Seth Rollins Angers Former WWE Writer Vince Russo: Says Wrestlers Were “Cartoon Characters”

Seth Rollins is taking on the beast Brock Lesnar at the Battleground Pay-Per-View on the WWE Network and just before his big title match the champion has gone on his usual media tour. One particular interview seems to have angered former WWE and WCW writer Vince Russo, though. While talking to the Men's Journal Rollins said the wrestlers today are in better shape than they have ever been and the wrestlers of old were "cartoon characters."

Here's an excerpt of that interview:

"If you look at the wrestlers in the '80s and '90s compared to what we do today, I think training in that lifestyle is just asking for injuries," Rollins said. "Using limited range of motion to move light weights a bunch of times just to get a pump so you're aesthetically pleasing, I feel like you're begging to hurt. In the ring, we move so fast. We take so many more bumps than those guys did, and we do so much more high-risk stuff. We're athletes now. We're not cartoon characters anymore."

 Still here. Swampiest, sweatiest state in the land. Thanks Jeremy & crew for the great spot! #effreds #Repost @ragincrossfit with @repostapp. ・・・ WWE wrestler Seth Rollins came by and got a wod in at Ragin Crossfit today!!! @progenex @roguefitness @niketraining @skins_usa

A photo posted by Seth Rollins (@wwerollins) on Jun 9, 2015 at 12:21pm PDT

Vince Russo took to his blog CSR Wrestling to go after the current champ. Russo says that in the old days of wrestling he would have been punished for saying what Rollins said.

"I can't even imagine the backlash, or ramifications there would have been if Vince Russo had made that asinine comment as it pertains to wrestlers 'then' and wrestlers 'now.' What would my punishment have been? How many people in the wrestling industry would I have had heat with," Russo stated.

Russo goes on to say that the culture of wrestling has changed and that Rollins should have been ripped to "Kingdom Come."

"And, it's simple why Seth's comment were accepted and not totally ripped to Kingdom Come, because that's what the Internet Wrestling wants from wrestling today – 'high-risk guys' and not 'cartoon characters' – and since they are the smallest minority with the loudest voice controlling the wrestling business these days, they are going to celebrate Seth's 'brave' statement," Russo continued.

Those who actually think @WWERollins was working in Men's Journal-mag that wrestling fans don't even know exists-are being WORKED themselves — Vince Russo (@THEVinceRusso) July 18, 2015