Non-American wrestlers: gimmick is the problem!

[Joker ' Ferreira]

WWE has been the place for many years that every single wrestler in the world wants to be. There are a few cases of wrestlers that don't want to or don't need to go to the WWE, but in general, WWE has been the ultimate place when you are talking about Pro Wrestling.

Now, WWE is also responsible for booking some of the best and worst gimmicks for their wrestlers, sometimes the wrestlers are responsible for them, but that's not what happens in general.

So, my thread is "Happy Go Lucky or Anti-USA", if you think about it, without the major wrestlers like the Hart Family, The Guerreros, Edge, Christian and Jericho, WWE has always have two kinds of gimmicks for foreigners stars.

Just think about it, Kofi Kingston made an impact since his debut on ECW, what was his gimmick? A Jamacain superstar which last name was "Kingston" (the capital of Jamaica), when Kofi was born in Africa (Ghana to be correct).

That's one side of the question, the other one is that just think about Regal, Burchill, Katie Lea, and all other european wrestlers that came to the WWE and never make it "big", what they had in common? An "Anti-USA" gimmick. Regall and Burchill "believe" (they characters at least do) that Great Britain is greater than the US, etc.

Kofi Kingston will be for sure, at least one time in his career a "top dog", he is very over with the crowd, but seriously, no one will take him as serious treat at least before he drops the gimmick....

I know that is easier to them to just do the same gimmick all over again, and kids will like it, USA chants are fine, but what does that bring to the table? That USA is better than the rest of the world? Because, that is the message. If you are a non-american citizen (and if you are an heel) you will receive "USA Chants". Does WWE really need this? Why can't they just do drop that kind of gimmicks? Why can't we have an heel american vs. face british wrestler? Is that too much for them? I'm a little bit sick and tired of all the crap in WWE program, but bothers me to watch ECW, and have to think how great someone like Regal or Burchill could be if they dropped their gimmicks and just be a normal wrestler with a normal gimmick, ok, they are british, so what? Is that a GIMMICK per say? It shouldn't be.

My question to you is, don't you think that the reason that Bret Hart, Eddie Guerrero, Edge, Jericho and all other non-american wrestlers made it big was because they didn't have neither one of this gimmicks?

 

[XgringolocoX]

I think your nationality should be part of your character to an extent. Bret was always a proud Canadian. He didn't use the national pride thing til later in his WWF career though.
Eddie and Chavo have done the proud happy go lucky mexican angle. They've also used the sleazy, dirty, thievin liva la raza thing...
Wasn't Christian, Test, and Lance Storm part of the Un-Americans? A flag burnin...or a threatened one, comes to mind.
BUt also remember this. "Making it" doesn't always mean a title reign. Making it can be being the guy who MAKES the top guy. Don't think that position in wrestling isn't extremely important.
I don't mind USA chants. We can be proud people to, that's still allowed right?

 

[johnbragg]

The best on this theme was when World Elite was facing off against Hernandez a few weeks ago and the TNA audience started chanting "USA" out of habit before changing it over to Mex-i-co

 

[Kenny Powers]

It's cheap heat basically. The best way to turn a foreign superstar heel seems to be making them anti-American. I don't always agree with this, but it works. If Regal or The World Elite in TNA have something bad to say about America, you will hear the USA Chants. I think its nostalgia and its the oldest wrestling chant in the book next to WOOOO chants. I've seen Jericho cut heel promos in Canada as well as America even though he gets cheered.

These chants were brought about during the Cold War and the Iraq War. As long as there is a war you will always have a heel from Iran or Russia or whatever country USA is fighting. It is an old gimmick but not all wrestlers from other countries are Anti USA. Christian, Gail Kim, Edge, Taylor Wilde, James Storm, are just a few stars that are heels and faces and aren't Anti USA.

 

[tsull2121]

bret hart started out as a heel in the hart foundation, trish stratus started out as a heel with test and albert, luna was a heel for most of her career in various federations, monster ripper (bertha faye) was a heel for most of her career as well.. in the u.s. japan, canada, and puerto rico.. what do these wrestlers all have in common? they are all canadian and for the most part, NEVER dealt with the "U-S-A" chants when wrestling as a heel (bret did later in his career of course) but take a look at the flipside of that coin...

velvet mcintyre, gail kim.. two wrestlers who were BOTH from canada but it was never acknowledged in the ring.. gail is billed as being from florida or something (unless they changed it on her return) and velvet has always been said to have been from dublin ireland... no mention of their canadian heritage has ever been made.

then of course theres chief jay strongbow who was pushed as an indian but he was really an italian from nj... roddy piper being billed from glasgow scotland when he was from new york, yokozuna being billed from japan when he was samoan... NOTHING is never what it seems to be actually.

as for the U-S-A chants... they were made popular for the most part by HACKSAW JIM DUGGAN when he wrestled Iron Shiek and Volkoff. I am sure the cnat was around way before then but it was pretty much made famous by Duggan's feuds.

even the von erichs who are from texas.. their father was billed as being a nazi.. and von erich isnt even their real surname. lance von erich who appeared in wccw towards the end of its run was billed as a cousin to the von erich brothers.. "the son of waldo von erich"... too bad A)Waldo was never fritz's brother to begin with and B)Lance wasnt even an ADKISSON!

the problem with vinnie mac's so called "creative department" is that they are so hopelessly trapped in the past that they cant come up with anything original, so they fall back on the old "tried and true" solution... to turn someone heel, have them turn on the u.s.a. and theyll get instant heat.

but looking at the names i listed above... some competitors dont need "the rub"

 

[cs7]

I was at a house show last year and the crowd started chanting "USA, USA" during the Funaki vs Vladimir Koslov match. You stay classy, Loveland, CO!

 

[Toscah]

Tsol you forgot to mention that Santino who they claim to be from Palabra-blah-blah (I forget how to spell it and not going to look i up) is actualy from NJ. They ninja switched it a few years ago and no one seemed to notice or care.
In TNA, Christian was being booked as from Tampa Florida (or was it Orlando?) by way of Toronto Ontario Canada.

I'm actualy a good example here too. I was born in Raleigh, NC in the gold 'ole USA but I grew up in Ireland north of Dublin. When people ask me where I'm from I tell them Ireland. It's all just a matter of where you want to represent I guess.

 

[The Gribbler]

Yep, pretty much the truth here, foreign heels all get the same treatment, would be nice to see things shaken up a little however, do you really trust the creative team to bother.

As much as we think it sucks, on the average wrestling fan it works, therefore it isn't a problem in the slightest and they won't change it.

Oh well, it doesn't bother me too much as long as they get some mic and ring time and those who deserve a push get it I can live through the 'I hate america' crap they spout day after day.

Just My Opinion

P.S. I would like to see what they do with an Aussie Superstar (I don't count Nathan Jones, although he is one good example of a foreigner without that gimmick) because from what I hear people think we are all yobbos....hmmm

 

[SUBMIT2GR8NESS]

At this point in time with all the political issues and the war in iraq I don't think a better time for that kind of heel. It makes the fans feel good to be an american when u see another american kicking someone who comes from another country who is talking trash. However I find it odd that every superstar that has come from england are always a heel. I think the great heel is the sheik on tna. He's okay on the mic and okay in the ring. These heels are really for the fans not for story line but thats my thought.

 

[CENASUXCOCK]

Nikolai Volkoff, Iron Sheik,Abdullah the Butcher,Santino Mozzarella,Vladmir Kozlow any non american wrestlers are always the heel and it seems WWE enjoys this hell even Canada was an enemy when New Hart Foundation was around

 

[JDavis328]

I completley disagree with anyone who says this is a bad thing. It is a classic angle that works. Few things work as well over time as this un american angle. It propelled the careers of the likes of Lance Storm(Wcw and WWE),Christian(Made him more of a leader after leaving edge),All the members of TNAs team canada(except for maybe A1),Test,and william regal and many more. Still works today with both wwe and tna using this in different ways.