The professional wrestling industry has changed drastically over the past decade for the better, and wrestlers are much healthier now than they used to be during the 80s, 90s, and early-mid 2000s. As most former WWE and WCW stars can attest to, Sports Entertainment used to be a complete looks-based business, and performance enhancers were a very common method of making oneself look 'larger than life' - the look Ted Turner and Vince McMahon desired in their respective company's top stars. Whether former wrestling stars are willing to admit to it or not, almost every wrestler before 2006 was 'on the juice' at one point in their career, almost everyone in the WWE and WCW locker rooms.
It wasn't until the WWE implemented their Wellness Policy in 2006 and the overall discovery that performance enhancers were very harmful for athletes that some performers stopped 'juicing'. Wrestlers in the WWE and on the Indies may be leading healthier lives now a days, but the talent from the past are suffering the consequences from their previous usage along with other addictions. 'The juice' only makes a wrestler look good for a certain amount of time, and once a performer starts to get a bit older and decides to come off 'the gear', they often end up looking completely washed up and downright terrible. Today, we're going to look at 10 WWE stars who looked terrible without the juice, and 10 from WCW.
20 WWE Star: Greg Valentine
Although Greg Valentine never possessed a very intimidating or 'shredded' physique even during the peak of his career in Sports Entertainment, Valentine has still admitted to being 'on the juice' throughout his career. Apparently Valentine used performance enhancers to speed up injury recovery, but regardless of why a wrestler decides to juice, there are definitely negative consequences or side effects regardless.
Greg Valentine's widely remembered by fans for his run in WWE throughout the 80s, and his biggest accomplishment in WWE was the Intercontinental Championship which he won after defeating Tito Santana. Greg's career starting winding down towards the end of the 90s, and while he still wrestles occasionally on the Indies, it's clear Valentine's health couldn't handle a full-time or even part-time schedule anymore. Showcased above is a recent photo of Greg, and by all means, he definitely looks terrible without the juice.
19 WCW Star: Vampiro
Vampiro's best known for his run in World Championship Wrestling between '98-'01 where he feuded with the likes of Alex Wright, Steve Williams and most notably, Sting. While Vampiro never really took off in WCW due to his shoddy booking, he's still a memorable wrestler from the Monday Night Wars who was fairly entertaining.
However, once WCW was bought out by WWE, Vampiro was left out of the spotlight as he was informed by the WWE that they had no plans for him, and were not going to be picking up his contract. Following WCW's demise, Vampiro continued wrestling in Japan, Mexico, and most recently in Lucha Underground. However, it's clear Vampiro's come 'off the juice' since departing WCW (he admitted to substance usage during his career), and he's completely deflated and filled out as a result.
18 WWE Star: The Dynamite Kid
One of the most shocking post-retirement transformations of a former WWE Superstar (in a negative way) is undoubtedly The Dynamite Kid. During Kid's prime, he was absolutely shredded, and he had one of the best physiques in the entirety of WWE. However, like most other wrestlers from the 80s and 90s, Dynamite Kid didn't achieve his impressive size solely with hard work - he too was 'on the juice' throughout his career and used many kinds of enhancers.
If you ever need to look to a wrestler who can fully stand behind the idea that wrestling should ban all substances, then look no further than Dynamite Kid. Since his career in Sports Entertainment ended, The Dynamite Kid's body has completely fallen apart, and his abuse is without question one of the main reasons as to Kid's rapid health demise.
17 WCW Star: Lex Luger
When you think of wrestling stars from the 80s and 90s who had fantastic physiques, I'm certain Lex Luger's one of the first names that comes to mind. With the nickname 'The Total Package', Luger found himself featured in both WWE and WCW as a top tier star due to his presence and intimidating physique. However, like every other performer on this list, Lex Luger juiced hard to achieve his size throughout his career, and Lex's enhancer use undoubtedly affected his health significantly later on in life.
Once Luger's career started winding down in the early 2000s, Lex ended up coming off the juice, and he quickly lost all of his once impressive muscle mass. Lex Luger unfortunately looks like a shell of his former self, and he's quite honestly completely unrecognizable. That being said, Lex Luger now works with WWE behind the scenes to work on the company's Wellness Policy and to prevent future stars from going down the same path he and many other past Superstars chose.
16 WWE Star: Marc Mero
Marc Mero (also known to some as Johnny B. Badd) was a WWE wrestler who admitted to being 'on the juice' throughout his career. When Mero was in his prime in Sports Entertainment, he had a phenomenal physique. It was definitely one of the key factors as to why Marc was featured in WWE and captured the Intercontinental Championship.
To even become a mid-carder in WWE or WCW during the 80s and 90s required you to 'stand out' from the rest of the pack, and Mero's way of doing so was juicing - a decision he regretted later on in life. Once Marc Mero's career in professional wrestling came to an end in 2006, Marc came off 'the juice', and he deflated as you'd probably expect. Showcased above is what Marc Mero looks like today, and while he does look pretty terrible without the juice, he's undoubtedly healthier inside.
15 WCW Star: Scott Steiner
While former WCW World Champion Scott Steiner's still relatively 'in shape', he definitely looks completely deflated and washed up since coming off the juice - in other words, terrible compared to what Steiner looked like even a decade ago. Scott's definitely made the right decision to stop juicing, because at his age, Steiner's body simply couldn't handle the abuse it used to be able to.
When you think of 90s wrestlers who were unquestionably 'on the juice', Scott Steiner's definitely one of the first names that comes to mind, as he was unnaturally enormous. However, Steiner's size did set him apart from the rest of the pack, as he was able to break away from his brother Rick and become a main event singles star. That said, it's a relief the WWE's cut down on enhancer usage and no longer requires wrestlers to look like bodybuilders, as the negative side effects users suffer later on once their careers end are insurmountable.
14 WWE Star: Ahmed Johnson
Ahmed Johnson has to rank among the most physically intimidating WWE Superstars of all time, as his physique was polarizing to say the least. I must admit, Vince McMahon has to take some of the blame for his former stars looking terrible later on in life, as he was very much approving of wrestlers 'juicing' to look larger than life, and this has negatively affected so many performers once their careers ended including former Intercontinental Champion, Ahmed Johnson.
As many of you are bound to know, Ahmed's continuous injuries hindered his career, but at one point, Johnson was primed for a massive WWE Championship push - considering Ahmed was nothing special in the ring, his unnatural size and presence was the sole reason behind the rumored push. Once Ahmed Johnson's career in wrestling ended, he wisely came 'off the juice', but unfortunately, he looks absolutely terrible without it.
13 WCW Star: Konnan
Konnan's mainly remembered by wrestling fans for being a member of the nWo and nWo Wolfpac stables in WCW, and while he was never a big singles star, he's still a memorable performer who was apart of a few cool moments. Konnan has since admitted to being 'on the juice' during his career, because as he stated before, there was a 'premium' on that look, and wrestlers were rewarded for looking larger than life.
However, Konnan wasn't immune from the negative side effects of performance enhancers, and since coming off the juice, Konnan's never looked worse - he's completely out of shape and his health has undoubtedly suffered. When Konnan had been asked in the past in regards to what they did to him, Konnan stated that they made him bigger and stronger. It's clear that being 'on the juice' helped Konnan look far more intimidating that he would've otherwise, and he's since deflated without it.
12 WWE Star: Chris Masters
While Chris Masters was vastly under-utilized in WWE, you cannot argue the fact that he was a terribly unhealthy wrestler due to his extensive performance enhancer abuse - it was probably the right call for the company to get rid of Masters. Chris had a long history of 'juicing' during his career in WWE, and it was the main reason as to why his career eventually fell apart.
Once Masters was released from WWE in 2011, Chris came 'off the juice', and while it was a smart long-term decision, he looks terrible without it. When you compare a Chris Masters picture from 2005 0r 2006 compared to sometime between 2012 and now, it really goes to show you what being on the juice can do for a performer. However, Chris will be thanking himself later on in life for quitting juicing when he did, otherwise he'd be suffering from the same health issues Superstars from the 80s and 90s are suffering today.
11 WCW Star: Buff Bagwell
Buff Bagwell definitely had 'The Stuff' during his peak years in Sports Entertainment, and while he was never considered to be a credible top star in WCW, Bagwell still possessed one of the best physiques in the company. However, like most other ex-WWE and WCW stars who were widely known to be 'on the juice', Buff has since deflated without it. Showcased above is a recent photograph of Buff Bagwell, and while he still does have some muscle mass left, he'd be the definition of 'deflated without the juice'.
I'd say Buff is a perfect example that being shredded and jacked didn't necessarily mean you were going to be successful in pro-wrestling back in the 90s and early 2000s, as Buff was quickly released from WWE after WCW went under despite possessing a polarizing physique. Wrestlers from the past put their health in harms way by juicing for that small chance of making it big in the business.
10 WWE Star: Hulk Hogan
Although Hulk Hogan's been hitting the gym hard lately, 'The Hulkster' is still looking pretty terrible without the juice. Showcased above is what Hogan's been looking like recently, and while age is a big factor in Hulk's loss of muscle mass, it was also coming off the juice that sped up the process - Hulk Hogan was still insanely ripped in his late 40's and early 50's during the early 2000's when he was amidst his storylines with The Rock and Brock Lesnar (still likely on the juice). Hulk definitely made the right choice to quit juicing when he did, and while the substances Hogan used were perhaps 'higher quality' than the stuff guys like Dynamite Kid used (meant for horses), they all have similar side effects - hardening arteries and enlarging hearts for example.
9 WCW Star: Dan Spivey
Among the four wrestlers who admitted to purchasing anabolic enhancers in the early 90s from a doctor who was on trial for being a dealer, WCW's Dan Spivey was one of those said wrestlers. For those of you unfamiliar with who Dan Spivey is, he was basically a glorified jobber for the WWE and WCW, but Spivey did have some memorable moments throughout his career including his tag team with Mike Rotunda called 'The US Express'.
While Dan never possessed the most intimidating physique, he was still an 80s and 90s wrestler who was on the juice. However, once Spivey's career in Sports Entertainment abruptly ended in the mid 90s due to numerous injuries, Dan Spivey came off the juice, and compound that with alcohol addiction, and you have yourself a recipe for disaster. Spivey's since gotten control of his addiction, but he's looking pretty terrible now as he's deflated without the juice and has completely filled out.
8 WWE Star: Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle's had a heck of a career in Sports Entertainment, and while he can boast that he was an Olympic Gold Medalist, Angle cannot deny the fact that he was 'on the juice' at one point of his career in WWE after he had broken his neck. He was never the most shredded wrestler in the locker room, but he still had a phenomenal physique with an incredible amount of strength.
Kurt Angle was ashamed of his usage, as he felt it tarnished his reputation as an Olympic champion. However, Kurt's been off the juice for quite a few years now, and compound coming off the juice with addiction and age, it certainly doesn't take a genius to realize why Kurt's completely deflated. Kurt Angle may not looks quite as terrible as some of the other ex-WWE/WCW stars on this list, but he definitely looks washed up, worn out and much smaller than he used to be.
7 WCW Star: Scott Hall
Although some fans consider Scott Hall to be a 'WWE star', he roughly spent the same number of years in both promotions - approximately four in WWE, then four in WCW. Among the wrestlers of the 80s and 90s who were 'on the juice', Scott Hall was shockingly one of them. Few talk about Hall's past usage, but he too was juicing during his career to achieve a 'larger than life' appearance just like everybody else was.
Scott's truly had a rough life after his time in the spotlight of Sports Entertainment ended, and since coming off the juice mixed with severe addiction, Scott Hall looked absolutely terrible just a couple years back. Recently, Hall's gotten himself into a bit better shape, but he's still looking completely washed up for his age. Showcased above is what Hall looked like a few years ago, and he definitely looked terrible then.
6 WWE Star: William Regal
Without question, William Regal looks as if he's been 'chewed up and spit out' by the wrestling industry as Regal looks completely washed up for only being 49 years old. While William never possessed a very intimidating physique, he was still on 'the juice' at different points of his career, and most recently in 2007 when he was linked to illegal performance enhancers along with many other WWE Superstars including Chris Masters, Edge, Randy Orton, Umaga and Snitsky.
Since coming off the juice, William Regal's lost all of the muscle mass he once had, and he's since put on a lot of weight as seen above. It's clear 'the juice' helped keep Regal somewhat fit, and without it, he's completely deflated. However, William no longer needs to abuse his body in the ring or with performance enhancers, as he has a solid role with WWE as a mentor for the next crop of talent at the Performance Center and as NXT's GM.
5 WCW Star: Perry Saturn
While former WCW Television Champion Perry Saturn's suffered from all kinds of substance addiction since retiring from wrestling, coming off the juice has undoubtedly affected Saturn's body too in a negative way - he's completely deflated without it. Above is what Saturn looks like today, and it's quite the sad sight in all honesty. However, we cannot blame 'the juice' entirely for Saturn's poor appearance, as his health has declined rapidly recently due to his traumatic brain injury.
Shockingly, Perry Saturn's only 51 years old as of the writing of this article, as he looks far older than that due to how 'washed up' Saturn appears to be - just 5 years ago, Perry looked 15 years younger. Perry Saturn is an example of a 90s wrestler who not only abused 'the juice', but also was steadily abusing other harmful substances thus creating an even worse situation for his life in the future.
4 WWE Star: Road Warrior Animal
The Road Warrior's are one of the greatest tag teams in history, and both Road Warrior Hawk and Animal were shredded enormous specimens, unnatural, but still impressive - however, Road Warrior Animal's the only member of the talented team who's still alive, unfortunately. While Road Warrior Hawk's passing cannot fully be blamed on performance enhancers, he passed from a heart attack, and as some of you may be aware, an enlarged heart is one of the many side effects of juicing.
Road Warrior Animal's long since come off 'the juice', and while his health is undoubtedly better than it would've been had he continued juicing, he's definitely looking pretty deflated and downright terrible without it. Warrior Animal's filled out since retiring from Sports Entertainment, and he's completely out of shape now as you can see above in the recent photo of Road Warrior Animal and one of his fans.
3 WCW Star: Barry Windham
If I had to name a former WCW star who has become completely unrecognizable with age, I'd undoubtedly think of former WCW World Champion, Barry Windham. No longer is Windham the blonde haired wrestling star who possessed a great physique, Barry instead has lost all of his muscle mass all while packing on a ton of extra weight since retiring from Sports Entertainment.
Although Barry was never as shredded as someone like Scott Steiner for example, Barry has still admitted to being 'on the juice' throughout his career to maintain his physique, and since coming off the juice, Barry's completely deflated and filled out like so many other wrestlers on this list. Showcased above is what Barry's been looking like recently, and without the juice and a solid exercise routine, Windham looks terrible to say the least.
2 WWE Star: The Ultimate Warrior
If there was ever a 'poster boy' for performance enhancers in wrestling, it'd undoubtedly be the late Ultimate Warrior. From the beginning of his career in Sports Entertainment in the 80s all the way up until the mid 2000s, Warrior was known to juice on a regular basis - a decision that cut his life very short like so many other wrestling 'juicers'.
However, The Ultimate Warrior's unnaturally huge physique helped catch the eye of Vince McMahon, and he was quickly established as a top star for a number of years before falling out of the spotlight in the late 90s. The Ultimate Warrior was on 'the juice' for far too long, and the picture above showcases what Warrior looked like in one of his last wrestling appearances without the juice in '08. Warrior still had some muscle mass left, but he definitely looked deflated and totally washed up - pretty terrible if you ask me.
1 WCW Star: Ron Simmons
Ron Simmons undoubtedly possessed one of the most impressive physiques during his prime in professional wrestling, and he was certainly 'jacked to the gills' as some like to say. However, Simmons' body was unnatural and 'The All-American' has admitted to being on the juice in the past.
It's unknown when Ron decided to come off the juice, but he's definitely deflated rather quickly since retiring from Sports Entertainment, so he probably quit juicing towards the end of his WWE run in the early 2000s. The former WCW World Champion had a great career none the less, and he was absolutely huge during his peak. That being said, Ron's been looking pretty rough lately without the juice, a solid exercise routine and a good diet, and the only thing that's been getting bigger is Simmons' gut.