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Post by mikey1974 on Jan 3, 2015 22:37:47 GMT -5
going through massive amounts of stuff on the Network, I've been fascinated by the concept of gimmicks. how some work well,some flop. some serve a purpose, and some crash so hard they're gone in a week. and I realized that some of the best,well-known, popular character gimmicks on paper were really sh*t. true manure crap. yet they ended up working way better than anyone could have expected or forseen. most of this credit goes to performers who invested themselves in these characters,and truly made them live. love to hear other people's thoughts on these, and specifically examples of it. some that come to mind for me:
The Million Dollar Man - here we had Ted DiBiase, a 2nd generation wrestler, great technical and mat grappling master, and a man being groomed to be the next NWA World Champion.. then he jumps to the WWF, and is saddled with the gimmick of a filthy-rich heel who buys everyone and everything he wants, and comes complete with an over the top and cartoonish glitter suit with dollar bills on it and a maniacal laugh! but it worked,it worked BIG time! he was the hottest heel in wrestling for pretty much all of 1988, and debuted as a big player in main-event storylines. and hi stock never really went down during his WWF run.
The Undertaker - the most famous of all. think about it - an Old West-styled Undertaker who puts people in coffins,is seemingly a zombie, and gains mystical,invincible powers from an urn containing the ashes of someone special. what CRAP! yet it worked well beyond anything anyone could have ever dreamed of!
I.R.S. - the great technical wrestler and former multi-time Champion in both the WWF and NWA Mike Rotundo is now a tax accountant? complete with tie,suspenders,and glasses? and he wrestles in this getup?!! somehow this got over, and IRS was one of the most despised heels in the WWF for years, feuded for the IC Belt multiple times, and formed on of the most successful and decorated Tag Team Champion combinations of the early 90's in Money,Inc.
Mankind - Vince takes hardcore legend Cactus Jack,and turns him into a Hannibal Lecter-type who lives in basements and boiler rooms, cries to himself, and hears a mask? on paper,it looked like a typical New Generation gimmick fail, but Foley's commitment and some good booking led Mankind to become a legend rather than an afterthought.
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Post by LA Times on Jan 3, 2015 23:01:22 GMT -5
Undertaker-Who knew that Mean Mark working at a funeral home would go on to become the biggest legend of Wrestlemania?
John Cena-Every wrestler who had a rapping gimmick never got over, but Cena made it work
Boogeyman-It was silly, but he was popular for a couple of years
Demolition-They were seen as Road Warrior-ripoffs in S&M gear, but they were one of the all-time greatest WWF tag teams
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Post by johnnyb on Jan 3, 2015 23:12:10 GMT -5
Heel Doink
Babyface Mr. Perfect
Money Inc (that team makes no sense!)
Goldust
The Blue Meanie
Val Venis
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2015 23:53:00 GMT -5
Heel Doink Babyface Mr. Perfect Money Inc (that team makes no sense!) Goldust The Blue Meanie Val Venis So true, why would a rich dude team with the IRS lol, it never made any sense but it worked |
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Post by johnnyb on Jan 4, 2015 0:50:22 GMT -5
Heel Doink Babyface Mr. Perfect Money Inc (that team makes no sense!) Goldust The Blue Meanie Val Venis So true, why would a rich dude team with the IRS lol, it never made any sense but it worked Yup... one of my all-time favorite tag teams. |
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Post by rustyy on Jan 4, 2015 0:58:04 GMT -5
Cryme Tyme, if they debuted today they'd be off TV by next week because people are so sensitive now.
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Post by HHH316 on Jan 4, 2015 2:13:14 GMT -5
For the short term, I'd say Eugene. He was pretty hot in the summer of 2004.
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Post by Duck Holliday on Jan 4, 2015 6:03:38 GMT -5
Kane. I think the argument could be made. He had great build up and Taker was already successful (obviously), but you're essentially bringing in a knock-off (with no disrespect cause I like Kane a lot) brother character... How long would we really believe they were brothers? He doesn't talk... Similar move-set--would that get boring? Would his existence diminish the Undertaker himself?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2015 8:20:07 GMT -5
Kane, Vader, Ariel, Boogeyman, King Booker & Queen Sharmell
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Post by Halloween King on Jan 4, 2015 8:43:34 GMT -5
Undertaker-Who knew that Mean Mark working at a funeral home would go on to become the biggest legend of Wrestlemania? John Cena-Every wrestler who had a rapping gimmick never got over, but Cena made it work
Boogeyman-It was silly, but he was popular for a couple of years Demolition-They were seen as Road Warrior-ripoffs in S&M gear, but they were one of the all-time greatest WWF tag teams Somewhere P.N.News is crying in jealousy. Cena has to be the biggest example though. His gimmick started off as a joke on a Halloween episode of Smackdown and it's lasted this long. Sadly not only has it lasted but he is the top guy now. It's a very dark time in Pro wrestling. HBK's gimmick is also incredibly lame. WWF went from Big Muscular Men who were all about being tough. "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan, "The MACHO Man" Randy Savage, "The Ultimate Warrior", and then we got HBK the "Boy toy". It was a complete 180. We went from men who prided themselves on being tough to a guy who prided himself on being delicate. From his intro where he declared himself a boy toy and sexy boy, to his in ring prancing, to his out of the ring posing in adult gay mens magazines. |
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Post by LA Times on Jan 4, 2015 8:58:33 GMT -5
Undertaker-Who knew that Mean Mark working at a funeral home would go on to become the biggest legend of Wrestlemania? John Cena-Every wrestler who had a rapping gimmick never got over, but Cena made it work
Boogeyman-It was silly, but he was popular for a couple of years Demolition-They were seen as Road Warrior-ripoffs in S&M gear, but they were one of the all-time greatest WWF tag teams Somewhere P.N.News is crying in jealousy. Cena has to be the biggest example though. His gimmick started off as a joke on a Halloween episode of Smackdown and it's lasted this long. Sadly not only has it lasted but he is the top guy now. It's a very dark time in Pro wrestling.HBK's gimmick is also incredibly lame. WWF went from Big Muscular Men who were all about being tough. "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan, "The MACHO Man" Randy Savage, "The Ultimate Warrior", and then we got HBK the "Boy toy". It was a complete 180. We went from men who prided themselves on being tough to a guy who prided himself on being delicate. From his intro where he declared himself a boy toy and sexy boy, to his in ring prancing, to his out of the ring posing in adult gay mens magazines. The gimmick made John Cena into a main eventer, but he hasnt rapped since 2005 |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2015 9:56:39 GMT -5
A few unmentioned ones that spring to mind:
Jerry "The King" Lawler - "The King" of wrestling seems so lame, and has been done SO MANY times. But no one pulled it off like Jerry.
Val Venis - A great case of a good worker overcombing a lame gimmick.
Mr. Ass - It takes a real talented guy to stay popular when you start mooning your opponent, and wearing see through trunks.
Godfather - How anyone can get over as a pimp who barely even wrestled his matches is beyond me.
Goldust - "Let's paint up this guy in Gold and give him homosexual tendencies".
Honky Tonk Man - An Elvis impersonator... And he was one of the all time greatest IC champs.
The Mountie/Quebeckers - Canadian police officer(s), and as (a) heel(s).
I think the M$M was a great gimmick just for the record.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2015 11:22:26 GMT -5
A few unmentioned ones that spring to mind: Jerry "The King" Lawler - "The King" of wrestling seems so lame, and has been done SO MANY times. But no one pulled it off like Jerry. Val Venis - A great case of a good worker overcombing a lame gimmick. Mr. Ass - It takes a real talented guy to stay popular when you start mooning your opponent, and wearing see through trunks. Godfather - How anyone can get over as a pimp who barely even wrestled his matches is beyond me. Goldust - "Let's paint up this guy in Gold and give him homosexual tendencies". Honky Tonk Man - An Elvis impersonator... And he was one of the all time greatest IC champs. The Mountie/Quebeckers - Canadian police officer(s), and as (a) heel(s). I think the M$M was a great gimmick just for the record. I agree, a rich man gimmick is genius |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2015 11:38:51 GMT -5
Undertaker and Kane
Two zombies with super powers.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2015 11:49:30 GMT -5
I will add Brutus The Barber Beefcake. I always liked BB and always will.....from 88-90 he was one of my all time faves.....but man that gimmick should have went NOWHERE.....but Brutus was over like crazy.
His multitude of WCW gimmicks were absolute trash though.....the Disciple being the best of a bad bunch.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2015 11:57:35 GMT -5
Undertaker and Kane Two zombies with super powers. In terms of kayfabe, Kane is certifiable. First he goes to medical school (or maybe not, he was a pretty evil dentist that it wouldn't surprise me that he would practise dentistry without the qualifications), and persues a career as a dentist. Following that, he decides that he's actually Kevin Nash, after that he realizes that he was actually horrifically burnt as a child and is Undertaker's brother. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2015 12:04:42 GMT -5
Undertaker and Kane Two zombies with super powers. In terms of kayfabe, Kane is certifiable. First he goes to medical school (or maybe not, he was a pretty evil dentist that it wouldn't surprise me that he would practise dentistry without the qualifications), and persues a career as a dentist. Following that, he decides that he's actually Kevin Nash, after that he realizes that he was actually horrifically burnt as a child and is Undertaker's brother. LOL.......when you lay it out like that? LOL  |
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Post by punksnotdead on Jan 4, 2015 12:04:51 GMT -5
Crow Sting. Based on a character created in 1989, represented from a movie that was, albeit a Cult Classic, released in 1994, during a time when WWF's rising top babyface was a beer drinking, ass-kicking, sh*t talking redneck. Sting didn't talk or wrestle for a  ing year during a time when we had a Springer-obsessed society. It never should have worked and it was the most over Sting was in his entire career and generated the biggest PPV in WCW history. It was a total character 180 but he was still a babyface. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2015 12:07:51 GMT -5
Crow Sting. Based on a character created in 1989, represented from a movie that was, albeit a Cult Classic, released in 1994, during a time when WWF's rising top babyface was a beer drinking, ass-kicking, sh*t talking redneck. Sting didn't talk or wrestle for a ing year during a time when we had a Springer-obsessed society. It never should have worked and it was the most over Sting was in his entire career and generated the biggest PPV in WCW history. It was a total character 180 but he was still a babyface. And it was all based on the fact that Sting was the one guy that the nWo hadn't flattened......and people BELIEVED he would KILL Hogan when he got him. Then we got Starrcade 97........and Superbrawl 98. Jesus Christ Bischoff  . |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2015 12:14:02 GMT -5
Crow Sting. Based on a character created in 1989, represented from a movie that was, albeit a Cult Classic, released in 1994, during a time when WWF's rising top babyface was a beer drinking, ass-kicking, sh*t talking redneck. Sting didn't talk or wrestle for a ing year during a time when we had a Springer-obsessed society. It never should have worked and it was the most over Sting was in his entire career and generated the biggest PPV in WCW history. It was a total character 180 but he was still a babyface. Yeah that's very true. And it's a look he's still using nearly 2 decades later!! |
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