WWE Needs More Gimmick Names

[Kenny]

There was an article about this up on TSN.ca/wrestling a good 3 or 4 months ago... and I gave it some thoughts lately. Look at this...

Gimmick Names
-------------------------
The Undertaker
Triple H
Edge
The Rock
Big Show
A-Train
Ultimo Dragon
Hardcore Holly

Name Names
-------------------------
Chris Jericho
John Cena
Chris Benoit
Kurt Angle
D-Von Dudley
Bubba Ray
Spike Dudely
Bill Goldberg
Steve Austin
Batista
Randy Orton
Ric Flair
Brock Lesnar
Shawn Michaels
Rob Van Dam
Rey Mysterio
Jamie Noble
Paul London
Orlando Jordan
Brian "Spanky" Kendrick
Sylvian Grenier
Renee Dupree
Rob Conway
Garrison Cade
Mark Jindrak
Sean O'Haire
Victoria
Trish Stratus
Molly Holly


Iffy (Slightly Mixed)
-------------------------
Kane
Christian
Rico
Tajiri
Lita

Yeah I skipped a lot but you get the point. Remember back in the day when you'd barely EVER get names?

Bret Hart
Shawn Michaels
Hulk Hogan...

But then...
Undertaker
123 Kid
Razor Ramon
Diesel
etc... etc... etc...

What do you like better? Gimmicks, or a guy named Bill vs a guy named Chris. Although the WWE still does add a lot of character, I see it slowly fading away.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Some of the "name names" aren't even their real names anyway. I think if somebody has talent, they can develop the character no matter what the name is. I'll bet The Revolting Blob could get over if marketed right..

[Head]

I think he meant that you didn't get many real names...

[Corkscrewed]

Hello, Mr. Knowitall. He was saying that in the 1980s, there were a LOT of gimmick names and not a lot of "real" names, whereas it's the opposite now.

So before you try to show someone up, why don't you get your head unstuck from your ass and understand something correctly.

[The CyNick]

I dont mind the real name thing, but I think the guys need to come up with more nicknames such as Stone Cold so they can stand out.

The other big problem, and this is happening with virtually all the guys from OVW lately is that they all look like generic clones of one another. They are all tall, jacked up, and have brand new tatoos all over the place. What ends up happening is all these new guys end up looking the same, and nobody stands out, and as a result nobody gets over. I mean go to a casual fan and offer them $10,000 to tell the difference between Matt Morgan and Mark Jindrak. My guess is that 99 times out of 100 you'd keep your money.

The sad thing is that a guy like Mick Foley who wound up being one of the greatest superstars of all time would never even get a second look in the current WWE, and to me thats just wrong.

[c4g2]

I was about to do a thread about it today... you beat me to it... :wtf:

Name names are too ordinary. WWE is trying to make wrestling more realistic, that's why most wrestlers have ordinary names. I agree with CyNick that gimmick names are far more noticable then name names, and I think WWE should have more gimmicks, like Hurricane, Big Show... they have more character than name names.

For example, if you look at the name Big Show, you automatically think of a big guy, which Paul Wight is. Also, looking at the name Hurricane, you know this guy is fast, almost like a hurricane. (Which Helms almost is.) You can't tell much from the name Nathan Jones, Charlie Haas, Garrison Cade...

[Splaya]

Some of the "name names" aren't even their real names anyway. I think if somebody has talent, they can develop the character no matter what the name is. I'll bet The Revolting Blob could get over if marketed right..


Wasn't he called the Blue Meanie??

[Corkscrewed]

LOL. He's slimmed down now and is still married to a hot wife, so I think he's doing pretty well.


On the topic, I would agree with c4g2 and say that the WWE is gearing toward realism and thus using "real" names. Of course, it seems like WCW was doing that a lot right before they went out of business, but whatever.

[Krow]

I was about to do a thread about it today... you beat me to it... :wtf:

Name names are too ordinary. WWE is trying to make wrestling more realistic, that's why most wrestlers have ordinary names. I agree with CyNick that gimmick names are far more noticable then name names, and I think WWE should have more gimmicks, like Hurricane, Big Show... they have more character than name names.

For example, if you look at the name Big Show, you automatically think of a big guy, which Paul Wight is. Also, looking at the name Hurricane, you know this guy is fast, almost like a hurricane. (Which Helms almost is.) You can't tell much from the name Nathan Jones, Charlie Haas, Garrison Cade...

But if Charlie Haas was as big as Nathan Jones, you could infer something from his name, if you twisted it around a bit.

:shifty:

[Kenny]

The OVW guys were exactly who I was thinking about when I made this thread. Throw them in with guys like Jindrak and Cade... and you have a bunch of people with names.

Even if a wrestlers ring name isn't his real name... such as Shawn Michaels... it's still an actual "Name"

Basically I think it's making the new era of the WWE look like one much more familiar... WCW.

WCW took WWF stars and turned them into "Some guy".

Razor Ramon = Scott Hall
Diesel = Kevin Nash
Mr. Perfect = Curt Hennig
Goldust = Dustin Runnels
Earthquake = John Tenta
And a few more...

So the nWo helped out a lot, but not long after that the WWE took over.. Why?

What sounds more exciting?

"Up Next, after the break.... Stone Cold Steve Austin and The ROCK vs Kane and The Undertaker!!!!"

Or...

"Next week on Nitro, Mark and Sean have a shot at the tag team titles, while Bill Goldberg defends his heavy weight title against some guy named Bob."

Here's a few idea's I've had to go from names to gimmick names...

The writer on TSN had the idea to call John Cena prototype but have him keep the gimmick. I don't think it matters what you call Cena after his character change last year, but it wouldn't hurt.

I think they should have called Nathan Jones.. "Coulosis" (Spelling) Because of the whole Boggo Road thing.

The WWE just seems too WCWish when it comes to characters. It reminds me of WCW Saturday Night when I'd turn it on and see Mark in red trunks fighting Sean in black trunks.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Wasn't he called the Blue Meanie??

:lol:

[KayfabeMan]

If you even have 90% gimmick & out of ring ability and 10%
in-ring skills,it doesn't matter what the hell your name is.That
is what allowed people like Shane Douglas to remain over for
so long.He's an average worker (if that) but he used to cut
a good promo,and had the right amount of character; all while
wearing just black and yellow tights.

It used to be that if you were 100% talent,it didn't matter if
you had a gimmick or not.Guys like Benoit & Malenko used that
to their advantage.

Other guys made a career out of just being them,like Ric Flair....

It all depends...