Raven, a well-known veteran from WCW and ECW, gained recognition for his grunge-inspired character that he carried through much of his wrestling career and early WWE days, earning him a devoted fan following still praised today. However, before adopting the Johnny Polo persona, Raven initially had a very different gimmick, which he revealed was a nod to one of his childhood wrestling idols.
During a “Wrestling Classics” interview, Raven shared, “I wanted to be a chicken heel because they’re entertaining, funny, and always get strong reactions. I weighed 220 pounds when most wrestlers were around 280, so I wasn’t a big guy… I admired Jesse ‘The Body’ for his commentary, and that’s why I liked the name and the rhyme—Scotty the Body.”
He admitted that the character was a bit of a joke, acknowledging that while he was in good shape, he couldn’t measure up physically to many of his contemporaries, which motivated his choice to lean into the gimmick to get a reaction. Raven added, “People nowadays look back and say, ‘He was really fit!’ but that wasn’t true—I just had a good photo. Most wrestlers in WWF were about 280 pounds, even those around 5’10 or 5’9, and that’s what Vince liked.”
Fan Take: This glimpse into Raven’s early WWE character highlights how creative flexibility and self-awareness can shape wrestling personas. For WWE fans, it underscores the importance of evolving gimmicks and character work in connecting with audiences, which remains crucial for the sport’s growth and entertainment value.
