Why can't foreigners get over?

[PsychoBlack]

I am not speaking about Canadians or Mexicans or any country that is part of North America for that matter.

With that being said why have there been so few foreign born guys who were actually over enough to be put into the main event scene in the top American promotions? Right now there is Wade Barret and Sheamus they happen to be the first in quite some time to reach this status. The WWE and TNA have had many great foreign Talents pass through over the years but very few if any have made it to the top of the company can someone please explain to me why these stars have not gotten over and who you thought deserved to be over.

 

[harrythem]

It doesn't help that, until recently, the wrestlers from England haven't had the qualities to become main event guys (Bulldog was close but, my god, was he a dreadful interview or what)


As an Englishman I'll give my take on why the English never get to the top. A lot of it has to do with Americans being unable to relate to them in any way. The typical American view of the English is the tea and crumpet brigade with posh voices. That's not a real Englishman (in general) and, to portray that on TV, means the English wrestler is having to hide who he really is which, in turn, lessens his bond with the English fans and takes away one of the biggest selling points they have (see British Bulldog back in 92. Wembley Stadium sold out specifically for his IC title match. It was the last match of the night live, it was that important to us English)

I'd say Desmond Wolfe deserves a chance to main event as, imo, he comes across as a real English-man. None of that fancy voices shite, none of the poshness you usually see in English wrestlers in America. It seems that TNA has seen a few Guy Richie films and let Desmond use that as a template for his character

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

I think its gotta do something with stereotyping foreigners. Harrythem gave a good example about how the British are stereotyped. Its the same way with the Japanese wrestlers. A good example of this is Kenzo Suzuki. I hear he generates very good heat in the AAA promotion he currently wrestles in. The thing is that most American promoters concentrate on the nationalities of these guys when the come up with gimmicks for them without taking into account the other abilities that they might have.

 

[rge2010]

You are probably right about Sheamus and Wade Barret been the first Europeans in a while to get over. Regal has had moderate success, Bulldog did ok too. Santino seems pretty over with the crowd, but he is a long way off main event status. Khali, Kozlov, Yoshi are all much of a muchness really.

The Iron Sheik was a decent "import" though. But he is going way back.

Agree about Desmond Wolfe. He would work great with someone like Wade Barret in a British stable. I also think that someone like Magnus in TNA would do ok in WWE. Aswell as Drew McIntyre has anyway.

 

[Dagger Dias]

It has nothing to do with being foreign. People, if someone cannot get over then it's because he sucks. If an American sucks, he will not get over. If a Canadian sucks, he will not get over. If an African sucks, he cannot get over. Do you understand it now? Them being foreign has nothing to do with it. Wade Barret and Sheamus aren't over due to being foreign. They are over because they don't suck and the fans like seeing them wrestle. It's not complicated, guys.

 

[Klown_Karnage]

In response to Dagger Dias, I will say that I can see your point in that, if a wrestler sucks he won't get over. I do have to say, however, that I disagree with the statement "it has nothing to do with being foreign." Every aspect of a wrestler, including his nationality, factors in to his popularity with the crowd. Just about every wrestling promotion knows this and plays it to the nines as, after all, wrestling is a game of stereotypes.

The most popular, or at least the most famous, of wrestlers have been larger-than-life personalities with everything factoring in to a "gimmick". Anybody who has a slightly different appearance or accent is going to have this factored into his gimmick. We've seen this time and time again. Wrestlers have been encouraged to stretch their accents, wear their national colors, and play to American-Made stereotypes just to get to perform. One doesn't even have to be foreign per se. Having a different skin-tone is enough. Just look at Cryme Tyme. Also, look at how Jimmy Wang Yang was buried for (I think) being untrue to the usual Asian stereotype. The "Asian Redneck" thing was too "inauthentic" for the stereotype-driven audience. (I'll admit that his being a cruserweight had something to do with it, but still.)

There's another factor to be considered here, however. In the American media, particularly in an environment like professional wrestling, there is a tendency for patriotism for patriotism's sake. In short "we're America, we're the best, nyah-nyah-nyah!" The premiere professional wrestling company world wide (so far as I know) is American owned. Therefore, any dominant foreigner is going to be cast as the bad guy, at least to start. The WWE in particular has always liked to feud American good-guys vs. foreign bad-guys, and when the bad guys go good, they tend to get themselves "Americanized".

I'm certain there are other factors in everyone who gets over, but the fact is that if you "aren't from around here" you'll have to work a lot harder to get over with the crowd, and the company is usually against you getting over as anything but a heel.

 

[Dagger Dias]

In response to Dagger Dias, I will say that I can see your point in that, if a wrestler sucks he won't get over. I do have to say, however, that I disagree with the statement "it has nothing to do with being foreign." Every aspect of a wrestler, including his nationality, factors in to his popularity with the crowd. Just about every wrestling promotion knows this and plays it to the nines as, after all, wrestling is a game of stereotypes.

Yes, but stereotype or not, if someone sucks then they won't get over. There is no getting past that.

The most popular, or at least the most famous, of wrestlers have been larger-than-life personalities with everything factoring in to a "gimmick". Anybody who has a slightly different appearance or accent is going to have this factored into his gimmick. We've seen this time and time again. Wrestlers have been encouraged to stretch their accents, wear their national colors, and play to American-Made stereotypes just to get to perform. One doesn't even have to be foreign per se. Having a different skin-tone is enough. Just look at Cryme Tyme. Also, look at how Jimmy Wang Yang was buried for (I think) being untrue to the usual Asian stereotype. The "Asian Redneck" thing was too "inauthentic" for the stereotype-driven audience. (I'll admit that his being a cruserweight had something to do with it, but still.)

They are in an American organization run by individuals who think that those stereotypes are "funny" or "entertaining". In rare instances they are, when the right guy is given the right gimmick. If they are talented enough then they will still make it even if they are a foreigner who is stuck in a gimmick that stereotypes his people. As for Cryme Tyme and Jimmy Wang Yang.... They didn't make it because, quite frankly, they sucked. It's blunt but true.

There's another factor to be considered here, however. In the American media, particularly in an environment like professional wrestling, there is a tendency for patriotism for patriotism's sake. In short "we're America, we're the best, nyah-nyah-nyah!" The premiere professional wrestling company world wide (so far as I know) is American owned. Therefore, any dominant foreigner is going to be cast as the bad guy, at least to start. The WWE in particular has always liked to feud American good-guys vs. foreign bad-guys, and when the bad guys go good, they tend to get themselves "Americanized".

Things like that are going to happen. The WWE is American, and so are the majority of its fans. They cast American wrestlers as faces against a foreign heel because that formula has worked for decades. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Some of those foreign heels went on to still make it later on and they had what it took, they were good enough. Then there are those who, as I said before, just flat out sucked and were never going to get over. That's why they got fed to a top face and then future endeavoured.

I'm certain there are other factors in everyone who gets over, but the fact is that if you "aren't from around here" you'll have to work a lot harder to get over with the crowd, and the company is usually against you getting over as anything but a heel.

Sometimes that's true, but it still comes back to the fact that if the foreigners are good enough then they will still make it. Not all fans are dumb enough to dislike someone just because "they are from another country". Granted, some fans like that do exist.... but it always comes back to if the wrestler is gifted in the ring and on the mic, or not. Those who suck will always get weeded out. Foreigners are a minority on the roster in WWE alongside a lot of American wrestlers. Few guys get pushed beyond the midcard to begin with, regardless of their nationality. It just seems like the foreigners have to work harder due to there not being as many of them to have succeeded or not.