10 Real Inspirations Behind Current Wrestling Gimmicks
These real inspirations helped forge some seriously compelling modern wrestling gimmicks.
For all of the technical prowess that must be at least a little bit present if a star is to succeed on television as a wrestler the people can get behind, if history has taught us one thing it's that being just a solid worker simply isn't enough to land your name on the lips of those paying to watch the carnage unfold.
It's the characters and ever-twisting storylines they find themselves navigating that keep fans coming back for more. So, it's up to those attempting to forge their own path within this barmy business to think on their feet and draw inspiration from increasingly unusual and unexpected places to ensure they don't get lost in the storyline shuffle.
Whether that be from whatever big screen offering has captured the imaginations of the world at that current moment in time, or the always creative world of gaming, you really never know quite when gimmick inspiration will strike.
From stars determined to put a smile on that face, to real-life experiences paving the way for an exciting on-screen development, were it not for these real origins, some of the most entertaining characters of modern times may never have seen the light of day.
10. Malakai Black - European Tribalism And Paganism
A lot of noise was made about the overall lack of respect and attention the Aleister Black character received whilst attempting to make an impact on WWE's main roster. However, proving that it most definitely wasn't the performer that was the issue, Black swiftly set about captivating the masses upon arriving on AEW's shores in July.
Fans were quick to spot that Malakai Black had maintained his character's seriously dodgy eye that we'd last seen in Vinnie Mac's empire, but the leader of The House of Black would later reveal some of the more fascinating origins he'd channelled when bringing this newer iteration of the gimmick to The Land of All Elite.
Speaking to Bleacher Report, Black would note that his new moniker of "Malakai" had its origins in the prophet "Malachi", which is Hebrew for "messenger". On top of this, he'd also go on to reveal that a lot of this new character "is based on European tribalism and paganism from around the time of Julius Caesar." Disclosing that some Celtics worshipped a deity known as Cernunnos, the disturbing AEW presence also confirmed that he " based the mask and a lot of the dressing off of that symbolism."