Wrestling gimmicks can be a funny thing. It’s amazing, some of the things that have worked over the years. Goldust is a prime example. When he debuted it was something we as fans hadn’t really seen before. The wig, the full body suit, the suggestive mannerisms. In the 1980s there were guys like Adrian Adonis but this was still something else, especially for a pre-Attitude Era audience. And maybe that’s why it worked, the shock value.
New Gimmicks Needed
Yet on the flip side, there are some gimmicks that have not worked despite seeming like all of the puzzle pieces were there. Sean O’Haire comes to mind with his Devil’s advocate gimmick from 2003. I was a big fan of that gimmick and thought it had some real potential. O’Haire may not have been the best in the ring, but he was a decent worker, yet the gimmick never took off. It’s unfortunate but it happens.
A lot of the time it’s not so much about what the gimmick is, as the timing. What’s going on in the landscape of a company when a certain gimmick is introduced. There have been many gimmicks that seemed shocking, but if they debuted in ECW or the Attitude Era, may have come off as dull or just gotten lost in the shuffle of outrageous gimmicks. Timing can be very important and as such, time can change. What’s popular one day may not be popular the next. That’s what disappoints me about a lot of wrestlers right now. It’s the same note from the same instrument. I know some guys are stuck at the whim of the bosses, but it would be nice if they could play something new.
The Miz is the first person I think of who is in need of a makeover. He’s been spinning his wheels for nearly three years. Initially I didn’t have faith in Miz but I really liked his run as WWE champion. I don’t know if he stepped on the wrong toes or was being punished but upon losing the title his stock seemed to really drop in WWE. Here we are two and a half years later and seemingly nothing has changed. He can’t even decide if he wants to be heel or babyface. One thing he is not though, is “awesome”. He isn’t “must see” either. And that’s unfortunate. As I said, I enjoyed his WWE championship run. He had intensity that seems to be lacking now. Even aside from that, my biggest problem is it’s the same old thing we have seen from him for years. His biggest change has been adopting the figure four leglock, but it seems out of place. Like it isn’t a good fit as a move for him. Start by picking a side, heel or face. I say heel because he’s proven he’s much better at getting a crowd to hate him than love him. Then find something different, it doesn’t need to be outrageous or completely over the top, but something new, and commit to it. Miz just seems like he is stuck, like he doesn’t know what he wants.
Sheamus is another one who could use a change. I know, he’s still over with fans, especially with kids, and he just came back but that’s my point. Maybe it was my expectations getting the better of me but I was expecting something new from the Celtic Warrior upon his return to in-ring action. Even a new move added to his repertoire would have freshened things up. Instead we have the same brawny ginger kicking people around. It works for now but I see it getting old sooner rather than later.
When I look at chameleons, guys who can change things up and have worked well with gimmick changes I look no further than Chris Jericho. I’ll admit I am a self-admitted certified Jericho-holic so singing the praises of Y2J isn’t difficult, but look at his work over the last five to ten years. He rocked the suits with a condescending attitude. He came back with possibly the coolest entrance attire ever worn with that light up jacket. He switched from long tights to traditional trunks. He began using new maneuvers like the Code Breaker. He even had a brief period where he didn’t utter a single word to crowds for weeks. Yes, some of these are subtle differences but they all kept things fresh and new.
An example of a younger worker using gimmick changes well is Cody Rhodes. After the Legacy dissolved he went to “Dashing” Cody Rhodes, a man obsessed with his appearance and giving beauty tips, then to the opposite, a man who felt he was hideous, wearing a protective mask and speaking in a cadence that could be described as chilling. After that, instead of going back to “dashing” he started on something new which turned into his partnership with Damien Sandow as Team Rhodes Scholars, and when that ended he made a face turn and all of this has been in the span of only a few years. Each gimmick worked so well. Yes “Dashing” Cody Rhodes was a little silly, but he committed to it and that is what sold it.
Some men who don’t need a change. Rey Mysterio, John Cena, Mark Henry (who has suffered through gimmick hell in the past) have all been doing the same thing for years, and each one does it well, but not everyone can work the same gimmick for their whole career. Alberto Del Rio could use something new. R-Truth, Curtis Axel, Dolph Ziggler, all the members of 3MB. There are tons of guys who could use something new. So my question to you is, who do you think needs a gimmick makeover? Let us know, use the hashtag #LWOS.
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