10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Aug 19)
4. Vince McMahon Cancelled The Basham Brothers S&M Gimmick
Arriving on the main roster in 2003, Doug and Danny Basham worked collectively as The Basham Brothers. Actually regular opponents in Ohio Valley Wrestling (then one of WWE's developmental territories), the pair gelled quickly as a unit. Looking to add something original to the team, WWE management placed them with the intimidating female Shaniqua.
Slowly but surely, The Bashams began developing some kinky aspects to their gimmick. Shaniqua was cast as a fearsome dominatrix, literally whipping both Doug and Danny if they didn't do her bidding. According to Doug on the Pancakes and Powerslams podcast, the idea was the brainchild of Vince McMahon.
Putting their all into the gimmick, the team actually researched sadomasochism and planned to incorporate more bondage and other fetish quirks to their characters. That's when McMahon stepped in and canned the whole thing.
Doug said during the interview that McMahon felt the trio were getting the wrong kind of heat, referring to it as "sick heat". This confused the wrestlers, because they were only trying their best with what was handed to them in the first place.