10 WWE Stars Who Started As Bodybuilders

A good physique is a prerequisite for going big in WWE, unless like Rey Mysterio you have some crazy acrobatic skills in your arsenal. The most important thing a wrestler has to show his fans is that he can easily dominate his rivals. It was the amazing physiques of WWE stars like Hulk Hogan, Randy “Macho Man” Savage and Ultimate Warrior that propelled the WWF into mainstream fame. Later, it would be wrestlers like Stone Cold, Lex Luger, Bret Hart, and Razor Ramon with chiseled bodies that would cement the WWF as a premium entertainment company.

So you see, bodybuilding has gone hand-in-hand with WWE since its inception. So it’s not surprising that many WWE stars were professional bodybuilders before they made it into the world of wrestling. In fact, Vince McMahon, the CEO and Chairman of WWE, is known for favoring tall physique while signing new talent. Here is the list of ten WWE stars who started out as bodybuilders.

• The Great Khali

He previously made a name for himself with his residencyDalip Singh Rana was a successful bodybuilder and powerlifter. He had won the Mr. India competition in 1997-98. And because of his immense success in these fields, he was employed by the Punjab Police. After 18 months of wrestling training, he made his ring debut for All Pro Wrestling (APW) in the United States in October 2000 under the ring name Giant Singh. Before making history on January 2, 2006 when he became the first Indian wrestler to be signed by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), he appeared in New Japan Pro Wrestling , All Japan Pro Wrestling and Mexican wrestling competition Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. During his time in WWE he managed to win the prestigious World Heavyweight Championship and in 2008 he reached his career high of ranked 83rd in the top 500 wrestlers.

• Graf Maynard

Earl Maynard was one of the first wrestlers to achieve fame in other professions besides wrestling. As a bodybuilder, he had twice won Mr. Universe , the most prestigious bodybuilding competition. He had also won the Mr Europe competition in 1959 and Mr England in early 1960. He was one of wrestling’s first superstars. He was twice America’s National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Tag Team Champion and was also known as a singles wrestler. As an actor he has appeared in well over 20 films, of which “The Sword and the Sorcerer” and “The Deep” were big hits. Multi-talented Maynard also holds an MSF degree in Physiotherapy and has directed some of his most recent films.

• Kaitlyn

Kaitlyn has an amazing combination of muscle and sharpness that has traditionally been appreciated by wrestling fans since they saw Chyna in leather. However, unlike Chyna, Kaitlyn is not a traditional bodybuilder. She’s more of a fitness model with lean muscles that don’t overwhelm her femininity. Formerly WWE Divas Champions , she began competing in amateur bodybuilding at age 18. Without a nutritionist and trainer, she finished 10th ⁱⁿ her first competition. She then went on to win the National Physique Committee (NPC) John Sherman Classic Bodybuilding, Figure and Fitness Championship . Her greatest achievement as a bodybuilder was fifth place at theArnold Classic in the NPC Figure Class D competition. As of now, she has retired from wrestling to focus on her fitness apparel company Heavenly Bodiez and family life.

• Tony Atlas

Tony Atlas was one of the few popular wrestlers who found immense success outside of the ring. The WWE Hall of Famer won a variety of titles during his wrestling career and was nicknamed “Black Superman” due to his excellent physique and strength. From 1972 to 1985 he competed in several bodybuilding competitions and won the “Mr. USA” competition three times. It was the pinnacle of his extremely successful career. In addition to being a wrestler and bodybuilder, he was also an acclaimed powerlifter. Until 1995 he rode he continued powerlifting, re-signed with WWE in a Legends deal in mid-2012, and is a regular cast member of the WWE Network reality show Legends House.

• Billy Graham

Billy Graham, better known by his ring name Superstar Billy Graham, is one of the most legendary personalities in wrestling. Not only did he popularize the sport with his great physique and charismatic personality, but he was also a mentor to future wrestling superstars like Hulk Hogan, Jesse Ventura and Ric Flair. He is also known for modernizing interviews in the sport and improving the physical aspects of the professional wrestling industry. As a bodybuilder, he trained with bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger and for a time also held the record for the bench press of 605 pounds, which is just 11 pounds shy of the current world record. In 1975 Pro. Mr. America competition, he won first place in the for his enormous 22 inch bicepsBest developed weapons classification.

• Chyna

It can be argued that Chyna was the first WWF diva to become as famous as her male contemporaries. Her immense physique and excellent figure made her one of the main attractions for wrestling fans. She is the first woman to compete in the Royal Rumble competition, qualified for the King of Ring tournament and is the #1 WWF Championship. Before trying her luck in wrestling, she regularly competed in bodybuilding. However, due to her size, she took last place in the competitions. Luckily, she tried her hand at wrestling and resting, as we know, is history.

• Batista

Batista has often credited bodybuilding with saving his life. Dave Batista, who grew up in a makeshift neighborhood, stole cars as a 13-year-old and was sentenced to a year’s probation after an argument with bar patrons while he was working as a bouncer. He briefly competed in bodybuilding competitions before realizing that his six-foot-six-inch height was proving to be a barrier to better points, as smaller competitors looked stockier and more muscular than him. He then tried his luck at the WCW Power Plant where he was told he could have a career in wrestling. However, Batista did not give up and after thorough training went to the WWF. As a wrestler, he has become world heavyweight champion six times andWorld Tag Team Champion three times.

• Vince McMahon

Since earning the WWF in 1982, he has always placed great emphasis on excellent physique when hiring new talent. Judging by the popularity of the WWF and the number of aesthetically perfect superstars the company has produced under his tutelage, it’s safe to say he got it absolutely right. His drive and idea to combine bodybuilding with traditional wrestling has made the WWF a billion dollar empire that continues to break records for popularity. The Rock, Goldberg, John Cena, Triple H and The Ultimate Warrior are just a few of the wrestlers Vince unearthed and developed into international superstars. He even has a reputation for passing off a technically good wrestler in favor of a better-looking contestant.

• Triple H

There’s no denying that Triple H has one of the best characters in the wrestling universe. Driven by his desire to look like his favorite wrestling stars, he began bodybuilding at age 14. At 19 he was crowned a teenager Mr. New Hampshire . And a few years later he had joined his dream job. As a wrestler, he has won 13 world championships, including eight WWF/E championships and five world heavyweight championships. Throughout his career he has nurtured his passion for bodybuilding and has appeared on the covers of several bodybuilding magazines. He has also authored an autobiographical book, Making the Game, which focuses primarily on bodybuilding advice.

• John Cena

Before becoming the 21st ^century poster boy for the WWE, John Cena pursued a career in bodybuilding. From the ages of 18 to 22, Cena competed in numerous bodybuilding competitions, including the Yankee Classic in Massachusetts, the Natural Iron Man, and the Natural Santa Monica Classic in California. After four years of competing in bodybuilding, Cena realized he needed to make a career change to make it big. In 1999 he started his pro wrestling career with Ultimate Pro Wrestlingand hasn’t looked back since. To date, he has won 23 championships, including a record 12 reigns as WWE Champion (World Heavyweight), three reigns as World Heavyweight Champion, four reigns as WWE United States Champion, and a four-time World Tag Team Champion (Two World tag team) and two WWE tag teams).