Rob Conway inspired something in me last night. I’m going to start doing things the CON WAY now because any other way is the WRONG WAY…just kidding. While watching his match last night against Val Venis, I came up for the concept of this week’s In Perspective, taking a look at the various “I’m so full of it and can back it up” gimmicks throughout pro wrestling’s history. Many have tried, but here are some examples for guys such as Rob Conway and even Chris Masters to study to improve their gimmicks and wrestling arsenal.
RICK “THE MODEL” MARTEL:
Rick “The Model” Martel was in his own category because he carried a perfume bottle and calling the fragrance “Arrogance” and in keeping with the model gimmick itself often wore a purple bow tie and a black sports coat or bright pink tights. Before JJ Dillon created this heel gimmick for Martel, he was known mostly as a tag team baby face wrestler before his singles career, teaming up with Tom Zenk to form the Can-Am Connection and then with Tito Santana as Strike Force until he walked out on Santana during Wrestlemania V. Martel then feuded with Santana for over a year, with Martel winning the final chapter. Martel was then in a memorable feud after accidentally spraying Jake “The Snake” Roberts in his eyes which lead to a Blindfold Match at Wrestlemania VIII where Martel lost. Martel even fought Shawn Michaels for the affection of Sherri Martel, but was ended disappointingly in a double-count out no decision at Summerslam 1992. Martel was a gifted athlete who was able to showcase his conditioning by doing cartwheels in the ring, as well as his Quebec Crab.
PAUL “MR. WONDERFUL” ORNDORFF:
“Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff from the late 70s to 2000 had been a force to be reckoned with throughout his career with his piledriver signature finisher (and it has been said that he executes the best piledriver in the business). Orndorff had a football background as well as a fitness bodybuilding background, and took great care of his body to earn his reputation. Orndoroff could be considered the living embodiment of the definition of what a heel should be and also helped draw the masses during the 1980s. Someone he will always be compared to is Hulk Hogan, whom he engaged in a memorable feud with in the 1980s. Hogan versus Orndoroff took place in a steel cage where both men escaped at the same time as their finish for WWF’s Saturday Night Main Event TV program in 1986. Orndoroff teamed up with “Pretty” Paul Roma to form Pretty Wonderful in WCW. Orndoroff was inducted this year into the WWE Hall of Fame, but more so than anyone else on this list, his work at the WCW Power Plant training guys in the art of bumping, selling and psychology speaks volumes about Orndoroff’s career as much as his posing in front of a mirror did with his signature red robe on.
“PRETTY” PAUL ROMA:
“Pretty” Paul Roma is considered mostly as a successful tag team wrestler winning the WCW Tag Team Championships on three different occasions. Roma in his career has been apart of the Young Stallions with Jim Powers as glorified tag team jobbers; Power and Glory with Hercules and then later on with “Pretty Wonderful” with Paul Orndoroff. He’s feuded with Marcus Bagwell, Alex Wright, The Patriot, Too Cold Scorpio, Jim Powers and the Hart Foundation. What ended up killing his career was his unwillingness to job to Alex Wright in WCW and making Wright look bad during Superbrawl V in 1995. I can see a resemblance between Roma and Masters, and I can only hope that Masters will learn from Roma’s unwillingness to put people over and not make the same mistake in his young career.
“THE TOTAL PACKAGE” LEX LUGER:
Another former football player and well conditioned athlete with a controversial career. Nicknamed “The Total Package,” his signature finisher was draping a guy over his shoulder’s and pulling down on their bodies in the “Torture Rack.” His flirtation with bodybuilding was evident and Vince McMahon created his Narccist gimmick for him in the WWF. If anyone wants to see where the inspiration for Chris Masters’ gimmick was, you don’t have to look too far in theme music or presentation of Luger back during the Royal Rumble 1993.
“SUPERSTAR” BILLY GRAHAM:
“I’m the man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour!” describes “Superstar” Billy Graham perfectly. When Vince McMahon said “Superstar” was ahead of his time, there’s no doubt that McMahon was right – “Superstar” had the gift of the promo, the gift of self-promotion, his incredible (steroid-enhanced) body sold for him and as a complete persona has influenced everyone preceding his legacy from Scott Steiner to Hulk Hogan. He was able to repackage his look entirely going from the man with the golden locks in a tie-dye shirt and feather boa to no hair at all with a dark mustache. Billy Graham stood out from his peers and is still someone everyone is talking about.
GORGEOUS GEORGE:
Gorgeous George could be considered the original sports entertainer way before Vince McMahon invented sports entertainment as we know it today. Imagine hearing a theme called “Pomp & Circumstance” being pumped throughout the arena (later used by “Macho Man” Randy Savage), a gentleman with long blonde hair wearing elaborate robes and calling himself “the Human Orchid” with a butler/male valet spraying disinfectant spray or perfume in the air to protect himself from the scent of his opponent and the fans. Gorgeous George could be considered the original crossover star because he was apart of the new age of television in the 1940s and was dubbed “the sensation of the nation” or the “toast of the coast.”
SCOTT STEINER:
“This goes out to all my freaks out there. Big Poppa Pump is your hookup; holler if you hear me!” has been a trademark in Scott Steiner’s promos since his transformation into “Big Poppa Pump.” From being apart of a successful and popular tag team with his older brother Rick Steiner as the Steiner Brothers to the Genetic Freak, Scott Steiner has been compared to Billy Graham in appearance, the gift of gab and build. Steiner is proud of “the largest arms in the world” that he has worked on over the years (with or without the use of steroids), however, his success has been limited over the years. He was given the chance to be the top man in WCW, holding the WCW World Championship for five months but when he crossed into WWE as a singles superstar, he was used very limitedly against Triple H and Test and was eventually let go last year because of injuries and not being able to keep a fast-paced style in the ring. The Steiner Recliner isn’t as fun to watch as the Frankensteiner was but Steiner has done and seen it all so he’s someone to learn from, both for good and for bad.
“RAVISHING” RICK RUDE:
A typical “Ravishing” Rick Rude promo would be something like this: “I want all you fat, out of shape, (enter your town here)sweathogs to keep the noise down while I take off my robe and show you what a real sexy man is supposed to look like!”
Don’t be fooled, there was nothing typical about The Ravishing One. Rude had shoulder-lengthed curly brunette hair, a (true to gimmick) ravishing build and a mustache with colorful animated tights with his face depicted or the girl he was after at the time. Rude would invite a female fan to the ring and made out with them until their knees were weak as part of his gimmick, despite being a heel he was always over with the ladies. He had memorable feuds with Jake Roberts, The Ultimate Warrior and in WCW, Sting and Ricky Steamboat and made the reverse neck breaker famous as “the Rude Awakening.”
“HEARTBREAK KID” SHAWN MICHAELS:
Perhaps the most successful in longevity and championships would be “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels. He was apart of the Rockers with Marty Jeanetty but seemed to have more of a sexual appeal with the fans than Jeanetty and a superkick through the Barber Shop window later, has been running with the ball as a successful singles competitor. He was paired up with Sensational Sherri, which is how his “Sexy Boy” music was originated, and going to the ring in flamboyant leather chaps with hanging chains, crosses and mirrors with broken heart logos on his wrestling tights as well as wearing earlier in his singles career sunglasses to the ring. He was also the first professional wrestler to appear on the cover of Playgirl. HBK has held every major championship in the WWE and is still a active competitor, having a reputation as being the “go to” man for stealing the show. HBK’s ring style is fast-paced and well conditioned to adjust well to any style opposing to him. HBK may not rub it in anyone’s face anymore that he’s “God’s gift” because he’s now a Born Again Christian in his personal walk but he’s definitely rode down that road to be where he is today.
MARCUS “BUFF” BAGWELL:
“I’m Buff, I’m the stuff and the girls just can’t get enough!” Marcus “Buff” Bagwell has been the pretty boy in wrestling from the moment he stepped in the ring wrestling under the names of Fabian, The Handsome Stranger and eventually was apart of the American Males with Scotty Riggs. He became Buff Bagwell when he turned on Riggs and joined the nWo as a heel posing every few minutes and talking to the camera before, during and after his matches in WCW. When Vince McMahon bought WCW and Buff Bagwell was on WWE TV against Booker T, it was a totally different world, the ring size, crowds and pressure – the crowd was not reacting to anything Booker T and Buff did and both athletes seem lost. Bagwell did not last in the WWE and was let go, while Booker T was kept. Bagwell has been on the indy scene ever since but has been battling ongoing personal problems as he tries to stay on the scene successfully and make his living. Conway is ripping off Bagwell the most in his look and character, and I feel that Buff could pull of Conway’s gimmick better since it’s so similar to his own.
These are just some of the many examples that young guys such as Rob Conway and Chris Masters can learn from. It takes more than having a good body to succeed in professional wrestling, many good looking bodies have tried and failed. To succeed is partly based on the right timing, you have to give something that fans haven’t seen in a long time or have never seen before and finally, as a heel, you have to fans hate you on your portrayal – it takes more than “you suck!” to prove that you’re a good heel, it’s what you do with your heat (cheap or otherwise) that matters. Your ability to back yourself up with your athleticism and not have your opponent carry you through the match is important. Keep your tapes in and study them, yours and those before you, learn everything you can and apply and that’s putting it in perspective. Thanks for reading, as always your comments are welcome at Bam@4sternstaging.com.
