10 Terrible WWE Reinventions
9. Terry Gordy > The Executioner
Apocryphally (ie from the mouth of Bruce Prichard, so likely to be hot b*llocks), The Executioner gimmick was conceived as a rare act of mercy from WWF's legendarily spiteful chairman.
Terry Gordy was no favourite of Vince McMahon, only begrudgingly hired as a favour to Michael Hayes. The boss had several legitimate doubts over the battered and bruised veteran's physical capability, but instead of gleefully hanging the former Freebird out to dry as he would rival talent time and time again, he instead offered Bam Bam a reprieve. Under a cowl as The Executioner, Vince gave Gordy the chance to prove he still had it; if he didn't, his reputation would be spared.
Long story short: he didn't. And what's worse, we all know it was him, thanks to articles such as this. Talk about a hatchet job.