What Failed Gimmick Could Work

[klunderbunker]

What is a gimmick that was pretty bad at the time that you think could work today or would just like to see a modern version of?

The first one that comes to my mind that I'd like to see redone was a character taht the guy that became Bastion Booger portrayed that was a Friar who wrestled. D-Von did something close to this but as a heel and a preacher. The Friar was much more of a tongue in cheek character than D-Von who was apparently an attempt at a serious gimmick. The Friar was a joke who wore Church robes while he wrestled. It always made me chuckle and if done right, it could be ok.


Factor that in when answering: this doesn't have to be a serious gimmick at all. What from your childhood/past do you think could work?

 

[samus500]

I think that the Barry Whindam gimmick of "the stalker" would work in this day in age.

I believe that the main 2 reasons why Whindam's gimmick didnt work was because he was immediately a face upon debut (why would a stalker be a face? it just has "heel" screaming all over the gimmick). The other reason was that he was an established wrestler in WCW, and was very much a fan favorite. Due in part of this, people immediately knew that the stalker was Barry (and in part to Jim Ross mentioning his real name so that everyone who didnt know who he was knew who he was). Since he was popular, his fans were going to cheer for him even though he were to be a heel (which would be a problem for creative).

If the WWE or TNA were to capitalize on this failed gimmick, they would need to be a HEEL, and would need someone who isnt really established yet.

 

[shafe_41]

This wasn't necessarily a failed gimmick. But one that just had bad timing. I may catch some flack for this... but I think one guy that had a great heel gimmick and great ring skills was Muhammad Hassan. I think he was a pretty damn good ring worker for the short time he was with the company who was let go because of the bombings in the subways in London or Paris or wherever they were. But that gimmick was working pretty well I think. He really got under people's skin which is what a great heel does. He was like a foreign version of JBL. So I guess ulttimately you could say it was a failed gimmick because of just bad timing. But I liked it and wish he wouldn't have been totally dropped.

 

[klunderbunker]

Hassan was a great gimmick that they took too far and messed up on their timing with. Had they simply omitted the beheading scene from Smackdown, Hassan would likely be a former World Champion right now and would still be wrestling for WWE. The character is someone all of us can relate to very easily. It was indeed a brilliant idea that has they timed it better could have been around for a very long time.

 

[Kim Cassanova]

Mordecai aka Kevin Fertig was one wrestler I was really looking forward to! I have no idea why they dropped him! If he was to controversial by portraying a messianic figure then that should have been reason enough to let him continue! As Eric said, controversy creates cash ... I was salivating with the mere thought of him and undertaker butting heads ... He was so cool! What a waste of gimmick ...

 

[FiveTymeWCWChamp]

Duke "The Dumpster" Drosie was the best gimmick that failed, lol. Any wrestler with a gimmick before they sign with Vince could have worked as such as any of the Japanese wrestlers that came over. But Vinny squashed all of them and made them jokes because he did not create them.

 

[JJYanks121]

I can't read anymore when people say that Vince McMahon buries guys because he didn't create them. If you owned a company, and a guy has NEVER worked for you before, would you put him in a position of high responsibility right off the bat? Somehow I doubt it. People have to earn trust in a new company. That is what you see over time on your TV screen. The equivalent you just presented from New Japan to WWE is like a small electronic store to Best Buy. You simply need time to adjust and find your place in the new company.

A gimmick I thought that could have went further was Chaz. A guy who cut a shoot interview condemning the stupid gimmicks the WWE has given people. Had he taken it farther, and if he became a top guy, imagine who he could have gone against....masked Kane, the deadman, Goldust. That gimmick could have been a great one with the right guy picking on the right characters.

 

[horsemen4ver]

A gimmick that would of worked would be the Goon. No just kidding God what a horrible gimmick that was that and Doink the Clown. Anyway I think a gimmick that could have gone further would be Max Moon. Many people dont remember him because he didnt last that long, but if the carachter was used and tweaked the right way I think the carachter could have gone a long way.

 

[Joup7]

I think TNA is doing good on Muhammad Hassan with Davari / Sheik Abdul Bashir. That's how the gimmick should have been done. Of course Davari is not as talented as Hassan, but he's doing it perfectly. You hate him cause he's a jerk, and he hates you because of the mistreatment of Arabs.

 

[Pimpin]

I think 2 gimmicks that woulda done well. One of them based on timing & the other if they didn't screw it up completely.

Muhammed Hassan Hassan's character was getting actual heel heat & it has been mentioned that if his character hadn't disapeared then he would have won the WWE Title at Summerslam of that year. This gimmick would have worked wonderfully if those attacks hadn't happened.

The reverend gimmick that Brother D-Von did I actually believe it or not was a fan of this gimmick. Although the negative of this gimmick was that it introduced Batista into the WWE, still it had potential to be a great gimmick if WWE or whoever didn't fuck it up.

 

[Joepjr92]

I was interested in Mark Jindrak's "Reflection of Perfection" gimmick when he was drafted to SD! in 2004. For those who don't remember, he had a cocky attitude and would come down to the ring with a mirror to display his body to the audience. It was kind of like a then-present day version of Lex Luger. Jindrak could have been an awesome high-mid carder/ occassional main eventer with that gimmick, but unfortunately, it was dropped and he resurfaced months later as one of Kurt Angle's cronies.

 

[presto]

Matt Hardy v 1.0

The WWE should have ran with this gimmick with the revisions just like the software industry does and pair him with some legendary wrestler who would 'teach' Matt some new moves. Every time Matt Hardy learned a new move, change his revision level

Matt Hardy v 1.1
Matt Hardy v 1.2

That way, you could easily re-brand t-shirts and also move him from the 'spot-monkey' reputation he has to a wrestler with a full set of moves.

------

An old gimmick I would like to see 'modernized' would be "The York Foundation" (the beginnings of a very young Terri Runnels) and do it with JBL as the CEO with an executive team (have an Alexandria York diva type with a laptop who can 'analyze workrate, other wrestlers, etc' and give an analysis as to how long it takes for their wrestler to beat another wrestler) who manages a couple of high mid-card wrestlers to do their dirty work.

 

[dannynandez]

Nathan Jones gimmick...wasn't it that he was locked up for years in australia and was just a savage in the ring...i think that if they could find the right person for this gimmick it could go far...they could kinda base it off kane, umaga, festus, that type of character...crazy in the ring and out...but they could put a cryme time, eddie guerrero twist to it and have this person still act like a criminal, with the stealing...dont take it that far to where it becomes a comedy...keep it serious...have this person play by prison rules...think pf the movies shawshank redemption and american me..jus where this peron only knows how to live in the system...you could even create new kind of matches..a prison yard brawl(byb) or a rage in the cage(hitc), lol, jk...but idk i would like to see this kind of gimmick done right

 

[agentmichaelscarn]

I dont know if it would have necessarily worked because everybody has different tastes but one that I enjoyed that didnt end up lasting long was Chavo's Kerwin White gimmick. Maybe Im just a sucker for comedic type gimmicks(And I thought Chavo was great at them) but I used to love seeing him in his golf outfit and golf cart. I found it entertaining and something different than everything else that was out there. Unfortunately as soon as Eddie died they dropped it. I dont know if they dropped it because it failed or because of Eddie's death. Whatever the case I found it entertaining, it may have gotten old eventually but I would have liked to see it play out longer.

 

[jmt225]

Adam Bomb.

I was the biggest fan of the guy. He just seemed so fucking cool to me. I actually remember wanting one those little footballs he would throw into the audience back in the day so badly, lol.

Anyway, I thought the guy had everything. A great look, good in-ring skills, and he had this presence about him that a lot of wrestlers don’t have. His mic skills weren't all there, but that would've eventually developed over time.

I really believe had he debuted today, that character would get over much more over then it did then. Put a little bit more of an edge to it, and you have a mixture between ‘The Game’ heel version of HHH, and Edge.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'd go with Phantasio. He was around for all of a month in the early to mid 90s, but there was somethign awesome about his gimmick. He was a magician that wrestled. While that may sound stupid on the surface, it could have worked if it was pushed right. Think about it. Wrestling is all about suspension of disbelief. So is magic. Could have been a decent comedy act.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

I'd go with Phantasio. He was around for all of a month in the early to mid 90s, but there was somethign awesome about his gimmick. He was a magician that wrestled. While that may sound stupid on the surface, it could have worked if it was pushed right. Think about it. Wrestling is all about suspension of disbelief. So is magic. Could have been a decent comedy act.

This right here. Phantasio was the SHIT. Magic is fucking sweet. HE could have played a fantastic heel. Making titles disappear and all. Sure it wouldnt have gotten him into the Main Event. But he could have been a strong mid carder if they wouldve let him be. I can imagine a feud with him and Goldust. I think there was so many possibilities with this character and given some time could have been awesome.

 

[NSL]

I'm going to go with Doink The Clown. The gimmick was a success, but a rather short-lived success in the history of professional wrestling.

If you transplant that gimmick to today's wrestling, it would be great. Playing as a clown, he could either be a comedic face, or a demonic heel. I've always loved the idea of the "evil clown", so if they had him now, running promos where it's dark, and all you can see is highlights of his face, and a dirty evil grin, people would freak out, AND love him. With all the publicity surrounding the Dark Knight, they could've ran the character along the lines of a Joker, instead of a Bozo.

Dink would've even been a great add-on to Doink, as a Dink v. Hornswoggle match would almost be watchable, and would add a good dynamic to a Finlay v. Doink feud.

 

[SixStrangSmoker]

Gobbley Gooker