Generally, the most serious gadgets work best in WWE because fans find them relevant. However, the business never takes itself too seriously, allowing for plenty of absurd ideas, with many wrestlers transforming into bizarre characters in an attempt to entertain fans and also win titles.
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Very often, the craziest and wackiest characters don’t really have an impact. This sometimes causes many of them to fail because they are not always pushed correctly. However, throughout the 2000s, WWE created absurd ideas that managed to take hold in the WWE Universe and become popular.
Billy and Chuck
They pretended to be a couple
- GLAAD called out WWE for this angle
- They were two-time WWE Tag Team Champions
Billy & Chuck was a team consisting of Chuck Palumbo and Billy Gunn. The two modified their gadgets to become romantic partners. Both completely bought into the gimmicks, causing fans to do the exact same thing, with the public loving the team.
Unfortunately, WWE pulled the plug during their wedding segment and revealed that she was lying the whole time. This caused problems for the company, and it was also a missed opportunity because the public liked them being romantic together.
Hornswoggle
He spent years without being able to speak
- Hornswoggle became a character in his own right and not a sidekick.
- He is a former Cruiserweight Champion
Hornswoggle ended up having an iconic career in WWE, with the company constantly putting him in huge positions, such as being Vince McMahon’s illegitimate child. Fans ultimately saw him as part of the roster because he was taken so seriously. However, on paper, the character was completely bizarre.
This is someone who lived under the ring and initially worked to help Finlay win matches. Hornswoggle never spoke for many years until Santa helped him grant his wish to speak, but fans loved this gadget.
Eugene
The character was beloved by wrestling fans
- He won the World Tag Team Championship with William Regal.
- Eugene feuded with Triple H
Eugene is a gimmick that WWE probably couldn’t get away with these days because his behavior could be considered offensive, and that’s why the idea was completely absurd. Nick Dinsmore portrays a gimmick of someone who was intellectually challenged and had almost childish behavior.
This caused WWE fans to fall in love with him and helped make Eugene the ultimate babyface. The public was attracted to it, which allowed the gimmick to become a success.
Festus
Luke Gallows committed to the character
- Jesse and Festus have never won team gold
- Festus became Luke Gallows
Festus is another character who wouldn’t work in today’s society but proved popular in the 2000s. Like Eugene, he faced intellectual struggles, but when the bell rang, he ended up waking up and becoming a monster.
He would be docile until then, with Jesse guiding him everywhere. The gimmick was completely weird and didn’t make much sense, but for some reason fans ended up loving it.
The hurricane
The superhero lived everyone’s fantasy
- The Hurricane manages to win titles in WWE
- His partnership with Kane was popular
A wrestler believing he’s a real superhero seems like a crazy idea and a gimmick that fans might end up hating. However, The Hurricane was one of the most popular gimmicks of the 2000s, even though he wasn’t a main character in the event.
WWE provided the perfect mix of comedic segments while allowing Shane Helms to show off his in-ring skills. His major victories against the likes of The Rock added some credibility to him, which was taken to the next level when WWE added Rosey to his character.
The bogeyman
His character made an unforgettable entrance
- The character struggled inside the ring
- The Boogeyman is still loved to this day
Supernatural wrestling characters can be a lot of fun, but they always lean on the side of the absurd. The Boogeyman certainly falls into this category, considering he ate worms, smashed clocks in his head, and behaved as strangely as possible behind the scenes.
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The character proved to be a hit with fans, even if he didn’t live up to his potential. Another wrestler could have made him a monster main event heel, but The Boogeyman still ended up being iconic.
Funaki/Kung-Fu Naki
He brought charisma to the ring
- He claimed he was number one on #SmackDown
- Funaki also worked on commentary
Funaki was a glorified jobber throughout his WWE career, but he managed to become a memorable character that fans still remember today. That’s because he put a lot of effort into making the audience excited to watch, whether they were a backstage interviewer or a wrestler.
Fans knew that Funaki was likely to lose every time he wrestled, but that didn’t stop them from having fun with him. Funaki had a lot of charisma, and that’s the kind of thing that’s needed for a gimmick like this.
Zach Gowen
He fought with only one leg
- Gowen’s leg was amputated when he was eight years old
- Roddy Piper removed his prosthetic leg to gain heat
During the 2000s, WWE brought in an amputee wrestler, which seemed like it would never work. Of course, this was more than just a gimmick since Zach Gowen legitimately only had one leg, and while it was limited, he certainly put in a great performance.
Gowen has become a huge underdog favorite with WWE fans, mainly due to his feud against Brock Lesnar. The Beast was so tough on him, delivering one of the most brutal chair shots in history.
Mom Benjamin
She was there to gain heat for Shelton Benjamin
- She came to the ring in a wheelchair
- Maman Benjamin brought all the audacity
WWE’s absurd gimmicks are usually limited to the wrestlers themselves, but when WWE decided to give Shelton Benjamin a manager, another far-fetched idea emerged. WWE had his “mother” appear at ringside, which led to a strange character using a purse to help her son.
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It was incredibly over-the-top, but that was the magic of the gimmick. She had a lot of warmth and truly added a lot to Benjamin’s overall presentation.
King Booker T
Her royal gimmick was overdone
- King Booker was a memorable heavyweight champion of the world
- He took the gimmick so seriously that fans believed in the character.
Many wrestlers have struggled to portray regal personas, which is why so many former King of the Ring winners missed out on the opportunity. This was no problem for Booker T, who managed to make the most of the opportunity despite having a completely ridiculous character.
Booker T chose to be as exaggerated as possible with his performance, from the way he pronounces the words to the way he holds his pinky finger in the air. The addition of Sharmell took things to the next level, ensuring that this gimmick would be memorable.
