Small(er) men in WWE

[The Icon 152]

For most wrestling fans it’s the land of the giants, for some it’s the start and end of their wrestling fix. Everybody wants to watch it, most wrestlers want to be there but is World Wrestling Entertainment really the be all and end all? Is it really so that every wrestler aspires to work in WWE? More importantly should they do so?

 

Well mostly yes, but there are those that steer clear of McMahon land and those that should have. It’s not called the land of the giants for nothing, every promoter has wrestlers they like to work with. Most choose ‘big men’ and Vince is the leader of this pack. Vince assumes big men make money, small men don’t and in his mind that is the reason for pushing big men over small men when ever possible. Is this actually so, well that depends on how you look at it the worst drawing champ for WWE(f) was Kevin Nash a big man. That said Bret Hart and HBK didn’t draw much better in those days either.

 

Leaving that aside let’s get back to the topic, should every wrestler aspire to work for Vince? It’s no secret that certain wrestlers, cruisers most notably don’t get pushed a whole lot. That doesn’t stop them looking for work in WWE though. Look at CM Punk for example he practically fell over himself to get a WWE job and still hasn’t appeared. Looking at somebody who actually has appeared, Ultimo Dragon. When UD signed his contract he must surely have known Vince’s track record would mean a stalled push. Did he care? Seems not as he signed anyway.

 

You see Vince and the bookers had never seen a Dragon, or Punk match either, and requested some dark matches. Vince took one look at his style in these dark matches and saw it was as far from WWE style as possible. (Think HHH or Cena) Vince doesn’t care very much about how good you are in your previous company nor how over you are. If you can’t wrestle like a WWE star you don’t get pushed.

 

Smaller Indy wrestlers have to realise this but they sign anyway.

 

Then there’s the strict order of who gets pushed in WWE, you have to pay your dues in WWE no matter who you are before you break through the glass ceiling. (There are a few exceptions but again most of them are big men Goldberg, Lesnar, Boogeyman.)

 

Smaller Wrestlers always quote the same thing though, wrestler X who is 5ft 8 and 220 pounds got a push. The names giving are usually Hurricane / Gregory Helms, Taijiri and of Course Mesterio. It’s true all Three got quite good pushes, although only Rey became a main eventer. What you have to realise though is there are always exceptions. Taijiri got pushed for one reason, he allowed himself to be the typical Grinning (face) or Sneaky (Heel) Oriental wrestler. Hurricane got pushed because the fans really took to him, but even that didn’t save him from mid card hell. As for Rey he’s a special attraction that’s why so few luchadores ever work for WWE.

 

Some wrestlers and fans would argue there is no real alternative to WWE these days, as good as TNA is it’s still a small fish. Still though it has the X- Division where smaller wrestlers are pushed, mostly anyway.

 

I say mostly lets look at on case where it didn’t happen. The late Crash Holly was jobbed left, right and centre in WWE and then realised. TNA signed him but did they push him, no of course not why would they. Crash had jobbed in WWE for well over a year and if TNA had brought him in to beat one of their own it would just belittle said TNA star. So you see even if you do join WWE and leave for TNA (or elsewhere) you might still have ruined your chances because of WWE.

 

It’s not just smaller wrestlers of course, their bigger counterparts often fall into the WWE trap too. Look at D’lo and Val Venis they are good on the mic and can work well but still got buried. The same for Raven and Ron Killings and of Course Mike Awesome. Still all the above at least got a big push even if it didn’t last.

 

Then there’s the health aspect.

Look at Spike Dudley, it’s no secret his body is falling apart, and it’s because of his whipping boy job in WWE.

Taka Michinoku, Jerry Lynn, Perry Saturn, Tazz (pre commentator) & Dean Malenko all superb workers but how many main evented in WWE not one. Most of the above have main evented elsewhere or at least came close.

 

Don’t let me put you off though if you are an Indy wrestler reading this you could be one of the lucky ones but here’s a parting word.

 

What may seem like a shrewd career move, big money face on national TV, may just kill your career.

[Guest stevehayes2005]

I agree wih a lot of what you have said here, but then again a uge man, KANE, has never really been pushed big has he? He could have been a monster but is treated like a comedy at times and a high-mid card worker for a lot of the time. Same ith Big Show nowadays.

 

Also Test is huge but never got a decent push??

 

Angle on the other hand is average height but got a huge push (rightly so as he is the best wrestler in the world and also in fantastic shape) but also HBK who is average height, and RVD/Cena are not over tall either ....

 

Debate goes on ......

[Guest CoTT]

Kane and Big Show have had numerous big pushes. Test wasn't THAT big.

[Guest rvd420]

Chris Beniot is quite small and he had a big push

 

Its the same for Eddie Guerrero R.I.P

[Guest MojoPogo]

I've always said, if you're talented and charismatic enough, eventually you will get a push. While size is still arguably an issue in WWE at least, the fact Rey Mysterio has won it (for whatever reason), is surely a sign that perhaps attitude is starting to soften. And if you dont think it is, or is likely to change, hell, theres always TNA. Or the indies.

[Guest Bluestiger99]

A lot of the guys they bury were also from companies WWE had to compete with. ECW and WCW mainly. Raven, Rhyno, Ron Killings, etc. I believe that also has something to do with it.

[Guest Inno]

We might just get the same situation as in the 90s, where the big men had to be phased out for a while thanks to the steroid trials. With the 'Wellness program' in place, several guys might suddenly get smaller or just be taken off TV thanks to suspensions at any time, so the smaller guys that obviously won't be affected have to be built up. In the same way that Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart were pushed to the top due to Hogan's steroid problems (allegedly, cough cough)_Rey gets pushed to the top of the SD tree.

[Guest Steve O]

Some wrestlers are looking alot more toned since the drug testing and one I noticed at Wembley last Friday was Masters he isnt as big as he was a year ago.

[Guest The Modern Myth]

I wouldn't get too excited about Mysterio's big push and title run. WWE has proven time and time again that it favours the big men over the more talented. Mysterio is only champion because Orton has been suspended and Batista is injured. I'm not saying that Mysterio isn't a great performer, I'm just saying that he's a last resort.

[Nightfox 11]

I agree with the above Rey comment, he's a last resort and probably only champion because of Eddie leaving this world R.I.P.

 

We should all protest, forget about Kurt, Batista, Shawn, Kane, Show, and lets all become a Funaki loving nation.

 

Go Funaki Go Funaki!!!!!!

[The Icon 152]

I love Funaki, not actual love but you know what I mean.

[Guest Hemme]

For me it's all about the character & style rather than the size, I'll use Spike in ECW as an example, he was great even though he was the smallest guy there, he was a plucky underdog who didn't back down or show fear to men over twice his size & it worked, the guy looked fantastic & had some really thrilling matches.

It's not always about the size it's about how believable the wrestler is, Rey for example, sure he's small, but he has a real never say die attitude & takes away the disadvantage of his size by being a guy who gives it all he has & the fans like that.

[The Icon 152]

Couldn't have said it better than Hemme myself, so I won't.

[Guest Brad]

Well to answer your question, it's all about the money, thats why everyone wants to go to the WWE. They are the biggest and richest promotion arguably in the world, so everyone would go there just for the money and if they are wanted by the WWE then they love it because it's a chance to get a big pay cheque for however long you are actually there, and if it isn't long, you would just go back to the indys.

[Guest Phox]

Now, if I was a wrestler (which I aspire to be) and my style was (is) more of the small cruiser/X-Div type, I'd probably opt to stay in the Indies or TNA if given the chance to go to the WWE, unless they had started to use the cruisers seriosly. Reason: Only 'cause I have a passion for wrestling and I don't want to have to water down my style just to get my face on TV and make a few extra dollars.

Although, what aspiring wrestler doesn't dream of holding the WWE Championship at the 'Grandaddy of 'em all'?

[Guest Ro_y Disco]

On pretty much every level below the WWE, there is no money in the wrestling busines, and anyone who gets into wrestling expecting to make a living from it is a fool. I intend to become a part of wrestling in the near future (not a wrestler but ideally as a promoter) and I really couldn't care if I didn't make a single penny or lost everything I put in, because I would be living out my dream and would be doing it because I loved wrestling.

 

However, if Vince came up to and offered me a job with him I would no doubt say yes. I'd be pretty foolish to turn down his money. Job me out on Heat, dress me in pink spandex, give me the persona of a white rapper who freestyles promos, I honestly wouldn't care. Alot of indy performers are marks for Vince and his company too and it takes some guts to turn down guarenteed money.

 

On the big/ small man debate: Vince seems to have it in his head that small people don't tend to draw, so he doesn't push these people, therefore the crowd doesn't cheer them, Vince hears the crowd reaction and his theory is proved correct, so the next small person who comes along he again doesn't push. Guys like Taz, Spike and Rey got themselves over in WWE and the crowd reaction convinced Vince to push them (IMO at least).