The world of professional wrestling has long been associated with larger-than-life physiques, with WWE historically favoring muscular, enhanced competitors. As one insider noted, wrestlers “were more likely to get a push if they were completely jacked.”
However, maintaining such extreme physiques throughout an entire career proved unsustainable for many performers, leading to dramatic physical transformations when wrestlers cycled on and off PEDs.
Brock LesnarÂ
Perhaps no wrestler exemplifies this dramatic change better than Brock Lesnar. Comparing his first and second WWE runs reveals considerable physical alterations. During his UFC career, Lesnar had to modify his physique for mixed martial arts competition.
While he consistently denied st**oid use, stating “I have never failed a d**g test,” this changed in 2016 when he tested positive for a banned substance after returning to UFC. The anti-estrogen agent found in his system raises natural testosterone levels while counteracting anabolic side effects, resulting in a one-year suspension.
Triple H
Triple H exhibited one of the most obvious transformations in WWE history. After returning from injury in early 2002, he came back utterly gigantic. His physique was dramatically different just two years later when he was trying to have children with Stephanie McMahon. Given his lifelong dedication to training, his bloated look in 2004 and 2005 is a telltale sign of someone who would come off the gas.
Maven Huffman
Maven Huffman has been remarkably open about PED use during his WWE tenure. After being approached by management with subtle suggestions about “that creatin that they’re on,” Maven understood the unspoken message. He later recalled being called into the office after testing positive for multiple substances, including Winstrol and Deca. Maven estimated that “up to 90% of the roster were on the gas” during his time with the company.
The Rock
The Rock’s physique changes became particularly noticeable around 2010, after years of slimming down for Hollywood roles. Initially, the transition to acting meant “let’s not go to the gym as much let’s lean down slim down.” However, The Rock later “realized that my size would work in my benefit.” He even underwent surgery to remove gynecomastia, a common side effect of anabolic use.
The darker side of PED use is exemplified by wrestlers like Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero, whose long-term enhancement use contributed to serious health issues. Benoit’s usage “lasted for pretty much his entire career,” while Guerrero’s prolonged anabolic use ultimately contributed to his enlarged heart condition. Both wrestlers felt pressure to maintain enhanced physiques to compete at the top level.
Superstar Billy Graham became a cautionary tale later in life. He openly discussed how st**oids “completely destroyed the bones in his right leg” and made him sterile, warning future generations about the long-term consequences.
