Wrestlers Who Underwent Drastic Transformations After Dropping Steroids

The use of steroids is thankfully not as synonymous with professional wrestling as it once was. Back in the days of the likes of Hulk Hogan and other legends, what is known as "the juice" or "gear" was often used to give these athletes their larger-than-life appearances. Anabolic steroids, which are a chemical derivative of testosterone, have been used by athletes across professional sports of many kinds to increase muscle mass, become more aggressive, or increase body weight. 

When used incorrectly, anabolic steroids can lead to serious health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, liver damage, cancers, and more, according to the New York State Department of Health. However, these health risks often aren't enough to discourage athletes, in this case, professional wrestlers and sports entertainers, to not use them to achieve a bulked-up look.

Steroid use in wrestling came to the forefront of national media during Vince McMahon's steroid distribution trial in 1994. A Pennsylvania doctor was convicted years prior of illegally supplying steroids, and it was revealed at his trial that the doctor had supplied steroids to the then-WWF, specifically to McMahon's office in Stamford, Connecticut, leading to the trial of McMahon. Ultimately, McMahon was found not guilty, but the accusations behind the trial remain one of the biggest scandals in wrestling history and many wrestlers have spoken out about them. In the case of the professional wrestlers on this list, many of whom are admitted users of steroids, when they stopped the cycle, they were unrecognizable. 

The face behind the 1994 steroid trial himself, after being indicted by the US Department of Justice, McMahon said he utilized steroids in 1991, before they became illegal under the Controlled Substances Act. That's also when the then-Chairman and CEO declared WWF drug-free and wrestlers began to be tested for steroids, and presumably when McMahon stopped using the performance enhancers himself.

McMahon's physique remained admirable for years following the trial. He went on to grace the cover of Muscle & Fitness magazine in 2015. McMahon, who was almost 70 years old at that point, told the magazine he trained each part of his body once a day every week, a common practice for bodybuilders.

McMahon, who underwent a serious spine operation in 2023 partially due to over-training and doing squats longer than recommended at his age, has been seen walking with a cane and is not likely to get back in a WWE ring anytime soon. His last match was a surprise bout against Pat McAfee with involvement from "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at WrestleMania 38, and saw McMahon come out victorious. While it may be age rather than quitting steroids, the Vince McMahon seen in media these days, including the press conference announcing WWE's merger with UFC, is a far cry from the man who once utilized steroids to stay in shape.

WWE Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle has been open about all aspects of his life, and his struggles with drugs and alcohol in recent years. He has also admitted to using steroids to help his performance in the ring, though he never physically appeared quite as bulky as others listed here.

Angle admitted to his steroid use in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, saying he used them after he broke his neck. He said he paid the price, both financially with a fine of $125,000, and with his reputation. Angle tested positive for steroids in 2006, and was suspended by WWE for 30 days, prior to his eventual release.

"You can test me right now. I'll come up clean. But there was a time when I did it," Angle said in 2009. Following his steroid use, Angle was noticeably more lean. During his final match against Baron Corbin at WrestleMania 35, the then-50-year-old looked noticeably different than his appearances following his broken neck.

A star in mid-to-late '90s WWF, former Intercontinental Champion Ahmed Johnson has spoken openly about his use of steroids throughout his career in professional wrestling. Johnson told the Monte & The Pharoah podcast that taking steroids was something you had to do "if you were going to stay up top," and that "just about all the boys were on it."

Johnson was regarded as a talent pushed by McMahon due to his size and physique, but the star never made it to the top of the company, even on the gas. He said he found it curious that wrestlers would be more open about their drug and alcohol usage than with steroids.

Johnson said he didn't stay on a full cycle of the medication, so his testosterone level at this point in his life is good. As his career was winding down with WWF, which was riddled by multiple injuries, Johnson stopped using. While Johnson looks incredibly different, and his body has almost appeared to deflate post-steroid use, Johnson says he is healthy.

Ultimate Warrior was an admitted heavy user of steroids throughout his wrestling career, and many fans believe this led to his death in 2014 of a heart attack at age 54. In an interview from 2008, Warrior spoke about the pros and cons of using steroids. He said talking about them was a "catch-22" because "they weren't all bad, and they weren't all good." Warrior went on to say that when he was in WCW, guys were flying to the Bahamas to get physical examinations to find legal loopholes to allow them to get a year's supply of steroids.

"To cover up for lackluster energy, it's easy to fall into the habit of abusing stimulants and painkillers," Warrior justified in the interview about using steroids and other medications on the road. Warrior said later in the interview that he was off the gas, and that if he still was taking steroids at that point of his life, "he would need a dump truck ... just to hold his liver." WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart commented on Warrior's steroid use in 2014, soon after Warrior's death. He said when he saw Warrior during WrestleMania 30 weekend, he "had a sense" Warrior wasn't in good health. "I don't think it would be a surprise to know he took steroids for a long time and I don't know if he ever stopped," Hart said.

Fellow legend Ted DiBiase also spoke on Warrior's steroid use on his podcast. "The Warrior, oh my gosh, [it was obvious] and that's all he had, was a body," DiBiase said. "And I don't know how much his steroid use had to do with his death."

While the wrestlers on this list are perfect examples of how steroid use can really affect the body of a performer, and how unrecognizable they can be when getting off the gas, the use of steroids within the wrestling business was far greater. Many other legendary wrestlers have admitted to using steroids, though their bodies didn't change to an unrecognizable proportion. Ted DiBiase mentioned on his "Everybody's Got A Pod" podcast in 2023 that he had cautiously used steroids, and the drugs "just helped enhance his look." Fellow Hall of Famer Jake "The Snake" Roberts also was hesitant about using steroids in the '80s, but has admitted to taking them to speed up recovery from injury. He said he never took them "at the level" that other wrestlers in the locker room did.

"I went on it for a short period, especially after my neck surgery 'cause I wanted to heal quicker, but in the WWF at the time we were working so hard ... You needed a little bit of steroids to help with the healing process," Roberts said.

Steroid use within wrestling has declined in the 21^st century. Other wrestlers who died young, names like "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Eddie Guerrero, similarly to Ultimate Warrior, died of cardiac events, and past steroid use could have contributed to those heart conditions. Others, like current AEW commentator Jim Ross, believe there is still use for steroids within wrestling if used responsibly with doctor supervision.