Too Many Gimmick Matches In Wrestling Today

[Y 2 Jake]

Anybody else agree. Now I'm not saying there isn't a need for them. But appears to me that both WWE & TNA add gimmicks to matches, even if they don't really need them. It's ok to see the occasional cage match. But there on TV & PPV so frequently that there just not that big a deal anymore.

Below is a list of gimmick matches that have taken place on WWE PPV's over the past year. I would have done TNA as there the main offender but I value my fingers.

I've added 4-Way, Triple Threat, 6-Man matches etc. Because I feel those are gimmick matches. You never hear an announcer saying for example ''Tonight Undertaker will face Jamie Noble in a singles match'' But they will say ''Tonight Undertaker will face Jame Noble & Hornswoggle in a Triple Threat Match'' It's a selling point, that's why I consider them gimmick matches.

Cyber Sunday 2006 (Gimmick PPV)

Lumberjill Match: Mickie James vs. Lita
Special Referee Match: D-X vs. Rated RKO
Texas Tornado Match: Cryme Tyme vs. The Highlanders vs. Cade & Murdock vs. Vicera & Charlie Haas
Triple Threat Match: King Booker vs. John Cena vs. Big Show

Survivor Series 2006 (Gimmick PPV)

First Blood Match: Undertaker vs. Mr. Kennedy
Survivor Series Match: Team D-X vs. Team Rated RKO
Survivor Series Match: Team Flair vs. The Spirit Squad
Survivor Series Match: Team Cena vs. Team Big Show

December To Dismember 2006

Elimination Chamber: C.M. Punk vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Test vs. Big Show vs. Hardcore Holly
Strikers Rules Match: Balls Mahoney vs. Matt Striker

Armageddon 2006

Inferno Match: MVP vs. Kane
Last Ride Match: Undertaker vs. Mr. Kennedy
Ladder Match: London & Kendrick vs. The Hardys vs. MNM vs. William Regal & Dave Taylor
Naughty Or Nice Lingerie Contest: Ashley vs. Jillian vs. Layla vs. Kristal

New Years Revolution 2007

Steel Cage Match: Johnny Nitro vs. Jeff Hardy
Tag Team Turmoil Match: Jim Duggan & Super Crazy vs. WGTT vs. The Highlanders vs. Cryme Tyme vs. Cade & Murdock

Royal Rumble 2007 (Gimmick PPV)

Royal Rumble Match: Won by the Undertaker
Last Man Standing Match: Umaga vs. John Cena

No Way Out 2007

6-Man Tag Team Match: Chris Benoit & The Hardys vs. MNM & MVP
Diva Talent Invitational Match: Won by Ashley
Cruiserweight Invitational: Gregory Helms vs. Chavo Guerrero vs. Jimmy Yang vs. Gunaki vs. Scotty 2 Hotty vs. Daivari vs. Shannon Moore vs. Jamie Noble

Wrestle Mania 23

Hair vs. Hair/Special Referee Match: Lashley vs. Umaga
MITB Ladder Match: Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy vs. C.M. Punk vs. Mr. Kennedy vs. Randy Orton vs. Edge vs. Finaly vs. King Booker
8-Man Tag Team Match: New Breed vs. ECW Originals
Lumberjill Match: Ashley vs. Melina
Lumberjack Match (Dark Match): Gregory Helms & Chavo Guerrero vs. Ric Flair & Carlito

Backlash 2007

3-on-1 Handicap Match: Umaga & The McMahons vs. Lashley
Last Man Standing Match: Undertaker vs. Batista
Fatal 4-Way: John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Edge vs. Randy Orton

Judgement Day 2007

3-on-1 Handicap Match: Umage & The McMahons vs. Lashley
2 Out Of 3 Falls Match: MVP vs. Chris Benoit

One Night Stand: Extreme Rules 2007 (Gimmick PPV)

Street Fight: Vince McMahon vs. Lashley
Falls Count Anywhere Match: John Cena vs. The Great Khali
Steel Cage Match: Batista vs. Edge
Ladder Match: WGTT vs. The Hardys
Stretcher Match: Rob Van Dam vs. Randy Orton
Lumberjack Match: Mark Henry vs. Kane
Pudding Match: Candice vs. Melina
Table Match/6-Man Tag Team Match: C.M. Punk, Tommy Dreamer & The Sandman vs. New Breed

Vengeance: Night Of Champions 2007 (Gimmick PPV)

Championship Challenge: John Cena vs. Randy Orton vs. Lashley vs. Mick Foley vs. King Booker

Great American Bash 2007

Cruiserweight Invitational Match: Chavo Guerrero vs. Hornswoggle vs. Jimmy Yang vs. Shannon Moore vs. Funaki vs. Jamie Noble
Bullrope Match: Dusty Rhodes vs. Randy Orton
Singapore Cane On A Pole Match: The Sandman vs. Carlito
Triple Threat Match: Kane vs. Batista vs. The Great Khali

Summer Slam 2007

Triple Threat Match: Mr. Kennedy vs. Umaga vs. Carlito
Women's Battle Royal: Won by Beth Phoenix

Unforgiven 2007

Triple Threat Match: The Great Khali vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Batista

No Mercy 2007

Last Man Standing Match: Triple H vs. Randy Orton
Punjabi Prison Match: Batista vs. The Great Khali
6-Man Tag Team Match: Mr. Kennedy, Cade & Merdock vs. Jeff Hardy, London & Kendrick

 

[Shocky]

It's one (of many) big problems with wrestling today.

Now, I don't mind matches like the Rumble, the Survivor Series, or even the Old War Games. You knew those were coming, and they are/were not over done. They are done once a year, so these matches still have/had some relevance to them. You always knew in the WWE you were getting the Rumble in January, the Survivor Series in November. In WCW it was War Games in the Fall and WW3 in November.

But yes, the gimmick match is destroying wrestling. It's a leftover from the Attitude Era. These matches got introduced and ****ed out in the war, and today, the creative team still feels they draw. They are unneccessary and over kill.

Gimmick matches often are able to make a really bad wrestler look good. Personally, I can watch a good one on one technical match for an hour more then a 4 minute spot fest involving a table or ladder. Hell, I would venture to say out of my own personal top 20 matches or so, I would doubt there are more then two gimmick matches.

Gimmick matches are shit and ruin wrestling in my opinion. It often becomes more about the stipulation then the two guys in the ring.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

What frustrates me the most is PPV's based around gimmicks. One Night Stand this year was entertaining. But there was no normal wrestling in it. That might please the casula fan, or the younger ones. But I'd much rather see just a straight wrestling match.

But what I really hate is Lockdown. On average the matches are pretty solid. But the main event could be the greatest cage match of all time, but you wouldn't notice because you've watched 7 previously. Not only that but certain feuds start in a cage due to that PPV, there's the cage gimmick with another gimmick on top, and you just know there will be another cage match on the next PPV.

 

[Shocky]

Ya that's true. It's why having more then 6 pay per views a year is shit in my opinion. The pay per views this year have been pitiful, and they try to fix them by gimmicking them up to all hell and back.

They are trying to find ways to intice the crowd to buy more pay per views, but why the hell am I going to spend forty dollars on shit. Oh I know, how about a whole pay per view full of bad gimmick matches. Like I said before, some gimmick matches can make a bad wrestler look average, but even then, the person still has flaws.

The WWE honestly has too many pay per views, TNA for as young and small as it is, has way too many pay per views. WCW did the same shit with Uncensored, all gimmick or unsanctioned matches in one night.

You would think with all of these failings and pay per view buy rates going down that, maybe people actually want a good 3 to four month build up between pay per views and keeping the guys away from each other. I would much rather see one match every 3 months between two guys with proper build up then to watch them wrestle 4 months straight on pay per view, but with a shit gimmick match each time. But what do I know, I'm just a member of the IWC.

 

[headake151]

well like some of you said it boils down to the casual fan. People in this forum are not casual fans so it may bother you similar to it also bothering me that pop singers take up 45 minutes of the superbowl. wrestling is a buisness and alot of wrestlers use there wrestling career as a launching pad to other ventures. They need the exposure and gimmick matches have been the way to do it. I mean it would be much easier for someone to tell me who won the last 3 money in the bank matches as opposed to who won the last 3 tag titile matches at wrestlemania. Are they overused? Abolutely. But in order to make guys like batista or khali credible, you have to hide their less than stelar wrestling skills by handing them a chair or locking them in a cage. I personally would love to see a srtraight up classic wrestling match but with no more benoit, angle, rock, ect. its going to be a rareity. I mean i could probably name on one hand the wrestlers capable of a quality, main event wrestling match. There is a reason ECW was so popular before Vince destroyed it.

 

[Banes88]

I don't mind gimmick matches at all. They give the match another feel, because we're stuck with singles matches with no gimmicks every week building up to the Pay-Per-View. And holy hell, after reading through all of those gimmick matches, there hasn't been a Hell In A Cell in over a year!? That's a surprise! haha.

 

[hello]

They are trying to find ways to intice the crowd to buy more pay per views, but why the hell am I going to spend forty dollars on shit. Oh I know, how about a whole pay per view full of bad gimmick matches. Like I said before, some gimmick matches can make a bad wrestler look average, but even then, the person still has flaws.

:

ding ding - winner!

Exactly, this way they can have Cena face khali 3 times at PPVs, and of course Khali is not going over, but WWE can just milk 3 PPV main events out of 1 bullshit match/feud that should be on Raw, if at all.


Its to save a lot of the shitty wrestlers too ( khali ) who cant put on a PPV match, so they have nonsense like punjabi prison, frequent last man standing or no DQ stipulations... so khali and other shitheads like mark henry can have half decent matches instead of having a 20-25 min singles match, which would be a disaster.



Same with the lashley - mcmahons feud, 3 straight PPV matches, all with a slightly different gimmick involving some type of weapons/hardcore crap. Obviously vince isnt going to have an actual match, but this way he can put himself into a gimmick match and it works (although not to say the match is good).

 

[ACTAFOOL]

i love gimmick matches.. i dont know why the IWC hates them but i cant get enough, and i dont consider triple threat or fatal 4 ways gimmick matches

i think there hasnt been enough gimmick matches this year!, now dont get me wrong, i enjoy the singles matches the most, WHEN THE 2 WRESTLERS CAN WRESTLE

anytime there was gonna be a benoit, kurt angle, eddie, mysterio, undertaker, chris jericho, bret hart, sting, HBK, or other great wrestlers in the match, i dont mind if its a normal 1 on 1, cuz i know they will put on a hell of a match

but nowadays the wrestler are so boring that they need gimmick matches, i cant get excited about a batista, randy orton, cena, HHH, or many other main eventers nowadays... cuz i know the match will be.. meh.. average at best

so what if gimmick matches hides how bad a wrestler is? if i had a choice of watching a bad wrestler being entertaining in gimmick matches, then a bad wrestle being simply boring, id choose the gimmick matches... the only company that makes me excited about 1 on 1 matches nowadays, without gimmicks, is TNA, they use a lot of gimmick matches but they dont need it IMO, the roster is talented enough to get me entertained on their own, but WWE really needs help

the only 1 on 1 matches ive enjoyed this year was cena vs HBK, cena vs lashley (i really enjoy lashley) annd... i think thats it lol right now those are the only 2 i can remember when i think about Raw and smackdown... oh but im just talking aobut the main event scene...

 

[ShowTyme]

No I dont think their are too many gimmick matches. Dont get me wrong, im an old school Memphis style kind of guy. But WWE seems to be able to still tell the story of the match while adding in the 'danger' factor that comes with a Hell in a Cell or Elimination Chamber. And at first I was bad mouthing TNA for their weird new matches, but now I admit I enjoy the King of the Mountain match and on occasion the Ultimate X. Not a fan of the reverse battle royal thing though. It just confuses me.

The problem with gimmick matches is, they get more and more dangerous every time. THe wrestlers always try to one up the perevious attempt of the match. Take the Ladder Match for example. I have the WWE Ladder match DVD and when watching them all in order you notice they want to make this one better than all the others. So its either they put on the best show ever, injurying themselves, and if not they almost come off as a disappointment.

But in all, I like gimmick matches. I enjoy a good singles match, and Im a super mark for tag team wrestling (again im a Memphis and Smokey Mountain fan), but the gimmick match can keep things fresh, help push a feud or storyline to another level, or even make a wrestler become a star, like Jeff Hardy much to my shigrin. If it wasnt for the ladder match or his moments from the TLC matches, 80% of those people cheering for him now wouldnt give a damn about him.

 

[Rainbow-Haired-Warrior]

I don't think there are too many gimmick matches. More than half of the ones on your list I don't even consider gimmicks (fatal 4way, triple threat, six man tag, handicap, etc. these don't change the stipulations of the match it just adds participants) and Cyber Sunday, Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, One Night Stand, D2D are all gimmick PPV's. WWE's all about the entertainment aspect of it, and that's why they are where they are at. Most people would rather see Jeff Hardy swanton from the top of a steel cage than Lance Storm expertly apply a hammerlock, they'd rather see The Undertaker chokeslam Mankind through the roof of Hell in a Cell than Ric Flair win with a School boy. Again I'm not knocking "old school" wrestling because I enjoy it too, but most fans get bored with that. Smart business IMHO, otherwise ROH would be where WWE is.

 

[simonhirst]

I think Gimmick matches are matches that should be used at the height of a feud, a decider if u will. But what exactly is a gimmick match? People have different views. Adding people to a match ie fatal four way, triple threat? Extending the length of the match, ie iron man match or 2 out of 3 falls? Or changing the actual structure of how a match finishes, so instead of pinning, you have to escape a cage, bury an opponent, climb a ladder and grab an item? There are more examples that you can think of, i'm sure, but which of these are gimmick matches? Which ones count?
It seems to me that more frequently, gimmick matches are becoming the norm. Therefore, it makes sense that they lose there value? Every PPV there are usually 2 or 3 gimmick matches and as someone said earlier, Cyber Sunday, One night stand, just big gimmick matches. My opinion is this, a gimmick match doesnt lose its value as to how frequently its used, it loses it value as to who wrestles in it, what stage of the feud they are at and how much the fans are in to it.
I think fans have been spoiled on too many needless gimmick matchs and are at a point where one on one matchs dnt have the same appeal as what they used to have. Another mistake that WWE are making on a sidenote is the next generation needs to be feuding with each other. In my opinion, thats kennedy, lashley, CM Punk and MVP. Each of them has there set of fans and giving them long feuds with each other, so both go over and helps to build them to believable main event level. Of course Cena and Orton and Edge are already there, but they needs to build these potential stars. I hope this happens and they use the gimmick matches wisely!

 

[THe WHoLe FuCKiN SHoW]

its hard to sell singles matches if the two guys in them cant wrestle. i mean if they keep pushing their less talented guys and holding back the younger, more technically sound guys like shelton benjamin, no ones gunna wanna watch them. they need the gimmicks to sell the matches and with the way they have rivalries going on for 2,3,4 ppvs in a row nowadays, they gotta keep changing the type of match.

there are bigger problems in wrestling then the overabundance of gimmick matches. but if we continue to see more and more of them i think the matches like cages and ladders are going to begin to loser their prestige, not too mention the writers are gunna start running out of ideas.

 

[Joker ' Ferreira]

IMO gimmicks matches are not as much as important as they were 2 or 3 years ago, I'm not even talking about when it was WWF, because if you see in this perspective WWE 2 or 3 years ago they would hype a great one on one match like for example John Cena vs. Kurt Angle, this was a good match, Kurt was great and Cena had a lot of talent back in the days.

But now if they were using the some guys they would put them in a Street Fight or a Steel Cage Match but they don't need it, I only believe that gimmick matches are important when they are used to end a feud, but even there they may not be used.

I loved WWE when they only had a Chamber, Royal Rumble and Survivor Series gimmick matches, because back then they would hype every single match of the PPV and now, they only hype the main-event.

With all 3-brand PPV's they just suck, we have like 8 title matches and nothing more... who cares? I don't care, if I lived on USA I wouldn't buy any PPV, sometimes RAW is better than this 3-branded PPV's that just suck, ECW Championship... first? What the hell? And they don't have any Tag Team Championship matches, so... imagine if they had...

 

[simonhirst]

some good points about the wrestlers being less talented today. Does that mean the trainers who train this generation of should be superstars are to blame? or are wrestlers not motivated enough? are they paid too much? or maybe too less? do WWE discriminate agenst smaller wrestlers in favour of well build wrestlers with little in ring ability? are gimmick matches too replace the fact the wrestlers inside the squared circle cannot wrestle? do WWE hype up matches wrong/differently than they used to? Do all these questions and more point to why gimmick matches carry less prestige?

Example being, Batista won the World Heavyweight Championship by pinning the Great Khali. They hadn't built up a great feud, then the next thing, they are in a punjabi prison, which i think is little difference to the infamous kennel from hell match.

Another question i shout out, are there too many gimmick matches? By many, i mean too many choices, not too many matches that are gimmicks.

 

[Attack]

I think there should be at least one or two gimmick matches at every pay-per-view, and one every 2-3 weeks on TV.

I mean, yeah, gimmick matches are used quite often, but there are so many different ones. Although some gimmick matches, like the steel cage matches, have been used a bit too much latley, the really good gimmick matches aren't used as frequently, like Hell in a Cell which hasn't been used since Unforgiven 2006, and Ladder Matches which, if i'm not mistaken, hasn't been used since the Hardy's vs WGTT at One Night Stand. So while these Gimmick matches that aren't used as often are better, at least in my opinion, I don't mind if I see a lesser gimmick match a lot.

Besides, if there were absolutely no gimmick matches, wrestling wouldn't gain as many fans or keep the newer fans with nothing but 1 on 1 matches.

 

[My Couch Pulls Out But I Don't]

I know everyone has been knocking gimmick matches and I am sorry to say I do not follow suit. I enjoy gimmick matches. The "Last Man Standing" match between Randy Orton and Triple H was great and kept me on the edge of my seat. The WWE did a great job with such a short time with Cena getting hurt and coming up with that idea. I don't think there is too many as I think they just have a few lame ones and a bunch of crappy wrestlers at the main event level because of injuries. Edge, Lashley, Cena, Undertaker, HBK, Kennedy all being hurt at roughly the same time really hurt the quality of the shows and matches. Losing guys like Benoit, Guerrero, Angle didn't help either. I think they were just trying to do their best until they could get some talent back. Then with the 11 wellness policy suspensions they were put in a tough spot. I enjoyed the 8-Man money in the bank ladder match, I love the Royal Rumble, and would enjoy Survivor Series more if they had full card 5 on 5 elimination matches like the past. I hope they do better now that talent is coming back and get the guys in the right spots on the card. Maybe someday they can revamp the Tag Team Division and actually make it worth something. That would be my biggest concern. Screw the gimmick matches...do something with the division that carried the WWE in the past.

 

[Raven123]

too many gimmick matches maybe 2 or 3 at each PPV but why have 3 last man standing matches in a year, but having annual gimmick matches such as royal rumble, survivor series, hell in a cell & elimination chamber. TNA is worst because in 3 PPVs in a row they had LAX vs 3D in a hardcore match with 3 different names. I'd prefer to watch a solid wrestling match than watch Great Khali vs Batista Punjab Prison!!

 

[FlairFan2003]

Gimmick matches should be held till the end of a big feud, with a lot of build up. They lose their importance and appeal if you have gimmick matches just for the sake of having gimmick matches. The old NWA circa 1980's had the best mix of wrestlers who could perform great wrestling matches with athleticism and story telling aspects as well as great gimmick matches. The old NWA Steel Cage matches were bloody brutal, far more intense than anything WWE did. Today's Hell In A Cell is the off-shoot of those old cage matches. The old NWA also gave us barbed wire fence matches, scaffold matches, Texas Death and Texas Bullrope matches (as well as the related Russian Chain and Indian Strap matches), and some brutal I Quit matches. You had to be "hard core" to so a lot of that stuff. They didn't over do it however and usually saved them for their biggest fueds, usually near the end. They also gave plenty of 45 and 60 minute classic wrestling matches and some of the best tag team wrestling of all time. The original War Games match was created around this time and stands today as the fore runner to the Elimination Chamber.

If you run gimmick matches constantly or you use them excessively on mid card matches they lose their importance, which makes it that much tougher to sell your top matches to the buying public.

 

[Dj Martyn]

There is alot of nonsense with Gimmick matches nowadays... alot of people have raised the point about using them to end feuds or to heighten the stakes, and that essentially is the use...a cage was introduced to keep people in the ring...street fights were because both people kept using weapons, so now it was legal...Ladder matches were a way to up the stakes because they had exhausted there normal in ring work. What i am getting at is all gimmick matches at one point or another had a purpose...up until about 5/6 years ago.

WWE started the trend of promoting and really hyping nonsense gimmick matches such as pink slip on a poll matches...bra and panties....matches...hair vs hair....pillow fights...chocolate pudding...arm wrestling contests....spin the wheel make the deal.....dumpster matches...ambulance matches....and so on....altho WWE is not to blame for all of these tragic matches...because WCW did its fair share back in the day....and TNA is doing it on and off now...with electric cage matches....reverse battle royals...etc.

But for me the biggest bag of crap, when it comes to gimmick matches is.....wait for it.....The 90 million different names they come up with for a No Dq match....its just a No Dq match or if you prefer...a streetfight...you dont need to dress up the ring in themed gear...set it in a bar...a parking lot....a boiler room....grrrrr.

For me gimmick matches should be kept to one per PPV and they should keep it simple...promote it for what it is....no dq.. a cage... ladder...strap match....keep it simple and do it for a reason....

 

[Agrex]

Like DJ Martin said there are very ******ed gimmick matches (for exapmle the [...] on a Pole Match, Blindfold Match...etc). There are so many names for one gimmick match. Like the No DQ match it has 6 different names: Street Fight, No Holds Barred, Bar Room Brawl, Parking Lot Brawl and Hardcore Match. Another example is the Casket Match: Ambulance Match, Stretcher Match, and Dumpster Match. WWE is really going to hell with their gimmick matches, there are so many different gimmick matches in one PPV. The only gimmick matches that still have some prestige are the Hell in a Cell, Elimination Chamber, and Royal Rumble. So to answer the question in the thread, yes there are too many gimmick matches.

 

[simonhirst]

Alot of people on this thread from what i've read have said they think there are too many gimmick matches nowadays which i agree with.

USA Network are reported to be pressuring WWE to boost its ratings and WWE seem to think having more gimmick matches. Now i know its a game and probably shouldnt be compared with real life, but the general manager option on smackdown vs raw, if u place a wrestler in a gimmick match, cant remember the name for it, but his 'fatigue' i think it is increases and hes more vunerable to injury. So due to pressure to boost ratings, are wrestlers more vunerable to injury after being placed too many gimmick matches.

I also agree with the comment that a gimmick match at the end of a well run feud makes the feud much more memorable due to it likely being a bloody encounter.

Thoughts on network channels being to blame? It's just a theory, so no abuse!

 

[Agrex]

Alot of people on this thread from what i've read have said they think there are too many gimmick matches nowadays which i agree with.

USA Network are reported to be pressuring WWE to boost its ratings and WWE seem to think having more gimmick matches. Now i know its a game and probably shouldnt be compared with real life, but the general manager option on smackdown vs raw, if u place a wrestler in a gimmick match, cant remember the name for it, but his 'fatigue' i think it is increases and hes more vunerable to injury. So due to pressure to boost ratings, are wrestlers more vunerable to injury after being placed too many gimmick matches.

I also agree with the comment that a gimmick match at the end of a well run feud makes the feud much more memorable due to it likely being a bloody encounter.

Thoughts on network channels being to blame? It's just a theory, so no abuse!

Sure that's a good thing, but WWE is pushing for one in every feud. For exmaple Umaga and Triple H already had a few gimmick matches, same with Rey and Finaly (only one so far). It would be great if after an amzing feud WWE tops it off with a well done gimmick match. The problem is WWE thinks that they should do one in the middle of the feud and that kills it. The gimmick match at the end should be awarded to a good feud not to some shit filler feud.

 

[shodokan123]

so... 90% of all matches in TNA ppv's over the past 2 years have been gimmick matches as well.

also, i agree gimmick matches should END feuds.