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WWE has always been closely associated with music and has incorporated it into much of its programming. Along with that, celebrities like Cyndi Lauper, Snoop Dogg, Bad Bunny, and others have gotten involved in angles or even wrestled themselves.
You also can't look past the major contributions made by WWE's in-house musicians, like the legendary Jim Johnston and CFO$. Their themes were tied to many Superstars' grand entrances.
Along with all the Grammy winners and chart-toppers, there have been plenty of sports entertainers who have adopted some kind of musical gimmick. Be it rappers, rockers, or honky tonk singers, many a grappler has tried to can a tune just as well as they wrestle a match.
Some were very successful, and some weren't and certainly wouldn't play too well for today's fans. Here's a list of four former music gimmicks in WWE that would strike a sour note in 2022.
#4 - Man Mountain Rock
Formerly known as Maxx Payne in WCW, Rock was given a guitar shaped like the WWE logo and told to play his heart out. He certainly looked the part, with his long hair, tye-died outfits, and wild eyes.
Although he was a legitimate musician, he never really rocked the house, as Vince McMahon originally envisioned. Despite receiving pyro and all the other accouterments, his character was basically past its time right from the start. The grunge element had already taken over popular radio by then, and Rock seemed a lot more like the old bands of the past.
Today, he would be a comedy act, much like Johnny Swinger was in IMPACT Wrestling. An outdated fossil from the past that is totally out of touch with the present day. This kind of character typically doesn't last long now, with the more serious wrestling crowd of the modern era.
#3 - J-E-DOUBLE-F, JE-DOUBLE-R-E-DOUBLE-T !
When Jeff Jarrett arrived from the Tennessee territory, Vince McMahon saw one thing: a professional wrestling version of a Grand Ol' Opry singer.
It didn't take long before the creative team at WWE had him decked out in a modern-day Porter Wagoner getup. He sported a big hat, light-up sunglasses, and one of the best catchphrases of all time: "Ain't I great?"
While the crooning cowboy may have captured the Intercontinental Championship on multiple occasions, he was never taken seriously as a world title contender. This was mostly due to his character being pretty cartoonish - even by mid-90s standards.
Considering how different both professional wrestling and the world of country music are today, it's doubtful most young fans would know what Double J was even trying to portray. Rather than being a modern-day country singer, he would look more like a cosmic cowboy.
#2 - Men on a Mission
The two super heavyweights were accompanied to the ring by their manager, Oscar, who would rap them to the ring. Under the names Mable and Mo, the duo were supposed to be fan favorites, but they never really gained the acceptance of the WWE Universe.
Eventually, the tag team turned heel. Oscar would not join them, however, as he disapproved of the change. He would exit the company shortly thereafter.
Not only was their freestyle game lame, but it would also be quickly laughed out of the arena these days. On top of that? While their act was supposed to have an uplifting aspect to it, it was still a little stereotypical and likely wouldn't play well in 2022. Overall, this Mission was NOT accomplished.
#1 - The self-proclaimed greatest WWE Intercontinental Champion of all time, The Honky Tonk Man
The Honky Tonk Man was a fluke on many levels. However, he took advantage of all his breaks and turned them into a legendary career.
Initially viewed as a mere comedy gimmick, he would become a household name. Much of that stems from his upset victory over Ricky Steamboat for the WWE Intercontinental title in 1987, and the record-setting reign that followed.
The Elvis impersonator would bring his guitar to the ring and even nicknamed his finishing maneuver the Shake, Rattle, and Roll.
He was initially brought into the promotion as a storyline friend of Hulk Hogan. But a few weeks later, he asked the fans to write in and give him a vote of confidence. When the vast majority of the WWE Universe said they did NOT like him personally, he turned heel and never looked back from there.
Much like Jeff Jarrett, HTM's gimmick was more southern-based and originated (in a different form) before the future Hall of Famer ever arrived in Vince McMahon's company.
It didn't seem like it would get over when it was new, but it somehow stuck. However, it wouldn't last more than a handful of weeks if it were part of WWE programming today.
