The Gimmick : Probably one of the most important part in wrestler development?

Avian

Right folks...I recently (as of 3 months ago) started back up training getting into the pro wrestling, learning the trade and all that. Now, I am at the point where I need to start developing my gimmick and move set and I believe, as have been told by many people, inc Doug Williams, that once you have your finisher and gimmick sorted the move set will just fall into place.

At the minute I had the idea of a very controversial character, well essentially been done but my idea is to be a sympathizer of Al Qaeda. So, I guess essentially the Sheik Bashir character but I don't believe the gimmick is being used in the UK at all and I don't believe that its been done by a white guy.

However, I am very open to ideas...I have been in a real flux on if this is the way to go. I've had a guest trainers say they like the idea but seemed a bit unsure if it was crossing the line.

jaykhunter

Sounds like cheap heat, really. It'd play real well in the indies in the states though! 'Fighting against Prejudice' in a heel role would come pretty easy and would be much better. Or the doug williams style superiority complex, spouting the shortcomings of other nations.

My advice would be to pick a few different wrestlers you idolize, and take different aspects of their character, add some of you in there, and there ya go! It might take a while to morph into your own character, but i reckon it's the way to go to drawn strength and material from

Avian

Ha well i'm in the UK so working the gimmick isn't really an option at the minute. Haven't even had my first match here so would be premature to be planning a gimmick that'd work there too perhaps. Cheers for the input though :-)

ThatCrazyGuy

Well,
you have to ask yourself where do you want to go in wrestling?

For most people its WWE. So best tip you can get (and not my words now) pick a gimmick that suits WWE.

What I mean is half of the guys that have got signed to wwe over the last few years were doing the exact same gimmick on the indies. Cm punk, Sheamus, Drew Mcintyre etc.
Back in the day, and it still happens today with guys, when they get signed they get totally repackaged. New name and new gimmick. However as I say in recent times the indy gimmick helps people to get signed. In other words, WWE will look at your gimmick and if its something they like ... it just helps that little bit more to potentially get signed to a developmental.


"Sheik Bashir type character" has been done before. Of course, which was an extension of what he did in WWE with Muhammad Hussan. Heck even Sgt Slaughter was an "iraqi sympathizer" (its cheap heat) and that was in 1991.
Try to be originally. You're more likely to get noticed if you do something original than just another copy.

waltersobchak

Are you Irish? Because if you are that gimmick, is well, a bit stupid, especially for someone looking to get booked in the UK, imho opinion your one step away from wearing a balaclava, and being a fu*king IRA sterotype.. Al Queda sympathiser? honestly man thats such a sh*t gimmick..

2nd Row Donkey

An IRA sympathiser ... now that would be some gimmick. You'd never get any air-time of course.

Nody

First you need to decide if you're heel or face obviously.

A few things coming to mind on either:
Heel
- Play on the gay/man love theme (can also give some wrestling moves and play on latent hate for gays; cheap heat in a way and can turn the wrong way)
- Play on being a religion fanatic (don't go Al Quida but play on Muslim fears; once again cheap heat by talking about stoning women who look the wrong way; shoot infidels etc.)
- Simply be a bastard (talk about how you beat up your gf when she's not giving you a proper bj; how all homeless should be shot and that you like to tease children before stealing their candy etc.)
- Superiority complex (I'm better then you/look better/have more hoes which is popular but hard to pull off well unless you're good)
- Anything goes heel (pull out every dirty trick in the book to win; plead like a grot on your knees only to "bite" him in the family jewels or the crazy route with blood and what not)

All of the above are fairly standard and you can do a bit of mix and match. If you're in UK you can always play the occupation card; how you're going to give revenge by fathering lots of children or how the Irish Guiness at least taste something compared to the Brittish lager.

Face
- Nobel character (think of every boring super hero; how could your opponent dare pull out something so low on you?)
- Dogged fighter (get beat up a lot but never give up, i.e. CENA ver 2)
- Unwilling hero (You're from the working class, you're father worked in the coal mines, your mother washed for the upper class and you had to brawl your way up. No one gave you an easy time and you never asked for it and you're here to make a name for yourself, can also be bitter for heel version)

The important part is that you have a character you can play out here that is natural to you (not suggesting you are the above but that you can slip in to such a role easily and naturally with out cringing). Personally I'd most likely agree with a heel as a starting point; easier promos (and definitly more fun) and you'll be expected to be beaten up a lot as a beginner any way.

ScumdogV2

I think it depends on whereabouts you are at the time.

In WWE, I'm of the opinion that a gimmick is sixth in the queue, behind your look, track record, size, willingness to toe the compay line and the actual ability itself. Chances are that if you're over six foot, they'll ignore all of that anyway.

On the Indie circuit, you're really gonna need a gimmick to stand out and I think that's going to be a difficulty (to a degree) without TV time. Look at the Irish scene. Mad Man Manson got himself over because he stood out, and that's what you need to do. There's too many cookie cutter guys out there to make an impact. I went to a CPW show a few years ago, and the end, I could barely remember any of the wrestlers names. They all looked the same, wrestled the same and none of them stood out.

geeky

Avian wrote: »

Right folks...I recently (as of 3 months ago) started back up training getting into the pro wrestling, learning the trade and all that. Now, I am at the point where I need to start developing my gimmick and move set and I believe, as have been told by many people, inc Doug Williams, that once you have your finisher and gimmick sorted the move set will just fall into place.

At the minute I had the idea of a very controversial character, well essentially been done but my idea is to be a sympathizer of Al Qaeda. So, I guess essentially the Sheik Bashir character but I don't believe the gimmick is being used in the UK at all and I don't believe that its been done by a white guy.

However, I am very open to ideas...I have been in a real flux on if this is the way to go. I've had a guest trainers say they like the idea but seemed a bit unsure if it was crossing the line.

I predict a riot. Or a Fatwa.

Edit: in all seriousness, mate, you'll be wrestling in front of people who may well know people killed by terrorists. I'm usually up for pushing the boundaries, but you could well be putting yourself in physical danger, and very few people would stick up for you.

chordtype

That gimmick is just asking for trouble really and it's not even that original. Could be too close to the bone for some people.

I think it would be really helpful if you posted a picture of yourself. It would help with people giving ideas on what gimmick you should consider because we'd be able to say if it matches the person.

As for ideas, your character doesn't need to be entirely new. Take some features from heels/faces that you like and consider how you could blend them together for yourself.
If you look at the current WWE and TNA rosters very few of the guys have way out gimmicks like there use to be in the past. Most now rely on the fundamentals of underdog babyface, cocky heel etc. Their gimmicks are now more personality based rather than how they dress etc. for the most part.

Reganio 2

The 1st thing I would say is forget about the gimmick for the moment, no one is going to remember you at the start, you haven't even had a match yet, you are trying to walk, run and jump over hurdles at the same time. You are basically looking to become the finished article before you have started. My advise would be to just get into the ring 1st and see what happens see how things flow as you wrestle. Then look into a gimmick etc.

But then again I am not a wrestler or booker or anything but I just think that would be the best thing for you too do.

Vince135792003

I think an uppity, rich Dublin 4 posh boy would be a great heel character in Ireland. The material is endless albeit it doesn't play in international markets.


In saying that the rich heel could work anywhere in these recessionary times!

Reganio 2

Vince135792003 wrote: »

I think an uppity, rich Dublin 4 posh boy would be a great heel character in Ireland. The material is endless albeit it doesn't play in international markets.


In saying that the rich heel could work anywhere in these recessionary times!

the problem is you have to have a few bob to do it. Not so much the D4 thing just be a bit of a snob but in England you would have to be a snob and wear a suit and all that jazz. Dress a bit more fancy than the rest kinda thing, but its an easy enough gimmick to do I would guess.

Vince135792003

Reganio 2 wrote: »

the problem is you have to have a few bob to do it. Not so much the D4 thing just be a bit of a snob but in England you would have to be a snob and wear a suit and all that jazz. Dress a bit more fancy than the rest kinda thing, but its an easy enough gimmick to do I would guess.

If you're that serious, getting the proper outfit is a good investment.

I think a D4 posh boy is an instant heat getter! The promos write themselves.

Reganio 2

Vince135792003 wrote: »

If you're that serious, getting the proper outfit is a good investment.

I think a D4 posh boy is an instant heat getter! The promos write themselves.

Be very handy if you can get a proper blonde dopey valet as well. But I don't know how they work whether you have to get them yourself or what not. Just have some blonde good looking girl telling everyone to be quiet if they cheer and that, and just generally acting a snob, easy heat.

Ridley

waltersobchak wrote: »

Are you Irish? Because if you are that gimmick, is well, a bit stupid, especially for someone looking to get booked in the UK, imho opinion your one step away from wearing a balaclava, and being a fu*king IRA sterotype.. Al Queda sympathiser? honestly man thats such a sh*t gimmick..

If he's Irish he'd be far more entertaining playing an anglophile who's bad at it. Dressing in the bowler hat etc., with the fakest of accents that slips back to Irish the more annoyed he gets. That type of thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1hcfKAcxC0

(Be aware it contains scenes of Steve Coogan's leather crotch)

If he's English. Well he can do the patriot who lives in Spain and thinks the black forest gateau was stolen by the Germans.

Charisteas

If you go for the D4 gimmick, your name could be Don E. Brook, your favourite pinfall could be the bridge, which you would re-name the Balls Bridge, you could have a Sleeper submission hold called the Rings End, and your manager would be a Maryse look-a-like called Sandy Mount.

There, you're good to go.

Vince135792003

Charisteas wrote: »

If you go for the D4 gimmick, your name could be Don E. Brook, your favourite pinfall could be the bridge, which you would re-name the Balls Bridge, you could have a Sleeper submission hold called the Rings End, and your manager would be a Maryse look-a-like called Sandy Mount.

There, you're good to go.

I love it.

chordtype

Charisteas wrote: »

If you go for the D4 gimmick, your name could be Don E. Brook, your favourite pinfall could be the bridge, which you would re-name the Balls Bridge, you could have a Sleeper submission hold called the Rings End, and your manager would be a Maryse look-a-like called Sandy Mount.

There, you're good to go.

MONEY right here people.

flahavaj

Charisteas wrote: »

If you go for the D4 gimmick, your name could be Don E. Brook, your favourite pinfall could be the bridge, which you would re-name the Balls Bridge, you could have a Sleeper submission hold called the Rings End, and your manager would be a Maryse look-a-like called Sandy Mount.

There, you're good to go.

Thats actually outstanding, I doff my hat to you sir. Someone somewhere has to start doing this ASAP. :pac:

Rename the F5 as the D4 while you're at it.

waltersobchak

Thats awesome, i'd imagine some IWW dickheads gonna steal that one now..

chordtype

waltersobchak wrote: »

Thats awesome, i'd imagine some IWW dickheads gonna steal that one now..

Is that Ballymun Bruiser guy still going? Northside v Southside surely has been done there before.

waltersobchak

chordtype wrote: »

Is that Ballymun Bruiser guy still going? Northside v Southside surely has been done there before.

I think he's got a differant gimmick these days,but honestly that'd be far far too good for IWW:pac:

2nd Row Donkey

Charisteas wrote: »

If you go for the D4 gimmick, your name could be Don E. Brook, your favourite pinfall could be the bridge, which you would re-name the Balls Bridge, you could have a Sleeper submission hold called the Rings End, and your manager would be a Maryse look-a-like called Sandy Mount.

There, you're good to go.

Thats quality right there.