5 Wrestling gimmicks that were inspired by somebody else

Sometimes a wrestler's gimmick is so synonymous with a person, it's hard to see that gimmick belonging to anyone else, or that wrestler having used any other gimmick during their career.

However, it's incredibly rare that a wrestler will use a single gimmick throughout their entire career. It's amazing to think how some stars got their starts in the WWE by borrowing the gimmick of another wrestler, especially during the Monday Night Wars.

A notable example of this was after Diesel and Razor Ramon crossed from Vince McMahon's WWF to Ted Turner's WCW programming, the WWF announced that the two would still be appearing on Monday Night Raw. Nash and Hall were perplexed, and WCW was panicking.

Nevertheless, when Monday Night rolled around, Diesel and Ramon did indeed appear on Monday Night Raw, but they weren't being portrayed by Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. Instead, Diesel and Hall were played by Glenn Jacobs and Rick Bognar respectively. The crowd immediately saw through the bait and switch that the WWF was trying to play and reacted negatively.

Of course, Glenn Jacobs was later successfully re-packaged as the Undertaker's Half-Brother Kane, the gimmick in which Jacobs found ongoing success and in which he continues to wrestle under today. However, the gimmick killed Bognar's career, and after his one-year contract expired he left the WWF, before retiring a few years later. Needless to say, it is very difficult to succeed in wrestling when you are copying someone else. Ironically enough Glenn Jacob's Kane was also involved in a story-line with someone appearing as the original iteration of the character after it was feared that Jacobs would be retiring from wrestling.

This list is about 5 wrestlers that either used a gimmick that was inspired by another wrestler or wrestlers that were given gimmicks that were originally meant for a different person.

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# 5 Superstar Billy Graham / Hulk Hogan

Hogan (left) was inspired by Graham (right) to get into the wrestling business

Hulk Hogan is one of the most iconic wrestlers of all time. Synonymous with the Rock n Wrestling era, the Hulkster was the first wrestler who managed to turn himself into a mainstream name. Hogan was a 6 time World Champion in both WWF and WCW, as well as headlining shows for TNA and NJPW. Hogan would also be immortalized in the WWE Hall of Fame, headlining the Class of 2005.

Hogan's iconic look was inspired by "Superstar" Billy Graham, with his bleach blonde hair and incredible physique, Graham epitomized what Hogan would become as a wrestler. It was actually Graham that Hogan had called to get his first wrestling gigs outside of Florida and it was Graham that got Hogan set up with a promotion in Alabama.

Just one look at the two men will realize how much of Graham's look Hogan adopted into his own personal wrestling style.

# 4 "The Genius" Lanny Poffo / Damien Sandow

Sandow's genius gimmick was inspired by Lanny Poffo

Lanny Poffo will perhaps be better known for the fact that he is the brother of the Macho Man Randy Savage, as opposed to the fact that he was also a wrestler. Poffo originally debuted in the WWF as a babyface, wrestling under the moniker Leaping Larry Poffo. However, 5 years into his tenure, Lanny turned heel at a live show by insulting the local sports team. After that, Poffo was re-introduced as "The Genius" Lanny Poffo, a cowardly heel that dresses in a Cap and Gown to the ring as a part of his attire and recites poetry.

Damien Sandow originally debuted on WWE TV under the name of Idol Stevens, but the gimmick didn't last long and Sandow was eventually released. Sandow would later come back to the company, this time as Damien Sandow. Shortly after rejoining, Sandow would evolve into the "Intellectual Savior of the Unwashed Masses", a condescending heel wrestler that would routinely insult the audience by referring to them as low class.

Sandow found success with the gimmick and formed a tag team with Cody Rhodes known as the Rhodes Scholars. While the team never won any belts, they became very popular with the audience. Sandow went on to win the money in the bank, but that was when his time at the WWE started to go downhill. He would lose the cash-in to John Cena, making him the second wrestler to do so. Sandow would later drop the gimmick for a series of impersonations, before finding some success with his impersonations of the Miz as Mizdow.

# 3 Abyss / Mankind

Mankind's gimmick would later inspire Abyss in TNA/Impact

If you asked people to think of a psychopathic wrestler in a half mask, most people would instantly think of Mick Foley's iconic Mankind character.

Mick Foley originally wrestled as the psychotic Cactus Jack character during runs in Japan and ECW. However, when Foley was signed to the WWE, he sat down with Vince McMahon to hammer out what his gimmick would be going forward. What they created was the sadistic monster known as Mankind. Mankind would scream "mommy" during matches, lived in the Boiler rooms of arenas and had a pet rat named George, with whom he would speak.

Mankind became a staple of the WWF main event scene in the late 90's, along with the likes of Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin, the Undertaker, and the Rock. Foley's Mankind gimmick took off and got him more success than most people would have anticipated, as the character connected with people in the audience. So popular was the Mankind character during the Monday Night Wars between WWF and WCW, that when WCW Tony Schiavone spoiled the end of his title match with the Rock, millions of fans turned to WWF from WCW's broadcast, setting in motion Raw's victory in the Monday night wars.

Mankind would go on to become the most notable hardcore legend in the WWF, as the inaugural Hardcore Champion, as well as being famous for his almost deadly Hell in a Cell match against the Undertaker.

Abyss, on the other hand, is one of the few big wrestlers that never made it to the WWE, despite being made an offer. Abyss made his name in TNA, signing for the company back in 2002, and debuted his Abyss character the following year. He was thrown into feuds with AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy not long after signing for the company and soon became a staple of their main-event scene. Similarly to Foley in the WWE, Abyss became notable for his sadistic style and penchant for hardcore wrestling.

Abyss, like Mankind, was also successful at winning the main belts in the company, winning the NWA Heavyweight title from Sting at TNA's Genesis PPV in 2006. Abyss also held tag team gold with AJ Styles, James Storm, and Crazzy Steve during his time with TNA. During Abyss' time with TNA, he also got to wrestle Foley, after Foley signed for the company in 2008. The two even had a short feud together during Foley's tenure with TNA in 2009, including a hardcore match at Bound for Glory.

# 2 Ted DiBiase / Vince McMahon

DiBiase and the man he was basically paid to impersonate, Vince McMahon

Imagine sitting down with the boss and he tells you that he has a project for you, after discussing the project, he leaves the room and his assistant tells him that you are the project is the bosses pet project and close to the bosses heart. No pressure.

This is the scenario that faced Ted DiBiase when he sat down with Vince McMahon after signing with the WWF. He was informed about the Million Dollar Man gimmick and debuted the gimmick not long after that. DiBiase played the part to perfection, paying audience members to do dirty deeds, awarding himself with a gold and rhinestone belt and taunting wrestlers by placing $100 bills in their mouths.

After DiBiase defected to the WWF, he left a heel sized hole to fill in and with the rise of the anti-establishment baby-face in Steve Austin. The path opened for Vince McMahon to complete his destiny and assume the wealthy businessman persona in the late 90s.

McMahon was not as flamboyantly wealthy, characterwise, as the Million Dollar man persona. However, McMahon was never short of abusing power within his company and employing a stable of lackeys. This was especially poignant, as McMahon's nemesis was Stone Cold Steve Austin, who was previously aligned with the Million Dollar Man as the Ringmaster.

# 1 "Nature Boy" Buddy Rodger / "Nature Boy" Rick Flair

The two great "Nature Boys" of wrestling, Ric Flair (Left) and Buddy Rogers (Right)

Wrestling names are pretty iconic, but never has one nickname been so synonymous with two successful wrestlers. Both Buddy Rogers and Ric Flair were incredibly successful in professional wrestling, especially while using the "Nature Boy" name.

Buddy Rogers was a massive name in the NWA, winning championships across several NWA territories. Rogers was also successful in the WWWF, now known as the WWE, being the inaugural WWWF after Vince McMahon Sr and Toots Mondt split from the NWA to form their own region away from the national body. Rogers would have had a long run with the title, but suffered a heart attack, forcing Mondt and McMahon to switch the belt to Bruno Sammartino.

Rogers would return to wrestling in the late 70s up until his death in 1992. Rogers patented Nature Boy persona, in which he would play a cocky, sneering, snide villainous character, with peroxide blonde hair and would use the Figure Four Leg Lock as a submission finisher.

Flair first wrestled under his real name during his initial runs in Japan and, in the smaller independent promotions. In 1978, Flair started using the "Nature Boy" moniker in order to bait Rogers into a feud. Rogers put Flair over in their one and only encounter, allowing Flair to use the name and gimmick.

Flair would go on to be one of the main event players across WCW, WWE and even TNA as one of the biggest draws in the Rock and Wrestling generation, as well as all time. Flair is an 8-time WCW Champion, 9-time NWA Heavyweight Champion, and 2 time WWF Heavyweight Champion and the only person inducted twice into the WWE Hall of Fame, both as an individual performer and as a part of the 4 Horsemen.