If Arnold Shwarzenegger Went the Wrestling Route

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Instead of becoming an actor, where would he be? Remember Arnold was physically gigantic back in the late 1970s, early 1980s.

[johnpricesuperstar]

I often wonder about that too.

But the big thing about Arnold- his trademark- is his thick Austrian Accent and limited Acting Range.

Could he move and run the ropes?

Would he be able to perform live?

The film and pro-wrestling industries are very different. Would audiences like a muscled up guy from Austria with limited English skills?

What would his gimmick be?

How would he be booked?

Face or Heel?

I think he would have been another muscle man in the wwf. Nothing special. His script writers make him special- not his acting ability.

[neal]

I could see him playing a arrogant heel for the WWWF with Blassie as his mouthpiece. Maybe a couple of programs challenging Backlund. Not much more than that, though.

[BillyBlood]

I would have seen Arnie play the role of an East Austrian heel with throwbacks to the evil Nazi heels of the mid-50s like Hans Schmidt, but he wouldn't really get far in the business if he doesn't have a mouthpiece to help him (Arnold had limited knowledge of the English language in the early '70s)

He would have totally floundered during the Hogan era and be nothing more than a footnote had he chosen wrestling over acting. Hell, Lou Ferrigno was said to be a wrestling fan as well and in fact his son is a pro wrestler in some indy fed in New York.

[jobber2thestars]

Was he offered the chance to become a wrestler?

[Tom Selleck]

Arnold was so focused and determined in his younger days that he would have been a huge sucess in whatever profession he desired. If he set his mind on being the greatest wrestler in the world then that's what he would have been.

[Deleted]

Apr 2, 2010 17:48:42 GMT -5 johnpricesuperstar said:

I think he would have been another muscle man in the wwf. Nothing special. His script writers make him special- not his acting ability.

Eh, I see that but its not like his movies have incredible writing/dialogue or situations, for the most part. The script writers don't make him special, it's his physical presence and strange charisma.

When his most famous line is "I'll be back", its not the writing that made Arnie a superstar.

[johnpricesuperstar]

Irontyger- Arnold's films were hand picked for him. He was no Stallone who created and wrote the Rocky Series.

Arnold had a huge physical appeal, but could he have moved like a wrestler? Remember- wrestling is a live performance. Movies are scripted and well edited.

Then again... I know Arnold got where he is because he is dedicated. Who knows?!?

Maybe it would have been Arnold-mania?!?

[livetowin]

I think he should have got a main event run in 1999 based on his potential for catchphrases alone.

"This guy, I can beat him up like the devil IN MY MOOO-VIE."

God I love that man.

[Deleted]

Apr 3, 2010 5:14:37 GMT -5 johnpricesuperstar said:

Irontyger- Arnold's films were hand picked for him. He was no Stallone who created and wrote the Rocky Series.

Right but I don't see your point. John Wayne never wrote his own dialogue or directed his own films nor were they exactly the most philosophical things ever but they did cater to his strength of presence.

[Judas Heyman]

I think he would flop big time...remember Brakus, the big German guy.He was muscular but the fans just hated him.

[Mozenrath]

He's got the Hogan factor, more or less, just dripping charisma, so yeah, he probably would of been huge.

[Kris Kobain]

I had a Last Action Hero figure of him in jeans and a brown coat.
He was often the special enforcer for my wrestling matches.

As far as what he could have been? Another Lex Luger.

[The Thread Barbi]

Remember that image of a bodybuilder turned wrestler that knocked the Hulkster off his perch fair and square in the Spring of 1990? Supplant it with 7 time Mr. Olympia. Any other bodybuilder would have been the footnote.

Or as the uber-heel, Hogan vs. Schwarzenegger - bigger than Hogan vs. Andre. Arnold has 'it'. No matter what he turns his hand to, he is successful. Wrestling would be no different.