10 Famous Wrestling Gimmicks That Were Actually Inherited
4. El Gran Luchadore
Billed somewhat generically as the “Mexican Heavyweight Champion”, El Gran Luchadore made his debut in WWE in 2004 as part of the Eddie Guerrero/JBL feud over the WWE Championship. In reality, the fictional champ was actually hugely talented indie worker Paul London.
With JBL taking an anti-Mexico stance in his rivalry with 'Latino Heat', JBL was booked to face the masked superstar one-on-one on SmackDown. The resulting decimation was predictably painful for Mr. London, who would be systematically destroyed in a six minute massacre.
Ever the glutton for punishment, El Gran Luchadore would appear a month later; however, Shannon Moore was now under the mask. Billed as a “champion vs. champion” affair, JBL would get the shock of a lifetime when EGL picked up the victory, albeit following a switch with Eddie Guerrero (who was also dressed in El Gran Luchadore attire).
El Gran Luchadore made his final appearance in the blow-off match between Guerrero and JBL inside a steel cage. Moments from victory, EGL would grab Guerrero’s leg, allowing JBL to escape and retain his title. In the fallout, a fuming Guerrero ripped off EGL’s mask, revealing EGL as Kurt Angle in the process.