10 MORE Attempted WWE Repackages That Failed Miserably
8. Billy Gunn Becomes Rockabilly
They don't exactly stand proudly amonst the all-time greats, but the Smoking Gunns were an underrated mid-'90s tag team, with Billy and Bart's chemistry propping up an oft-threadbare tag division. Their time together came to an end in 1996, however, with the latter injuring the former's neck in their eventual feud blow-off match, sidelining him until just before WrestleMania 13.
Billy defeated Flash Funk that night, having returned to action two weeks prior. This caught The Honky Tonk Man's attention, and for some reason, WWE decided that Rockabilly was the next logical step in Gunn's career. Thus, he was reborn as the former Intercontinental Champion's singing, strumming protege, aping his mentor's gimmick with everything but his haircut, and it stunk.
Honky Tonk Man was a highly effective heel in his heyday, but the act failed to generate any interest for Rockabilly as a singles wrestler, with its short lifespan the only saving grace. He and 'Double J' Jesse James came together after a putrid storyline that saw them feud over who was the better country singer. Honky had a guitar smashed across his skull, the New Age Outlaws were born, and neither man ever looked back.