These days, match quality matters more than ever in professional wrestling, but no fan can truly get invested into a match if the characters aren’t either relatable or unique. Although wrestling outside of WWE gets a bad rap for being less focused on characters, hopefully this list convinces you that this simply is not the case.
Professional wrestlers have to accomplish some incredibly difficult feats of athleticism inside of the ring. Top-rope hurricanranas, standing shooting star presses, and effective chain wrestling aren’t easy, yet these talented women and men must make it look smooth.
In addition to this, wrestlers must also craft a character for themselves, and they must make every effort to protect this character at all costs. Could you imagine what would happen if the Undertaker started cracking weird jokes, or if The New Day stopped cracking weird jokes? How far would Dusty Rhodes have gotten in his career without the impassioned promos and his ability to connect with literally every single member of the audience?
Characters matter, and most characters come with a gimmick. Whether that’s the Undertaker as a “Dead Man” or Dusty as, well, an “Every Man”, gimmicks make it easier for the audience to sense a character. Some of the gimmicks on this list of 20 are more subtle than others, but all of these characters are able to effectively draw in the audience.
This list includes wrestlers in WWE, Impact, Ring of Honor, NJPW, PROGRESS and other promotions throughout the world. Because wrestling isn’t just about the WWE, and some of the best characters exist outside of the publicly-traded juggernaut.
There were several talented wrestlers, such as Maxwell Jacob Feinstein and Candice LeRae, who were left off of the list, and I won’t pretend like it was easy to narrow it down to 20 – let alone sort them in order.
20. Sami Calliham: Impact, NJPW, Basically Everywhere
Who doesn’t love an intense promo? I mean, duh, it sure beats listening to someone robotically read rehearsed retorts to an apathetic crowd.
When you listen to Sami Callihan’s apologetic promos, you can’t help but feel the rage pulsating through his vocal cords as he literally spits out vitriol directed towards his competitors. Callihan has been a star in the business for years, busting his butt in CZW, Impact, NJPW, WWE, PWG, and Lucha Underground during his career.
Callihan, who once went by the moniker “Cannonball Sami”, was told to stop kissing wrestlers in the ring, which was one of his ways of getting in the heads of opposing wrestlers.
So what is Callihan’s character, exactly? He’s basically just a crazy, disturbed individual who yells at the top of his lungs, screws with his competitors, and antagonizes himself to the higher-ups of the companies he works at. Callihan gets compared to Dean Ambrose’s Indy character (Jon Moxley), but he is probably even more intense promo-wise.
Don’t believe me? Listen to this (NSFW language warning!) incredible diatribe, which includes burials of Lucha Underground and NXT, as well as the exclamation, “Independent wrestling runs through me!”
As Jeremiah Crane in Lucha Underground, he was a maniac who enjoyed nothing more than “getting paid for hurting people” and who didn’t mind getting hurt himself. Pretty bad-ass, huh?
Ever want a convincing anti-authority heel? Callihan is your man. And to think Triple H let this guy slip through his grasp…
19. Toni Storm: Stardom and Progress
It’s a shame we didn’t get a Toni Storm vs. Kairi Sane matchup in the finals of the Mae Young Classic, but we all understand why Shayna Baszler was chosen for that spot. Instead, we did get a match between Storm and Sane in the semifinals, and it was brilliant.
You see, Storm is one of the best women’s wrestlers in the world today, which is why she the Stardom world champ and the Progress women’s champion.
There are so many wrestlers in big promotions who could only dream of having an ounce of Storm’s charisma, because there is never a dull moment in any of her matches. Storm uses so many creative taunts, winks, or other quirks to show this magnetic swagger that makes her must-see.
Whether she’s wearing a top hat, mocking her opponent, or acting like a rockstar, Storm is everyone’s favorite cocky babyface (or heel). She’s tough, she’s unapologetic, but she’s still likable. And yet, if she needs to get heat, she can use those same traits to play the villain.
It isn’t easy to pull off the 80’s rockstar gimmick (there are a couple of people in WWE who have failed pretty hard at that), but Storm does it perfectly by not making it in-your-face. The only thing that’s in your face is her, which is never a problem with someone as naturally talented as she is.
If you want to see how good her actual wrestling is, just check out her matches with Kay Lee Ray in either Stardom or Progress. Because they’re bloody brilliant. Oh, and she’s had some great work with Io Shirai.
18. Flash Morgan Webster: Progress
If you want to keep your eyes out for someone who could be a rising star in 2018, check out Flash Morgan Webster, whose “Modfather” gimmick is one of the most intriguing on the United Kingdom pro wrestling scene. And that’s no short feat, because the UK is basically the home to the most intricate or creative gimmicks in wrestling today.
Flash Morgan is a rebel, and he’s one of those guys who lives his character. He always seems like he’s on the cusp of insanity, as evidenced by this segment in which he slowly loosens his shirt and tie before choking out the man interviewing him.
Or how about this “Love will tear us apart” promo? Flash Morgan’s delivery is always chilling, and he could become one of the most compelling heels on the independent wrestling scene. His work has already improved by leaps and bounds this year.
His whole 60’s mod, British subculture gimmick works, and it’s helped him get over. But what’s more impressive is, again, the delivery of his promos. He talks about fashion in a way that mirrors mod subculture, and he talks about his opponents and the fans in the way an easy-to-hate heel should. The man is a loose cannon, and he is indeed on the rise.
And if you want to talk about slow-burn story-telling? Check out his promos following his injury that led to his heel turn. This is how you build an effective character, and it’s no wonder why he’s one of the best heels on the independent scene today.
17. Chuck Taylor: Ring of Honor
If this were a ranking of the top 20 funniest people in wrestling today, Chuck Taylor would be several spots higher on this list. Heck, he might even be No. 1, especially if he keeps stealing the show whenever he’s on “Being The Elite”.
Taylor is the guy who once refused to fight Candice LeRae, then came back dressed in drag. He’s a guy who (jokingly and in-character, mind you) threatened to kill some kid heckling him in the audience. And how can you forget about his silly “grenade spot”?
Lines, you say? Well, Taylor has always made sure to cross them, regardless of which wrestling promotion he shows up in or who his tag team partner is.
Currently, Taylor is one of the biggest attractions and best characters in Ring of Honor, and the former CHIKARA star is as funny as ever. Oh, and he’s also quite savage on social media.
A legitimately great wrestler who has put on some incredible tag matches in Ring of Honor and NJPW, as well as plenty of good matches in PWG as a former champion, Taylor is more than just a comedy act. But by God, are his comedy chops sensational.
And no, he isn’t killing the business. In fact, he’s an example of how the business is thriving, because he can either put on a four-star match with Ricochet or make any audience laugh their asses off at his antics.
16. Mil Muertes: Lucha Underground
Lucha Underground is home to some of the darkest and most sophisticated characters in wrestling, and we can only wait in anticipation for the next season of the promotion. But until then, all we can do is discuss some of the great characters and gimmicks that this show has given us, such as Mil Muertes.
Compared frequently to the Undertaker because of his own “dead man” gimmick, Muertes is seen by many as Lucha Underground’s most engaging character. He is an absolute monster, and his possessed character has that “cool” factor.
Muertes puts people in caskets, throws them from heights, and simply bruises and batters his opponents. He has no weaknesses and no soul. The man was built to inflict absolute carnage, and that’s exactly what he does. It’s no wonder why he’s one of the most popular characters in wrestling, and there’s something about him that’s even more mystical than ‘Taker. Perhaps, Muertes’s character feels more ethereal, or perhaps it is his partnership with the dastardly Catrina.
Whatever the case, Muertes is vengeful, intimidating, and impervious to his opponent’s attacks. It would have been easy for LU to tread too far into “Taker knock-off” territory, but Mil Muertes is different and, if I can admit this, feels far, far less “hokey” and far more intimidating.
15. Pete Dunne: WWE UK, Others
Although Pete Dunne isn’t known for his promo work, he is low-key one of the best characters in all of wrestling right now, because he absolutely nails his gimmick. He’s just a guy who is out there to inflict punishment, and he’s very much no-nonsense. Nothing he does in the ring is superfluous, despite the fact that it’s breath-taking.
Dunne’s manipulation of his opponent’s fingers and extremities is a sight to behold, as is his entrance. The little touches he has, such as putting his fist to his face or holding the title in between his teeth, just add to his character. Simply put, Dunne is there to fight, and he isn’t about to take any prisoners – or make any apologies for who he hurts.
No-nonsense characters with little fluff tend to get over, and Dunne is one of those guys who lets his character shine in the ring. Again, everything he does is true to his identity as a “Bruiserweight”
There’s no doubt that Dunne is a shining example of how important it is to commit to a character, and the respect he has from the fans just reflects this. His character could easily be too “Evil British Schoolboy” (I’ve seen some Draco Malfoy comparisons), but it’s dastardly enough to be more “villainous” than “edgy”. And that’s a credit to Dunne.
14. King Cuerno: Lucha Underground
Randy Orton is “The Viper”, and he often talks about stalking his prey. But if you want to look for a real hunter in wrestling, look no further than King Cuerno. Like Zaroff in The Most Dangerous Game, King Cuerno hunts people, and he’s damn good at it. His feud with Mil Muertes remains one of the best programs I’ve seen in wrestling, and it’s an example of how two special, well-defined characters can create a story for the ages.
“A ladder match is perfect for me, because you are only giving me more weapons to kill my prey.”
Cuerno finished that line with a clap of his hands, emphasizing the simplicity of his logic, as well as the fact that his opponent wrote his own death sentence. The way Cuerno talks about how he’s going to “kill” his opponents, the way he talks about his plans, and the way he talks about his desire to be a “god” and not just a hunter all fill the framework of the character he’s created.
All of his metaphors about hunting and it being a “game” both feed into his character and the way he talks about his wrestling style. He puts over his finisher has being impossible to stop, making it the ultimate weapon in his arsenal as a hunter.
There’s simply nothing like King Cuerno’s “hunter” gimmick, and it’s the perfect way to weave metaphors into his promos. It also makes every story he’s involved in interesting, because it’s just so different from everything else out there.
13. Eli Drake: Impact
You can’t name many people in wrestling who are better at cutting a promo than Eli Drake, because so much of Impact Wrestling’s shows revolve around his work as a talker. Drake is the current Impact Global Champion, and his whole “Dummy, Yeah!” catchphrase is perfect. He’s one of those guys who has the crowd in the palm of his hands, and he’s also one of those guys who sounds like he believes every word he says. So you believe it.
There are so many heels in wrestling who come off as jerks, but they just aren’t able to make logical sense, so the fans don’t take them seriously. Or when they get heat, it’s cheap heat. Drake can get legit heat, get any babyface in a feud over, and make any random backstage segment high-quality television.
Impact Wrestling gets a lot of flak from fans, but even the most ardent haters of the product can’t diss Drake. Like Kevin Owens, Drake’s insults and reasoning make you think, “Wow, that guy is a savage…and he might have a point!”
Drake is the type of guy Impact should be building their entire brand around, because he’s one of the few people in wrestling today who makes you hang on his every word. His “Fact of Life” show is also money, and who can forget the time he seemed to channel “Stone Cold” in a wonderful promo on Ethan Carter III?
In a way, Drake is Impact’s answer to The Miz, and he’s quite honestly a less repetitive promo. (He isn’t as crisp of a worker, but that’s a discussion for another time.)
The guy can cut a promo on anything, and it feels fresh every time. And yet, you can’t help but hate the guy, because he’s such a jerk.
12. Aleister Black: WWE NXT
“No man is ever truly good, no man is every truly evil. I’ll do the things you’ve never done. And we will never be equal.”
I’m a downright sucker for a professional wrestler embodying their theme song, and I’m not just talking about Roderick Strong naming his finisher after Killswitch Engage’s “End of Heartache”.
Aleister Black lies somewhere in the realm between good and evil, to the point where it is impossible to tell who is the babyface or the heel in his matches. For example, his incredible “Feud of the Year” candidate program with Velveteen Dream featured a storyline in which the Velveteen Dream, who will make an appearance in the top ten of this list, wanted Black’s acknowledgment.
He went through every tactic in the book, such as ambushing either Black or Black’s opponent that taping, to get recognition. In the end, Black said, “Enjoy infamy, Velveteen Dream,” and Dream was absolutely on “Cloud Nine” following the match despite the loss.
The aura around Black goes beyond just his theme song. He’s smooth in the ring, his entrance is wonderful, and his down-to-earth character is something that members of the audience can relate to. He lets his smooth yet hard-hitting style to the talking for him, as he tends to focus more on being a competitor than glitz and glamor. And hey, that juxtaposition between he and the Velveteen Dream helped make that feud memorable.
Personally, I’m not one of Black’s biggest fans compared to others, but even I can see just how special his gimmick is. He’s dark and sinister, but he’s also calm and reflective. Black is his own man, and no single label can adequately describe his place on NXT.
That, my friends, is the power of a nuanced – but wonderfully basic – character.
11. Joe Hendry: WCPW, ICW, Elsewhere In The UK
There are so many good arrogant heels in wrestling today, but it’s hard to think of someone who fills this role more perfectly than Joe Hendry. The self-proclaimed “Local Hero”, Hendry once cut a scathing promo on ICW fans, explaining why he refers to himself by that moniker before essentially turning his back on the fans.
In WCPW, the story Hendry told with Martin Kirby was both hard-to-watch, because Kirby suffered a legitimate injury in the match, but Hendry used it as an opportunity to show how good he is at getting heat. His betrayal of his own hero, Kurt Angle, was also quite jarring.
Hendry just has this presence about him, and “The Prestigious One” always makes sure he’s the center of attention. Hell, he even once challenged the friggin’ Rock to a WCPW title match. Now that takes some swagger!
Of course, those familiar with Hendry aren’t surprised with this swagger, because the man loves referring to himself in the third person as “The Prestigious One”. A great example of this? When he decided to hire his own intern.
His ability to manipulate the crowd is also impeccable. “You people don’t know what professional wrestling is!” and “That’s why you’re behind the barricades and I’m in this ring!” are examples of lines that really got to the crowd.
All of his justifications for his actions, in addition to his self-entitlement, make him a tremendous heel, so when a babyface, such as Alberto El Patron, goes after him, the interaction is more meaningful for the crowd. But of course, Hendry will always make sure he gets his shot in no matter what the babyface says, including calling himself a “legend” on the level of Angle.
10. Laurel Van Ness: Impact
Chelsea Green/Laurel Van Ness defeated Rosemary for Impact Wrestling’s Knockouts Championship, and she is one of the most outrageous characters in wrestling today. With messed up lipstick and a penchant for drinking on the job, Van Ness is a “hot mess” personified, but she’s also capable of getting things done in the ring.
The former Tough Enough contestant is interested in leaving Impact, so that is a storyline to watch for when she drops her title. Impact’s Sonjay Dutt didn’t expand on her status with the company when pressed, and it’s worth noting that Van Ness didn’t request her release until after winning the Knockouts Championship in Impact.
But regardless of her future, LVN is the type of competitor who can excel anywhere. Not only is she a hard worker who can put on a solid match, but she’s also someone who can grab the audience’s attention. As with several others on this list, there’s nobody like Van Ness, whose over-the-top gimmick, which has included a wedding dress, could enabler her to be a big hit in the WWE if she does end up leaving Impact.
From her crazy marriage storyline with Grado to entering the arena on a scooter, Impact’s crazy lipstick lady deserves to be in the top ten of the best wrestling gimmicks today.
9. Session Moth Martina: OTT Wrestling, Others
Perhaps the most underrated wrestler on this gimmick, Session Moth Martina’s gimmick is almost indescribably gimmick. I say, “almost”, because there’s actually a quote available of her explaining it in an interview with “Wrestle:List”. (I highly recommend following the link for the full quote and the full interview, because it’s tremendous.)
"” I’m kind of taking the piss out of the Attitude Era where women had big boobs and no clothes on, just used as sex objects. I like the idea that Martina thinks she looks like that and acts like she looks like that but in reality she’s really hungover and is wearing pyjamas, her hair’s in a mess and she has a cigarette in her mouth. I slut drop badly, I booty shake badly, I put my vagina in people’s faces – that’s part of my asset but it’s all just entertainment and taking the piss out of sexualising women.”"
Genius. Absolute genius. Not only does Session Moth’s gimmick have a purpose, but it’s also incredibly entertaining. She does so much outrageous stuff in the ring, and it goes beyond just twerking. Just click here for a taste of it.
OTT Wrestling is a promotion that deserves a lot more attention, and Session Moth Martina is its most entertaining performer. Thankfully, her hard work doesn’t go unrecognized (and to be fair, how could you ignore her antics?) The WWE’s Becky Lynch has praised her in an interview, and “The Queen of Session Style” is the current (and first!) OTT Gender Neutral Champion, which fits her gimmick perfectly.
For those of you wondering, a “Session Moth” is a term for a girl in Ireland who stays out late at a nightclub, gets totally wasted, and then is still out and about in their pajamas the next day while hungover out of their mind.
If you have any doubts about how brilliant this character is, check out this ICW segment.
8. Drew Gulak: WWE 205 Live
If you thought this slide was going to be about Enzo Amore, shame on you. Because nobody has done a better job of getting themselves over on 205 Live than Drew Gulak, who doesn’t need the Cruiserweight Championship to be the show’s biggest attraction.
After being a run-of-the-mill heel whose style focused on technical wrestling that punished his opponents, Gulak has become a verbose politician, proclaiming that he has a vision to make 205 Live better. Essentially, his vision includes eliminating everything that could possibly make 205 Live more fun (he wants to ban chants, flips, and dives), and yet he is definitively the most fun character on the show.
Gulak is so much more than a goofball with a megaphone who wants a #Drewtopia. The man has layers to his character, and the babyface turn that is being teased looks brilliant. During the final segment of 205 Live in Cincinnati on Dec. 12, Gulak was torn between two sides. He saw that Enzo Amore and Ariya Daivari were going too far in their beating with Tony Nese, but the conflicted superstar ultimately decided to join in on the beating.
There’s no doubt that Gulak is one of WWE’s biggest risers in 2017, and his transformation from a generic character to pseudo-politician is something other WWE superstars should take notice of.
Also, is an Internet slideshow basically a poor man’s powerpoint presentation?
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.
6. Rosemary: Impact Wrestling
By far one of the most popular wrestlers on the planet, Rosemary gets chants that many wrestlers could only dream of. A fixture in Impact Wrestling, Rosemary rose to prominence by debuting in a stable called “Decay”, which might honestly be one of the best pro wrestling stables in recent memory. Rosemary won her in-ring debut against women’s legend Gail Kim, and she’s quickly become one of the most important people in Impact Wrestling.
Rosemary’s sinister, macabre character made her a twisted heel, but she’s become a respected, lovable, and relatable babyface today.
She is creepy and weird, and she is fully committed to the sickness of her character. The way she delivers her promos with a vibrato is tremendous, and few wrestlers are as eloquent as she is. I can’t praise her enough for how her vocal inflections can convey so much emotion.
Her work in Decay’s feud with the Hardys is beyond exceptional, and I’d highly recommend checking out this promo. Rosemary saved her best stuff for Reby Hardy, of course, putting her through a table.
There are so many great characters in Impact, but none of them can approach Rosemary’s greatness today. It’s no wonder why everyone has the utmost respect for her.
5. Fashion Police: WWE SmackDown Live
Tyler Breeze and Fandango have the rare and enviable gift of being able to make anything hilarious, to the point where they never even have to wrestle to be arguably the best part of WWE programming each week. Any promotion would kill to have two people like Breeze and ‘Dango, who consistently fill time with quality segments, not needing a win here and there to keep themselves in the spotlight.
Whether it’s spoofing Twin Peaks, Pulp Fiction, or Stranger Things, the Fashion Files are an exhibition in creativity and comedic timing. Not since Kurt Angle have we seen a superstar willing to make fun of themselves to this extent, and these two lovable, gullible superstars are a package duo. Breeze and Fandango have an even better bromance than Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, and you can suck it if you don’t agree.
I mean, even the bulletin boards in their segments are funnier than anything else in wrestling right now. The WWE gets criticized for constraining their superstars, but the Fashion Police have proven that you can become a big deal from a creative standpoint if you are willing to go out on a limb. And if you are willing to make fun of yourself for the benefit of the audience.
4. Tetsuya Naito: NJPW
The man throws his title around, because he doesn’t care. Tetsuya Naito is the coolest person in wrestling today, and his feud with Kazuchika Okada has been years in the making. Naito will take on Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 12, and he’s fully expected to end the longest-running IWGP Heavyweight Championship reign to complete one of the most wonderfully executed story archs in the history of professional wrestling.
Naito was supposed to be NJPW’s biggest star, winning the G1 climax in 2013. But the fans preferred the Intercontinental Championship feud between Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura over Naito’s feud with Okada.
Branded a bust, Naito went to North America and formed one of the greatest stables in pro wrestling today, Los Ingobernables de Japon. He and La Sombra, who is current NXT Champion Andrade “Cien” Almas, formed a team, and Naito learned the “Tranquilo” lifestyle. He learned to relax. He learned to stop caring. He learned to be the personification of a bad-ass.
And now, Naito is a massive star who changed his move-set to fit his new “ungovernable” ways. Tokyo Sports named him the wrestler of the year in 2016, and Naito has only furthered his star in 2017 (winning the award again). Few characters are able to resonate as the “cool bad guy” better than Naito, who is admired around the world. He won the G1 again this year, overcoming Kenny Omega to stake his claim for Okada’s title.
Naito drips charisma, and few wrestlers are as in tune with playing to the crowd as he is. He took a racist gesture and turned it into a taunt where he grabs his eye with one hand. The subtle genius of Naito’s character has made both him and LIJ hot commodities, and the entire wrestling world can’t wait for the incredible match that will take place at WK12.
3. Dalton Castle: Ring of Honor
Dalton Castle won the Ring of Honor World Champion at the Final Battle pay per view, defeating Cody Rhodes. It was an important victory for Castle, who is a big deal in ROH, is well-liked by the fans, and has all the talent in the world.
Castle’s androgynous character is the best take on the trope to date, because there’s actually an edge to it. He isn’t just a guy who comes out to be “weird”; he plays the role with a purpose. A talented in-ring worker, Castle can be either a heel or a face, but he’s currently a babyface and we’re all better off for it.
“The Peacock” has some of the strangest promos, and he’s accompanied by his “boys”, who are probably a part of his harem. But for as arrogant as Castle is, he’s just as easy to root for, and just about every Ring of Honor fan wanted to see him upset Cody at Final Battle.
There’s no doubt that this man is going places, because Castle could be one of the biggest stars at any promotion in the world. Ring of Honor has something special in Castle, who just might be one of the most powerful wrestlers in the world.
But for as impressive as Castle’s finisher is, his “Peacock Screech”, mannerisms, and promos are all even better, and they blend to form one of the most memorable characters in wrestling today.
2. Joey Ryan: Lucha Underground, PWG, Others
One of the founders of PWG, Joey Ryan is one of wrestling’s most interesting and outlandish characters, and that’s saying something. But when a guy’s penis is so powerful that he injures those who try to hit an atomic drop on him, let’s just say the man is something special.
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If the wrestling business didn’t pass Jim Cornette by, maybe he’d have some more respect for a guy who makes a decent amount of money off his gimmick. Ryan isn’t one of the most brilliant wrestlers around, but his tag team work with Candice LeRae as part of the “World’s Cutest Tag Team” is quite good. Furthermore, it takes a certain level of competency to pull off some of the stuff he does in the ring, because even though it is naturally hokey, it strikes the right balance between silliness and purposefulness.
Ryan does the male pornstar schtick even better than Val Venis did, and I’m not just saying that because his mustache and chest hair game are on point. But Ryan also has to be perfect with his character, because, again, there isn’t a great margin for error.
When someone like Mick Foley is praising your work and putting over the “penis flip”, you know you’ve made it big.
I know a lot of people hate Ryan’s gimmick, but, well, that kind of proves its effectiveness. Some of these people are either prudes, or it just isn’t their cup of tea. Which is fine. But people still talk about it, and it gets hella over during live shows. And that’s all that matters.
1. Matt Hardy: WWE Raw
Although we have to wait to see how Matt Hardy does in his “WOKEN” state on WWE Raw, it’s quite clear that his “BROKEN” gimmick in Impact Wrestling is one of the greatest ever. I can’t remember a gimmick outside of WWE getting as much attention as Hardy’s, and it just seemed like everything clicked perfectly. “The Final Deletion” was one of the most insane segments in recent memory, and Hardy’s ability to reinvent himself ultimately allowed him to rejoin WWE and step out of his brother’s shadow.
Jeff, Reby, Maxel, and Senor Benjamin were all great characters who fed into his gimmick, but Matt Hardy was the man who made it all work. His “BROKEN Brilliance” led to legions of fans screaming delete and doing his signature hand motion. Everyone who wasn’t exposed to his work in Impact is now scrambling to figure out what the hype is about, and I’m sure those looking back at his old Impact segments aren’t disappointed.
He rants about “Meek Mahan”, he talks about the man with three H’s burying young talent, and he pronounces words in a strange and unsettling way. And his laugh. Oh God, that laugh. The WWE is going all-in with it, seeing as how you can listen to it for ten hours straight on YouTube.
Next: 25 Greatest Entrance Themes in WWE History
I mean, was there any doubt that this gimmick would be the most “WONDERFUL” of them all?