8 Gimmicks From The Past That Wouldn't Work In Today's WWE
7. The Native American
When it comes to wrestling gimmicks, one of the most instantly recognisable in the history of the industry is that of the traditional Native American. With the colourful headdress and the penchant for the tomahawk chop, the Native American was a staple for decades.
The gimmick itself has actually been around since the dawn of television. Due to this longevity, there have been several hugely successful traditional Native American characters over the last 50 years, including Wahoo McDaniel, Chief Jay Strongbow, and Jay Youngblood. Meanwhile, Tatanka's WWF run in the early '90s was hugely memorable and a big part of WWF TV at the time.
However, recent years have seen a virtual cessation of this character in particular. The increasing sensitivity of modern culture has led wrestling to move away from stereotypes and focus more on the athletes themselves. As such, this is one persona that is unlikely to return any time soon.
After all, just because someone has a Native American background doesn't mean they should be automatically lumbered with a headdress and a tomahawk. Jack and Jerry Brisco are both of Native American heritage, as are Jesse Neal and Mickie James, none of whom portrayed a gimmick remotely associated with stereotypical Native Americans.