25 Worst Wrestling Moments Of 2022
19. Lacey Evans Military Heel Gimmick
2022 is the last year of Vince McMahon's bad taste infiltrating wrestlers' gimmicks. It's tempting to say that an "old timey" character could never work in the modern era, but 'Timeless' Toni Storm is one of the best gimmicks of recent years, being a perfect blend of contemporary morals and humor through the lens of a 1950s dame. This was pre-dated by Lacey Evans's pin-up schtick in WWE that had none of the finesse and charm of Storm's excellent work, instead relying on a wardrobe and Evans's real-life former Marine background.
After flip-flopping as a heel and a face multiple times in 2022, WWE creative settled on Evans adopting an almost Sgt. Slaughter-like heel persona. She would berate fans into saluting, play her entrance multiple times, and insist that she be treated with the proper respect.
The most irksome part of this character came when she started referring to booing fans as "nasties". It's a knowing play on words that flirts with offensive iconography and was completely tone-deaf. This character naturally bombed, and Evans eventually left WWE for good in 2023.