History TheGimmick / ProfessionalWrestling

* PrettyBoy and [[CasanovaWannabe Wannabe playboy]] Scotty The Body also had a SurferDude gimmick as Scotty Flamingo. Then in Wrestling/{{ECW}} he became the depressed nihilist Wrestling/{{Raven}} and Wrestling/StevieRichards began imitating Raven's old gimmicks before his own gimmick settled on being Raven's {{ascended fanboy}} and PsychoSupporter who wore a [[BareYourMidriff small midriff baring shirt]]. Then Wrestling/{{Francine}} became Stevie Richard's ascended fangirl. Then [[Wrestling/LisaMarieVaron Victoria]] became Stevie Richard's psycho supporter.

* Prolific in the late '80s and early '90s [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} WW]][[strike:[[Wrestling/{{WWE}} F]]]][[Wrestling/{{WWE}} E]], when every wrestler would be gimmicky. See WrestlingDoesntPay for examples.

Unlike actors, the large majority of professional wrestlers don't really have character roles but rather are reacting to where they are placed in a book, what spots they are given, how an audience reacts and just use gimmicks to make things more interesting. After all, you can't help but react the way you really would, but what if [[Wrestling/{{Raven}} you]] decided to react to everything in the most negative way you can possibly perceive it? [[Wrestling/MattHardy You]] are going through a rough patch so why not use it? Maybe [[Wrestling/MattSydal you]] strive to react in the ways you think will be best for your merchandise sales? If nothing else, people will not have to think hard to understand why someone would act in such a way. Even if your gimmick is that of a survivor from the lost city of Atlantis, you had better react to all things as if ''you'' are a survivor from Atlantis. If the gimmick is not a part of you, it has to ''become'' part of you or will likely fail[[note]]"Gimmick" is also an insider term referring to a physical object integral to someone's persona, i.e. "You're up next, grab your gimmick and get out to the ring". Untertaker's urn, Jim Cornette's tennis racket, and Jake "The Snake" Roberts' snake are examples[[/note]].

Unlike actors, the large majority of professional wrestlers don't really have character roles but rather are reacting to where they are placed in a book, what spots they are given, how an audience reacts and just use gimmicks to make things more interesting. After all, you can't help but react the way you really would, but what if [[Wrestling/{{Raven}} you]] decided to react to everything in the most negative way you can possibly perceive it? [[Wrestling/MattHardy You]] are going through a rough patch so why not use it? Maybe [[Wrestling/MattSydal you]] strive to react in the ways you think will be best for your merchandise sales? If nothing else, people will not have to think hard to understand why someone would act in such a way. Even if your gimmick is that of a survivor from the lost city of Atlantis, you had better react to all things as if ''you'' are a survivor from Atlantis. If the gimmick is not a part of you, it has to ''become'' part of you or will likely fail.

To a professional wrestler, finding something within to magnify and project outward is almost as important as being physically conditioned, almost as much as wrestling in of itself. Something that immediately lets fans pick one out from amongst their peers can give fans something to latch on to and believe in. Drawing people's attention is the first step to drawing crowds. Interest can make crowds want to see one win... or get one's head beat in. So long as they are interested enough to tune in or buy tickets, you win something. Simply dying [[MulticoloredHair a few hairs blond]] did wonders for Sputnik Monroe. Wrestling/RandySavage's memorable voice and odd way of speaking hyped fans for his matches that much more. And, of course, Wrestling/GeorgeWagner had people speculating [[AmbiguouslyGay as to whether he was gay or straight.]]

* Wrestling/{{Carl|itoColon}}y's gimmick was wearing a wife beater, [[SubvertedTrope not wrestling like his father]] and carrying a shovel. Then in Ohio Valley Wrestling his gimmick became being AmbiguouslyGay. Then he began to imitate [[Wrestling/ScottHall Razor Ramon]]'s gimmick of speaking in third person and taking other people's things before settling on [[TrademarkFavoriteFood eating apples]], [[SpitefulSpit spitting on people]] and having an afro.

* Wrestling/{{Carl|itoColon}}y's gimmick was wearing a wife beater, [[SubvertedTrope not wrestling like his father]] and carrying a shovel. Then in Ohio Valley Wrestling his gimmick became being AmbiguouslyGay. Then he began to imitate [[Wrestling/ScottHall Razor Ramon]]'s gimmick of speaking in third person and taking other people's things before settling on [[TrademarkFavoriteFood eating apples]], [[SpitefulSpit spitting on people]] and having an [[FunnyAfro afro]].

* Mr. 450's gimmick was doing aerial maneuvers that involved rotating 450 degrees before landing. But then he began wearing "armor", a single eye headlamp or "scouter" and grew his facial hair out a little, becoming a combination of Napa and Vegeta from ''Manga/DragonBall'' and even playing a Bruce Falconer inspired tune before his entrances to invoke [[Anime/DragonBallZ the show]]. He got a cybernetic cowl to become "Mecha Wolf 450".
* El Chico Illegal Chicano's gimmick was being a Puerto Rican who looked like a Mexican but then he became a Puerto Rican patriot and played up his membership in the famous Cotto family. Then Puerto Rico's boxing commission basically forced him to abandon amateur fights, which he did as a hobby, and turn pro. After he won a few pro bouts he became a BoxingBattler in the wrestling ring as well. The Chicano ring name stuck through it all, [[TheArtifact though]]. Even when he wrestled in Mexico [[CaptainEthnic as a Puerto Rican wearing a flag on his head.]]

->"Are you Latino? That's a gimmick. People will love that. You can come out to Latino music. We'll drape you in a Puerto Rican flag."
-->''Walter Klasinski''

* Wrestling/CMPunk started out as half of a ChickMagnet TagTeam. Then he became [[TheFundamentalist militant]] StraightEdge who [[CatchPhrase screamed]] "better than you!" Then he became the brainwashed thrall of Raven. Then he became a {{cult}} leader. Then he became the Wrestling/HarleyRace invoking "Best In The World"!

* El Chico Illegal Chicano's gimmick was being a Puerto Rican who looked like a Mexican but then he became a Puerto Rican patriot and played up his membership in the famous Cotto family. Then Puerto Rico's athletic commission basically forced him to abandon amateur boxing, which he did as a hobby, and turn pro. After he won a few pro bouts he became a BoxingBattler in the wrestling ring as well. The Chicano ring name stuck through it all, [[TheArtifact though]]. Even when he wrestled in Mexico [[CaptainEthnic as a Puerto Rican wearing a flag on his head.]]

* El Chico Illegal Chicano gimmick was being a Puerto Rican who looked like a Mexican but then he became a Puerto Rican patriot and played up his membership in the famous Cotto family. Then Puerto Rico's athletic commission basically forced him to abandon amateur boxing, which he did as a hobby, and turn pro. After he won a few pro bouts he became a BoxingBattler in the wrestling ring as well. The Chicano ring name stuck through it all, [[TheArtifact though]]. Even when he wrestled in Mexico [[CaptainEthnic as a Puerto Rican wearing a flag on his head.]]

* El Chico Illegal Chicano gimmick was being a Puerto Rican who looked like a Mexican but then he became a Puerto Rican patriot and played up his membership in the famous Cotto family. Then Puerto Rico's athletic commission basically forced him to abandon amateur boxing, which he did as a hobby, and turn pro. After he won a few pro bouts he became a BoxingBattler in the wrestling ring as well. The Chicano ring name stuck through it all, [[TheArtifact though]].

* Mr. 450's gimmick was doing aerial maneuvers that involved rotating 450 degrees before landing. But then he began wearing "armor", a single eye headlamp or "scouter" and grew his facial hair out a little, becoming a combination of Napa and Vegeta from Manga/DragonBall and even playing a Bruce Falconer inspired tune before his entrances to invoke [[Anime/DragonBallZ the show]]. He got a cybernetic cowl to become "Mecha Wolf 450".

* Brazo de Plata Jr was just that, the son of his father, the largest of the second generation of Los Brazos(who were all third generation luchadors). That bored fans of IWRG and Wrestling/{{CMLL}}, however, so the second line of Brazos all got new gimmicks fans found more interesting, except Plata Jr, whose ClassicalMythology inspired "Kronos" still didn't take. So he went to [[Wrestling/{{AAA}} Triple A]] and became a MonsterClown, or rather, Psycho Clown, leading the CircusOfFear that would become the promotion's most popular group.