Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago

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Not every WWE character is destined to succeed. Some gimmicks seem dead on arrival — cheesy, outdated, or just plain strange. But every now and then, a wrestler takes a role that should have flopped… and somehow makes it work.

From Elias strumming his way into fan chants, to James Ellsworth going from jobber to SmackDown star, to Breezango turning comedy skits into cult classics — these are the gimmicks that nobody believed in, but fans ended up loving.

Today, we look back at 10 WWE gimmicks that should have failed, but managed to get over in a big way.

00:00 - INTRO
01:22 - ELIAS
02:55 - EZEKIEL
04:23 - CURT HAWKINS
07:04 - JAMES ELLSWORTH
08:41 - JIMMY WANG YANG
10:56 - UMAGA
12:06 - HEATH SLATER
14:02 - RICO
15:35 - PERRY SATURN
17:38 - BREEZANGO