Every year for the past decade, ESPN The Magazine has published their “Body Issue” featuring athletes in nude and semi-nude photographs. It’s ESPN’s counter-programming to Sports Illustrated’s famous “Swimsuit Issue”, with their alternative offering a greater variety of human forms - in size and shape, and with an emphasis on how those bodies are applied to an athletic endeavor.
The 2018 edition is the first to feature a pro wrestler/sports entertainer. WWE’s Charlotte Flair bares almost all for a photo spread that features both one of her father’s signature robes and her own signature moonsault.
The print edition won’t hit until later this week (Fri., June 29), but the online version was posted this morning on ESPN’s website. You can check that out here. It’s impressive stuff, and something Flair and WWE are quite proud of, as you can see from their social media posts which also feature a few pics from Charlotte’s shoot:
.@MsCharlotteWWE is in ESPN the Magazine's BODY10 Issue, and she knows what it's like to strike a balance between old and new. https://t.co/tWWkGfrw72 pic.twitter.com/fmzdq7ycQM
— ESPN (@espn) June 25, 2018
Congratulations @MsCharlotteWWE for becoming the first-ever @WWE Superstar featured in @ESPN Magazine’s Body issue. Charlotte exemplifies beauty and strength, both inside and out, and I couldn’t be more proud. #Body10 #WomensEvolution
— Stephanie McMahon (@StephMcMahon) June 25, 2018
The Queen is out here doing moonsaults in her birthday suit.
If that’s not worth a “WOO”, I don’t know what is.