‘Rocky’ Punches Like a Vegetarian

Published by Alisa Mullins.

The trailer for the new action flick Escape Plan includes an especially silly scene in which Arnold Schwarzenegger sneers at costar Sylvester Stallone and says, “You hit like a vegetarian.”

But what is intended as a withering put-down is actually a compliment. After all, Germany’s strongest man, Patrik Baboumian, is a vegan, as are professional arm-wrestlers Rob Bigwood and Big Bald Mike.

And I guess the creator of that bon mot doesn’t follow mixed martial arts fighting, or he or she wouldn’t have risked incurring the wrath of these guys:

Jake Shield PSA
If anybody thinks that vegetarians don’t pack a punch, I challenge him or her to say that to the face of lifelong vegetarian and champion of last week’s UFC Fight Night 29Jake Shields.

PETA Mac Danzig
How long do you think Arnie and Sly would last in a cage with vegan King of the Cage World Champion Mac Danzig?


UFC fighter Aaron Simpson hits animal experimenters “like a vegetarian” in PETA’s wildly popular Cage Fight video game.

Or maybe I’m being overly sensitive, and Escape Plan‘s screenwriters were actually making a sly reference to PETA’s pie-throwing prowess.


You hit like a giant chicken carrying a tofu cream pie.

Hit like a vegetarian? You’d better hope your opponent doesn’t hit like a vegetarian—or you might wind up with cauliflower ear.

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 Ingrid E. Newkirk

“Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights?” READ MORE

— Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA President and co-author of Animalkind

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