10 Early Gimmicks From Famous Wrestlers You Won't Believe

8. Gunther

Gunther WWE
WWE

Gunther's gimmick is that of the serious pro wrestler in a sports entertainment world.

He was better when he had a bit more weight on his frame, and was allowed to cause internal bleeding, but Gunther is far from a disgrace to WALTER's great name. If it's not quite the same, it's similar enough: he is a stoic, stiff hoss destroyer with a distinct, formidable aura. He cares nothing about the theatrics of American wrestling. It's not about pyro, showmanship, or wacky antics. You don't need robes, snazzy tights, or some goofy, crowd-pleasing persona.

Wrestling is sport! The mat is sacred! He would f*ck it if he only could!

It's a portrayal so believable that one can easily imagine the real-life Gunther is a bit of a misery who devoutly studies the art of holds all the live long day.

It's actually more impressive upon watching WALTER perform in Japan for ZERO1, wherein he portrayed the character 'Gha-cha-ping': a wacky masked fellow decked out in green who performed a star jump-style dance en route to the ring. What happened to this happy man?

Well, he did work NXT UK for a couple of years. That would suck the fun out of anyone.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!