Every WWE Gimmick Match And The Wrestlers That Defined Them
The Exaltation of Stipulation.
Or, Every Major WWE Gimmick Match And The Wrestlers That Defined Them.
Multi-man matches are excepted because no one performer really defines a Triple Threat match, for example. There's little need to delve into the one-offs, curios and disasters, nor the matches that were created, bespoke, for one particular character. That's self-explanatory. For the Inferno match, the wrestler who defines it has gotta be, it's gotta be Kane, because he's starred in every version of spectacle that would not exist without him. Dean Ambrose, in turn, obviously defines the Ambrose Asylum. That match - a sapping climb towards daft gimmicks that ruthlessly undermined the pain - in turn defined his run.
Buried Alive, Casket - those are defined, of course, by the Undertaker. The Boiler Room Brawl was exclusive to Mankind. WWE has promoted so many Bra and Panties matches that you'd scarcely believe it, but one man associated with WWE has a grip on it. Kevin Dunn, for about two or three minutes, coincidentally. The Two out of Three Falls is defined now by literally every f*cker across both RAW and SmackDown, as part of WWE's totally bizarre new method of managing commercial breaks.
Besides which, this isn't intended as an exercise in snark, but a celebration of WWE at its most thrillingly extreme ahead of a not extreme at all Extreme Rules pay-per-view...
25. Survivor Series Elimination Match - Randy Orton
Randy Orton is a Survivor of sorts, having bantered off several disciplinary issues and drug test failures to enjoy unprecedented longevity long into WWE's PG Era.
Likely because he's tall and good-looking and safe and so technically sound that he can operate within WWE's style for another 17 years, but still.
And so it is fitting that the man defines the Survivor Series match; ignoring the latter period stat-padding, Orton emerged from his three consecutive elimination matches, between 2003 and 2005, as the sole survivor - a quietly effective means of building him as an established top star. Additionally, Orton holds the record for most wins in the match overall (five) and has eliminated in the process a record 15 competitors (13 of which were former World Champions).
This history does blur into itself somewhat, but the end result is an impressive record of achievement that is used as marketable shorthand in retrospect.