10 WWE Wrestlers Who Lived Their Gimmicks
Kayfabe is dead, but don't tell these guys.
Whether you like the term or not, “sports entertainment” is a perfect term for what wrestling has become. Professional wrestling is designed to bridge the gap between athletic competition and storytelling, and no company does more to push the latter than Vince McMahon’s industry giant.
In order to hit the top, a performer must supplement their athletic abilities by playing an effective character, following a script, and telling a good story. For better or worse, wrestling’s dramatic side has become just as important as the action itself, and a well-rounded skillset is essential
WWE’s cast are actors playing a role, but the line between “real” and “fake” has never been blurrier. Social media has made it almost impossible for wrestlers to maintain their double lives, and just like you wouldn’t expect Bryan Cranston to act like Heisenberg off-screen, you wouldn’t necessarily expect to be greeted by Dolph Ziggler if you ran into Nick Nemeth in real-life.
With all that said, some of the best characters in wrestling history have been a reflection of the performer’s own personality. Guys like Steve Austin, CM Punk, and countless others have found success this way, but others take things to the extreme.
Some wrestlers are so committed to their role that they become their characters. Whether deliberate or not, here are those performers for whom playing their character wasn’t a job, but a way of life: 10 WWE wrestlers who lived their gimmicks.
10. X-Pac
His name has name might be planted in one of the business’ biggest pejoratives (“X-Pac heat”), but X-Pac had a strong run with WWE at the turn of the century. The crowd got sick of him towards the end, sure, but he was the first guy Triple H called when looking to rebuild DX in Shawn Michael’s absence, and he amassed nine midcard title reigns throughout his WWE career.
X-Pac was DX’s enfant terrible: an obnoxious, detestable mischief maker who caused chaos around the midcard. Even when Triple H kicked him out of DX, X-Pac remained a degenerate by turning on Kane and stealing his girlfriend Tori, and even a run with the offensively bland X Factor (the wrestling stable equivalent of a Nickelback album) couldn’t sort him out. X-Pac was a rabble-rousing troublemaker from start to finish, and it extended to the real world.
His demons are well-publicised at this point, but Sean Waltman’s life sounds every bit as wild and chaotic as X-Pac’s was. From his battles with addiction to his tumultuous relationship with Chyna, Waltman has seen his loud DX days reflected in real-life, even if it likely wasn’t his choice. The former X-Pac has seemingly turned things around to enjoy a sober and healthy semi-retirement, but for a while, there was little difference between him and his on-air persona.