There’s not much of a connection between wrestling and poker which is a bit surprising when you think about it. How come The Undertaker or Stone Cold Steve Austin never showed up at one of those million dollar events in Vegas? Can you imagine the pressure of facing those two across the felt? Even the best poker players in the world would wilt under that Stone Cold gaze.
The connection between fighting sports and poker is quite obvious when you think about it. Just check out the link between it and capoeira, and you’ll understand what we mean.
Having said that though, we’re not quite certain why wrestlers seem reluctant to play a bit of pro poker. One thing we are 100% sure of though, is that the majority of them would make awesome players.
Why? Here are three reasons for a start.
The Staredown
Okay so it doesn’t quite go down like that at the poker table but all those years of facing down an opponent before the bell rings have got to count for something in terms of the ‘poker face.’
Think Andre the Giant’s unreadable face in his staredown with Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania III, and you’ll see where we’re going with this. Looking so completely unconcerned in the face of adversity is one of the professional poker player’s most useful weapons.
The feigned injury
This is a Jerry Lawler specialty, but all wrestlers are capable of such tactics. Pretend you’re dead and buried and then hit them where it hurts. So when the poker face (staredown) isn’t working, then it’s time to fake a poor hand. It’s sneaky, it’s dastardly, but hey, if it wins you the pot then it’s fair enough.
You can imagine Dave Bautista in his WWE days pulling some incredibly over the top disappointed face as he is dealt the hand of his life. After his recent stint on the big screen, however, we reckon at this stage, he could have the look of a beaten man locked down.
The one last shot
There’s nothing like watching a wrestler who is on his last legs, putting every last ounce of his strength into one final effort. One last push that takes his opponent by surprise and results in an unexpected (but we really did expect it) win.
This kind of attitude towards going all-in could make or break a wrestler on the poker table, but we like to think it would end up with him winning the million-dollar prize. Would The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase go all-in? You just know he would!
Could Triple H be a poker champion or could Vince McMahon clean up on the tables at Vegas? It seems ridiculous to even think that they couldn’t. In fact, while we’re on the subject, there has to be a poker night going on somewhere each week with the likes of Lesnar opening beers with his eye sockets and Cena bringing along a home-made dip. McMahon is probably the dealer telling everyone how to play while Irwin R. Schyster or as you know him IRS is left at home wondering why he never gets invited over.
Maybe we’re wrong, and wrestlers would make terrible poker players but can we at least see someone give it a shot?
