Fight Steen Fight

[DCLXVI]

I'm not sure if it was an official graphic but there is a picture on the header of Wrestlezone that features Kevin Steen alongside HHH, Hideo Itami, etc. wearing a new "Fight Steen Fight" shirt so it would appear they aren't changing his name or ring attire. Maybe someone knows the legitimacy of that. Steen is a natural and can talk for days but definitely does not have the conventional wrestling body or whatever.

How do you see the WWE/NXT using Steen and do you think he will be able to get over as he has in other places?

 

[laodaron]

They tossed Chris Hero for being slightly loose skinned around the waist. Steen has about a 6 month life span in the WWE/NXT before he's released. The WWE wants to make sure that the indy marks get what they want, and then will shut up about it.

He'll be fine going back on the indy scene.

 

[Softcore Holly]

They tossed Chris Hero for being slightly loose skinned around the waist. Steen has about a 6 month life span in the WWE/NXT before he's released. The WWE wants to make sure that the indy marks get what they want, and then will shut up about it.

He'll be fine going back on the indy scene.

From what I've read Hero had more problems than just his shape. Attitude was allegedly another factor and only WWE really knows what else. In any case I seriously doubt WWE would waste the time and money to train/promote someone just to make people shut up about it a few months later. (Especially since it wouldn't work since those same people would just complain about him being released) They might as well just set a nice big wad of cash on fire, it'll get them the same result without the wasting all that time signing and training him in NXT, which is also money I'm sure they've much rather spend on something actually productive.

As for Steen, we'll see. Admittedly I don't know much about the man outside of what's on his wiki page, but he's on NXT so WWE has to see something in him. On a extra note you won't find many pictures of NXT guys posing and shaking hands with HHH, so that has to be a good thing for him. Obviously not all NXT signings work out and more than few do end up just being wasted money on WWE's part like Hero, whether Steen will end up the same way only time will tell.

 

[DCLXVI]

Big man, big gut, ran all over ROH, comfortable on the mic, hybrid wrestling style... Known for the Cradle Piledriver (they'll never let him use) and uses an F5 (never get to use). Eager to see his new moveset and how he is received. I agree they would not just sign anyone and waste their time, he was scouted by William Regal.

 

[Navi]

Steen is great in the ring, but he has one hell of an attitude, and they'll have to reign that in. I would kill for a "Kill Steen Kill" shirt but will never see one of those at a WWE event, so will have to settle for a "Fight Steen Fight" shirt.

I used to watch him in ROH and hoped that one day he would come over to the WWE. He could be on hell of a monster heel, and a perfect opponent for Rusev. He's been in the indies now for about 10 years so has lots of experience under his belt, but yes they have to watch out for his attitude or they have another Orton on their hands.

 

[Trill Co$by]

They tossed Chris Hero for being slightly loose skinned around the waist. Steen has about a 6 month life span in the WWE/NXT before he's released. The WWE wants to make sure that the indy marks get what they want, and then will shut up about it.

He'll be fine going back on the indy scene.

Chris Hero himself denies these rumors. He stated that he and WWE parted because their ideas on the Ohno character were different, not so much in terms of weight or anything like that. Plus, Hero loves working for places like ROH because they give him more freedom to do what he wants to do.

 

[Chauncy Talon]

Kevin Steen won't get to keep his name. The reason why they have the Fight Steen Fight is to help promote the new talent. When he finally lose the weight, and look like a WWE wrestler, a name change will happen.

#datSTROKElife

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

They tossed Chris Hero for being slightly loose skinned around the waist. Steen has about a 6 month life span in the WWE/NXT before he's released. The WWE wants to make sure that the indy marks get what they want, and then will shut up about it.

He'll be fine going back on the indy scene.

You are truly tiresome with this "indy scene" crap. The WWE has made several moves to bring in guys from said scene, and none of them have anything to do with getting the "marks" to shut up.

Punk, Bryan, Ambrose, Rollins ... all "indy scene" talent who have been pushed steadily since their arrival and are or have main evented PPVs.

 

[DCLXVI]

If he can't keep his name why are Prince Devitt and Kenta on it with their new names standing beside him?

 

[GeminiGarlord]

Meh, personally I really hope they don't exaggerate with this weight lose stuff. Kevin Steen look is perfect for his character, and one of the best things about him. He doesn't look like the stereotypical wrestler (or "sport entertainer" pff), but still look like someone who would kick your ass if you pissed him off in a bar on an alley.

And That's GOOD. Not everyone has to look the same.

It is probably a lost hope, but it will be amazing if they actually let him keep his name (and his entrance music, this is much less likely but I just imagine the huge pop of like 10% of the audience that would happen if from nowhere Unsettling Differences would start up announcing his debut)

 

[GeminiGarlord]

Although I have to admit that do too hope a bit that he doesn't make it in WWE and goes back to working for better promotions like RoH. I get than he will get more money in WWE and that's naturally great for him, but on a pure entertainment level it seems just like a step back.

 

[laodaron]

Almost everyone is indy scene if you're going to be a mark. That's not the point. Steen won't be able to go at a WWE rate for the length of time required in his shape. The WWE knows that, and they also know that indy fans have cried their pussy tears out raving to get Steen hired. Now he's hired, and he'll be gone before WM 31.

He seems to be a decent enough indy guy, though. I wish him well, and I think he'll be better off either in the indies or in TNA.

 

[DCLXVI]

If he can't make it in his shape how did a guy like Mick Foley (in worse shape) rise to the top?

 

[#hamler]

He doesn't look like the stereotypical wrestler (or "sport entertainer" pff), but still look like someone who would kick your ass if you pissed him off in a bar on an alley.

If he can't make it in his shape how did a guy like Mick Foley (in worse shape) rise to the top?

That pretty much covers my point I was going to cover.

Mick Foley was one of the most successful WWE wrestlers of the attitude era and sported an unusually flabby look. Today, Bray Wyatt is thriving off the fact that he doesn't look like the typical wrestler. Given Steen's natural abilities, his unusual look is something that he will over come in the WWE. His health has shown to be in fine condition in the past. Steen has wrestled in 45 minutes to an hour on more than one occasion with guys half his size. He's has proven his cardio is definitely unmatched for someone his size. Kevin Steen also brings something similar to the table that Foley and Wyatt brought: speaking ability. Kevin Steen's mic skills are on par with some of the best the wrestling business has to offer and that alone will help him get and remain over. With that, his ability to play heel or face, charisma and Steen's consistency inside the ring, I expect nothing but good things from him during his time in the WWE.

 

[Rayne]

Guys with great physiques are a dime a dozen, and quite a few of them loiter around the midcard before being released without so much as a whisper from the fans. It's not like the WWE didn't know what they were hiring when they brought on Kevin Steen- guys with his bone structure don't turn into muscular, ripped athletes.

The reason why Kevin Steen is with the WWE right now is because the man is gold on the mike- and this fact drives people nuts, but it's the ability to talk that puts people's asses in seats. True in professsional wrestling, boxing, even MMA- the fights where people skillfully shit talk each other before hand are the ones that people end up buying.

If the WWE goes out there, insists upon scripting every word of his promos, and tries to make him a WWE version of Kevin Steen, he won't be a featured player. But if they listen to his input, and give him a degree of freedom in how he promotes his character, he could end up being the best talker that's employed by the WWE whose initials aren't PH.

 

[DCLXVI]

I wonder if they'll make him cover up his bull tattoo (a tribute to The Rock in the same place The Rock had his)... lol

 

[JoeFromTomsRiver]

I never thought he'd get signed because of his physique. He wrestles in a t-shirt and his gut sticks out. But apparently, Triple H has toned down his muscle-mark tendencies and saw that this guy's mic skills and aggressive ring presence make up for it.

Having said that, I'm sure they want him to tighten up a bit, and he should take their advice and not blow it like Hero.

 

[Navi]

They tossed Chris Hero for being slightly loose skinned around the waist. Steen has about a 6 month life span in the WWE/NXT before he's released. The WWE wants to make sure that the indy marks get what they want, and then will shut up about it.

He'll be fine going back on the indy scene.

Nice to see Vince McMahon taking an interest and posting on the IWC.

Steen is a good wrestler, and there is nothing wrong with his shape, not everyone can look the same. Take Foley, Henry and even to an extent Bo Dallas. These guys aren't cut like HHH, Batista, Reigns and Orton. God help us all if every wrestler comes out of development.

If you think that Ambrose, Rollins, Kenta and Devitt are shit then you're an idiot. These are former indy guys. You need to get the experience from somewhere, and for some the indies is where they go. I hope they do let him keep his name, but in the past they haven't so it will be interesting to see what they come up with. If it's some sort of french name because he's from Quebec, I'll be disappointed.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

Almost everyone is indy scene if you're going to be a mark. That's not the point. Steen won't be able to go at a WWE rate for the length of time required in his shape. The WWE knows that, and they also know that indy fans have cried their pussy tears out raving to get Steen hired. Now he's hired, and he'll be gone before WM 31.

He seems to be a decent enough indy guy, though. I wish him well, and I think he'll be better off either in the indies or in TNA.

Riiight...because having a gut has totally derailed the career of Bray Wyatt.

Obviously, there's no room for fat guys in the WWE, regardless of their talent.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

They tossed Chris Hero for being slightly loose skinned around the waist. Steen has about a 6 month life span in the WWE/NXT before he's released. The WWE wants to make sure that the indy marks get what they want, and then will shut up about it.

He'll be fine going back on the indy scene.

From what I understand, it was more about his attitude than anything else. Management asked him to improve his physique to some degree but, allegedly, trying to get him to hit the weights was like pulling teeth. Based on reports, he simply didn't wanna do it. Hero had a weird body type; he was about 6'4" or 6'5", about 215-225 pounds with a long, lanky type of body structure. He wasn't fat, he was actually pretty skinny, but he had virtually no muscle tone.

With all the guys running around WWE who're built really well, guys who obviously know about pumping iron along with proper nutrition, I don't see how Hero would've had any real problem. He just didn't really wanna do it. Besides, it's not as if he was asked to go all Schwarzenegger or anything as there are lots of guys in NXT who're in shape with decent builds. Tyler Breeze, Sami Zayn, Baron Corbin, Sin Cara, Kalisto, The Vaudvillains, The Ascension, etc. are all in shape but none of them are Herculean by any stretch. When Brodus Clay was asked to lose weight, he went from 460 pounds down to about 350. He didn't gripe, didn't complain or drag his feet, he just did it. In the grand scheme of things, being asked to hit the gym to improve your physique a little isn't much to ask, especially when compared to someone dropping a good 100+ pounds.

As for Kevin Steen, I doubt he'll be keeping his name. Kenta and Devitt are both bigger names and are huge stars in Japan, yet they picked different names. Doesn't seem to have hurt Kenta all that much as I read a report a few weeks back that mentioned that Hideo Itami was among the most searched names on the internet in Japan.

The shirt Steen was wearing may simply have been something he wears while working out in the WWE Performance Center. If Steen's asked by management to drop some weight, I don't think there'll be an issue. Even though he looks heavier, I think Steen's only about 250 or so and that has a bit to do with his body shape. Again, with all the guys running around in WWE who know about nutrition, if Steen's asked to improve his physique or decides to do it himself, he shouldn't have any real problem doing so because a lot of those guys know every bit as much about how to maximize working out with a proper diet as any personal trainer or nutritionist.