15 Exact Moments Failed WWE Gimmicks Actually Got Over
1. The Rock
While it is unquestionably the biggest stretch in WhatCulture list history to refer to any version of the Rock, post-1997, as a “failed gimmick”, he was less than over when he first returned under Triple H’s creative regime. He wasn’t just an unwanted opponent to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40; he was actively bad at being a corny babyface. Remember when he interacted with Austin Theory on the September 15, 2023 SmackDown?
Of course not. This actually happened, but the Rock’s awful stand-up routines had somehow become forgettable. Rock made one side of the arena chant “You are”, and the other chant “an asshole” at Theory. This was phonetically very awkward. “You’re an asshole, clap-clap clap-clap-clap” was surely a much more rhythmic chant, but the Rock was more interested in getting people to do things than the things actually being good.
These rubbish, infrequent appearances probably didn’t help the Rock in his impressively ignorant crusade to have a match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40, when Cody Rhodes, at the peak of his powers as the biggest WWE star of the 21st century, had just earned the right by doing what Rock hadn’t bothered to do and won the Royal Rumble. This was a chastening experience for the Rock, who, fearing a second backlash in a second medium, turned heel.
And what a heel. The Rock got over all over again by perfecting what was already an all-time great wrestling act. He became the Rock again, complete with classic lines - “The Rock will smack the herpes off your lips!” - and added 20 bonus minutes of unhinged, scary swearing on his first SmackDown appearance as ‘The Final Boss’.
Hollywood Rock + expletive-heavy ECW promo style + actual Hollywood star power = best sh*t in history.