10 Worst WWE Gimmicks Of 2018

6. The Bludgeon Brothers: Outdated Monsters

Nikki Cross Drake Maverick
WWE.com

(Erick) Rowan's torn bicep put an end to the Bludgeon Brothers' run as SmackDown Tag Team Champions earlier this year. With his partner away, (Luke) Harper took this time to undergo overdue surgery on his wrist, and there's now talk that their act may be finished altogether.

This is for the best.

Harper and Rowan have always been a great 'big man' tag team. Rowan is a limited wrestler, but working with the ultra-talented Harper helps mask his deficiencies, and their chemistry is palpable. The Bludgeon Brothers being paired together in the first place wasn't the problem; their characters were.

Introduced through a series of goofy video packages promising 'severed spines' and 'broken bones,' the Bludgeons became outdated '80s-style monster heels. Though the ring attire was suitably grimy, their over-the-top, cartoonish hammer props, slow-motion ring walk, and generic metal entrance track reeked of a bygone era. The duo weren't even allowed to have great matches either. Rather than wrestling the likes of The Usos and The New Day, Harper and Rowan would borderline squash their opponents, derailing a high-workrate tag division in the process.

Let's hope they're repackaged when they come back.

 
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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.