10 Times WWE Totally Trolled You
9. The Funkasaurus Swerve
Emmalina’s “debut” wasn’t the only time WWE trolled their fans with a repackaged wrestler. Brodus Clay formed an alliance with Alberto Del Rio after taking part in NXT’s fourth season in 2010, but was written out so he could film a movie the following year.
A dominant brute of a wrestler, WWE started teasing Clay’s return with vignettes in late 2011, with each one alluding that he’d return as an imposing monster:-
Clay’s return took place in January 2012, but it was the polar opposite of what we’d been led to believe. Instead of the character advertised in the videos, Clay became The Funkasaurus - a fun-loving, dancing babyface hailing from the Planet Funk, and flanked by his dancers, The Funkadactyls (Naomi & Cameron).
It was a complete U-turn, and nobody saw it coming. The swerve had people talking for a while, but the gimmick did little for Clay, who was never elevated beyond the midcard. He and Tensai (or “Sweet T,” if you prefer) former Tons of Funk towards the end of his run, but Brodus later turned heel, and was released from his WWE contract in June 2014. Today, SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi is the last vestige of his legacy.