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

Laycool were essentially the Beautifal people but achieved greater fame

Vince McMahon kinda copied Eric Bischoff's heel gimmick with his evil Mr. McMahon gimmick, that was much more successful.

YunisTaker said:

Don't know if Stone Cold copied Sandman's gimmick but didn't he start acting like a crazy lunatic before Austin? If so, we all know who is the most successful one there.

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That is highly debatable and a good one there too. I felt Stone Cold was a gimmick taken more from Bad News Brown with added Sandman elements to it. But it was more successful by and large compared to the two guys.

The biggest one of all ----> Hogan copied Superstar Billy Graham's gimmick and had the most successful career in wrestling history.

theidealstranger said:

That is highly debatable and a good one there too. I felt Stone Cold was a gimmick taken more from Bad News Brown with added Sandman elements to it. But it was more successful by and large compared to the two guys.

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Austin himself admitted that he stole the whole gimmick from Woody Harrelson's character in the movie Natural Born Killers.

Damien Sandow - Lanny Poffo.

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.

Ric Flair took Buddy Rogers's gimmick.

YunisTaker said:

Don't know if Stone Cold copied Sandman's gimmick but didn't he start acting like a crazy lunatic before Austin? If so, we all know who is the most successful one there.

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There were dozens of guys over the history of the sport who did the crazy over the top tough guy gimmick before Sandman. If Austin copied Sandman (which I don't think he did at all) then Sandman copied Killer Tim Brooks, Joe LeDuc, Bugsy McGraw (when he was not doing his comedy gimmick) Dick The Brusier, The Crusher, etc...Heck Tojo Yammamotto was beating the crap out of guys with a kendo stick long before Sandman.

The character Austin created was only similar in attitude. I don't think anyone has a corner on the market at creating being a "could care less" bad guy. That is more of an attitude than a gimmick.

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

Wasn't Big Poppa Pump sort of a rip off of "Superstar" Billy Graham?


And based solely on how he's pushed, Brodus Clay is a ripoff of Flash Funk.


Old school guys, help me out. What about Great Muta & Great Kabuki?

Sandman and Austin?

Jesus, do people ever read prior posts?

Sandman & Austin have been mentioned countless times and Austin didn't really steal his gimmick.




However, a gimmick that was stole was Rey Mysterio "the giant killer". Spike Dudley was doing it in ECW before Rey.

Val Venis and Rick Rude... Both were good, Rude was better.

El Chapo said:

Jesus, do people ever read prior posts?

Sandman & Austin have been mentioned countless times and Austin didn't really steal his gimmick.

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Except he did.

Also, The Iron Sheik=> Sheiky Baby Iron Sheik

Dynamite Kid=> Chris Benoit

Scott Stiener didnt steal Superstar's gimmick he just wore the same beard as Graham did later in his career. Jesse Ventura borrowed off of Billy Graham, although Ventura jokes it's the other way around. Hogan also borrowed idea's from both Ventura and Graham.

Ric Flair took Buddy Rodgers gimmick to huge heights.

ALberto Del Rio took JBL's gimmick (who stole it from Ted) too much bigger heights

:troll

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 ...