Ranking The Top 20 Best Characters, Gimmicks In Wrestling

7. Velveteen Dream: WWE NXT

I almost guarantee that Velveteen Dream will be No. 1 on this list by this time next year, and I will listen to any argument that puts him in the top three among the best wrestling gimmicks today. The Velveteen Dream exudes pure excellence, and his feud with Aleister Black was easily one of the best in the world in 2017. Their final match at NXT TakeOver: WarGames was a sight to behold, and it was a clinic in character work. Black and Dream couldn’t be more opposite, and that’s why they produced a match for the ages.

A cross between Prince and Rick Rude, Velveteen Dream’s finisher is aptly named “The Purple Rainmaker”, and he is as dazzling inside the ring as he is outside of it. His whole “Say My Name” storyline with Black fit his character perfectly, and few superstars are as self-absorbed as he is.

The Velveteen Dream is both flamboyant and dark, and it’s that combination of character traits that leaves the audience wanting more. Few wrestlers are as exciting as he is, and it’s almost hard to believe that he’s just 22 years old.

For an example of his brilliance, check out his interruption of a Shinsuke Nakamura promo. And yes, his outfit is as perfect as ever. As he says, he can show you better than he can tell you, and he’ll do it while slowly taking off his earrings.