10 Gimmick Matches WWE Should NEVER Book Again

2. Sumo Match

Yokozuna Earthquake Sumo
WWE Network

There's a joke in here about sweaty blokes jostling for position. That's how some people view wrestling anyway, but they haven't witnessed true torture until they've watched WWE's mediocre attempts to piggyback on the sport of sumo. God only knows why Vince McMahon has tried this more than once.

1994's original between Yokozuna and Earthquake fit Yoko's gimmick and 'Quake's real-life background, but it wasn't a fun watch. Also, whomever decided that Big Show should show off his giant ass to the entire watching world against Akebono at WrestleMania 21 should get a healthy lashing with those straps mentioned in the 'Punjabi Prison' entry.

Wrestling fans just don't want to see this style of grappling, and most couldn't give a hoot about the traditional elements of it. It's always agonisingly slow, and it never leads to anything meaningful anyway. WWE's version of sumo can get in the bin.

It might not fit in the same one as Show's mawashi.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.