IRL kills gimmick

[wandshogun09]

Undertaker was the first name that popped into my head but I can’t really add any more to what others have said about him.

One major one for me though is Mick Foley. I really bought into the whole idea of Foley being the nicest man in wrestling for a while but the more books he wrote and the more comebacks he made and the more stories I heard and read of him being a scrounging tight arse and him letching over women wrestlers under the guise of just being a friendly uncle figure, he really does just seem like a creepy old fucker. Also him still licking Vince McMahon’s arse even after the whole Janel Grant horror story came to light legitimately turned my stomach. There’s a clip out there where he actually says something like “To this day I’m still trying to find an address for him so I can write to him and thank him for the chance he gave me”. Right in the thick of the Janel Grant situation being big news and he was basically wanting to just reminisce about the good times. As great as Foley was in his career, and he was involved in some of my favourite matches and moments over the years, even when I see that stuff now it’s all tainted and soured for me.

Oh and like @HarmonicGenerator I also misread the thread title and thought this was about old Irwin Wallstreet. 

Edited February 10, 2025 by wandshogun09

[westlondonmist]

While I'm still really interested in wrestling, keep up to date with results and can chat for God knows how long about old shows I barely watch it now. So many arseholes, and when you hear some outlandish rumours, no matter how insane or wrong, they're believable because the industry is full of absolute wrong uns. 

 

For me though, Kevin Nash. He always came across as bit of a nob, when I was younger I thought it was cool. As a 40 year old I just think he's a bit of a nob and being a nob isn't cool. I'm not really missing anything by not watching Nash matches back, so I suppose it doesn't matter. 

 

Another one is Waltman. The story of him shitting in Sunny's food, I mean I'm sure she was a bit of a nob but that's just fucking cruel. He just seems like the little fanny who kissed arse to the big bastards at school and acted the hardman. 

[Vamp]

3 hours ago, SaitoRyo said:

The way Cena communicates in interviews and on social media these days is beyond excruciating. Just not a real person. 

Speaking of the Nikki relationship, I'm pretty sure she had to sign some ridiculous 100-page NDA after they broke up. Seems like there's something dodgy going on there. 

In saying all that, I will always respect and appreciate just how much he does for young fans, particular with the Make-A-Wish foundation. I know it is/was good PR for him and WWE, but I think he's very genuine with it. 

I mean, come on now:

 

Not trying to diagnose a complete stranger but I do wonder if Cena isn't neurotypical (whatever that word actually means).

But yeah, I know people are cynical about that meet because it was filmed (and I'm probably gonna regret saying this one day when it turns out he's done something awful) but I find that meeting quite moving. There's another one where he meets loads of people he's granted wishes to which is also just really moving. 

[Cousin Jim Bob]

It is nuts but amusing in hindsight how much The Miz and Maryse were allowed to take the piss out of Cena in the build up to WM 33. Wrestle Me did a great bit on it when reviewing that year.

 

 

Edited February 10, 2025 by Cousin Jim Bob

[Merzbow]

39 minutes ago, westlondonmist said:

While I'm still really interested in wrestling, keep up to date with results and can chat for God knows how long about old shows I barely watch it now. So many arseholes, and when you hear some outlandish rumours, no matter how insane or wrong, they're believable because the industry is full of absolute wrong uns. 

 

For me though, Kevin Nash. He always came across as bit of a nob, when I was younger I thought it was cool. As a 40 year old I just think he's a bit of a nob and being a nob isn't cool. I'm not really missing anything by not watching Nash matches back, so I suppose it doesn't matter. 

 

Another one is Waltman. The story of him shitting in Sunny's food, I mean I'm sure she was a bit of a nob but that's just fucking cruel. He just seems like the little fanny who kissed arse to the big bastards at school and acted the hardman. 

Fully agreed on Nash, especially recently where he's became a reactionary & transphobe. Had to ditch the podcast as he started sliding more and more into that shite.

Waltman seems to have grown up a lot, doesn't excuse the horrid stuff he did but it's ironic that "Kid" is the only one of that lot that has.

[wordsfromlee]

Probably just me being cynical but I wouldn't have put it past Cena to cut the ribbon at the opening of a minefield in Angola if Vince had said it was for the good of the company.

[Chili]

Yeah of all the people mentioned here, Sean Waltman seems like the closest to someone who was an absolute fucking idiot (not just his shitting in things habit, but also selling his homemade porn and being a drugged up mess) and I've actually come to respect them more because while they haven't atoned for their sins, he absolutely understands why he acted like an arsehole. He was the easily the most gullible of the Kliq and now would be the only one I'd probably enjoy a conversation with. 

[unfitfinlay]

Booker T for me.

I lost all respect for him when I heard him tell the "hilarious" story about a young guy in WWE who was getting heat for changing in "the wrong locker room". He asked Booker for advice, and just out of sheer cuntiness, Booker encouraged him to keep doing it, knowing it would piss off "The Boys" and make the guy's life hell. Booker was laughing like fuck talking about how the guy ended up getting released, etc. He might well have destroyed a guy's career and he thought it was hilarious.

He nearly did the same to the Young Bucks as well. They had a try out with WWE, which was going well, until Booker started screaming that Nick Jackson was leaning on his jacket. They very nearly retired afterwards which, whether you like them or not, would have been a really shitty way for their dreams to end.

[TheScarlettChad]

25 minutes ago, unfitfinlay said:

Booker T for me.

I lost all respect for him when I heard him tell the "hilarious" story about a young guy in WWE who was getting heat for changing in "the wrong locker room". He asked Booker for advice, and just out of sheer cuntiness, Booker encouraged him to keep doing it, knowing it would piss off "The Boys" and make the guy's life hell. Booker was laughing like fuck talking about how the guy ended up getting released, etc. He might well have destroyed a guy's career and he thought it was hilarious.

He nearly did the same to the Young Bucks as well. They had a try out with WWE, which was going well, until Booker started screaming that Nick Jackson was leaning on his jacket. They very nearly retired afterwards which, whether you like them or not, would have been a really shitty way for their dreams to end.

Booker T was really trying too hard to be one of the boys. He probably thought if he licked arse enough they'd stop thinking of him as a "WCW reject".

[Chili]

Just want to say it's hilarious nobody has mentioned Bubba Dudley, because everyone already fucking knew didn't they!

[CTXRussomark]

Read the topic title as "IRS kills gimmick" and wondered what the hell Mike Rotunda had been up to to warrant so many replies. 

As for the actual topic, probably the vast majority of wrestlers I ever watched growing up to be honest.  Few and far between are the names who haven't proven to be abusers/racists/general pieces of shit in one way or another in their private lives, and the dawn of social media/podcasts has really highlighted that.  It's all a sliding scale of course, but I'm genuinely struggling to think of any of them who I'd want to be in a social circle with.  Carnies, cunts and creeps the lot of them.

[LaGoosh]

It broke my heart to see that the The World's Strongest Man is actually The World's Biggest Bootlicker. Mizark crying his eyes out in gratitude over a printed Christmas card from WWE HQ that no one even bothered to sign. What a mark.

[simonworden]

Bubba Ray was one for me, really like the character and the Dudley's growing up but with the rise of the internet and social media he has had years of coming across as an arrogant, obnoxious bully to the point art immitated real life and that's been his character since 2011. Just comes across as that twat in the pub who would give some 18 year old lads having their first pint hassle over wearing a T Shirt he doesn't like.

An old one was CM Punk, I've enjoyed his character and work on and off since but meeting him was such a disappointing occurrence. Sat in the corner at International Showdowns fan fest trying to avoid any fan interaction while all the other imports were happily signing, shaking hands, chatting etc. He had done a Q and A earlier so it wasn't like he was surplus to requirements. Just came across a miserable knob. 

AJ Styles similarly but mostly as when I got the chance to say hi after a show he seemed mind numbingly boring and vacant. I hold that less over him but with all the flat earth stuff he doesn't come across particularly bright. 

Oh I was soured on Bryan Danielson for years after he didn't want to talk ROH to 16 year old me at an All Star show but looking back I think I was the twat there so he got let off 10 plus years ago. 

[air_raid]

1 minute ago, simonworden said:

An old one was CM Punk, I've enjoyed his character and work on and off since but meeting him was such a disappointing occurrence. Sat in the corner at International Showdowns fan fest trying to avoid any fan interaction while all the other imports were happily signing, shaking hands, chatting etc. He had done a Q and A earlier so it wasn't like he was surplus to requirements. Just came across a miserable knob.

I had a fairly positive experience with him at the same event if we’re talking about the post show meet and greet. I won’t re-tell it as some people here probably know it by heart. Needless to say, I had the last laugh.

[simonworden]

4 minutes ago, air_raid said:

I had a fairly positive experience with him at the same event if we’re talking about the post show meet and greet. I won’t re-tell it as some people here probably know it by heart. Needless to say, I had the last laugh.

No this was the thing before the show in Jumping Jakks. To be honest, that place could suck the life out of anyone sober so I might be being a bit hard.