WWE Gimmicks That FAILED The HARDEST Every Year (1985-2025)
25. ‘Stalker’ DDP (2001)
Diamond Dallas Page's repackage job in mid-2001 was a glaring example of how the WWF misjudged their own audience's thoughts on WCW. Page 'needed to be fed-ified' otherwise 'nobody would know who he was'. Rubbish. Complete rubbish. If that was the case, then why bother bringing him in at all?
The one time (and original) "People's Champion" was rethought as a disturbing, creepy stalker who targeted The Undertaker's then-wife Sara so his new peer could "make [him] famous". The problem? Page was already famous; he was certainly famous enough for the McMahon's to sign and trumpet as a leading voice in the WCW invasion.
Predictably, DDP's stalker gimmick destroyed any chances he had of becoming a crossover success story. It was too far-fetched for starters, because Page was still married to Kimberly at the time and fans knew that. She wasn't even brought up in the narrative, because it was far easier to pretend that Page viewed stalking 'Taker's missus as the best route to WWF stardom.
What a flimsy idea.
When he wasn't awkwardly hanging out in some bushes and watching Sara chill by the pool or get ready for yoga class, DDP was getting bounced around rings by Undertaker and Kane like some total jobber. Dudes like Bruce Prichard palm off suggestions that all of this was an attempt to undermine WCW, but...what was it then?
If it was a bid to present Diamond as a major star people should care about, then everybody needs to go back to wrestling creative 101. What a horrible, horrible plan.