The Pro-wrestling Curve of Attractiveness

[Victator]

And I understand fully judging on a look as far as booking them. I think Alexa Bliss has been booked badly for over two years. I think she should be a weaselly heel who gets by on guile and cheating. I don't think she should be winning by knock out or working even with Nia Jax for ten minutes.

Also I was not passing judgment on anyone else. Their are ladies I think are very pretty. Heck there are dudes I find handsome on a platonic level. It could be I'm more prudish and have a mentality to keep stuff like that private. But that is my hang up.

[Loss]

I think it's important to note in any look discussion that it doesn't mean we just have to put over talent that's obviously on PEDs. I think it's more important to look unique than it is to adhere to any imposed standard.

[Victator]

If you go back twelve years the roster looked way better than now. But the thing is they all looked too similar. Especially the women, who all fit the taste of Johnny Ace and Vince.

Or in OVW guys would have unique looks. They get called up and any personality they developed was squashed.

[El-P]

Presumably a comment like "Nia Jax is attractive" or whatever is not the sum total of that poster's thoughts on Nia Jax.

 

I could say a thing or two about Nia Jax, but I'm not sure how well it would be recieved...

 

Ok, what the hell. Let me preface this by re-afirming that I find Nia Jax to be a mostly crappy worker who brings exactly jackshit to the table apart from a few basic power moves. I rated her as a third rate Eagle Sawaii before, but I'm not sure if she's even at this level. And just as poor a heel as a babyface. So, there it is.

 

I also don't see shit in Jax "good looks" as sold by WWE. Maybe IRL (and by that I mean when she hasn't got a hundred layers of bad makeup plastered on her face and poorly reciting awful written promos) she is charming and all, but what I see on WWE TV really isn't. I'll go a step further, the way WWE pushed her as being attractive and model-like effectively makes her unattractive to me. Not to even mention the reason why they are pushing her that way (PC/PR bullshit), despite the fact they are going for the idiotic "be yourself' stuff, they are actually pushing Nia Jax as a form of super normative beauty type, with the über feminine makeup and long flowing hair. "Ok, she's a super big girl, but look at her face, she's actually in the norm of what's accepted as female beauty, she's model-like". She's absolutely not "herself" as in unique and attractive because of it. She's almost branded as "big *BUT* model-like" in a super normative way. To me (and that struck me from the very first time I saw her) she looks like Chyna post-operation when she was making herself more feminine. Again, maybe she looks super fine and has a terrific personnality IRL, but what I see on WWE TV is some unassuming monster-like worker (by her body-type only, that's what is being presented) cosplaying as a PC/PR barbie-doll-for-big-girls. The fact she really isn't a good performer at all on any level surely doesn't help seeing through that stuff either.

 

Now I'll take another exemple. I always thought Bison Kimura was attractive. Yeah, Bison Kimura. Not the same kind of body type, but not exactly your typical hot modely girl either. And that face too with the grotesque makeup. Hell, someone mentionned Reggie Bennett earlier. I second this. The giant Kim Deal-like smile probably played a huge part. The huge boobs too (let's be blunt for once). But there was something about Reggie Bennett (a BIG girl in her own right) that was definitely really attractive, something about her personnality that came through. Meanwhile, Nia Jax being *sold* as model-like and presented in a very conscious effort with a normative kind of beauty (despite her frame : what matters is her overly plastered face and worked hair, which is the idea of "attractive" to the WWE people. As they can't sell her body, they focus on her face.) absolutely works against her to me, because it contradicts itself both formally (ok, that's subjective I guess, I do not find her attractive at all, that's a fact) and as far as what they are pretending to present (a "different" kind of beauty, which she is not, she's actually totally obeying and conveying a sense of norm).

[Jetlag]

I'll be disappoitned if all this doesn't lead to PWO doing a HOAT project The individual discussions probably wouldn't be that different from how we evaluate workrate.

 

"I thought Sunny was hot when I was 12, but her post prime material has put a real dent on her. I've grown to value longevity over peak attractiveness."

 

"Sable is canonized as the hottest wrestler of all time, and anyone who thinks she shouldn't be #1 is a COMMIE HIPSTER"

 

"You didn't have any mexican workers in your Top 70? Racist. Is it not obvious that western fans are more looking towards japanese workers because they are insecure about their own masculinity?"

 

"Some may say Harley Race was boring and has aged badly, but I still prefer him over today's hairless skinny boys."

 

"I think Mighty Inoue deserves more discussion."

 

"How come no female workers made the Top 30? Sure an influx of outside voters has something to do with this."

 

Shodate Rule: "but how do they compare too Volk han. his look wa for more realistic which i value more than any1 ehere it seems"

[El-P]

"How come no female workers made the Top 30? Sure an influx of outside voters has something to do with this."

 

Shodate Rule: "but how do they compare too Volk han. his look wa for more realistic which i value more than any1 ehere it seems"

 

These last two legit cracked me up.

[Laz]

Volk Han is the sexiest beast to ever be named Volk Han.

[Grimmas]

I judge every wrestler's attractiveness compared to Volk Han, to be honest.

[Boss Rock]

 

"You didn't have any mexican workers in your Top 70? Racist. Is it not obvious that western fans are more looking towards japanese workers because they are insecure about their own masculinity?"

 

 

This one is my favorite.

[FMKK]

I'll be disappoitned if all this doesn't lead to PWO doing a HOAT project The individual discussions probably wouldn't be that different from how we evaluate workrate.

 

"I thought Sunny was hot when I was 12, but her post prime material has put a real dent on her. I've grown to value longevity over peak attractiveness."

 

"Sable is canonized as the hottest wrestler of all time, and anyone who thinks she shouldn't be #1 is a COMMIE HIPSTER"

 

"You didn't have any mexican workers in your Top 70? Racist. Is it not obvious that western fans are more looking towards japanese workers because they are insecure about their own masculinity?"

 

"Some may say Harley Race was boring and has aged badly, but I still prefer him over today's hairless skinny boys."

 

"I think Mighty Inoue deserves more discussion."

 

"How come no female workers made the Top 30? Sure an influx of outside voters has something to do with this."

 

Shodate Rule: "but how do they compare too Volk han. his look wa for more realistic which i value more than any1 ehere it seems"

 

The inevitable result of this is someone doing star ratings on Sunny's porn

[Richeyedwards]

 

Shodate Rule: "but how do they compare too Volk han. his look wa for more realistic which i value more than any1 ehere it seems"

 

tis makes others hte me 4 it, i have odd opinons

[supremebve]

I'm trying to figure out if I totally agree or totally disagree with El-P about Nia Jax, but it's one or the two. I honestly hate the that they take disparate people and try to fit them into one Platonic ideal. Nia Jax is a very attractive woman. She doesn't need to be a very attracitve monster, or the "Barbie for Big Girls." Let her look like her character. If you want her to be a monster, she should look like a monster. Dolling her up and constantly talking about how she used to be a model takes away from that character. If you want her to be the sympathetic, bullied, babyface then I understand trying to doll her up to make her more sympathetic.

 

They do not allow people to be themselves in a way that allows for a diverse group of looks and characters especially among women. Where is the WWE version of Bull Nakano? Why is Sarah Logan so dolled up when she's supposed to be a hunting and fishing girl from the backwoods of Kentucky? As a character, are we supposed to believe she cares that much about her hair and makeup? Nikki Cross and Shayna Baszler are pretty much the only two women who look, act, and behave outside of the WWE norms. I'd like to see more of that, especially if they are going to do a yearly Mae Young Classic. Let the women find their looks, style, and character and make it work in a way that makes sense. I like looking at pretty women as much as the next guy, but as far as wrestling goes I'd rather watch a character that connects more than a pretty face.

[Robert S]

 

Shodate Rule: "but how do they compare too Volk han. his look wa for more realistic which i value more than any1 ehere it seems"

 

Though Fujiwara is the more experienced worker (if you know what I mean).

[Jetlag]

Where is the WWE version of Bull Nakano?

 

Where is the anywhere version of Bull Nakano? Moreover, can someone please create another Fujiwara in a petri dish?

[Victator]

Nia Jax is really bad in the ring and I don't care for her personality. Every aspect of her seems phony. I never know what they want want her to be. She is a monster heel who up til recently always lost the big one. She is not like other girls but she tries her best to look like everyone else. Her theme music is most confusing. Can you imagine Braun coming out to that?

It feels like it is unacceptable for a woman to be a monster now and if it was Nia is too vain to do it.

[C.S.]

Nia isn't trying to be a monster - she's just trying to "be herself." Unfortunately, that's impossible in the overly scripted, sterile WWE. Therefore, she comes across as phony baloney. She's far from the only one. "Suffering succotash," anyone?

[Victator]

Well we know that with Roman it is killing everything.

Other guys can at least fall back on being good in the ring. The only person I would say is worse than Nia in the company is Cass.

[Loss]

Nia seemed to be a new hot babyface heading into Wrestlemania a little over a month ago. Not sure how she fell so quickly.

[Grimmas]

Nia seemed to be a new hot babyface heading into Wrestlemania a little over a month ago. Not sure how she fell so quickly.

WWE CAN NOT book babyface well at all.

[Victator]

Nia seemed to be a new hot babyface heading into Wrestlemania a little over a month ago. Not sure how she fell so quickly.

Struggling to beat someone she outweighs by a hundred pounds and is a foot taller did not help. On promos she comes across as condescending. She got hit with the old "Nia Jax loves to have fun" trope. She comes across as a heavier far less talented version of Bayley.

 

If the Rousey title change happens, I am going to think the whole Alexa feud was to protect her from a high profile loss to Ronda.

[Cap]

I honestly think wrestling fans (especially WWE fans) can forgive competitive matches that defy they eye test. Sure she is being booked pretty poorly as a babyface. She should be a walking tall, take no shit babyface not a smiley, inspiring one. It isn't a matter of archetypes either, it is skillset. That is related to, but not determined by her body type. Right now with the skill set she has she should stick to simple, high impact, memorable spots. That is what got me on board with her as a worker a few months or so back anyway. She might evolve and get a more diverse skillset down the road, but right now they are trying to shove a square peg into a round hole.

 

What strikes me as the real issue is her beating everyone over the head with the "anyone can do it" anti-bullying thing. I actually liked the slant on the feud going into mania, but it didn't have a long shelf-life, certainly not this long. That and - despite how true and genuine the message might be - Women's wrestling in the WWE has been over-saturated with "you can do it" speeches and personas that sort of hang their hat on that even for a short time. There have been a lot of feel good moments and many of them deserved to be held up and celebrated, soaked in even. It now sort of feels contrived (especially since if it isn't being overdone genuinely it is being overdone mockingly by heels to get heat). It just feels like its time to let the action speak for itself, let the moments speak for themselves. The division is very well respected and that is still trending in the right directly I think. I completely understand the desire to stop and smell the roses and to send positive messages to little girls given how long women's wrestling was treated with such disrespect from so many corners of the industry, but it feels like the general audience is souring on it, especially when it feels so scripted.

[Victator]

If she were better in the ring it would not be that noticeable. She also has the issue of injuring multiple people.

If the Rock was not her cousin, I can't imagine she would have ever been hired in the first place.

[Mad Dog]

And I understand fully judging on a look as far as booking them. I think Alexa Bliss has been booked badly for over two years. I think she should be a weaselly heel who gets by on guile and cheating. I don't think she should be winning by knock out or working even with Nia Jax for ten minutes.

 

Also I was not passing judgment on anyone else. Their are ladies I think are very pretty. Heck there are dudes I find handsome on a platonic level. It could be I'm more prudish and have a mentality to keep stuff like that private. But that is my hang up.

It's been my running theory that she gets booked the way she does because someone in creative wants to have sex with her. It's the only thing that makes any sense to me as they just continually sacrifice better talent at her feet. Bayley, Sasha, Becky and Nia have all taken serious hits because of programs with her.

[Mad Dog]

If she were better in the ring it would not be that noticeable. She also has the issue of injuring multiple people.

 

If the Rock was not her cousin, I can't imagine she would have ever been hired in the first place.

They would have Viper doing her job if she wasn't related to the Rock. I think she had potential at one point but she seems to have hit her ceiling and isn't quite capable of what they are asking of her.

[Boss Rock]

 

Nia seemed to be a new hot babyface heading into Wrestlemania a little over a month ago. Not sure how she fell so quickly.

WWE CAN NOT book babyface well at all.

 

 

Daniel Bryan broke them. We'll see how things go with Ronda.