10 Wackiest Wrestling Gimmicks That Actually Worked

3. Doink The Clown

Apparently, it was Road Warrior Hawk who first came up with the idea of a pro wrestling clown. Of course, many people have an irrational fear of circus clowns, feeling them to be amongst the most creepy characters around. Matt Osborne used this to his advantage when he made his debut as Doink The Clown in 1992. Immediately, fans around ringside were terrified of the gimmick. It had serious potential, potential which was ruined when Vince McMahon decided to turn the character babyface in 1993. Osborne left the company shortly thereafter, and the gimmick was taken up by the likes of Steve Lombardi and Ray Apollo. Doink would never be as effective as a babyface, the guise was far better as a nefarious villain playing on the fears of fans. After Osborne left, Doink fell by the way side. Nobody played it as well as he did, because his facial expressions and promos were utterly bonkers. There was something seedy about the entire gimmick, and it should have been much more than it ended up. For what it's worth, for at least a brief period, Doink The Clown was one of the best characters in the WWF.