9 Wrestling Gimmicks Ripped Off From Video Games
5. Kenny Omega (Final Fantasy VII)
Disgraced commentator and living fossil Jim Cornette is oft prone to repeat his criticism that all modern wrestlers outwith his Southern sensibilities are playing dress-up. One of the Louisville Lip's pet phrases with regards his contemporary bugbears is that they're 'cosplay 'rasslers' - phonies simply play-acting, rather than performing 'properly'.
Perhaps Cornette's greatest bête noir is Kenny Omega, and - if the phrase is taken entirely literally - he's arguably the ultimate cosplay wrestler. An avid gamer, The Best Bout Machine is rarely shy about invoking his life's other great passion in the squared-circle, and in the past has weaved characters including MegaMan, Destiny 2's Osiris and, most recently, Undertale's Sans into his entrances.
Omega's main joint, however, is Final Fantasy VII. Indeed, virtually the Cleaner's entire gimmick is loosely based on Square-Enix's groundbreaking JRPG, from his entrance and 'One Winged Angel' finisher, straight-up stolen from the game's antagonist-in-chief Sephiroth, to his very name itself, taken from the game's Omega Weapon.
Can you say Final Fantasy VII Stars?