Wrestlers based on real people or pop culture icons.

[Dr. Mantis Toboggan, M.D.]

John Cena is like Superman, or a modern day version of Hulk Hogan.

1) Cena & Hogan both have less than five moves.
2) Both cut crappy, nonsensical promos
3) Both cater to children and are goody-two shoe characters.
4) Both wear loud, gaudy clothing
5) Both overcome their opponent, again and again, main event all the time.
6) The belt gets put on them all the time, even when it is someone else's time
(e.g. Hogan stealing Bret's spotlight at WM9, Cena numerous times).
7) In both cases, Vince was reluctant to turn them heel.
(Hogan had to go to WCW to go heel, and then came back to WWE as a heel, but turned face again soon after).

Oh shut up don't try and turn this into a space to vent your Cena frustrations.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

Demolition = Lord Humungus from The Road Warrior

Speaking of the Road Warriors.

You'll never guess which movie this guy is from.

 

[d_henderson1810]

Oh shut up don't try and turn this into a space to vent your Cena frustrations.

I'm actually being sarcastic, and pointing out how those who hate Cena didn't seem to mind when Hulk Hogan did exactly the same thing.

I think if Cena was around in the 80's, or Hogan was Cena's age and wrestling in today's WWE, they are both be looked at differently.

 

[ABMorales787]

John Cena is like Superman, or a modern day version of Hulk Hogan.

1) Cena & Hogan both have less than five moves.
2) Both cut crappy, nonsensical promos
3) Both cater to children and are goody-two shoe characters.
4) Both wear loud, gaudy clothing
5) Both overcome their opponent, again and again, main event all the time.
6) The belt gets put on them all the time, even when it is someone else's time
(e.g. Hogan stealing Bret's spotlight at WM9, Cena numerous times).
7) In both cases, Vince was reluctant to turn them heel.
(Hogan had to go to WCW to go heel, and then came back to WWE as a heel, but turned face again soon after).

You forgot "huge money makers".

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Weren't The Dudleyz based on characters from the movie "Slapshot". I've never seen it but sure I've heard/read that somewhere before.

 

[Chrome]

Who can forget these gems!

Mortal Kombat SubZero

Mortis was another inspired Mortal Kombat Character.. Reptile

He was Arachnaman........ gee I wonder what Superhero he wanted to be

Who can forget Ernest The Cat Miller's James Brown influence

 

[Chrome]

Independent wrestling superstar Player Uno has wrestled around the world making a name for himself with his videogame inspired character. He’s wrestled for Chikara, Ring Of Honor, Dragon Gate USA and Pro Wrestling Guerilla and taken his love for games and crafted a character from it.
Player Uno has had gear inspired by Mario, Luigi and Wario along with wearing NES and SNES colour themed tights. He is also in a tag team called The Super Smash Brothers with Player Dos, naturally. His love for videogames shines through out the gimmick and while he isn’t specifically ripping anything off his influences are ridiculously obvious.
His list of finishers is further evidence of his fascination, since it includes moves called the Bubble Bobble Buster and the Dig Dug Driver.

[youtube]otiizmbUY20[/youtube][youtube]ScHUX1ojyF8[/youtube]

I can't believe it hasn't been mentioned yet..

Both Kofi Kingston and MVP have stated in interviews that they have been influenced by Eddy Gordo from the Tekken series, but it is Kofi Kingston who probably has the most in common with Tekken’s Brazilian Capoeira artist.
Similarities between the two lie in their laid back style, as well as the obvious visual comparisons of both having dread locks and wearing colourful outfits and of course the high flying, athleticism.
Kingston has said that “it’s characters like that that I like to take from because of how they stand out.” You can certainly see the influence of Gordo on Kingston, from his spinning kick finishing move the Trouble In Paradise to his signature move the SOS.

Sure, before Vladimir Kozlov the insanely muscular, dominant specimen from Russia was pretty common in wrestling, – even the character of Zangief was inspired by a wrestler with the same name – but Kozlov shared many similarities with Zangief from the Street Fighter games.
Kozlov debuted and ascended through the ranks in WWE earning a title shot incredibly quickly. His slow, plodding, brute force style of grappling was reminiscent of The Red Cyclone, a hulking embodiment of pure Russian power, and his stalking around the ring, was incredibly similar to Street Fighters’ resident grappler.

 

[Wolf Pac]

Magnum TA - Magnum PI
Oz - Wizard Of Oz
Johnny B Badd - Little Richard
Seven - The Strangers from Dark City

Wasn't Repo Man based on the Repo Man film starring Emilio Estevez?

 

[Hit with Dirty Deeds]

jay lethal..macho man tribute
Kiss demon...KISS
Triple H as Conan at WrestleMania
Rey Misterio has dressed as Joker, the phantom, avatar.
BattleKat
And is it just me or does Jushin " Thunder " Liger remind anyone else of a Power Ranger?

 

[BaconBits]

ECW Taz was based on various mixed martial artists.

 

[Dirk]

Now we can add Russel Brand to this list

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

 

[Uncle Sam]

 

[Slash-LN]

And is it just me or does Jushin " Thunder " Liger remind anyone else of a Power Ranger?

He was based off an anime character.

Apparently, Doink was first proposed as an idea by Road Warrior Hawk and based off Krusty from The Simpsons. I can't remember which shoot I caught that from.

Steve Austin's podcast with Bruce Prichard possibly?

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

Steve Austin's podcast with Bruce Prichard possibly?

Phhhh, it's lost into the ether now.

 

[The Butcher]

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

If this isn't the best gif in the post-Serious Jones era, point me to it.