The New Generation Era is categorically one of the most divisive times in the history of the WWE for most fans as it was in between two much more fondly remembered eras - The Golden Era and the Attitude Era and saw a lot of evolution as the times changed and some wrestlers either evolved with the times while others struggled. As the company was scrambling to find the next big talent, which would inevitably be the well-defined musclemen such as Bret Hart,Diesel, and Shawn Michaels all taking their turn in the spotlight at one point in the era.
Shifting from the Golden Era, where except for a few unimpressive bodies on the roster, there were plenty of hulking physiques on the roster from top to bottom in the years leading up to this and big burly men were a sight to be expected when watching. That is why seeing some of these unathletic figures that had no place in any sporting competition served as a stark contrast to a lot of the other kinds of professional wrestling that WWE liked to promote through the years. Worse yet, some of these wrestlers also had an awful gimmick to boot that unfortunately usually came with unflattering attire and goofy storylines that they had to work with as creative was largely without a clue as to how to get wrestlers over - regardless of their look.
10 Bob Backlund
The casual onlooker of Bob Backlund’s lean, untanned physique might see him to be a bit on the scrawny side. His figure is not well-defined, but it is at least on the more toned side when compared to some of the others on this list.
Many avid wrestling fans know this to be the opposite, as Backlund is highly regarded as one of the best grapplers and submission specialists in the history of the business and remains in good condition to this day.
9 Jerry Lawler
A Memphis legend and icon of the Attitude Era for his color commentary, Jerry Lawler is nothing short of a true industry icon. However, it might be clear that this king might have had too many suppers in his castle during his New Generation run as a wrestler.
With a gaudy singlet and loud colors, Jerry’s frame was not complemented, but it definitely added to his character work as a great heel who was quick to use underhanded tactics and shortcuts in all his matches. It might not be a great physique, but it is the physique of a king.
8 Duane Gill
Widely forgotten with the exception of his once-humorous "Gillberg” Goldberg impersonations, Duane Gill was once a regular jobber on WWE television at the time. His small stature and soft arms seemed to be a calling card of a lot of the enhancement talent, but his spunk and can-do attitude would keep him on the roster for quite a while.
This, in combination with being kept on the roster during the white-hot run of the Attitude Era, means that Duane Gill could be seen as an inspirational over-achiever despite his less-than-stellar looks. It should also be pointed out that he is in good condition for wrestling, and never looked gassed. Despite this, he was still never an Adonis by any means, and it was almost to the detriment of his character because of how bland his overall aesthetic was.
7 Mabel
Mabel’s run in the WWE was marred by bad booking, and cheesy gimmicks, and unfortunately, he was greener than grass when it came to wrestling. All of the important aspects aside, Mabel was large, slow, and wrestled with little finesse when he was getting the chance to shine.
His heft was no help to all the other issues that plagued the start of his career with WWE, but he would go on to be known as Viscera and Big Daddy V to better results. Ironically, his body largely stayed the same in those runs as well.
6 TL Hopper
A “handy-man/plumber” type character in the midst of when a lot of wrestlers were given “job” gimmicks, TL Hopper definitely looked the part. Doughy, and pale-skinned with a bit of a gut was the perfect look to suit the type of classic iconography associated with the profession. It might not be flattering, but it is fitting to what they were going for.
Whether it was done with accuracy or played well did not matter, however, and TL Hopper's run was as memorable as his unremarkable build.
5 Earthquake
Despite Earthquake (known as Tenta, in Japan) being a professional sumo wrestler and even getting a main-event program with Hulk Hogan, he was never much to look at. While he did look large and powerful, it seemed to only be because of his massive weight.
While he was intimidating for his size, there was nothing about his physique that said he ate well or lifted weights regularly. All this in combination with his unflattering onesie made for a pretty bad look for an otherwise consistently good wrestler.
4 The Nasty Boys
Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags serve as a 2-for-1 deal as they equally share the distinction of having unremarkable physiques as a duo. While “The Nasty Boys” jumped ship pretty early in the New Generation to go to WCW, their time in the WWE is fondly remembered by a lot of fans.
Their odd look of cut-off sleeveless shirts and graffiti-styled jackets and sunglasses went perfectly with their large bellies and thick arms. They legitimately looked the part, and had the look of legitimate rough-and-tough barhouse brawlers, but were not exactly impressive to look at.
3 Man Mountain Rock
Largely utilized for short segments where he played the guitar, Man Mountain Rock was a peculiar addition to the roster. He would not have many matches, but when given the opportunity it was clear that his guitar skills far outweighed his wrestling capabilities. Large, plotting, slow, and wearing baggy tie-dye clothing, Man Mountain Rock did not have a style that was easy on the eyes.
Credit where credit was due, he did look like a powerhouse at times, but it was a far cry from some of the others, including the likes of Earthquake or Mabel.
2 Mantaur
Typically seen as one of the most embarrassing gimmicks of the New Generation Era, Mantaur was an oddity of a character with so many confusing aspects about the entire affair. From the shaven hair with a set of horn patterns on the side to the dirt-brown singlet with black gauntlets, this was a look that was doomed from the start. Even if had the physique of a Greek God, it would have never worked. However, Mantaur's physique was quite unimpressive and he never looked like anything other than a jobber.
1 Bastion Booger
One of the most infamous characters in all of WWE’s history, Bastion Booger is well known for being a complete misstep by the company and this gimmick is heavily cited as an example of the poor state of the overall creative direction.
Mike Shaw, who was allegedly given the gimmick as punishment for his overweight stature, had the dishonorable distinction of possibly having the worst attire in the history of the business. When it comes to the worst physique in the New Generation Era, look no further.
0 Comments