WWE: “We’re Not Hiring Anyone Over 205 Pounds”

WWE might historically have been considered the land of the giants, but it seems that there’s been a massive shift in thinking–at least on the developmental side.

That’s according to the Wrestling Observer, which reports that several pro wrestler hopefuls received e-mails after the most recent tryout camp saying that the company is not interested in hiring anyone over the weight of 205 pounds. For the time being, at least.

205 pounds, of course, is the limit placed on cruiserweight division, so it seems WWE is especially interested in bolstering the ranks of their latest addition. It is telling, however, that for the moment the company doesn’t see any place for new big men.

Even on the main roster the company seems to have largely abandoned its body-builder obsession, with even world champions like AJ Styles and Kevin Owens being far from the traditional mold.

It’s a far cry from even a few years ago, when it took a rioting fanbase to put the wildly popular Daniel Bryan into the main event scene. WWE has been moving away from their traditional thinking about what makes a good look for a wrestler, and it seems they’ve found that move successful enough to double down on it.

Don’t expect cruiserweight wrestlers to overrun the roster anytime soon, but it seems WWE is betting the future on athleticism over size.