Could Matt "Doink" Borne evolved the wrestling clown over time?
 

I actually posed this question in the "Bad Gimmick" thread but it deserves it's own post. Matt Borne was the wrestler who originally played the heel Doink character, he left the WWE from what I've heard because of drug issues and shortly after "Doink" became a face with Dink. Matt was a very skilled wrestler (watch his matches against Hart and Mr. Perfect), do you think he could have evolved the "evil clown" character like the Undertaker or Goldust was able to?

I believe he has, about 10 times, in the indy's. He is playing some evil clown named "Rebourne Again" from time to time.

He probably could have gone on to be a juggler and worked his way up to a sword swallower.

Heel Doink is probably my favorite wrestling character of all time besides 'Conspiracy Victim' Chris Jericho. I feel the character could have evolved into something much more sinister (and awesome), but unfortunately he started getting face pops.

There was always so much more to the character than people want to remember. Bobby Heenan did an amazing job of putting him over on the mic. It was alluded to several times that he 'looked familiar' and that he was very skilled as a wrestler. Was he a grizzled veteran, tired of being overlooked? Was he a psychopath? Who were all of the other Doinks, and what did they stand to benefit from helping him? He was pure mind games, and he made no bones about it....and I'll tell you what, for my money, whenever he would start laughing and then slowly have it evolve into a scowl...that was some of the 'scariest' stuff in wrestling history. As a kid, I was pretty freaked out by him, at least.

I think the intrigue and the actual mat skills started to get the fans behind him though, and instead of running with it, they just turned him face (as they so often do), and with that turn, he became much more bland (as those turns often turn out) and silly. I don't want to take anything away from Ray Apollo, but Matt Borne made him look like a little bitch when he put that grease paint on.

God bless you, Doink the Clown.

Yeah, he played the Borne Again character in ECW even, with half of his face painted like Doink and the other half exposed. Interesting stuff there too.

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Having said all that, though, I'm not sure the character could have enjoyed the longevity of The Undertaker or...Goldust, I gues....because eventually, the mystery would have had to have been solved. One day, the paint would have HAD to come off. I'm not sure what would have happened when it did, though.

I wonder how far a Doink could have gone in any era. If you book him like the Joker he would probably not care about winning titles so much as causing chaos. Maybe they need a character like that today.

^

Maybe call him Killing Joke?

That might make for a good finisher name.

This was superbly written, Thrilla, and I couldn't agree with you more.
For anyone interested, here's a good article on the many incarnations of Doink the Clown and even some info on Dink:
http://www.ucwonline.ca/thedoinksit.html

Is it just me or did anyone get the vibe of Roddy Piper watching him talk? Delivered all his promo in a similiar fashion.

i felt a jack nicholson vibe personally.

Definitely Piperesque.

I think we have all seen Doink the Clown's evolution tonight.

SPOILERS :mad:

nah, jk :D

GJ

OK, so who the fuck was that Doink on Raw? Also, why the fuck was that Doink on Raw? I get angry whenver they rehash him as some jobberesque douche bucket. HE WAS SO MUCH MORE. :mad:

Doink should only be used as a one off when someone is disguising themselves to get the upperhand. Jericho_style.

Yes. That was perfectly acceptable.

That Doink was a good couple of inches shorter than the original versions.

But he was several inches taller than Dink, to be fair.

The thing is, with a character like Doink, a guy that never in kayfabe revealed his face, they could do so much with it.

As Thrilla said, it really gets to me when he's randomly brought out for battle royals or tag matches for no reason.

With out a definable face to go with the character, anyone could play him. Why is it that Doink could be one of the few characters that could go on for years, and doesn't?


I mean, they could call up a guy from developmental to play him, and when they have grown enough to be themselves, have them redebut as themselves, and have someone else get called up to play Doink.


Hell, where is Nick Dinsmore these days? His face is so easily attached to Eugene now, but he has such good talent. Why not put him under the Doink costume?


Just please, please, leave the Dink costume buried.

I think Dink evolved into Hornswoggle.

Really, Doink? We actually want to see Doink the Clown come back, full time, to the WWE? Really?

Ok then.

Evil Doink was a good character frankly.

Yea, I noticed that too. They had to change the original plans though because in the immortal words of HHH "I guess the Brooklyn Brawler was busy tonight". I actually like the Doink/ Knuckleball Schwartz gimmick that somebody would hide there identy and become mean and violent to get noticed. Maybe Mercury could pull it off as the "masked SES member", or even Bryan Danielson if he comes back to the WWE.

You mean, like Abyss?

I think The Brooklyn Brawler is usually the one who is Doink nowadays

That Doink didn't look look the Brooklyn Brawler. Also, why did he wrestle with his jacket on?

Nick Dinsmore would be a perfect modern day Doink. For one, he LOOKS a lot like Matt Borne, and for two, it would make sense for him to want to mask his identity after being portrayed as a retarded person for so many years. The chances of this happening now are pretty much zero, but can you imagine that? It would be perfect.