5 lesser-known gimmicks of WWE Superstars

In WWE, and in pro-wrestling, gimmicks are essential. Gimmick is a character carried by a pro-wrestler. It may be an amplified version of their real-life persona; for instance, CM Punk uses his real-life straight-edge lifestyle to great effect.

Gimmicks can be outlandish, such as the supernatural characters portrayed by the likes of The Undertaker, Kane and Bray Wyatt. Wrestlers often change gimmicks to freshen their appearance. Kane was once a dentist named Dr Issac Yankem, and Bray Wyatt the unimposing Husky Harris.

Certain WWE superstars are so synonymous with their gimmicks that it becomes difficult to believe they played a different role at some point in their WWE career. D-Von Dudley briefly played a reverend in WWE, where he was accompanied by his assistant Batista. However, fans only remember D-Von as a table-smashing Dudley Boyz member, and Batista as the powerhouse main-eventer. Such is the case with multiple WWE superstars, with their initial or brief gimmicks forgotten by the permanence of their present.

Here is a list of forgotten gimicks once used by 5 WWE superstars.

#5 The Prototype (former WWE Champion John Cena)

John Cena went on to become a 16-times world champion in WWE.

Blessed with not one but two popular gimmicks, Hollywood star John Cena is a true WWE maverick. His Ruthless Aggression debut and evolution into the trash-talking Doctor of Thuganomics is remembered fondly to this day.

Cena has, at times, satisfied fans by bringing the character back for one-off appearances. However, it was Cena's extensive run as a superheroic franchise player that made him an unquestionable legend in the history of WWE.

However, in UPW, a young Cena honed his skills as The Prototype. Not exempt from the temptation to use underhanded tactics to win matches, The Protoype showed robotic traits. How different from The Franchise Player fans love and hate!

#4 Hunter Hearst Helmsley (WWE COO Triple H)

Triple H's current ring name derives from Hunter Hearst Helmsley, the character he played in the first few years of his WWE career. Helmsley was an aristocratic figure who was mainly used as a heel, and never ascended to the top of the card.

The best-known moment of the character is a loss to The Ultimate Warrior, who kicked out of a pedigree and managed to win the match without much trouble.

Pedigree, a finisher synonymous with Triple H, was also consistent with the fictional blue-blood ancestry of Helmsley. Triple H redefined himself during the Attitude Era, and has since become the father of NXT and a legendary in-ring figure.

#3 Giant Ninja, Bouncer (Former WWE Raw Tag Team Champion Omos)

Omos cuts an imposing figure in the landscape of WWE RAW. He has flourished as a dominant superstar. Most of his matches involve AJ Styles and Omos only entering the ring for the climactic power moves, and he looks like a million bucks.

But it wasn't long ago that Omos appeared as a particularly giant ninja as part of a 24/7 comedy segment. More prominent was his imposing presence as a towering bouncer for Shane McMahon-led RAW Underground. Both RAW Underground and the bouncer vanished without a trace, and Omos appeared on television screens.

#2 The Sultan (WWE Hall Of Famer Rikishi)

Rikishi entertained WWE of the late '90s and early '00s through his dancing spirit, happy-go-lucky persona, the stinkface, and his association with Too Cool. However, he played a variety of gimmicks before settling on the sumo-inspired ring name. Amongst others, he played a Samoan savage and a role model trying to make a difference.

Nevertheless, the most peculiar of Rikishi's many gimmicks is The Sultan. Managed by The Iron Sheik and Bob Backlund, The Sultan was a masked wrestler who never uttered a word. The reason behind his silence? His tongue was cut off. When The Sultan vanished and Rikishi arrived, he spoke and his tongue was visible for all to see.

#1 The Leviathan (WWE Hall Of Famer Batista)

Batista's Deacon gimmick is mentioned in the introduction of this list, but he has an ever weirder gimmick in store. In OVW, Batista was The Leviathan, a devilish figure created by Jim Cornette, who wanted it to be a foil for the likes of Kane and The Undertaker.

Batista's short-lived union with D-Von led to him turning on him. He joined Evolution and became one of the major WWE superstars of the 21st century, before leaving to fulfill Hollywood dreams. For The Leviathan, this would've been next to impossible to achieve.