Bronson Reed has no regrets about dropping 50 pounds, and he doesn’t think it’s hurt his in-ring presence one bit. In fact, he believes the exact opposite is true.
After returning from injury with a noticeably leaner physique, some fans questioned whether losing so much weight would take away the aura that came with Reed being one of WWE’s biggest stars. Speaking on Cheap Heat Live, Reed addressed those criticisms head-on while explaining why he felt now was the right time to reinvent himself.
Reed said he intentionally kept getting bigger over the years because watching someone his size move the way he could made him an attraction. At one point, he weighed around 350 pounds, but eventually realized there was much more to his game than simply being the biggest guy in the ring.
“Pretty much. Yeah, pretty much. You know, I think I have a lot of tricks in my bag from years prior to my experience on the indies and in Japan and stuff. And, you know, I sort of became an attraction by getting bigger and bigger and bigger. And I got to 350 pounds at one point. And I think, you know, seeing a man that size move around, do things, is always something spectacular to see. But there’s so much more that I can offer. And I feel like at this point in my career, it just made sense to sort of drop the weight, dial in, and show a new version of Bronson that maybe the WWE crowd isn’t familiar with.”
Reed also admitted the weight loss has made a huge difference outside the ring. He said his body feels better, everyday activities are easier, and he’s happier with what he sees when he looks in the mirror.
“I mean, honestly, to be honest, it does help with, you know, my joints and things like that. And I was doing powerlifting on the side of pro wrestling for years as well. And being that size that I was definitely helped me, you know, get the PRs and all the bench press, squats, deadlift that I wanted to do. Whereas now, like, I feel like everyday life, I’m moving better as well. You know, I’m playing with my daughter easier. Tying up my shoes is much easier. You know, I look at myself in the mirror after the shower. I’m very happy.”
When the conversation turned to his Tsunami, Reed laughed off the idea that dropping weight had made it any less devastating. He said he’s actually getting more height and distance now, making the move even more impactful despite weighing less.
“Yeah. I think, you know, I can get more distance. I get more airtime. These things, like dropping that little weight doesn’t—you know, I saw a thing online where people are like, ‘He’s gonna lose his aura by losing his weight. He’s not gonna be as impactful,’ those things. I’m like, if anything, I’m more impactful now. I’m still a massive human being. I’m still 270 pounds. I’m still a big guy. It’s just that I’m able to hit these things with a little bit more force and speed now.”
Reed also pointed out that WWE fans haven’t even seen everything he can do yet. While he’s already returned and hit the Tsunami, he hasn’t wrestled a full match since completing his transformation, and he’s looking forward to finally showing what this new version of Bronson Reed can really do.
“Yeah, 100%. Not only that, like I said, you guys have been—actually, I’ve obviously returned and I’ve hit the Tsunami. I’ve done a few things in the ring, but I haven’t actually had a match yet in front of the WWE Universe since dropping the weight and doing all that stuff. And that’s what I’m excited to do, is just to showcase my skills this weekend as well.”
Reed has heard the criticism, but he isn’t buying it. As far as he’s concerned, he’s still one of WWE’s biggest heavyweights—he’s just faster, more athletic, and ready to show fans a side of his game they haven’t seen before.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
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