Can an old school Gimmick work in today's environment?

[Next Big Thing]

Kizarny was the last gimmicky wrestler I think WWE has tried to produce. Do you guys think we've seen the last of the early Taker, Kane, Goldust type gimmicks?

[jerichoholicninja]

I think it can work. The Boogeyman seemed pretty popular when he was around. However, Vince and the writers seem to have no interest in trying to make it work.

[Xero]

Hornswoggle is one of their biggest merch movers. You tell me.

[CSL]

Of course it can. I never thought I'd say it after seeing the stuff they came out with in the mid-90's but I wish there more gimmicks nowadays.

[rated rjo]

Of course it can. I never thought I'd say it after seeing the stuff they came out with in the mid-90's but I wish there more gimmicks nowadays.

Ditto.
:'(

[VSG]

Rich hispanic descended from royalty, a guy so handsome that only "dashing" describes him fully, two "educated" samoans come to correct our stereotype thinking of samoan wrestlers. Wouldn't you say these are old school gimmicks?

[Xero]

It's not even like they didn't have them during the Attitude Era. You had:

Kurt Angle (especially in his debut year)
Val Venis
Sexual Chocolate
Taker
The Brood
The Godfather
The Hollys
The APA

They were just old school-style gimmicks with an adult twist.

[VSG]

I mean, "Dashing" Cody Rhodes is straight out of Gorgeous George's book.

[Next Big Thing]

Hornswoggle is one of their biggest merch movers. You tell me.

I hope making fun of little people makes you feel like a big man Xero. LOL.

Is Hornswoggle really one of their biggest merchandise movers? How? I don't even see the little fuck on t.v. anymore.

Who thinks Hornswoggle has enough stroke to make Christian job to him? If he ever gets cut, he will definitely be one of TNADixie's surprise signings.

[Next Big Thing]

I mean, "Dashing" Cody Rhodes is straight out of Gorgeous George's book.

Is "Dashing" Cody Rhodes working though? I don't see that character going anywhere for him. As an aside, he did commentary a few weeks back and was pretty good. Maybe Cody should consider that route.

[wrestlingfan98]

With the way storylines and gimmicks are produced today, I really don't think an old-school gimmick would in today's wrestling evironment. The only way I think that would be able to work at all, is for nostalgic purposes.

[DrCrawford]

a big bossman type gimmick would work. i think husky would be good for that

[bigslimjj]

Is "Dashing" Cody Rhodes working though? I don't see that character going anywhere for him. As an aside, he did commentary a few weeks back and was pretty good. Maybe Cody should consider that route.As long as he talked about "plunder" like his Daddy did on commentary...I'd be on board for this.

[Emperor Smeat]

Ted Dibiase Jr is basically the same character as his father was in the 1980s-1990s except for the whole kick the ball away from black kid and the money challenges. He already had his butler and now has his personal valet, he has the Million Dollar Belt, and the ultra rich snob character.

[Joe Kerr]

I hope making fun of little people makes you feel like a big man Xero. LOL.

Is Hornswoggle really one of their biggest merchandise movers? How? I don't even see the little fuck on t.v. anymore.

Who thinks Hornswoggle has enough stroke to make Christian job to him? If he ever gets cut, he will definitely be one of TNADixie's surprise signings.

After DX they kicked him to smackdown

[Furious Beardsley]

If WWE tries really hard they could make an old-school gimmick work. It has to be a fresh way to put it over though.

I wish there more gimmicky stuff personally though. We need more guys like....
http://cdn3.ioffer.com/img/item/144/621/739/3GcW47uKqYWh5Cg.jpg

and

http://thegrandchawhee.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/gookerwm.jpg

and especially

http://www.unsoughtinput.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/shockmaster.jpg

[Swiss Ultimate]

Cena as the man from Krypton?

[Hanso Amore]

As long as he talked about "plunder" like his Daddy did on commentary...I'd be on board for this.

WELCOME TO MONDAY NIGHT RAW ON DA SUPA STATION!

[YoungFlyFlashy]

We need Doink and maybe even something like the Dungeon of Doom!

[parkmania]

What about someone playing a Steve Corino "King of Old School" gimmick? Swagger is sort of in this line, but they play up his collegiate record a bit much for it.

[JEPW]

Goldust, amazingly, still works, as does the Taker/Kane stuff. They should take heed from this and get more creative with their gimmicks!

[Damian Rey]

Ted Dibiase Jr is basically the same character as his father was in the 1980s-1990s except for the whole kick the ball away from black kid and the money challenges. He already had his butler and now has his personal valet, he has the Million Dollar Belt, and the ultra rich snob character.

But the same question asked about Cody Rhodes stands for DiBiase as well; is it working? i have'nt caught a lot of Raw, but from what I have seen, he's not garnering any sort of reaction. At least not the same level he did when he was with Legacy.

I think an old school gimmick can work, but with the way creative so inconsistently writes for the characters, it's tough to actually get it to sell. How long does anyone think Rhodes will stick to the "Dashing" gimmick?

Another problem, especially for Teddy on Raw, is the limited amount of time dedicated to developing their gimmicks. Yea, Ted had Virgil for a bit, and now Maryse, but was there any long built payoff for Virgil's dismissal? Was there any build for Maryse stepping in and pushing Virgil out? Virgil lasted all of 5 weeks. Changing managers should be a big deal. But with the lack of time given to build any relationship, Virgil leaving and Maryse moving in meant absolutely nothing.

[DLVH84]

I actually thought Paul Burchill did very well with the pirate gimmick, unlike Jean-Pierre Lafitte.

[TazFTW86]

watchin the WWE RAW season 1 & 2 DVD makes me think the shoulddef bring back Doink the Clown...grab a jaborni who can def wrestle like they did w/ Bourne and dress him up!