10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (June 14)

6. Why JR's Comments Lit A Fire Under Awesome Kong

Awesome Kong TNA
TNA

Wrestling's approach to women has changed, more so in WWE than anywhere else. Still, it's true that an industry which usually plays 'follow the leader' when it comes to Vince McMahon's whims spotted the need for a female movement long before he did. Right at the forefront of that was Awesome Kong.

Her stunning feud with Gail Kim that changed the game in TNA and her pleasing return at AEW's Double Or Nothing might never have happened had Jim Ross not lit a fire under Kong's ass years before. Speaking at the Netflix Scene Stealer's panel to promote her work in GLOW, Kong said that JR told her she was too big to make it in wrestling when she tried out for Tough Enough 2.

Ouch. Have some more burn with your burn.

That motivated Kong to shed some weight and focus on a power-based style that'd turn heads for wrestling reasons rather than because she was a size four Barbie doll come to life. Her approach was, "Watch this", and Jim's insult (intentional or not) inspired Kong to become a standout.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.