ironworks
08-06-2012, 12:24 AM
Source: Bleacher Report
The WWE is no stranger to scouting for talent from various avenues other than just professional wrestling.
In fact, the Olympics have provided more than a couple future superstars in the business. Future World Champions Kurt Angle and Mark Henry were American representatives at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and WWE immediately capitalized on their success in promoting their respective debuts.
As I caught the shot put competition during the track and field portion of the 2012 London Olympics, there stood American Reese Hoffa at 6'0" and 285 pounds, clad in his white headband and patriotic USA outfit.
The former World Champion from 2007 tucked the 16-pound shot under his chin, coated in rosin, and chucked it all the way to a bronze medal finish in the event.
Because of the abbreviated coverage by NBC, only a couple of his throws made the evening broadcast on the main Olympic channel. But that didn't matter. What astounded me was the overall look of Hoffa, and it got me thinking if he could be viable in the WWE in the same vain that Angle and Henry were years ago.
Certainly, there is no guarantee for anyone, but Hoffa certainly has a lot going for him.
First and foremost, Hoffa has no professional wrestling experience. That is an immediate uphill climb. But neither did Henry when the WWE picked him up in 1996. It is not the end of the world in terms of building a great character. It's not like he'd ever be expected to work some kind of mat classic or anything.
And who knows, maybe he picks up on the basics quick.
What he lacks in wrestling experience, he more than makes up in his aforementioned look. Hoffa resembles a more refined William Perry from the Chicago Bears and rocks a controlled afro with the headband being his signature accoutrement.
Not to mention—at 285 pounds he has the size to wrestle comfortably with the heavyweights and not be confined to the purgatory of cruiserweight (or barely above cruiserweight) status in WWE.
Next is his name. Reese Hoffa. WWE Creative wishes they could come up with a name as bad ass for a big man, wrecking ball character.
He can also handle himself pretty well on a microphone. Sports interviews or profile pieces aren't the best judge of microphone or interview work, and they certainly don't compare to an on-air promo on Raw or SmackDown, but he avoids the usual cliches that can make many sports interviews unbearable to watch.
And he's very well spoken. Then again, so is David Otunga...
Finally, he can easily get over as being an American Hero archetype with his achievement in the Olympics. The flag waving USA character will never go away in wrestling, and with Hoffa's very pleasant disposition and natural charisma, he could get over heavily with the younger audience as well, which has become almost necessity in the present era of WWE.
Once again, it's no guarantee, but with the pieces Hoffa brings to the table, it would almost be a low-risk, high-reward kind of scenario.
If they could turn Brodus Clay from a bodyguard into the Funkasaurus, Reese Hoffa can be made into a superstar too.
The WWE is no stranger to scouting for talent from various avenues other than just professional wrestling.
In fact, the Olympics have provided more than a couple future superstars in the business. Future World Champions Kurt Angle and Mark Henry were American representatives at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and WWE immediately capitalized on their success in promoting their respective debuts.
As I caught the shot put competition during the track and field portion of the 2012 London Olympics, there stood American Reese Hoffa at 6'0" and 285 pounds, clad in his white headband and patriotic USA outfit.
The former World Champion from 2007 tucked the 16-pound shot under his chin, coated in rosin, and chucked it all the way to a bronze medal finish in the event.
Because of the abbreviated coverage by NBC, only a couple of his throws made the evening broadcast on the main Olympic channel. But that didn't matter. What astounded me was the overall look of Hoffa, and it got me thinking if he could be viable in the WWE in the same vain that Angle and Henry were years ago.
Certainly, there is no guarantee for anyone, but Hoffa certainly has a lot going for him.
First and foremost, Hoffa has no professional wrestling experience. That is an immediate uphill climb. But neither did Henry when the WWE picked him up in 1996. It is not the end of the world in terms of building a great character. It's not like he'd ever be expected to work some kind of mat classic or anything.
And who knows, maybe he picks up on the basics quick.
What he lacks in wrestling experience, he more than makes up in his aforementioned look. Hoffa resembles a more refined William Perry from the Chicago Bears and rocks a controlled afro with the headband being his signature accoutrement.
Not to mention—at 285 pounds he has the size to wrestle comfortably with the heavyweights and not be confined to the purgatory of cruiserweight (or barely above cruiserweight) status in WWE.
Next is his name. Reese Hoffa. WWE Creative wishes they could come up with a name as bad ass for a big man, wrecking ball character.
He can also handle himself pretty well on a microphone. Sports interviews or profile pieces aren't the best judge of microphone or interview work, and they certainly don't compare to an on-air promo on Raw or SmackDown, but he avoids the usual cliches that can make many sports interviews unbearable to watch.
And he's very well spoken. Then again, so is David Otunga...
Finally, he can easily get over as being an American Hero archetype with his achievement in the Olympics. The flag waving USA character will never go away in wrestling, and with Hoffa's very pleasant disposition and natural charisma, he could get over heavily with the younger audience as well, which has become almost necessity in the present era of WWE.
Once again, it's no guarantee, but with the pieces Hoffa brings to the table, it would almost be a low-risk, high-reward kind of scenario.
If they could turn Brodus Clay from a bodyguard into the Funkasaurus, Reese Hoffa can be made into a superstar too.