10 Gimmicks That WWE Milked Dry

From the territory days to the Golden Era, WWE fans flocked to arenas to see their favorite all-American babyface square-off with a dastardly foe in the name of all things good and right.

Rolling into the mid-90s, though, fans no longer wanted to see wrestlers carry out their tired goodie-two-shoes schtick and longed for grittier performers who weren't afraid to bend the rules to do what was right (sometimes).

Ever since then, it has become a curse to be a good guy. A babyface push is actually a way to get a rising star booed in most cases, as overexposure has become inevitable, along with fans' disapproval.

For example, when Roman Reigns' mega-push became growingly apparent, he lost most of his support and received scorching heat WWE played off as a "polarized" response. Of course, that was far from the case.

The concept of a mixed reaction was popularized with John Cena. 'The Master of Thuganomics' was perhaps the last Hogan-esque hero in WWE to gain fan support, but even then, the boos quickly ensued as he won night in and out. Younger viewers still railed behind their hero, but the teens and adults turned on him in droves.

Many of WWE's attempts to create similar stars have failed. It took Reigns turning heel for him to receive more praise than criticism. The righteous protagonist concept is severely outdated, and going forward, it's best for WWE to add a little grit to their faces.