10 WWE Legends You Won't Believe Are STILL Wrestling
7. Duke Droese
Duke 'The Dumpster' Droese defined the worst of the WWF's otherwise artistically brilliant New Generation Era.
He embodied just how out of step Vince McMahon was with his dwindling audience, and the extent to which he was incapable of growing it. Droese was one of several wrestlers saddled with an occupational gimmick. Think NXT 2.0's approach, only slightly less stupid.
"Hey Vince, with the rise of ECW, fans seem to be developing a taste for garbage wrestling."
"OK, here's a garbage man, then!"
"No, Vince..."
"No? What does that word mean?"
Droese did very little after one notable angle, involving Jerry Lawler, in which he was blasted in the head with his own garbage can. He was one of the worst "Him?!" #30 entrants in Royal Rumble history. He generally faded from view, since few fans were interested in the character arc of such a bad, one-dimensional character - and on the subject of bad one-dimensional characters, Droese lost his last WWF TV match to TL Hopper: wrestling plumber.
At 54, for Major League Wrestling, Droese in July took part in the sort of ironic battle royal that feels as relevant as the scaffold match in 2023. Also involved were Raven, Davey Boy Smith, Jr. and Little Guido.
Oh!