. Matt Young: 5'9", 125 pounds. You could be a diva. Hopefully this doesn't change the standards for females getting hired. I would hate to think that the 'ol "blond, thin, big tits" criteria is ineffective now. Perish the thought! You always make fun of me for being skinny... (We need a crying smily.) Heh, seriously though... I could somehow acquire all of Bret Hart, Ric Flair, and Chris Benoit's wrestling abilities and add 100 pounds of muscle and I'd still be refused employment due to my height as per this new policy. That's fucked up.
Use Your Illusion Posted November 18, 2004 Report Posted November 18, 2004 This company hires only on looks. Screw talent - if you look like a star, you're in. Looks like the WWE has caught up with the rest of the entertainment industry then The heck? Vince has been like this since the EIGHTIES. It's hardly something that has manifested overnight.
Guest Salacious Crumb Posted November 18, 2004 Report Posted November 18, 2004 This drives me nuts. I don't understand why they sign bodybuilders and try to turn them into wrestlers.
NoCalMike Posted November 18, 2004 Report Posted November 18, 2004 Cruiserweights also struggle in WWE because of the larger ring and the ropes are set to a different restraint I think. It makes a difference in the spring off the ropes and the timing.
Guest wrestling365 Posted November 18, 2004 Report Posted November 18, 2004 Although WWE cannot officially make it a rule for fear of a discrimination lawsuit, WWE talent relations has the opinion that new wrestlers must be 6 feet/225 lbs to have a chance in the company; the taller and heavier the better. Considering WWE's best workers tend to be right around that minimum, many worry that WWE is risking not hiring the Benoits and Angles of the future. Credit: PWInsider No surprise here, but what does that say for the cruiserweight division? And if a guy is 5-11 they won't hire him? Stupid. If you look at the current Tough Enoug kids I would agree with that statement. But the guys in OVW on developmental deals put that theory down the toilet. Scherer needs for some of the crap he puts out...
NoCalMike Posted November 18, 2004 Report Posted November 18, 2004 The problem is, these taller and bigger people are just not as athletic. Sure, they are muscular and fit, but they are not agile at all, I mean being "agile for being 6'5" doesn't really mean shit, and I can give a shit really. The best wrestling talent out there in general does not fit the prototype for a WWE superstar anymore. It looked like for a brief period that WWE would come to it's senses a bit, but that DAY is over.
Hunter's Torn Quad Posted November 18, 2004 Report Posted November 18, 2004 Although WWE cannot officially make it a rule for fear of a discrimination lawsuit, WWE talent relations has the opinion that new wrestlers must be 6 feet/225 lbs to have a chance in the company; the taller and heavier the better. Considering WWE's best workers tend to be right around that minimum, many worry that WWE is risking not hiring the Benoits and Angles of the future. Credit: PWInsider No surprise here, but what does that say for the cruiserweight division? And if a guy is 5-11 they won't hire him? Stupid. If you look at the current Tough Enoug kids I would agree with that statement. But the guys in OVW on developmental deals put that theory down the toilet. Scherer needs for some of the crap he puts out... However, WWE tends to bring up the guys who aren't ready, based on their size and/or look.
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