Burst
El Dandy
*inarticulate squawking*
Posts: 8,679
|
Post by Burst on Jan 15, 2018 12:46:17 GMT -5
There are plenty of examples of guys like AJ going to Japan after a period of being stagnant, reinventing themselves, and coming back to the US revitalized and significantly better for it. Hell, one could argue the entire point of the NJPW Young Lions Excursions is built around this concept.
Clearly there are going to have been cases where it didn't work, whether just the performer was never that good or wasn't willing to improve, or something just didn't mesh one way or another. Even though this came well before his UFC success and his current run, I would argue Brock's time in NJPW would count, though you could fight all day whether it was because of him or because of the state of NJPW at the time. He looked like he was phoning it in the whole time and honestly both sides came out of it looking bad.
|
|
mizerable
Fry's dog Seymour
You're the lowest on the totem pole here, Alva. The lowest.
Posts: 23,475
|
Post by mizerable on Jan 15, 2018 13:08:23 GMT -5
First thought I had was William Regal in 2008. I think both the company and fans were onboard, but Regal's demons always crept up on him.
|
|
malloc
Team Rocket
asian cookbook
Posts: 778
|
Post by malloc on Jan 15, 2018 13:37:27 GMT -5
Bulldog 1999/2000 wrestling in jeans? No sign of the union flag? A dog barking for music? Load of wank.
|
|
|
|
Post by Aceorton on Jan 15, 2018 14:17:21 GMT -5
King Kong Bundy in '94 comes to mind. Enough time had gone by since his first WWF run that he could have been a refreshed monster if presented properly (and he was only 37), but they blew it by making him just another Corporation goon and putting him up against other big guys, which made him look even more lumbering in the ring.
Crush in '96 was a pretty solid try, considering they had to work with the fact that he'd been in prison, but I wouldn't count that as a "success."
|
|
chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 28,329 
|
Post by chazraps on Jan 15, 2018 14:35:34 GMT -5
First thought I had was William Regal in 2008. I think both the company and fans were onboard, but Regal's demons always crept up on him. I wouldn't even say that failed. Abruptly cut short, yes, but he was the top heel for a good six month period. |
|
El Pollo Guerrera
Grimlock
His name has chicken in it, and he is good at makin' .gifs, so that's cool.
Status: Runner
Posts: 14,952
|
Post by El Pollo Guerrera on Jan 15, 2018 14:39:26 GMT -5
First thought was Jake Roberts in 1996 WWF, with the "revelations" gimmick.
|
|
Push R Truth
Patti Mayonnaise
Unique and Special Snowflake, and a pants-less heathen.
Perpetually Constipated
Posts: 39,372
|
Post by Push R Truth on Jan 15, 2018 14:42:43 GMT -5
Bulldog 1999/2000 wrestling in jeans? No sign of the union flag? A dog barking for music? Load of wank. Yeah, Bulldog trying to reinvent himself screamed "Mid Life Crisis" and it felt lame as hell. On the flip side, Bossman's gear switch to the black armored style was the correct way to upgrade from the 80's to the 90's. |
|
|
|
Post by Milkman Norm on Jan 15, 2018 14:55:20 GMT -5
Billy Graham shaving his head wearing karate gear in the early 80's. Apparently he change his look so much that fans didn't think it was the same guy.
|
|
Gawk Rivers
Ozymandius
MAMMA MIA! CRUISERLICIOUS!
GIIIGIIIGIIIGIIIGIGI
Posts: 61,504 
Member is Online
|
Post by Gawk Rivers on Jan 15, 2018 15:08:37 GMT -5
Tyler Reks in 2010 feels like a really elaborate joke except it actually happened.
|
|
|
|
Post by "Playboy" Don Douglas on Jan 15, 2018 15:11:02 GMT -5
What about the Headbangers in ROH as the Guardians of Truth?
|
|
Honeybear Lyder
ALF
It's called a title match, dammit! I'll fire your ass, dammit! Get me a snowcone, dammit!
Posts: 1,157
|
Post by Honeybear Lyder on Jan 15, 2018 15:32:17 GMT -5
Ultimate Warrior in 1992, 1996, 1998.
|
|
|
|
Post by OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 on Jan 15, 2018 16:00:48 GMT -5
Macho Man roided up with Team Madness was a pathetic mid age crisis.
Road Warrior Animal's single run in the wwe. Take out the painting and the shoulder pads, he was just an ugly fat guy with a Mohawk.
Rambo Greg Gagne.
Chavo Guerrero being presented as a legend in tna.
Chris Jericho's cool dad gimmick when he returned was pathetic so glad he ditched it and found the list.
|
|
|
|
Post by OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 on Jan 15, 2018 16:03:43 GMT -5
Bulldog 1999/2000 wrestling in jeans? No sign of the union flag? A dog barking for music? Load of wank. Yeah, Bulldog trying to reinvent himself screamed "Mid Life Crisis" and it felt lame as hell. On the flip side, Bossman's gear switch to the black armored style was the correct way to upgrade from the 80's to the 90's. The Bossman is one of my favorite gimmicks ever. It's one of those characters that will always work no matter the era because deep down I think everyone dislikes cops. |
|
|
|
Post by Milkman Norm on Jan 15, 2018 17:11:28 GMT -5
Macho Man roided up with Team Madness was a pathetic mid age crisis. Road Warrior Animal's single run in the wwe. Take out the painting and the shoulder pads, he was just an ugly fat guy with a Mohawk. Rambo Greg Gagne. Chavo Guerrero being presented as a legend in tna. Chris Jericho's cool dad gimmick when he returned was pathetic so glad he ditched it and found the list. Um... Chavo Guerrero was a legend. Just because he was never a huge name in the Northeast doesn't mean he wasn't a draw in other places in this country. |
|
|
|
Post by 2coldMack is even more baffled on Jan 15, 2018 17:15:20 GMT -5
Macho Man roided up with Team Madness was a pathetic mid age crisis. Road Warrior Animal's single run in the wwe. Take out the painting and the shoulder pads, he was just an ugly fat guy with a Mohawk. Rambo Greg Gagne. Chavo Guerrero being presented as a legend in tna. Chris Jericho's cool dad gimmick when he returned was pathetic so glad he ditched it and found the list. Um... Chavo Guerrero was a legend. Just because he was never a huge name in the Northeast doesn't mean he wasn't a draw in other places in this country. We're talking about Chavo Jr. here. Who was a big-ish name, but certainly not the legend TNA made him out to be. Anyways, back on topic, pick a Marty Jannetty comeback. Any of them. |
|
|
|
Post by MrElijah on Jan 15, 2018 17:22:10 GMT -5
Rick Martel because of his unfortunate injury?
|
|
|
|
Post by Viking Hall on Jan 15, 2018 18:18:13 GMT -5
First thought I had was William Regal in 2008. I think both the company and fans were onboard, but Regal's demons always crept up on him. I wouldn't even say that failed. Abruptly cut short, yes, but he was the top heel for a good six month period. I think his initial yoyo-ing between WCW and WWF in the late nineties before he got his shit together in Memphis would be a better example, especially the Man's Man thing. |
|
|
|
Post by Starshine on Jan 15, 2018 18:26:27 GMT -5
Everything Road Warrior Animal has tried following the original LOD.
|
|
|
|
Post by cassonova on Jan 15, 2018 18:30:48 GMT -5
The New Blackjacks. Granted, in the case of Bradshaw, you can't rejuvenate what isn't there, as he wasn't a star yet. Barry Windham though...yeesh.
|
|
|
|
Post by KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!! on Jan 15, 2018 19:02:03 GMT -5
There are plenty of examples of guys like AJ going to Japan after a period of being stagnant, reinventing themselves, and coming back to the US revitalized and significantly better for it. Hell, one could argue the entire point of the NJPW Young Lions Excursions is built around this concept. Clearly there are going to have been cases where it didn't work, whether just the performer was never that good or wasn't willing to improve, or something just didn't mesh one way or another. Even though this came well before his UFC success and his current run, I would argue Brock's time in NJPW would count, though you could fight all day whether it was because of him or because of the state of NJPW at the time. He looked like he was phoning it in the whole time and honestly both sides came out of it looking bad. Lesnar came out of it looking bad, but Lesnar got paid. Lesnar don’t give a f***. |
|
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61946227/Dqpaz_iVsAA04LW.0.jpg)
