15. Thurman ‘Sparky’ Plugg
The man later known as Hardcore Holly was given a terrible ring name at first. Back when WWE was obsessed with gimmicks based on other careers, Bob Howard was re-named ‘Thurman ‘Sparky’ Plugg’, based on his second career as a racecar driver.
The name and accompanying gimmick were horrible from the very beginning. ‘Thurman’ had cheesy catchphrases that were meant to make him overtly kid-friendly, taking away and image of badassery or toughness he might’ve had.
You could tell that Holly was uncomfortable playing the phony character from the moment it debuted. Holly had spent years up to that point working hard to become a top pro wrestler, and his big break with WWE required him to play a racecar driver. Worse, it was one that had the mentality of John Cena’s on-screen character, which only amplified the character’s inherent cheesiness.
Thankfully, he was later renamed ‘Hardcore Holly’ and developed a reputation for legitimate toughness, which saved his career from being a complete flop. Nowadays, Holly’s known for being a no-nonsense, stiff-as-hell fighter that demands respect. That personality, which isn’t even a real gimmick, is much more appropriate for the squared circle than a racecar driver.