RE: Former FIU Football Player on WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough: Andy Leavine is the ‘big’ winner
After it was revealed on last week’s episode of WWE Tough Enough that the final two in the competition were Luke and Andy, I wrote: “The only way I see Andy winning is if WWE puts more emphasis on size than in-ring ability and charisma.”
Well, on the series’ season finale Monday night, WWE went big, and Luke Robinson went home.
In an announcement that was made live during the opening segment of Raw, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin declared Andy Leavine – who at 6 feet 5 and 265 pounds towers over the 6-1, 210-pound Luke – the winner of the WWE contract.
I can’t say I’m all that surprised that Andy won, but I will say that he didn’t deserve to win.
Luke was clearly superior in the ring and far more charismatic. He also has a swagger about him and carries himself like a star.
Andy improved in the ring as the series progressed, but he still had his awkward moments right up to the end. As far as his personality (or lack thereof), for a good portion of the season I barely even realized he was on the show.
After Austin asked Tough Enough trainers Bill DeMott, Trish Stratus and Booker T. who they thought should win, it became obvious that Andy was WWE’s choice. DeMott and Stratus both picked Andy, and while Booker didn’t actually make a decision, he did remark that Andy had the “it factor.”
He didn’t say that. Please tell me he did not just say that.
Other thoughts on Monday’s show:
In addition to a WWE contract, Andy’s reward for winning the competition was a slap in the face by WWE chairman Vince McMahon and a Stunner from Austin. Welcome to WWE, kid. Andy, by the way, didn’t do a great job of selling the Stunner. …
I wish WWE would have shown the actual matches that Andy and Luke had with DeMott in FCW rather than just the highlights. That way we could have judged for ourselves who performed better (perhaps that was the point). …
Overall, I really enjoyed this series. When a profanity-laced shouting match broke out between some of the contestants less than 20 minutes into the first episode, I feared that contrived reality show garbage such as that was going to be prevalent. However, that scene turned out to be an aberration, which was a pleasant surprise. …
Austin was phenomenal throughout the series, and DeMott as the hardass trainer also was very good. If there is another season, these two have to be a part of it. …
The segments that showed Andy and Luke in their respective hometowns really tried to portray Andy as the babyface (hardworking family man) and Luke as the heel (cocky pretty boy and party animal). …
It was interesting that all of the contestants returned for the series finale except one – “Miss USA” Rima Fakih. When they were introduced, the only one who got a pop was Jeremiah Riggs. …
It was nice to see Ricky Steamboat on the show and looking healthy. It was a little less than a year ago that the WWE Hall of Famer was hospitalized for three weeks because of bleeding in the brain caused by a capillary burst.
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