10 Talented Wrestlers Let Down By Lame Gimmicks

7. Dean Douglas (College Professor)

Val Venis Towel
WWE.com

Regular ECW enthusiasts tuning into WWF programming in 1995 expecting to see 'The Franchise' Shane Douglas ended up disappointed, because the character Douglas played in the WWF couldn't have been more different to the brash main event machine he played in Philadelphia.

Stripped of everything that had made him cool in Paul Heyman's promotion, the unfortunate Shane was reimagined as college professor 'Dean' Douglas; the God-awful powder blue leotard Douglas wore - coupled with a goofy haircut and lack of real conviction in his promos - combined to cripple Shane's assault on the WWF roster.

Debuting in July, Dean Douglas was gone before the end of the year.

Douglas himself has cited issues with Shawn Michaels and 'The Kliq' backstage as a reason for his failed run, but the truth is that his 'Dean' character never had a hope in hell of getting over with a WWF audience that was crying out for something fresher than stuffy, cartoonish heels.

If Douglas had been set free as the cocky 'Franchise', he'd have stood a chance in the company even amidst a political minefield.

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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.