A Problem with "Repackaged" Superstars

[Workrate]

The problem with Tensai's gimmick is that his entire backstory is just heresy. If you want to tout how dominant he was in Japan, how about including that as a part of his build-up? I'm sure there's an issue with copyrights or whatever, but it would have made a lot more sense to show some of his dominance rather than just air ominous vignettes and then have the announcers tell us vaguely about what he did there.

Besides, as has been mentioned, they aren't completely repackaging Tensai. They openly acknowledge that he's the same guy as before, but he went to Japan, changed his mindset, adopted parts of their culture, and has come back. New name, new look, but they aren't pretending its a totally different person like they've done in so many other cases.

 

[akathelaw]

I guess it just comes down to whether or not you like the aspect of gimmicks in wrestling. Personally I can't stand when wrestlers don't have any sort of character. ROH and indie shows don't grab casual fans because the show aspect is so toned down. Undertaker is one of the biggest draws ever and its because of the unique show you get when you watch one of his matches.

Skip Sheffield and Prince Albert are preferable to Ryback and Lord Tensai? I highly doubt it. It just sounds like you longtime fans want to be acknowledged by the company, or rewarded for remembering what was established years ago.

 

[iSTILLwatchNXT]

If the new character is a good character you soon forget about who they used to be. Nobody misses Brett Major...

 

[xavyer]

Repackaging a character is a coin toss, it can end up in your favor or against you, simple as that, some repackaged superstars weren't mentioned yet, like Dustin Rhodes/Goldust, or Brodus Clay ( ADR's bodyguard )/ Brodus Clay ( Funkasaurus ) those also worked, or for example Hardcore Holly, it worked better for him that Herman "sparky" Plugg or the 1 2 3 kid/X pac transition, like i said, some times you have to take a chance if a character you are portraying isn't working, i mentioned these because everyone else were mentioning the obious ones, then there are those wich also weren't mentioned that went south, for example: Smash from Demolition, to The Repo Man, or Chavo Guerrero/Kerwin White.......

 

[DirtyD79]

Skip Sheffield and Prince Albert are preferable to Ryback and Lord Tensai? I highly doubt it. It just sounds like you longtime fans want to be acknowledged by the company, or rewarded for remembering what was established years ago.

I agree most normal fans either don't remember, never saw it, or quite simply don't care. To them finding out Lord Tensai was Albert or A-Train years ago they say "oh" or "who the hell was Albert?" Repackaging a wrestler's gimmick without any explanation or reference to who they were in the past is hardly unique to WWE and it's been a part of wrestling forever.

Sometimes it's necessary. If a gimmick is failing extremely badly eventually there comes a point where they just need to take the nuclear option to it and start over. Look at Kane, nobody was gonna take him seriously with that whole evil dentist schtick. If you think John Cena gets it bad from half the audience look at The Rock. When The Rock was The Bluechipper he had the whole audience booing the crap out of him chanting "Die Rocky Die!" and he was supposed to be a babyface. If he kept on doing that WWE could have held Wrestlemania 28 in a phone booth.

 

[midgensa]

Well this has been pretty much covered as it is clear that repackaging HAS to happen sometimes and has been super successful sometimes as well.

I think it is a fair point to discuss these two repackages though as I dont see either of them working longterm.

I was excited to see Albert back in the WWE because I had seen some of his work in Japan and thought he could be successful, but then they set him up in this totally shitty gimmick that makes no sense and is not getting over at all. They are trying to play on his Japan history, but nobody knows about it except for a handful of wrestling fans.

As for Ryback ... I just cannot see a gimmick like that getting over with anyone, especially with a guy who was on TV as something else just over a year ago. I think they could have easily brought Skip back as Skip and shoved him in the right feud and he would have worked fine.

Obviously, repackaging is just needed sometimes. I mean ... if Matt Morgan was to come back to the WWE I am sure we would not see him as stuttering fuck-up. And there would have been no reason to bring A-Train back as A-Train ... I just think the Lord Tensai gimmick might not work too well in the long run.

Good discussion here though ... so props on the topic.

 

[Nate DaMac]

I think a lot of you are confused on what repackaging someone really is. I see a lot of people using Triple H and Steve Austin as examples and neither were ever repackaged. To be repackaged, you get taken off of TV for a bit and return as a completely different character. That never happened with HHH, Austin, or Rock. They just evolved as characters. As they performed, they developed different traits and mannerisms. Austin lost Dibiase as a mouthpiece and started doing his own talking, he displayed a completely different attitude once he wasn't under the finger of someone else and changed his name in the process. He didn't change who he was, his backstory never changed. Hunter befriended Shawn Michaels and basically started learning from him. Triple H sounded cooler than Hunter Hearst Hemsley, so he changed it.

These are examples of character evolution, not repackaging.

Tensai, Ryback, Kane, etc. Those are real examples of repackaging. They never acknowledge their past gimmicks (Tensai being a slight exception.) They've become completely different characters with completely different back stories.

There's nothing wrong with Repackaging. Skip Sheffield, Albert, Isaac Yankem, those characters failed. To suggest that you have to keep them the same or do away with them is ******ed, just look at how successful Kane has been. It's too early to tell if it will work with Ryback or Tensai, but if there's a chance that those 2 could become draws under new gimmicks, it will have been a great idea.

Nothing wrong with repackaging.

 

[asiatic7]

I don't think people quite get what repackaging is. IMO it's when a wrestler leaves and comes back with no affiliation to his previous character.

Thank you for that explanation! People responding to the thread are obviously turning the subject into something else to sound smart. Evolving and Re-packaging are two different things. HHH never re-packaged, he EVOLVED! Skip Sheffeild gone for almost a year and comes back as Ryback...RE-PACKAGED!!! Thanks.

 

[asiatic7]

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Firstly, if "Stunning" Steve Austin becoming the Ringmaster is one of the worst re-packagings, then wouldn't the Ringmaster being re-packaged as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin be one of the best?

Other successful repackages have been Greenwich snob Hunter Hearst Helmsley becoming "The Game" "The Celebral Asassin" Triple H.

And what about Hulk Hogan being repackaged as "Hollywood" Hogan, leader of the NWO? To turn Hogan heel, give him a different look and name, and make it a success was a monumental effort.

Those characters you mentioned EVOLVED. They were'nt Re-packaged, they were not gone for a period of time and came back as a whole new character. There's a difference and that's why Austin did'nt make my top 5 list! And Hogan never stopped being Hogan, He just turned Heel. Turning heel does'nt constitute "Repackaging".

 

[d_henderson1810]

Those characters you mentioned EVOLVED. They were'nt Re-packaged, they were not gone for a period of time and came back as a whole new character. There's a difference and that's why Austin did'nt make my top 5 list! And Hogan never stopped being Hogan, He just turned Heel. Turning heel does'nt constitute "Repackaging".

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What about the Undertaker? He has been re-packaged THREE times, and each incarnation has been successful.

First the Undertaker was a gravedigger, who was white-faced and wore a tie and gloves. He re-packaged himself as Ministry Undertaker, who embraced the dark powers and sacrificed people.

Eight months later, the Undertaker came back again, but this time, he was riding a motorcycle, and dressed in biker garb. He called himself a "Bad Ass".

Finally, after being buried by Kane during a "Buried Alive" Match against Mr McMahon, the Undertaker disappeared again. He returned at WMXX, no longer a biker, but back to being a deadman, with long flowing coat and top hat.

During these repackagaings, Taker didn't only change his appearance, but how he acted and his motivations. The first Undertaker was like a zombie, the second was an occultic priest, the third was a bikie, and the fourth was a Van Helsig-looking "Deadman" who meant business. The only things that stayed the same was beign called the Undertaker, and the fact that each character was played by Mark Callaway.

 

[FightOwensFight]

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What about the Undertaker? He has been re-packaged THREE times, and each incarnation has been successful.

First the Undertaker was a gravedigger, who was white-faced and wore a tie and gloves. He re-packaged himself as Ministry Undertaker, who embraced the dark powers and sacrificed people.

Eight months later, the Undertaker came back again, but this time, he was riding a motorcycle, and dressed in biker garb. He called himself a "Bad Ass".

Finally, after being buried by Kane during a "Buried Alive" Match against Mr McMahon, the Undertaker disappeared again. He returned at WMXX, no longer a biker, but back to being a deadman, with long flowing coat and top hat.

During these repackagaings, Taker didn't only change his appearance, but how he acted and his motivations. The first Undertaker was like a zombie, the second was an occultic priest, the third was a bikie, and the fourth was a Van Helsig-looking "Deadman" who meant business. The only things that stayed the same was beign called the Undertaker, and the fact that each character was played by Mark Callaway.

As others have already pointed out, what you are describing is not re-packaging, but rather the evolution of the character. At no point during the three incarnations you reference was The Undertaker referred to as anything other than The Undertaker.

As to the original question, I don't have an issue with it but it has to be done right. I just don't like the Tensai character, so it doesn't matter to me if he was Albert or anyone else. I just can't get into him. For Ryback though, I like it. He wasn't around enough to be considered "established" so for him to disappear and come back as someone else isn't a big issue.

 

[TheNickster]

I think that repackaged wrestlers can work if they really appeal to the crowd, or nobody remembers them. Brodus is a great example. I don't think many fans in RAW attendance remember Brodus being Alberto Del Rio's lackey, so when he was repackaged as a dancing guy who is enjoyable to watch, people loved it. The repacking was a success and now Clay is one of the best Mid-Carders on RAW.

I think Tensai was just a bad re-package. We all recognize him as A-Train/Albert, and that basically kills the picture of a Japanese wrestler who decimates his opponent. Instead of seeing that, I just see a hairy guy with a disturbing name (Albert/Prince Albert).

 

[Ol'Canucklehead]

I think that repackaged wrestlers can work if they really appeal to the crowd, or nobody remembers them. Brodus is a great example.

No he's not. He wasn't repackaged. He was Brodus before and he is Brodus now. Heck they hyped him for weeks as a return. Again this is just an evolution of a character. We really need a dictionary of wrestling terms on here.

Repackage:
Smash to Repo Man
Fatu to The Sultan to Rikishi
Isaac Yankem to Fake Diesel to Kane
Kenny to Dolph Ziggler

Evolved:
Undertaker
Steve Austin
Sting

 

[Ithil]

Skip Shefield wasn't exactly around in a huge capacity, I haven't seen any crowds call attention to that. The Ryback gimmick is pretty separate from it so far, successfully. That gimmick has its own problems, with its Goldberg similarities.

The Lord Tensai gimmick is just very silly anyway, but I don't think he should have come back under the Albert or A-Train names, they're not what he is now. However, they SHOULD have just acknowledged he used to be Albert. They've said he was a a WWE wrestler, but they should have just had him say he was once Albert, to not be silly about it like they are now. They website even does it, but of course that's very separate from the shows in management.

 

[Midnite Express 2009]

I don't get either one of these characters as characters but I get Albert er-ah, Lord Tensai more than Ryback. I REALLY don't get Ryback at all and he's just another run of the mill big man who does like 2 or 3 moves in squash matches & that's it. End of story. Nothing exciting about him. I think the problems is that these guys come back basically as nothing that fans can feel they can invest in. Ryback isn't going to the sky. He's no Batista or even Brock Lesner. He was plain as Skip and the fans haven't forgotten him obviously and so if they weren't feeling him then, they won't now. Plus, it's not like he came back as Skip, he's come back with a new name, which may insult the fan's intelligence as they know who he is but WWE won't acknowledge that he was once Skip Sheffield and now has a new "gimmick". Fans know better & fans don't like it too much.

 

[a member of wwe universe]

repackaged wrestler is a thing of beauty if it turns out successful. You see this guy who was a nobody turning into a somebody makes you admire and realize the hidden talent they posses. I like the idea of retooling and remake a guy rather than throwing in a batch of raw young, unexpose guys.


Some of them may arguably be considered as evolution rather than repackaging but the gimmick changes of these invidvidual were definitive to their career and elevated them to the next level.

These are the recent repackaged wrestlers.
Jamal to Umaga
Bradshaw to JBL
Revon Batista to Batista
Bubba Ray to Bully Ray

 

[Hero_kidstackz]

Jbl gimmick in APA is nothing like Jbl the investor and businessman other than money. But i like when someone is repackaged but you wouldnt remember the old gimmick much like jbl it worked dolph not cheering anymore that worked but when i seen tensi i couldnt do anything but think ''aint that the hairy guy'' why is he spittin green mist? Honestly the crowd comtrolls everything it only doesnt work when the crowd goes A train A train or Skip Skip Skip

 

[TempestH]

repackaged wrestler is a thing of beauty if it turns out successful. You see this guy who was a nobody turning into a somebody makes you admire and realize the hidden talent they posses. I like the idea of retooling and remake a guy rather than throwing in a batch of raw young, unexpose guys.


Some of them may arguably be considered as evolution rather than repackaging but the gimmick changes of these invidvidual were definitive to their career and elevated them to the next level.

These are the recent repackaged wrestlers.
Jamal to Umaga
Bradshaw to JBL
Revon Batista to Batista
Bubba Ray to Bully Ray

Jamal to Umaga is the only one that can be considered a "repackage." The others are examples of "evolving".

 

[Shotaro]

It's called suspension of disbelief, just because you know that a DDT would probably kill a man, yet is used as a regular move by some guys, it doesn't stop you enjoying the program does it?

It's the same here, we all know that they were in WWE before, but that's irrelevant if their character is entertaining, these two examples are not. funkasaurus is another recent repackaging, he's definitely entertaining.

 

[Shining Mizard]

I barely think of Ryback as that guy from The Nexus. He never got mic time and was out of action early on because of his injury, he never really made a name for himself. Tensai on the other hand held multiple titles and was a well established character, to me it makes the character so much less believable and hard to get over.
If a wrestler is well established when they return they should keep their old name, unless the give a decent explanation why (e.g. Jonny Nitro --> John Morrison). Otherwise I'm all for it.

 

[alberts35]

Part of the problem with Tensai is he was already a dud when he last left as Albert. Relegated to crappy shows back when the roster was too big, people were already sick of him, his moveset, and his appearance. Not enough of a change in his current look so you feel like you are just watching the same useless clown. Could have at least given him a full head of hair or some kind of better outfit. Right now the fans feel duped because we are supposed to believe Albert is now top-tier status.

 

[vthokie8]

Nearly every Superstar who has made it big in this industry is a repackaging or a reinvention of a character. I do feel that Tensai and Ryback were rushed onto the scene, but I don't think their gimmicks are awful. If I had the book Tensai would have had a month or two of vignettes leading to his debut. I may would have even gave him the storyline of being banned in Japan for his violent style. I would also embrace his past in WWE and talk about how he went to Japan for more money (leading in with the Lauranitis angle). Ryback I would just play as a monster, I like the fact there was no hype for him he returned out of nowhere and just started destroying jobbers. I think this is good for when he does get a program with a main roster guy. Honestly I would have his first program be against a guy like McIntyre who could make him look good in the ring or a guy like Kane to pass the torch to him so to speak.

As far as repackaging/reinventing goes, imagine if John Cena would have nevet got the "Shady" gimmick. The spandex wearing Cena would have been mid-card at best. Batista as Levathian would have maybe got a fued with Taker and nothing after. "Stunning" Steve Austin or The Ringmaster were destined to fail in WWE. The grass skirt wearing Rocky Miavia would have never been in the Hall of Fame and Edge the vampire would have never main evented Mania.

There have been some bad ones Shelton Benjamin as "The Gold Standard" and stuttering Matt Morgan were mistakes, but even undercard repackaging and reinventing has worked more times than failed. The Hurricane sounded stupid but got Shane Helms over more than any gimmick he ever had. Hell, even Goldust turned out to be better for Dustin Rhodes career than the son of Dusty he played in WCW.

 

[The Crock]

Why not repackage? You can maximize the "mileage" you can get out of your talent by repackaging -- like, if a guy has talent, but a shitty gimmick, you can change that up and give him another opportunity. Look at how many times that has worked for the WWE; Kane, Stone Cold, Dolph Ziggler, The Rock, Triple H (somewhat, it was more gradual), JBL, etc. Some of the biggest names in wrestling history have had to go through several repackaged gimmicks to finally find the one that clicks, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Hell, it's commonplace. I'm not saying it works every single time, but it's always worth a try, isn't it?

Now, as for your examples, I can't say I agree with you there, either. I know that Tensai and Ryback are being given new opportunities to achieve success -- and they're miles better than what they once were. Sure, Tensai might still be fairly boring, but it was a risky character that they might still be able to get some decent stories out of. He just needs a little bit of time to really fully understand the character, I think. Well, that and he needs to make it seem as if he's not just going through the motions. Ryback, on the other hand, I've quite enjoyed. He's got a great physique and is a powerful guy, the gimmick fits perfectly fine. He's only been facing cans, but he seems to be getting over fairly well. He hasn't even really had any mic time yet, but I'm already impressed. He's good.

 

[oldschool123]

One of the most successful repackages of all time created one of the wwe's best main eventers in the attitude era, which was hunter hearst helmsleys switch from that posh character to the game, thus proving that repackaging is definitly a good idea, however i agree that it can definitly be seen as a mixed bag so to speak

But they also did what the original poster was advocating. Though HHH went through a transformation from the aristocrat character eventually becoming "The Game" he has always been Hunter Hearst Helmsley.