Professional wrestling is a sport that appeals to competitors with a wide array of backgrounds and life experiences. Those with a background in MMA and other combat sports are just as common as wrestlers who have experience in the field of bodybuilding.
A wrestler's physique may not be essential to their in-ring success, but there is a discernible look that WWE and other major promotions look for out of their top talent. In fact, many of the best competitors in the industry experimented with bodybuilding before making a living in the squared circle.
10 Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan is arguably the most popular performer in professional wrestling history. Not only was The Hulkster one of the most electric in-ring competitors of his time, but the man with 24-inch pythons also had one of the most impressive physiques of the Golden Era.
Hogan, who was billed at 6'8" and over 300 pounds during his career, began experimenting with bodybuilding in the mid-70s when he was also a part-time musician. He quickly added muscle to his impressive physique, and his imposing size caught the attention of Jack and Gerald Brisco, who eventually convinced Hogan to pursue a career in wrestling.
9 Chyna
Chyna began regularly attending fitness competitions after graduating from the University of Tampa in 1992. Unfortunately, she did not possess the look that the judges were looking for, and she often finished in last place in these competitions as a result.
Her impressive physique saw her tower over most of her peers, and she eventually found her niche in the ring, where she became one of the most dominant female competitors in history. She not only held her own against larger male competitors, but she even defeated some of the biggest names in the industry.
8 Lex Luger
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&dpr=1.5)
Many forget that Lex Luger once had a promising football career and even played for the Green Bay Packers for a short period. He took up bodybuilding after his time on the field had ended, and he quickly packed muscle onto his impressive frame, which led him to pursue a career in wrestling.
Vince McMahon saw something special in Luger, who was with WCW before becoming a star in WWE, so he signed him to a contract on the upstart World Bodybuilding Federation in 1992. The organization dissolved shortly after, but Luger continued to wrestle for WWE, where he received a massive push when the company was starving for a top star when Hogan left for WCW the following year.
7 "Superstar" Billy Graham
Before he became a world champion in the wrestling industry, "Superstar" Billy Graham was an award-winning bodybuilder in California. It was there that he became close with Arnold Schwarzenegger and other notable figures in the field.
He was one of the first wrestlers who remained active in bodybuilding competitions while continuing in-ring action. He won first place in the Best Developed Arms division at the Mr. America contest in 1975 and finished seventh in the World's Strongest Man competition five years later.
6 Alexa Bliss
Alexa Bliss isn't a legend yet, but the way her career is going, she very well may be one when she retires. Bodybuilding helped her overcome a crippling eating disorder when she was a teenager. While the sport may have been a distraction at first, it quickly became evident that Bliss could compete in tournaments, and she eventually found herself in the prestigious "Arnold Class" competition.
Bliss' impressive figure led to her signing a developmental contract with WWE in 2013 despite having no prior wrestling experience. Nevertheless, she had no issues climbing the ladder over the past decade and is one of the most popular female competitors in the industry today.
5 John Cena
John Cena's inclusion on this list should come as no surprise, as he has one of the most impressive physiques in professional wrestling history. He began to pursue bodybuilding after graduating from Springfield College in 1999 with a degree in exercise psychology and body movement, and it did not take him long to find success in the industry.
He had no issues building muscle and made a seamless transition into professional wrestling in 2000 when he signed a developmental contract with WWE. The rest was history as Cena became one of the greatest competitors in wrestling history, and he maintained his impressive figure throughout his standout career.
4 Sting
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&dpr=1.5)
Before he became The Man Called Sting, Steve Borden was the co-owner of a Gold's Gym in Southern California. He hoped to attain a career in the industry before discovering professional wrestling in the mid-80s, and he chose to pursue that path instead.
The first promotion he worked for was the Continental Wrestling Association, where he paired with fellow behemoth Jim Hellwig, who would become The Ultimate Warrior. He rose in popularity after signing with WCW in 1987, and he remains one of the most recognizable and iconic professional wrestlers in the industry today.
3 Triple H
Professional wrestling was a motivating factor for Triple H to begin bodybuilding when he was a teenager, as he wanted to look like the wrestlers he saw on TV. He won the 1988 Mr. Teenage New Hampshire competition when he was only 19, and he continued to build muscle afterward.
The King of Kings began to pursue a career in professional wrestling when he started training at Killer Kowalski's gym in 1990. He was a rising star in WWE within a few years and has remained a mainstay in the industry ever since. Nevertheless, Levesque never forgot where he came from, as he published his own bodybuilding book, Making the Game: Triple H's Approach to a Better Body, in 2004.
2 The Ultimate Warrior
Not only was Jim Hellwig's massive physique unique for the professional wrestling industry, but he even had rare size for the bodybuilding community, as well. Hellwig, who would later reach stardom as The Ultimate Warrior, was a standout bodybuilder who won multiple tournaments before pursuing a career in professional wrestling in the mid-80s.
Vince McMahon saw something special in Hellwig, so he signed him and immediately booked him as a near-unstoppable force shortly after he made his debut with the company. The Warrior's run as one of the top stars in the company may have been relatively short-lived (his first stint only lasted five years), but he is still considered one of the most popular figures of The Golden Era.
1 Batista
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&dpr=1.5)
Before he was the most buff guy in professional wrestling, Dave Bautista was a troubled teen who looked like he was destined to be another victim of the system. That was until he discovered bodybuilding, which he says potentially saved his life, and he began to pursue a career in the field before setting his sights on the wrestling ring.
The behemoth signed a developmental contract with WWE in 2000, and he became one of the companies biggest (no pun intended) stars after making his main roster debut two years later. He has maintained his signature physique over the years despite spending years away from the ring on multiple occasions.