The Luck Of The Draw

[TUFFY54]

Is getting a good gimmick just the luck of the draw? We have all seen people overcome bad gimmicks to be stars. Rocky Maivia becoming The Rock and The Million Dollar Champion become Stone Cold Steve Austin are two of the best examples. However, we have also seen people that started with good gimmicks never really make it. Steve Blackman's "lethal weapon" gimmick should have been a bigger success. I wonder what would what would have happened if a different wrestler had been given a gimmick. It's well known that McMahon would often think up a gimmick then find a wrestler to fit it. How would careers change if he picked a different guy?

The Undertaker and Crush
I think this would be a good one to start with. Brian Adams came to the WWF in 1990 as Crush, the third member of Demolition. Mark Calaway also came to the WWF in 1990, and was giving the famous Undertaker gimmick. What if they were switched. Adams and Calaway were the same age, had the same look, and were about the same size when they came to the WWF. Would Mark Calaway still be considered a legend in the business as Crush? Would Crush have gone undefeated at Wrestlemania? As the Undertaker, would Brian Adams be an icon, or would the gimmick have gone away after a couple years?

Mr. Perfect and The Red Rooster
Terry Taylor was the original pick to use the Mr. Perfect gimmick. Something happened and Curt Henning ended up being Mr. Perfect. Would Taylor be in the Hall of Fame today had he been Mr. Perfect? Would Curt Henning still of had a great career simply being Curt Henning?

Diesel and Adam Bomb
Kevin Nash and Bryan Clark both came to the WWF in 1993. Again, same size, same look, and about the same talent. If Vince had made Nash Adam Bomb would the NWO have ever formed. Would Bryan Clark have had great feuds and title runs as Diesel?

Kane and Mike Awesome
Before becoming Kane, Glen Jacobs had two of the worst gimmicks in wrestling history with Issac Yankem and the Fake Diesel. Before Glen got the part, Vince wanted Mike Awesome to be Kane. Awesome turned it down because he didn't want to give up his dates in Japan. Would we have ever seen Glen Jacobs again in the WWF? After Fake Diesel, he hadn't even been on TV for almost a year.

Stone Cold and Ice Dagger
This is a big one, and a lot of people don't even know about it. Steve Austin realized his Million Dollar Champion gimmick wasn't getting over and told Vince McMahon that he wanted to do something where he was intense, cold, and didn't take crap from anybody. Vince and the writers came up with Ice Dagger. He would have worn blue and white trunks with icicles on them. His finishing move was to be called the Ice Breaker, or something of that nature. He was ready to do it when his wife told him to drink his tea before it became stone cold. If Austin's wife hadn't told him that, there is a real chance the WWF could have lost the war to WCW. Originally, Vince still thought that Ice Dagger was a better idea. Changing his mind saved his company.

Matt Morgan and Batista
Both of these guys came into the WWE at about the same time with similar looks and skills. Batista joined Evolution and went on to become one of the biggest stars of the decade. Morgan developed a stutter and was gone shortly after. In reality, Morgan was one of the top candidates to be in Evolution. At the last minute, they gave the nod to Batista instead. Would Morgan have become a superstar? Would Batista have become someone's bodyguard and be gone in a year?

Brock Lesnar and the Stutter
Here's another big one. You know that stuttering gimmick that Matt Morgan got stuck with. Well, Vince originally wanted to give it Lesnar. He knew Brock was terrible on the mic, so he thought he could get around it by having him stutter. If he had done this, I'd be willing to bet Brock would have been a bad comedy act that never made it out of the mid card, just like Matt Morgan. Paul Heyman was the one that convinced Vince to drop the stutter and make him Brocks mouthpiece.

MNM and The Heartthrobs
Two teams that came out of OVW at the same time. All four of them were good wrestlers. MNM got Melina and a rockstar gimmick. The Heartthrobs got a stupid male stripper gimmick and were gone in a couple months. Would Antonio or Romeo be a top star in the WWE today if they had been MNM?

Wade Barrett and Paul Birchill
Two English wrestlers with the same size and look. Birchill got stuck with a pirate gimmick while Barrett became the leader of Nexus. There guys joined WWE a year apart. What would have happened if Paul had been put on NXT? Would Wade the Pirate be future endeavored?

The Miz and Zack Ryder
I think this one could have been a real possibility. Both are young guys with the same type of look. Both were in tag teams that had broken up before they got their new gimmick. Miz ditched the hats and baggy shorts to become a real wrestler. Ryder started wearing one legged pants and shouting Woo Woo Woo. What if Ryder had just become a serious wrestler? Would he be getting a major push with the youth movement? Would the Miz even be with the company if they had made him into a goofy party boy after his tag team broke up?

Being in the WWE is the ultimate sign of success for a wrestle in America. These guys work on their skills for years to get there, and have almost no say in what their gimmick will be once they get signed. I think some guys are just doomed from the start. With the exception of the top performers, most of the wrestlers in the WWE have about the same amount of in ring skill. A lot of them have the same look too. Whether or not your given a bad gimmick by creative is what can really make or break a wrestlers career. Look at the last couple of season of NXT. Percy Watson had a good look and could have had a good career. For some reason they thought he should wear red Steve Urkel glasses. Unfortunately, all people remembered about him were his stupid red glasses. Season 4 saw Conor O'Brian come out and pretend to be a rat. Did anyone think that would get over with the crowd?

Does it all just come down to the luck of the draw? Are guys that are given terrible gimmicks doomed from the start?

 

[Okininja]

Yes, there is sort of a luck of a draw, I mean everything is like that. I'll come back at a later time to go further in detali because I'm pressed for time right now. However I don't think you can make the cooralation between Paul Burchill and Wade Barrett. Burchill made his debut in 2005 and adapted to the Pirate gimmick in 2006, that's 4 years before Wade Barrett got introduced to the WWE Universe.

 

[Warsing]

It is a luck of the draw. Like Crush and Taker, I'm sure there was a chance that they could have reverse roles. But it ended up being Taker being Taker, and Crush looking for a gimmick that lasted.

But to answer your second question, guys with terrible gimmicks aren't doomed from the start. You said yourself about Rocky Maivia becoming the Rock, and the Ringmaster becoming Stone Cold. These guys had gimmicks that wouldn't last long, but found a way to change it into something that made them stand-out. Also the changing of gimmicks might make your career take off, like it did for HHH. He went from a mid-card Blue-Blood to Triple H, the degenerate who has held the world title multiple times.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

There is definitely a little luck in whether or not pushes get off the ground. Maybe Crush could have been the Deadman, but maybe he would have lasted 2 years and flopped. A lot of drawing fan response is in the presentation, not just the gimmick. People who have the stupidest gimmicks have proven to be great superstars because of their ability and their performance. That's pretty much how you get over... Now, on the political side of things, there's a lot to be said about how well you behave backstage. How much you're willing to work for the WWE is almost always relevant to how much of a push you'll receive. The Miz is doing the same thing Cena did, working his ass off and not complaining a bit, and he's getting the same push. There's a lot of factors, and I'm willing to be that more often than not, those who got over and became successful not only had the ability, but went the extra mile on and off screen.

To play devil's advocate for a second, there are people like HBK and the Ultimate Warrior who were huge successes, but were notorious for being terrible workers, and a huge pain in the ass. There is a level that I think Vince is willing to put up with, as long as you've got the talent and you can get over with the fans. Thing about Shelton Benjamin. He had all the talent in the world, but he was lazy, didn't respect authority, and couldn't draw. If one of those factors had changed, maybe things would have been different.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Is getting a good gimmick just the luck of the draw? We have all seen people overcome bad gimmicks to be stars. Rocky Maivia becoming The Rock and The Million Dollar Champion become Stone Cold Steve Austin are two of the best examples. However, we have also seen people that started with good gimmicks never really make it. Steve Blackman's "lethal weapon" gimmick should have been a bigger success. I wonder what would what would have happened if a different wrestler had been given a gimmick. It's well known that McMahon would often think up a gimmick then find a wrestler to fit it. How would careers change if he picked a different guy?

The Undertaker and Crush
I think this would be a good one to start with. Brian Adams came to the WWF in 1990 as Crush, the third member of Demolition. Mark Calaway also came to the WWF in 1990, and was giving the famous Undertaker gimmick. What if they were switched. Adams and Calaway were the same age, had the same look, and were about the same size when they came to the WWF. Would Mark Calaway still be considered a legend in the business as Crush? Would Crush have gone undefeated at Wrestlemania? As the Undertaker, would Brian Adams be an icon, or would the gimmick have gone away after a couple years?

Mr. Perfect and The Red Rooster
Terry Taylor was the original pick to use the Mr. Perfect gimmick. Something happened and Curt Henning ended up being Mr. Perfect. Would Taylor be in the Hall of Fame today had he been Mr. Perfect? Would Curt Henning still of had a great career simply being Curt Henning?

Diesel and Adam Bomb
Kevin Nash and Bryan Clark both came to the WWF in 1993. Again, same size, same look, and about the same talent. If Vince had made Nash Adam Bomb would the NWO have ever formed. Would Bryan Clark have had great feuds and title runs as Diesel?

Kane and Mike Awesome
Before becoming Kane, Glen Jacobs had two of the worst gimmicks in wrestling history with Issac Yankem and the Fake Diesel. Before Glen got the part, Vince wanted Mike Awesome to be Kane. Awesome turned it down because he didn't want to give up his dates in Japan. Would we have ever seen Glen Jacobs again in the WWF? After Fake Diesel, he hadn't even been on TV for almost a year.

Stone Cold and Ice Dagger
This is a big one, and a lot of people don't even know about it. Steve Austin realized his Million Dollar Champion gimmick wasn't getting over and told Vince McMahon that he wanted to do something where he was intense, cold, and didn't take crap from anybody. Vince and the writers came up with Ice Dagger. He would have worn blue and white trunks with icicles on them. His finishing move was to be called the Ice Breaker, or something of that nature. He was ready to do it when his wife told him to drink his tea before it became stone cold. If Austin's wife hadn't told him that, there is a real chance the WWF could have lost the war to WCW. Originally, Vince still thought that Ice Dagger was a better idea. Changing his mind saved his company.

Matt Morgan and Batista
Both of these guys came into the WWE at about the same time with similar looks and skills. Batista joined Evolution and went on to become one of the biggest stars of the decade. Morgan developed a stutter and was gone shortly after. In reality, Morgan was one of the top candidates to be in Evolution. At the last minute, they gave the nod to Batista instead. Would Morgan have become a superstar? Would Batista have become someone's bodyguard and be gone in a year?

Brock Lesnar and the Stutter
Here's another big one. You know that stuttering gimmick that Matt Morgan got stuck with. Well, Vince originally wanted to give it Lesnar. He knew Brock was terrible on the mic, so he thought he could get around it by having him stutter. If he had done this, I'd be willing to bet Brock would have been a bad comedy act that never made it out of the mid card, just like Matt Morgan. Paul Heyman was the one that convinced Vince to drop the stutter and make him Brocks mouthpiece.

MNM and The Heartthrobs
Two teams that came out of OVW at the same time. All four of them were good wrestlers. MNM got Melina and a rockstar gimmick. The Heartthrobs got a stupid male stripper gimmick and were gone in a couple months. Would Antonio or Romeo be a top star in the WWE today if they had been MNM?

Wade Barrett and Paul Birchill
Two English wrestlers with the same size and look. Birchill got stuck with a pirate gimmick while Barrett became the leader of Nexus. There guys joined WWE a year apart. What would have happened if Paul had been put on NXT? Would Wade the Pirate be future endeavored?

The Miz and Zack Ryder
I think this one could have been a real possibility. Both are young guys with the same type of look. Both were in tag teams that had broken up before they got their new gimmick. Miz ditched the hats and baggy shorts to become a real wrestler. Ryder started wearing one legged pants and shouting Woo Woo Woo. What if Ryder had just become a serious wrestler? Would he be getting a major push with the youth movement? Would the Miz even be with the company if they had made him into a goofy party boy after his tag team broke up?

Being in the WWE is the ultimate sign of success for a wrestle in America. These guys work on their skills for years to get there, and have almost no say in what their gimmick will be once they get signed. I think some guys are just doomed from the start. With the exception of the top performers, most of the wrestlers in the WWE have about the same amount of in ring skill. A lot of them have the same look too. Whether or not your given a bad gimmick by creative is what can really make or break a wrestlers career. Look at the last couple of season of NXT. Percy Watson had a good look and could have had a good career. For some reason they thought he should wear red Steve Urkel glasses. Unfortunately, all people remembered about him were his stupid red glasses. Season 4 saw Conor O'Brian come out and pretend to be a rat. Did anyone think that would get over with the crowd?

Does it all just come down to the luck of the draw? Are guys that are given terrible gimmicks doomed from the start?

On the whole, you have to remember that Vince has gotten more right than he has wrong over the years and it's rarely luck...and its never just the gimmick to blame... sometimes wrestlers are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Crush was brought in earlier, expressly to replace Ax in Demolition as he had health problems. His ring style and look worked better with Smash than the lankier Callaway's would have done. A "dead man" needs to be pale and gaunt... Crush was beefy and tanned being a native Hawaiian... a minute detail but crucial.

In the case of The Rooster, legend has it that they tried both out but Hennig clicked better with Wade Boggs and the two hit it off (to become best friends) and that was that that swung the gig Curt's way.

Bryan Clarke was not as good a worker as Nash at the time, he could have grown under a better gimmick than Bomb, but in the end he was mediocre at best.

The interesting ones you have missed are:-

The Heartbreak Kid - Shawn Michaels or Shane Douglas?

Shane was in line for a massive push in the early 1990's. Vince had earmarked him for a new gimmick, where he would play a "rockstar" like persona, hot with the ladies, with potential for actual crossover potential? Sound familiar?

At the time, Douglas told Vince that his father was very sick and he wanted to spend his last days with him and perhaps go to medical school... so Vince released him from his deal and the idea was shelved till they could position Shawn as the replacement. Shane of course didn't take any time off and went straight into WCW and a face push teaming with Steamboat... So next time you blame the Kliq for his treatment as Dean Douglas, there is more to the story...

Max Moon - Konnan or Paul Diamond

Around mid 92, Vince was very high on Konnan and conceived a Sci-Fi based gimmick that would become Max Moon... He wanted to tap into a toy line etc and legend has it the costume alone cost over $10,000 bucks with a few hundreds worth of pyro for every intro... However Konnan didn't settle in the WWF and only ever made one appearance in said suit on TV. This left Vince with (literally) expensive shoes to fill... So they took Paul Diamond, Kato as he was then known as he was the only guy who fit the suit... and the gimmick bombed... Would Max Moon be on toy shelves today if Konnan had stuck with it?

Beefcake's IC Title Replacement

In 1990, a month before Summerslam, Brutus had his infamous jetski accident... with the IC title match set WWF needed a quick replacement and the call went out... to Davey Boy Smith, who was slated to return to the WWF as "The British Bulldog". It was felt that Davey's new look and fan appeal would work as a counter for the oncoming Slaughter World title reign... except... Davey got in a car accident with Chris Benoit and a couple of others... so another call went out... this time to Kerry Von Erich, who was also on the verge of joining but was set for a feud with former World Class opponent Rick Rude... how different would both careers (and lives) have been had that happened?

 

[That Don Guy]

Don't forget that gimmicks can change without anybody really noticing it. Case in point: Thurman "Sparky" Plugg became Bob "Spark Plug" Holly for no other reason than the announcers started calling him that (in fact, if you listen carefully, while the commentators are introducing him as Bob "Spark Plug" Holly, you can hear Howard Finkel in the ring still call him Thurman "Sparky" Plugg). I have a feeling "Ice Dagger" would have morphed into "Stone Cold" reasonably quickly. Besides, it wasn't the name that did it, but the attitude - if Austin still goes for the chrome dome look and delivers a Stun Gun/Ice Dagger/Stunner to Vince every once in a while, who cares what his name is?

Of course, luck of the draw runs bad as well - how many pairs of wrestlers whose careers pretty much went nowhere could have been somebody with each others' gimmicks?

-- Don

 

[vampirek]

Well its not something I wish to call lucky, but we all know 'The Game' gimmick was going to be given to Owen Hart and not HHH. Something that would have hugely change the course of the WWE in 2000. Whilst HHH would likely still be on the top talent for years to come, I doubt it could have had the same impact without 'The Game' gimmick.

I don't think its the luck of the draw, I just think most have been a good ideas (the whole Hornswoggle being Vince's son which was suppose to go to Kennedy was not one of them) and have been made better simply down to circumstances.

For example, the character of Kane was only ever suppose to be a short term storyline and then the character to disappear. Chances are if it was Mike Awesome, Kane wouldn't have lasted as long as he has done. Most of it has come down to Glen being good at his job and thats certainly not luck. He still had to be considered to play the part.

 

[DeathClutch]

It's all about whats on offer at that moment and who the right person is for the gimmick.

You could have someone who's skilled in ring and sucks on the mic and gets lumbered with a deadwood gimmick that holds him down, yet you get someone who isn't very skilled in the ring but has charisma and that connection with the crowd and he gets his push.

Kane was lucky, he had two deadwood gimmicks that literally would be career killers, yet an opportunity came up and he took it, had Kane had ZERO connection with the Undertaker the Kane gimmick would of ceased in the early 2000s at the latest.

It depends on what WWE offers & wants at the time, imagine the Vampire gimmick Kevin Thourn had back 2006-07? fast forward to 2009-10 he would of been guarenteed a major push with the whole Twilight craze.