Top 10 Old School Pro Wrestling Physical Specimens

Pro wrestling began before 1900 but most (especially after 1960) wrestlers in the limelight began to increasingly have big muscles and chiseled cuts.

Bruno Sammartino may have been the forerunner of the broad shouldered and well muscled scene but on this list we take it a bit further, into the 1980s and 1990s and search for 10 of the most buff dudes around the pro wrestling scene.

Muscle bound wrestlers of the 1980s and 1990s weren't always as cut as these 10 guys, so we leave Hogan off the list. Flair and Andre do not fit the description and neither did Lawler or Rhodes or Bockwinkel or The Iron Shiek.

Here is our top 10 list:   

10: Ron Simmons

Ron Simmons was around in the 1970s when there were many other buff guys around, like Jesse Ventura, Don Muraco, Dino Bravo, Tony Atlas and Steve Williams, but as a wrestler he had more longevity and he was steroid free. 

Simmons made it in an era when black wrestlers weren't pushed for big things. He used his calm attitude, great fighting skills and ripped body to stay in the game and gain respect.

9 Billy Jack Haynes

Billy Jack Haynes spent most of his time in the Pacific Northwest, which in my opinion was a curious and not too smart career choice. Yet, the majority of hardcore wrestling fans in the day knew of him primarily due to his physique. He had some good battles with Dr. Death Steve Williams. 

I truly believe that Haynes encapsulated the charisma and physique to be a big star in the wrestling world instead of just THE wrestler of the Pacific NW. 

8: Sid Justice

Psycho Sid was truly an intimidating man. Not only did he stand 6'8" but he was huge and ripped and mean. Vicious towered above almost everyone and was not afraid to go toe-to-toe with anyone.

Vicious survived due to his size but his actual wrestling skills were limited and he was stiff. Justice carved a niche for himself as a bad and good guy but he will always be known as one of the biggest, baddest dudes to ever take it to the mat. 

7: Paul Orndorff

Orndorff was a bodybuilder who stepped into the ring and called himself "Mr. Wonderful." The chiseled wrestler wasn't tip top as a technical wrestler but he had major attitude and a fighting physique. 

Paul Orndorff may not have been a big time winner when it comes to titles but he made this top 10 list. 

6: Scott Steiner

He would later become Big Poppa Pump but by then he was totally jacked on steroids, however Scott Steiner was hugely muscular anyway. He kind of went overboard but he is still the guy with one one of the buffest physiques ever.

The weird thing is that when he got too buff he lost a lot of his wrestling skill.  

5: Ultimate Warrior

The Dingo Warrior was his original name and he was in the Bladerunners with Sting. This guy was huge, cut and he was a bodybuilder, and it showed in his minimal wrestling skills. 

Nevertheless, he became one of the most popular wrestlers ever and his physique had tons to do with it. I just hate that he was on roids most of the time. 

4: Hercules Hernandez

This guy was natural and he was huge and cut and just a bad ass wrestler. Sure, he was kinda stiff but he had many great battles with the best of them including Hogan, DiBiase and Warrior.

Hernandez may be one of the least appreciated wrestlers of all time. 

3 Kerry Von Erich

The Modern Day Warrior died too early. He was one of the best wrestlers from a gifted family who had been in the biz forever. 

The Texas Tornado was NWA World champ for 18 days and he was the WWF Intercontinental champ and had some good feuds with Ric Flair, The Freebirds, Mr. Perfect and Buddy Rose in his day.

My favorite wrestler of all time.  

2: Rick Rude

The Ravishing one was not just conceited, he was totally cut. He used his physique and his great wrestling skills to be one of the biggest stars of all time. 

Rude is probably the best actual wrestler of this top 10 list. He was a hit with the ladies and he wasn't huge, so he could pull off any move. Great wrestler.  

1: Lex Luger

It's hard to argue against Lex as the most buff and cut dude from the 1980s and 1990s. He was a member of The Horsemen and he could wrestle too.

Lex put in tons of time in the weight room, obviously.