10 WWE Big Men Who Were Surprisingly Good Wrestlers
8. Big John Studd
Standing at a towering 6’10”, Big John Studd was one of the most underrated big men of the 1980s.
It took him the best part of a decade to progress his skills beyond basic monster territory, and his peak years were relatively short, but he was a great athlete for a man of his size. Comparable to peak Kane in terms of style, Studd was prone to shocking bursts of athleticism, which were no doubt helped by his background as a high school basketball player.
Studd became famous through his battles with Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan, with whom he had particularly excellent chemistry. His early days saw him perform under a number of forgettable gimmicks, but working with Andre and Hogan made him a huge star, and his peak accomplishment came when he won the 1989 Royal Rumble.
A former WWE Tag Team Champion, Studd would never hold singles gold with the company, but he was a valuable star throughout his tenure.
Sadly, Studd’s career was always hindered by health issues. 1986 saw him take two years off from wrestling after years of wear and tear from life on the road, and while he returned in 1988, he was never able to capitalise on the momentum gained from his Royal Rumble win. Studd left WWE in June 1989 and re-entered the independent circuit, but his appearances rapidly dwindled, and he was forced to retire in 1994.