Having a great physique in wrestling can certainly help a bit in getting recognition and finding your way into a good company, but it isn’t the be all and end all of becoming a top name. It requires charisma, in-ring talent, and much more to get a break, and a certain “it” factor.
In a company such as AEW, it is perhaps far easier for someone with a less conventional or unimpressive physique compared to others in the business to make it big, as the promotion focuses more on raw talent than looks. This isn’t to say anyone’s physique is bad as they’re all in tremendous shape, but comparatively they aren’t as impressive as some.
10 Eddie Kingston
Eddie Kingston garners so much love from fans for his incredible mic work and authentic personality, but it also probably helps in some way that he has more of a rougher every-man look, with a body that doesn’t fit the stereotypical type for a professional wrestler.
Kingston may not have won any titles in AEW but he has been in main events, been featured in some notable feuds, and has become one of the most over names in the promotion, breathing new life into his career fairly late on into it. Even with age and an unimpressive physique, Kingston has proven that you can find success at any point.
9 Orange Cassidy
There is no denying Orange Cassidy is in shape, but in terms of height, muscle mass, and looking like a typical wrestling star, he doesn’t quite fit the bill. However, he has a gimmick which set the company alight, and put in a list of show-stealing matches since joining the promotion.
Particularly as the AEW International Champion, the in-ring acumen of Cassidy has come out, bringing together great matches and a brilliant gimmick to make him feel like the full-package. He may not be Hulk Hogan in terms of body, but he has still had a lot of success.
8 Hikaru Shida
Compared to others on the roster like Jade Cargill and Jamie Hayter, Hikaru Shida is a long way off in terms of size, muscularity, and looking like an absolute star. However, Shida’s two reigns as AEW World Champions tells you all you need to know about her talents.
Shida is slimmer, less eye-catching in terms of physique, and doesn’t have the natural aura as some, but she steals the show whenever she is one screen and has had some of the best women’s matches in AEW history.
7 Brody King
Brody King isn’t as toned up as a lot of individuals on the roster, and some may point out that he has a slight belly, but when most people look at him, they will still be taken aback by his size.
Whilst he may not have the physique of other big men like a Wardlow or Big Bill, he has so much talent in the ring, flying around sometimes like someone half of his size. He has found success in AEW, having great matches and also winning the AEW Trios World Titles in the House of Black faction.
6 CM Punk
When you first take a glance at CM Punk, you’d be forgiven for thinking he was just an everyday person and not one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling history. He has never had the physique of someone like The Rock or John Cena, but he does have incredible mic skills, world class in-ring talents, and a captivating presence.
Punk returned to wrestling after seven years and had a stunning first year in AEW, capping it off with two reigns as the AEW World Champion.
5 Darby Allin
Despite being one of the smallest men on the roster with a very slim frame and in truth a fragile looking body, Darby Allin takes the craziest bumps out of everyone in the roster and just bounces straight back up as though nothing has even happened. Allin uses his whole body as a weapon, legitimizing his offense against larger individuals.
Allin has been a focus point in the upper midcard since day one, winning the TNT Championship twice and feuding against most of the top names in the company such as MJF, Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, and more throughout his run.
4 Adam Cole
Although he has a resume of world class matches throughout his career, Adam Cole is someone who often gets picked out for not looking like a conventional star in terms of physique. With a lighter and less muscular frame than many, he does come across as unimpressive in that sense.
However, he more than makes up with it with charisma, in-ring ability, and simply just having the “it” factor, which led to him pretty much becoming an AEW main eventer the moment he stepped foot in the company, finding success as both a heel and a babyface throughout his time so far.
3 Riho
Riho is smaller than perhaps anyone on both the men’s and women’s rosters in AEW, but that didn’t stop her in becoming the very first AEW Women’s World Champion, overcoming a monster heel in Nyla Rose in a terrific match on the first episode of AEW Dynamite.
Although Riho has been more a part-time feature since losing the belt, she still has that recognition for being the inaugural champion, and always offers show-stealing bouts when she does appear on AEW programming.
2 FTR
Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood both boast a throw-back look, without overly toned physiques and looking more like hard-nosed brawlers than wrestling superstars with bodies of greek gods. However, no matter their body types, they have proven time and time again to be the best tag team on the planet.
Two reigns as AEW World Tag Team Champions, and reigns as IWGP, ROH, and AAA Tag Team Champions have furthered their legacy, in addition to constantly stealing the show with some of the best matches of the last few years.
1 Chris Jericho
Due to Chris Jericho’s continually growing age, the start of his AEW run in particular saw him unable to retain a strong physique, and it even led to criticism online and calls for a retirement.
However, Jericho was still one of the highlights in the company with brilliant character work, star-making feuds, and a very good reign as the inaugural AEW World Champion. His name did carry him some of the way, but his talents shone through too. He did manage to turn things around, getting into far better shape over the last couple of years though, achieving more success as the ROH World Champion.
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