10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Aug 11)

9. Big Vito's Dress Gimmick Almost Landed Him A Big Push

Vito WWE
WWE.com

It was Vince and Stephanie McMahon's grand idea to take a bald-headed, tough-looking Italian and stick him in a dress on SmackDown in 2006. Big Vito's cross-dressing antics shouldn't have had fans cheering, but the guy just played the part with such gusto that it was hard not to take notice.

An undefeated streak followed, and Vito ended up being more over in a dress than he had ever been in either WCW or WWE. On the Duke Loves Rasslin podcast, Vito said he almost ended up facing Booker T for the World Heavyweight Title, only to be pipped to the spot by none other than The Undertaker.

Vito cites politics, but it's not difficult to understand why WWE chose 'Taker for the title match instead. The dress gimmick was never supposed to get over, so it must have come as quite the shock to Vince and Steph when fans lapped the idea up and rallied behind Vito.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.