8 Amazing Wrestling Gimmicks That Died Too Soon
Cult classic gimmicks and personas that never got proper first chances let alone seconds or thirds
Not to sound too defeatist about our fandom, but one of the unfortunate parts of being a wrestling fan is having to accept that you aren't always going to get what you want. Sometimes, a wrestler begins to cook with a gimmick, only to be wrenched away from our viewing pleasure in their prime, or come to an unsatisfactory end that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth for years to come.
This was a particularly irritating fixture of the Vince McMahon era of wrestling, but it would be insincere to say that the problem ended with the former WWE boss. Both AEW and WWE have been guilty this year of wrenching characters away from our screens that were just getting warmed up.
These 8 wrestling gimmicks range from comedic genius to intense and vicious changes of character that feel like they had the potential to be part of something special. So bask in the brilliance of these incredible gimmicks and lament that they were taken from us far too soon, as these are the best characters to ever be held back by lazy creatives.
8. Ron Killings
The firing of R-Truth in June 2025 is one of the most shocking moments in recent WWE history. Not only does he have a great reputation with several generations of fans, his recent output in The Judgment Day and as part of the reunited Awesome Truth saw him on arguably the best form of his entire career. It was a blunder for the ages that, in hindsight, was one of the first cracks to appear in the post-Vince McMahon era.
When there was a unanimous global outcry about the ridiculousness of Truth's termination, it was rightfully reassessed by WWE, and news broke that Truth had been rehired. The next time we saw him on our screens after his shocking return, Truth climbed the announce desk and cut his dreads off in an impassioned rage during the June 9th episode of Monday Night Raw. He stunned the world by announcing that R-Truth was dead and that his name is Ron Killings.
Fans are so used to Truth's cuddly persona that the intimidating figure that Killings cut in this promo was shocking and refreshing in equal measure. This drastic character change showed enormous promise, but it disappointingly only lasted a few weeks before Truth was back to his wacky antics. He has since been largely absent on WWE TV, in what has been a confusing and messy 2025 for one of WWE's most gifted performers.