Inside Luke Gallows’ epic body transformation from tubby debut as Festus to ripped colossus on return to WWE
IT is hard to believe that WWE characters Festus and Luke Gallows were played by the same wrestler.
Even WWE boss Vince McMahon once forgot that the muscular Gallows once began life in pro wrestling as the tubby Festus.
Festus entered the WWE landscape in 2007 as a Southern, intellectually-challenged hillbilly who would turn into a ruthless monster once he heard the opening bell ring.
The character was said to be based on a kid McMahon went to school with, who was somewhat slow but would suddenly snap.
Not only did Gallows have to pile on the pounds to play Festus, but he also had to perfect a slack-jawed expression with his tongue out of his mouth.
It was hardly how Gallows envisioned life in WWE but he went along with the ride to get his foot in the door.
“I was 23-years-old and basically they told me to kind of get out of shape and this was the character they had for me,” Gallows recalled.
“When you grow up thinking you’re going to be a long-haired wrestler with a beautiful robe and this cool guy and you become Festus, it’s not exactly ideal.”
The character had a short shelf life in WWE from 2007 to 2009 in a tag team with Ray Gordy as Jessie and Festus.
After a three-month absence in late 2009, Festus was repackaged as a villain under the name Luke Gallows as part of CM Punk’s Straight Edge Society.
He was completely transformed, with a new-outfit along with a goatee, shaved head, and a considerably well-built frame.
Gallows had brief success under his new character but he was cut in 2010 and did not make a return to WWE until 2016.
The wrestler’s body transformation was so extreme that McMahon had no idea Gallows played Festus upon his return in a successful tag team with Karl Anderson.
“The best part of the Festus character is that we heard from talent relations, or the head of talent relations, that Vince doesn’t even remember that he was Festus,” Anderson said.
Gallows and Anderson were released from WWE in 2020 but they made a return last year.
Festus was little-loved and little-remembered but Gallows is grateful for the small role it played in his career.
“You know, I didn’t hate it,” he said.
“People ask me that all the time, you know, I was a young guy getting into the business and I got right to WWE.
“So, like I didn’t hate it. I was making money. I bought my first house and it was fine.”