10 Wrestling Gimmicks That Went Way Over Everyone’s Heads

Right to censor... or right to catechise?

Mick Foley, Bray Wyatt
WWE

Only time will tell the true nature of Bray Wyatt's 'Fiend' gimmick. Is he a fully-in-control megalomaniac who revels in toying with the emotions of others, or is he an unhinged horror movie monster without empathy suffering from a nasty bout of split personality chaos? The subtle nuances and finer points of Wyatt's new persona are yet to be fully revealed.

That's what makes him such a compelling character - but there is a chance it could end up flying over everyone's heads.

Wrestling history is rife with complex gimmicks that were taken at face value. Behind the most obvious parts of their characterisation were ingenious layers that help them stand out in retrospect; sometimes, it's only after the fact that fans collectively say, "Oh, the penny has dropped". All 10 examples on this list are indicative of that reflective realisation.

All had immediate purpose to them and (often) hidden roots. They were all successful in their own rights too, albeit not always for the intended reasons. Amazingly, each one's true meaning was hidden in plain sight, and that's what makes them so enchanting to revisit now...

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Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood.