10 Things You Didn't Know About WWE In 1998

2. The Gimmicks That Never Ended Up Happening

Bart Gunn Steve Williams
Edge

Back in an era in which wrestlers took on different gimmicks often within the space of a few months, the WWF wasted the time of the creative services department. More than one pitched gimmick never did make it to television.

Recon and Sniper, formerly of the Truth Commission - a thoroughly bizarre heel unit - were scheduled to be repackaged as the Annihilators, going by the individual names of 'Seek' and 'Destroy'. That's funny. An obvious homage - did Triple H rip that one up, since only he is allowed to let people know that he likes Metallica? - those words really only work together. The idea of a wrestler named 'Seek' having to work a singles is ludicrous.

"I was talking to Seek earlier today, and he told me that..."

In addition, Bruce Prichard is adamant that the Fed wished to bring back an updated Attitude Era version of the heel Doink character leading a stable - including Prichard himself - named DTK Enterprises.

Actual concept art was created for a resurrected Papa Shango, who might have actually fit in Vince Russo's goth-pilled 1999, but that one never ended up happening, either. Instead, in a masterstroke, Charles Wright was ultimately handed a gimmick under which he didn't wrestle.

Did you know about Edge's originally pitched gimmick? A bloused and green-haired poet, despite not being two people, he was set to be named 'Riot & Rage' before Don Callis remarked that Edge, the name of a radio station he enjoyed, would make a better name.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!