10 Successful Gimmicks You Forgot WWE Tried Again

Who looks cooler? If you're of a certain vintage, there's no way you're picking ECW reboot's Kevin Thorn. Gangrel was an 'Attitude Era' mainstay who spat blood after sipping it from a chalice, emerged onstage in a ring of fire and helped give Edge and Christian a foot on the company ladder by way of The Brood. He was always a midcard worker, but Gangers had some dramatic vibes to him.

It's understandable why WWE thought trying another vampire gimmick was worth it in 2006 then. Thorn and his valet Ariel had an even darker look than Gangrel's 'white wolf' aesthetic, but something was missing. Maybe it was that Thorn had bungled as Undertaker wannabe Mordecai in 2004, or perhaps fans just didn't want to see supernatural/OTT characters like this so shortly after the ECW revival. Whatever it was, Thorn and Ariel failed to properly click with crowds.

This writer even knows fans who were definitely watching some wrestling between 2006-2007 but don't recall Thorn at all. That's remarkable considering he and his New Breed cohorts worked a match vs. old ECW faves like RVD, Sabu, Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman at WrestleMania 23.

It's a bad sign when folks completely forget someone who worked 'Mania.

WWE chiefs must've been disappointed by the Mordecai flop, but they weren't willing to give up on Kev just yet. Sadly, the vampire reprise and Gangrel mimicking didn't cut it either. Third time wouldn't be a charm for Thorn - he didn't get that chance before leaving the promotion for good.