WWE Superstar Braun Strowman was recently interviewed by Sports Illustrated as he spoke about his ongoing struggle with body issues, his injury he suffered back at Survivor Series in November 2020, and more. You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On his match with Shane McMahon at WrestleMania 37: “Let’s be real here. I’m a ground-based athlete, so that was unreal. You have to give mad credit to Shane. I could hear the crowd come alive when we were on top of the cage. Shane literally gave his body to me, trusting his life in my hands, and that rumble from the crowd gave me goosebumps. It was an honor to go out there with him.”
On the cage-ripping spot: “Ripping through the cage, that was an important moment. We’re here to show something that’s never been before. That’s where you become a legend in this business, so I hope those moments live on. I was very happy with what we did, and I’ll remember those reactions from the crowd for a long time.”
On the bullying angle with Shane: “My whole life, I’ve always been judged. That’s what I liked about this story line with Shane. I look like a giant, and I’ve always dealt with stereotypes. That’s what I was trying to tell in the story with Shane. Just because I look a certain way, that doesn’t mean I can’t be more than that. I love to read, I love to learn. There’s a lot more to me than just my size.
“I know what it’s like to be bullied. I was a fat kid growing up and I was constantly bullied during childhood. People would think less of me or didn’t think I could accomplish something. I’ve been proving people wrong my whole life, and it’s a wonderful feeling. That’s what I wanted our younger viewers to see in that story line with Shane.”
On his own struggle with his body image: “I hated the way I looked. I’ve always struggled with body dysmorphia. It’s still a tough battle, but I try to remind myself it’s a process and I have my whole life to work on this. I admire the work I’ve put into this to change my life for the better.
“I needed to make some changes in my life, and since I was given some extra time at home because of the pandemic, I wanted to do something positive with it. I worked with a nutritionist, I worked with a new trainer, and I revamped the way I ate and what I do at the gym. It’s a whole new lifestyle. It’s been really cool for my mentality, and the feedback from people around the world has been so inspiring. I’ve had mothers message me that they’ve changed the way they cook for their kids. Someone messaged me saying he lost 200 pounds after seeing my transformation. That’s very humbling. It’s been a learning process for me, and I am really enjoying the experience.”
On getting hurt at Survivor Series: “I’m finally listening to my body. I used to be so worried about just getting big. I was on path to do a bodybuilding show until I tore my meniscus back at Survivor Series last year, and that put a damper on my cardio. A lot of this is mental, and I’m working to give people the absolute best I can.”
