8 Geniuses Who Were Secretly Behind Famous Wrestling Ideas

Who really came up with that idea? Not your favourite wrestler - that's who.

The truth is that, whilst wrestlers are often able, if not always encouraged, to pitch ideas to to their employers (unlike, say, a postman), most of the time they are simply following instructions from above.

Shawn Michaels didn't really write (or sing) his entrance music, neither was it Undertaker's idea to have his estranged brother show up in 1997. Randy Orton probably wasn't the brains behind his Legacy stable, and Hulk Hogan didn't really book himself to beat Kevin Nash with a finger-poke*.

But who are the real brains behind these ideas? And do they deserve a little more credit? The on-screen talent is the most important component of any wrestling show, but those behind the curtain have a role to play as well.

And don't forget: every now and then, the stars we hail for their searing genius really do come up with their own lines, or take it upon themselves to sketch out a whole new match-type in their free time (which they can go on to dominate for the next 10 years).

*Actually, he probably did.

Chris Jericho will surely go down as one of the industry's most creative minds of all-time.

The Ayatollah of Rock'n'Rolla has been in the wrestling game for well over 20 years - and yet his on-screen persona has remained fresh thanks to his unrivalled ability to reinvent himself with each new angle.

But - here's something that may shock you - the Canadian wasn't the one who came up with the "List of Jericho" concept that caught fire last year during his much-acclaimed friendship with Kevin Owens. In fact, it was the brain-child of former ROH star Jimmy Jacobs, who now earns his keep as a writer in WWE.

Whilst Y2J may not have conceived the idea, it's hard to imagine anyone else on the roster getting it over with quite the same success - so hats off to the both of them, really.