10 Old WWE Gimmick Matches That Need To Say In The Past

7. Asylum Match

Ambrose Asylum
WWE.com

Taking place at Extreme Rules 2016, the Asylum match was one of WWE’s many feeble attempts at convincing the audience that wacky prop comic Dean Ambrose is a dangerous, unhinged madman. He and Chris Jericho had fought a decent match at Payback three weeks prior, but decided to up the ante with this goofy variation on a Steel Cage match for their next clash, and results were predictably tedious.

The Asylum saw the wrestlers enclosed by four steel walls, with various weapons hanging from the top. In a different era, when crude, explicit violence still had a home on WWE programming, this may have come off a little better. Unfortunately, Jericho vs. Ambrose was as lame as any other ‘extreme’ match WWE have presented since 2008, which begs the question of why they bother with such gimmicks these days.

Jericho deserves credit for taking a thumbtack bump, but the Asylum was excruciatingly long, and it took close to 25 minutes before they were able to elicit any kind of crowd response. It’s one of the dullest hardcore/cage matches you’ll ever seen, and WWE have fortunately resisted the temptation to book another one.

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Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.