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Analyze this: Copied gimmicks that turned out to be a bigger success

6K views 24 replies 20 participants last post by  Mr White 
#1 · (Edited)
This came to my mind while I was reading about Blackjack Mulligan and more importantly Nature Boy Ric Flair. Both of them essentially took up the gimmicks of already existing wrestlers completely in all aspects where Mulligan took it from Lanza and Ric Flair from Buddy Rogers and found immense success.

Has there been similar other cases in history of pro wrestling other than these two where copies has been more if not equally successful?

I can think of Jay Lethal copying Randy Savage to a certain amount of success but both were are different leagues.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Much easier to think of gimmicks that did not turn out as well as the originals but I am thinking here...

The Rock N Roll Express were created to be younger copies of the Fabulous Ones.

The Sheepherders were more successful than the already established Kiwi Sheepherders although both teams were just awesome in their day.

During the promotion war in Georgia in the mid 70's. Mr Wrestling 2 was created to fill the void left by Mr Wrestling 1 when the NWA sent one off to help their NWA interest. Mr Wrestling 2 easily eclipsed the original's popularity.

Okay I am prepared to get flamed for this one, but The Miz pretty much copied Mr Kennedy's gimmick and has had more success with it.
 
#11 ·
I think you have to mention Kane in this thread. Obviously, he is not more successful than The Undertaker but he has made a pretty damn good career for himself. Heck, even most of his moves are the same as The Undertaker's.

"The Rock" Don Muraco---->"The Rock" Rocky Maivia :p
 
#19 ·
ALberto Del Rio took JBL's gimmick (who stole it from Ted) too much bigger heights

:troll
 
#20 ·
A lot of gimmicks tend to be recycled through the years - art imitates life and what not. Coolquip mentioned the biggest one that I can think of - Flair.

A lot of guys copied "military" gimmicks with mixed success.

Tag Teams were very derivative. If you look at the Rockers, R and R Express, Midnight Express, other tag teams, they seemed to be running with very similar gimmicks - not sure who was first - maybe the Fabulous Ones?

And a lot of teams had success in ripping off the Road Warriors.

Here's one for ya - some people argue that Goldberg copied portions of Austin's gimmick ... not sure that I can see that one ...
 
#22 ·
A lot of gimmicks tend to be recycled through the years - art imitates life and what not. Coolquip mentioned the biggest one that I can think of - Flair.

A lot of guys copied "military" gimmicks with mixed success.

Tag Teams were very derivative. If you look at the Rockers, R and R Express, Midnight Express, other tag teams, they seemed to be running with very similar gimmicks - not sure who was first - maybe the Fabulous Ones?

And a lot of teams had success in ripping off the Road Warriors.

Here's one for ya - some people argue that Goldberg copied portions of Austin's gimmick ... not sure that I can see that one ...
I too have heard about this but am not sure if I am quoting the right person when I say Eric Bischoff said they got Goldberg to counter Shamrock's MMA guy to "teach" Vince how to use MMA guys effectively but the played along as it went with the streak.
 
#25 ·
I don't think you could classify this as a copied gimmick but Lex Luger took his name from Lex Luthor, his favorite villain.

As stated earlier a lot of wrestlers seemed to have "borrowed" from Superstar Billy Graham. The game Punch-Out even modeled Super Macho Man after him.
 
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