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It is rare that you find a wrestler who hasn't had a bad gimmick at one point in their career. It used to be a rite of passage and "green" workers would have to cut their teeth and work with a silly gimmick. Many of wrestling's biggest stars had terrible gimmicks. Steve Austin began his career as "The Ringmaster" and The Rock started out as "Rocky Maivia".
Sadly a lot of great talent has been wasted over the years with horrible gimmicks. During the late 80's and early 90's would saddle wrestlers with "occupations". For example, Bray Wyatt's father Mike Rotunda worked for WWE as Irwin R.Schyster (IRS) who was a tax collector.
It takes a truly great talent to overcome a bad gimmick and rise to stardom. Here are 5 wrestlers who have overcome a horrible gimmick and achieved success.
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#5. Luke Gallows - Festus
In 2006, Andrew Hankinson debuted as "imposter Kane". That feud only lasted a couple of weeks and the gimmick was dropped. In 2007 Gallows debuted on Smackdown as Festus alongside his partner Jesse. Festus was mentally "slow" but would transform into a one-man wrecking machine when the bell rang. The gimmick showed promise but was hampered by too many comedy skits.
In 2009, he was repackaged as Luke Gallows. He was part of CM Punk's Straight Edge Society, but that ultimately went nowhere. He was released from WWE in November 2010. After working in TNA and on the indies, Gallows signed for NJPW in 2013 and joined the Bullet Club. He teamed with Karl Anderson and won the 2013 World Tag League and went on to become a 3-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.
Gallows returned to WWE in 2016 along with Karl Anderson and won the RAW Tag Team Championships. Gallows has had an interesting career and has been able to achieve massive success despite his horrible beginnings in the WWE.
#4. Dolph Ziggler - Nicky from the Spirit Squad
Dolph Ziggler's WWE career had a very rocky start. In 2005, Chavo Guerrero was dealing with his own bad gimmick. Chavo was wrestling as Kerwin White, who was supposed to be a "Golfer". Ziggler debuted as Kerwin's "Caddy" but after Eddie Guerrero's death Chavo's gimmick was quickly dropped and Ziggler was sent back to OVW.
In 2006, Vince McMahon was feuding with a re-united D-X and was looking for a group to help him. McMahon could have assembled a huge heel faction capable of mass destruction but instead opted for a male cheer-leading squad who would perform routines mid-match. It was as ridiculous as it sounds and despite winning the tag team championship it was impossible to take them seriously. Ziggler was "Nicky". The group went nowhere fast and were literally shipped back to OVW. D-X actually trapped them in a shipping crate stamped "OVW, Kentucky".
He was re-packaged and re-debuted as Dolph Ziggler and went has gone on to become a 2 time World Heavyweight Champion and a 6-time Intercontinental Champion. It's incredible that he went from male cheerleader to World Champion in a few short years. Only in wrestling folks.
#3. Becky Lynch - Irish Dancer
The WWE has a history of sometimes giving foreign wrestlers stereotype gimmicks. When Becky Lynch debuted in NXT she was made portray every Irish Cliche imaginable. She was dressed in all green and "jigged" her way to the ring to the sound of lively pipes and whistles. Lynch has said that the gimmick was really embarrassing.
Thankfully that gimmick didn't last long and she became the "straight fire" fighter we know today. Although she never won the NXT Women's Championship, she became a huge fan favourite and was moved up to the main roster. Becky is the current Smackdown Women's Champion in her second reign, not bad for the stat she had huh?
#2. Kane - Isacc Yankhem D.D.S
Glenn Jacobs debuted as Isaac Yankhem D.D.S, Jerry "The King" Lawler's personal dentist. The gimmick didn't get over with the crowd and Yankhem became a glorified jobber to the stars, losing to the likes of The Undertaker, Bret Hart and The Ultimate Warrior.
The Isaac Yankem was retired and Jacobs was repackaged and debuted as Kane in 1997. He famously tore the door of the Hell in a Cell and attacked his brother The Undertaker. Jacobs is a certain future Hall of Famer and was one of the biggest stars of the Attitude Era. He is a former WWE, ECW and World Heavyweight Champion and is still wrestling today despite being the Mayor of Knox County.
#1. Alexa Bliss - "Fairy"
Alexa didn't have the most notable time in NXT. She came out for her NXT debut dressed as a fairy and pranced to the ring to an entrance theme that sounded like something straight from a Disney movie. She had a big smile and blew "fairy dust". Thankfully she was encouraged to just be herself and debuted on the main roster as an arrogant heel. Her great heel promos and facial expressions elevated her to stardom in the women's division.
She has achieved a lot in her short time on the main roster. She is a 2-time Smackdown Women's Champion and a 3 time RAW Women's Champion. Earlier this year she won the Women's Money in the Bank match and successfully cashed it in that same night.
