Who Really Is The Strongest?

[Jack-Hammer]

There's an article on WWE.com in which various superstars state how much they can bench press. There are always commentators focusing on the physical strength of certain wrestler such as Ryback, Mark Henry, Big Show, Big E. Langston, etc. and the website gives a little bit of insight into just how strong, allegedly, some of WWE's top powerhouses are. It lists the amount that some stars claim to be able to bench, and I'm assuming these are raw lifts.

Big E. Langston: Bench Press - 575 pounds
Roman Reigns: Bench Press - 445 pounds
Antonio Cesaro: Bench Press - 405 pounds
Kane: Bench Press - 525 pounds
Ryback: Bench press - 550 pounds
Titus O'Neil: Bench Press - 545 pounds
John Cena: Bench Press - 465 pounds
Big Show: Bench Press - 500 pounds for 12 reps

Whether or not these are legit numbers is anyone's guess, but I was pretty surprised by some of them. I always figured that John Cena could bench at least 500 pounds, if not more.

Roman Reigns' reported 445 was honestly around where I'd put him. He's a big guy but he has a more natural look to his build. Guys who've used 'roids substantially, even if they haven't in years, often have a much more rounded contours to their muscles than people who train naturally.

Titus O'Neil never really struck me as being able to lift that much. Maybe it's just because he has somewhat of a long & slightly lanky build. Of course, looks don't necessarily mean much of anything when you take into account how many champion powerlifters look more like dumpy couch potatoes than serious athletes.

I already knew Big E. Langston's due to info from his time on the powerlifting circuit. If he's genuinely able to bench that much without ever having been on performance enhancing drugs, then he truly is a freak. I don't buy into the notion of him never having done them as being able to push that much weight naturally, for the vast majority of people, is just too unlikely.

I always figured that Ryback would be able to bench somewhere in the mid 500 range or more.

Cesaro only being able to bench 405 was surprising. Not that it's not a huge amount of weight to push upward off one's chest, but I figured him to be in the 475-500 pound range.

If it wasn't for the fact that you can see some gray in Kane's facial hair if he lets it grow out, you'd never guess that the guy was 46 just by looking at him. To be his age and still be able to bench well over a quarter ton is impressive.

Big Show stating that he can bench 500 pounds for 12 reps suggests that his max is probably in the 550-560 pound range. Show genuinely weighs in the 390 pound range, the last I heard, so that's also really impressive.

 

[Rampage Bentley]

I was mostly impressed with Kane, because he specifically stated he did that without wraps our a benching shirt.

As far as Cesaro, I'm not surprised he hasn't benched in the higher numbers, he's not a body builder. He spoke about functional strength, which is something most body builders don't have, and I'm sure he could overpower almost anyone else on this list.

 

[Remix]

I already knew Big E. Langston's due to info from his time on the powerlifting circuit. If he's genuinely able to bench that much without ever having been on performance enhancing drugs, then he truly is a freak. I don't buy into the notion of him never having done them as being able to push that much weight naturally, for the vast majority of people, is just too unlikely.

If he did, it was before he got really into power lifting. As in, when he was a college football player. On the power lifting circuit they take drug testing seriously. Also, Langston's best competition record for the bench press was 50 lbs lighter than his current best. I'm sceptical that steroids taken pre-2006 would make a significant difference, especially when he's continuing to improve his numbers in an environment where he's been drug tested for the last 7 years.

Cesaro only being able to bench 405 was surprising. Not that it's not a huge amount of weight to push upward off one's chest, but I figured him to be in the 475-500 pound range.

His language suggests he gives zero fucks about his numbers. He probably could press more if he trained for it but he's not interested in doing so.

 

[Kris Benwa]

I don't see why it's hard to believe why Big E can lift that much without roids because of whatever a previous guy said I wont go into it. The same goes for Titus O' Neil I can believe he benches that much he was a college football star that seems pretty regular. I graduate from highschool in 2012 and me and all my friends were football players and some of them were throwing up 300-350 in the ninth or tenth grade and the most any of us went were D2. So at his age and if he's been lifting this whole time since highschool I have no reason to doubt he can lift 545.

 

[ASKane]

I read the report on WWE.com it does add that these are the highest numbers they have done and not here is a set of weights see how much you can do.

Big Shows numbers further emphasize a thought I had after Raw and that he should not be called an athlete because he looked in incredibly bad shape on Raw and his record bench press is only his own weight. I don't he deserves the title of athlete.

Impressed/Surprised that O'Neill can do just 5lbs less than Ryback I thought the gap would be far bigger. Good numbers for Reigns, Cesaro and Cena who have good pound-for-pound numbers. No surprises with Langston but I wonder if it will become a bigger part of his gimmick now

 

[JohnJohnson]

Yea a lot of these are older, because I've been looking at wrestler's bench presses for years to see where I rank(I tied with Taker at 365). I remember reading that the one with Big Show pressing 12 reps of 500lbs was with seemingly little effort when he was just messing around in the Gym. Kane's is also an older one from when he was huge.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

All of Big E's stuff is legit, and can be reference. He holds multiple real state and nationa titles.

 

[shalliin]

Did the list include past guys? What about someone like Ezekiel Jackson? Ahmed Johnson, Scott Steiner, British Bulldog? I wonder what they were pumping at their peaks. Those are the guys I want to know about on a list of strongest.

 

[Pedigree1]

I have always enjoyed feats of strength they are interesting to say the least.

Big show being able to bench 500 pounds for 12 Reps is not only impressive its down right awe inspiring! Holy shit that is strong unbelievable! I work out a lot and no matter how much weight i lift i will never be able to bench 500 pounds not on my frame.

Cena surprises me though. I thought at the very least he could bench 500 as that guy is built like a loaded brick wall and stronger than all hell! 465 is very impressive its quite impressive anything over 400 pounds your just not a guy to be messed with! At his weight being able to bench twice your own weight damn there is very impressive.

Kane though benching 525 without a bench shirt or anything to assist him goes to show how freakishly strong he really is. Damn is all i gotta say.

Cesaro as I have stated many times on this board is the strongest pound for pound guy in the WWE. He doesnt look like a body builder but has that natural strong male alpha bull strength is incredible. Think about it! He is what only around 225 or so and is only 60 pounds behind Cena in the bench press department! Cena outweighs Cesaro by what 35 pounds or so i dont buy for one minute Cena weighs 250 he is more like 260! Big E i am not surprised as i have followed him since his powerlifting days so his strength is to be expected!

Anyone old like me remember Ted Arcidi? His Bench press was over 700 pounds

 

[Honkey_Kong]

I have always enjoyed feats of strength they are interesting to say the least.

Big show being able to bench 500 pounds for 12 Reps is not only impressive its down right awe inspiring! Holy shit that is strong unbelievable! I work out a lot and no matter how much weight i lift i will never be able to bench 500 pounds not on my frame.

Cena surprises me though. I thought at the very least he could bench 500 as that guy is built like a loaded brick wall and stronger than all hell! 465 is very impressive its quite impressive anything over 400 pounds your just not a guy to be messed with! At his weight being able to bench twice your own weight damn there is very impressive.

Kane though benching 525 without a bench shirt or anything to assist him goes to show how freakishly strong he really is. Damn is all i gotta say.

Cesaro as I have stated many times on this board is the strongest pound for pound guy in the WWE. He doesnt look like a body builder but has that natural strong male alpha bull strength is incredible. Think about it! He is what only around 225 or so and is only 60 pounds behind Cena in the bench press department! Cena outweighs Cesaro by what 35 pounds or so i dont buy for one minute Cena weighs 250 he is more like 260! Big E i am not surprised as i have followed him since his powerlifting days so his strength is to be expected!

Anyone old like me remember Ted Arcidi? His Bench press was over 700 pounds

Ted Arcidi was like the first man in the history of mankind to ever officially bench 700lbs.

I know Roadwarrior Animal in his prime could bench over 600lbs and Hawk could bench in the 500's. Lex Luger and Big Papa Pump were no slouches in the weight room either. And Mark Henry was/is a beast with the weights too.

As far as Cesaro goes, he first of all doesn't train like most of the other wrestlers do. He's not really concerned with how much he can bench or anything like that. He trains for endurance and functional strength. And let's be honest, it really doesn't matter how much you can bench, squat or deadlift in wrestling. It matters how strong you are in the ring doing wrestling moves. And as far as that goes, I think Cesaro has them mostly beat. Besides, he's leaner than those guys too. Cesaro, if he decided to train in a bodybuilder's style could easily have the best physique on the roster.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

I was surprised with John Cena numbers, always thought he could do more than 500 pounds. Big E. Langston and Ryback are two freaks of nature. I actually enjoy to know this things, even if some aren't really the "real" truth and I think that they could use this information to build a wrestler up, instead of stating "the strongest man pound by pound" or "a freak of nature". It's different and it gives wrestling a more "real" tone into it.

However I think that "Who's The Strongest" type of feuds are indeed boring like Mark Henry and The Big Show. In fact I'm sad that they don't give out Mark Henry's information on bench pressing.

Now more of an old school, does anyone remember Bill Kazmaier in WCW around 1991? I've done some research and apparently he broke a lot of world records, with a bench press of 661 lbs. That guy was a beast.

 

[Chococat]

I think most of these numbers are accurate. I think Cena's is wrong just for the sake of him always being the underdog so they put him second to last.

Also, how could they not mention Mark Henry on this list? He still holds records for raw weight lifting.


I'm thinking this article was a "work" to get Mark Henry back on TV soon.

WWE's strongest guys and Mark isn't in the list? Sounds fishy and like something they'd do.

I can easily see Henry returning to challenge Big E's strength, after hearing about this "article"

 

[Redemption-2012]

Cesaro is a beast and can probably bench a heavy amount as can Roman Reigns. John Cena can bench a freakish amount and I am not sure that is totally accurate.

 

[vampxx24]

lesnars max is 630.

they talked about it when they did a tale of the tape when he fought carwin. both benched 485 but they pointed out carwin was maxing out at 485 while brocks max (3 or so reps) was 630

 

[BaconBits]

Huge bench numbers are extremely overrated. Big deadlift and squat numbers are always way more impressive.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

It's interesting but likely a "kayfabe" situation to an extent, just as Andre wasn't really 7ft 4" you'd expect a bit of embellishment after all this wasn't a verified count, just an account.

Kane to me has always seemed a freakish guy, abnormally strong and all round athletic, yet not in the package you'd expect - he clearly doesn't use, and never has seemingly just naturally a "gifted" person in all but his face lol.

Big E. is clearly legit in as much as it's why they scouted and hired him. 20lbs or so might be added for effect but that guy can clearly lift as can Henry, he went to the Olympics as a Powerlifter, which says at some point he has probably beaten everyone on that list... but that's not the story they want to tell.

Cesaro is a very interesting case in being small but again freakishly strong that swing level of strenght, the kind that does 100 rotations or can swing Khali doesn't come from needles, it's inherent kinda like ants... He's a lucky bastard is all I can think.

Now there are some I doubt, while Cena can lift I am certain he hasn't benched what he says he has or if he ever did it was a LONG time ago. He hasn't needed out an out strength of that type for along time, the AA relies on shoulders which is basically built in. You rarely see Cena genuinely lift someone heavy other than for the AA which is a relatively simple thing.

Big Show, I doubt... sure he has size but he has never had any kind of definition or even general build where you would say he was able to lift heavy... he gets by perhaps on his naturaly size giving him a bit more strength than average, but he is no lifter.

I do remember Kazmaier, from World's Strongest Man back in the day (When Geoff Capes and Jean Pal Sigmursson used to rule) and he was a strong dude but limited.

Some guys ruined their natural abilities with roids and it's maddening. Scott Steiner of 93-94 compared to what he became. Had he stayed exactly as he was when he won that TV title and defected weeks later he STILL would have been one of the strongest and best guys in the world. Likewise guys like Ken Patera (who really had no excuse) and Hercules Hernandez messed with what they'd been given too much. Shame cos all 3 could have been much bigger players had they just done what they could do.

It's interesting that the E seem to want to bring it back to physical feats though..

 

[Disappointed]

Mark Henry is a legendary strength athlete. He is one of a 14 people to officially deadlift over 900 lbs. He also holds a 950+ lb squat (4th highest ever unequipped). Both were done without a suit and at the same event. He was one the first man to lift the Thomas Inch Dumbbell, and only 1 person has done it since. His best bench press is in the 520 lb range. Henry is easily the strongest.

 

[lowandmighty]

What does Mark Henry bench?

From the guys listed I'd personally have to say Big Show is the strongest. Lets face it his 500lbs for 12 reps would be a half assed attempt. He could do way more than that if he actually tried.

When I see the Big show wrestle anyone apart from The Great Khali, I can see that if Show wanted to he could just plant his opponent face down, put his foot in the middle of his opponents back, grab his opponents arms and tear them right off.

When Big Show loses a match you always think to yourself "yeah right".

 

[Bernkastel]

Mark Henry reportedly clocked 585 pounds for the bench press in unofficial competition, but he's never really tried to accelerate in the bench.

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In that one he did 460 pounds. Average compared to some of the others on the list, but when you look at his dead lift and squat records, the man has no equal in professional sports. In comparison I think Big E's dead lift was good for 800 pounds; a good 100+ less than Henry's. And his raw squat isn't anywhere close, since Henry's claimed 1006 pounds in nonofficial, and 953 pounds official. Also when was training for the Olympics there were reports that he could clean 500 pounds. Considering that Henry pressed Vader with practically no effort I can certainly believe that.

All things considered the strongest pro wrestler, in WWE history, or anywhere, has to be Mark Henry. Bill Kazmaier would be a very close second.

In bench press Scott Steiner, Tank Abbot, Ted Arcidi, the Warlord, Scott Norton, and Tony Atlas are all certified 600+. Brock Lesnar and Khali have been reported to be close to that level as well.

 

[PowerHouse]

First Big Show benching 500 for 12 reps would put him at the 600 plus pound max area. Brock Lesnar has never benched 630 pounds. He even stated in an interview the most he has ever done was slightly over 500. As for the rest of the guys on the list I believe it. Mark Henry is still the strongest but I say Big E Langston will soon eclipse him. As far as someone saying deadlift and squat numbers are more impressive people who say that usually are weak at the Bench press. Big numbers in any of the 3 main Powerlifting exercises are impressive.

 

[The _Swiss_Sensation]

Cesaro Most Moves are not of dead weight I bank mines on antonio