5 wrestlers whose characters thought they were smarter than you

Intelligence is, defined simply, a reflection of someone's accumulated knowledge and ability to use said knowledge. Indicators of intelligence could be a compendious vocabulary or several university degrees; so really, intelligence is not simply bestowed upon someone, but achieved through fastidious practice and study.

In the world of professional wrestling, there have been a number of instances where men were so intelligent that it was impossible to ignore. Perhaps that meant they articulated a vocabulary filled with words that most could only define if they scrutinized a dictionary or a thesaurus.

These wrestling characters didn't simply believe they were smart, they asserted they were smarter than any fan! How dare they! In these characters' minds, fans were supposed to feel embarrassed that they didn't have the same voluminous knowledge that this erudite combatant did. However, fans were often irate at having someone talk down to them.

Was there anything wrong with being called ‘The unwashed masses,' or a plebeian? It is safe to say, yes. Reactions from the patrons were priceless, and the response was fantastic. Here are five wrestlers whose characters thought they were smarter than you, the wrestling fan.

---

#5 The Genius

A man of great intelligence, The Genius believed he was greater than the fans watching.

During the mid-1980s, Lanny Poffo debuted in WWE and was known simply as ‘Leaping Lanny'. This rather lanky wrestler couldn't just lunge, jump and hurl himself over top of his opponents, he possessed athletic, gymnastic qualities that were uncommon for the time.

The problem was, for as talented as Poffo was in the ring, his generic persona didn't generate the type of reaction that was needed. It seemed as though his character needed some edge, as simply demonstrating athleticism was insufficient.

He was in need of a character change, and ultimately fans were presented with an articulate persona that pompously proclaimed how much smarter he was than the fans. ‘The Genius' was a poet, sartorially resplendent in the attire of a graduate, with a mortarboard and gown.

He perambulated to the ring carrying a clipboard which held the poems he used to insult his opponents before they began their match.

#4 Damien Sandow

As the intellectual savior of the unwashed masses, Sandow often would inform all watching how intelligent he was

‘The intellectual savior of the masses,' the man that would apprise the audience ‘You're welcome' for being privy to his brilliance. While many would juxtapose him with ‘The Genius', portraying him as a proverbial ‘second coming' of that character, Damien Sandow actually joined the WWE's developmental system in Ohio Valley Wrestling under the moniker Aaron ‘The Idol' Stevens back in the late 2000s.

A trifle of time later, he was Idol Stevens on the Smackdown brand, but then he was released in 2007. They clearly didn't know how incredibly intelligent this person under their tutelage actually was.

He triumphantly returned to the developmental system in 2010, and by 2012 the intellectual savior had been made manifest. This incarnation did not deign to soil himself by competing against certain adversaries, as nothing would be learned by those watching. He held himself to a standard of which few could dream.

Whether as a singles competitor or with Cody Rhodes as part of Team Rhodes Scholars, Sandow certainly enlightened any and all within his presence.

#3 Bob Backlund

Mr. Backlund was ashamed of the intelligence of the youth during his time in the ring!

Often referred to as Mr. Backlund, former WWE champion Bob Backlund's highly intellectual manner didn't become evident until the time he was faced with either simply accepting a dubious modernity, or shaking the new generation to its very core.

In 1994, during a match against Bret Hart in what was deemed an intersection of generations, Backlund was outsmarted, his trust shattered as his demonstration of sportsmanship in aiding the Hitman, resulted in him being hoisted on his own petard, as he was pinned unsuspectingly. This evoked a rage in Backlund that had not been seen.

Backlund would sign autographs for fans if they could recite the names of all the Presidents of the United States, and were capable of conversing in words that were normally only encountered in a thesaurus. He would later make the dubious proclamation that he was running for President of the United States.

His highly intelligent and sophisticated use of the English language, along with his ability to administer pain and suffering to anyone that would question him, rendered him dangerous not merely to one's body, but one's mind!

#2 Dean Douglas

He was a dean in the ring and in the classroom. Douglas was insulted by how little the masses knew

When Shane Douglas competed for ECW, he was the catalyst, the inception point, for what Extreme Championship Wrestling was all about. He threw down the NWA title, disavowed the appellation of Eastern Championship Wrestling, and declared his new title, the Extreme Championship Wrestling title, as the world championship belt.

However, his time with the promotion was short-lived, at least during his first stint there, and he departed for the ostensibly greener pastures of WWE. He changed his first name and adopted a character that was sharp, smart, and keen to enlighten us with his highly intelligent speech and use of the English.

Shane was out and ‘Dean' Douglas came to the fore. He came to the ring festooned in a graduation gown and didn't hide the fact that he was not only better than those he was addressing but smarter than them. Dean would present a new word and considerately define its meaning and purpose.

That purpose was often to embarrass whomever he was addressing. While he never captured championship gold in WWE, he was fully capable of such a feat. After all, brilliance isn't simply defined by championships you have won, but the knowledge you have bestowed upon those beneath you!

#1 Matt Striker

Striker was brilliant and wasn't afraid of making others aware of it

The former WWE performer and current Lucha Underground commentator have often been described as a ‘student of the game.' His ability to understand and articulate the purpose of a hold, the name for it, and why it bears that title certainly signifies that Striker's intelligence is indubitable, both on-screen and off.

Much like Dean Douglas before him, Striker's past as a former high school teacher was divulged to all, and thus he was depicted as someone that believed he was smarter than the average viewer.

With a degree in history and a master in psychological education, Striker was able to reconfigure the wrestling audience into his classroom, and as part of the ECW brand, he enlightened some, while spending a great deal of time dismissing others.

Since grating your fingers across a chalkboard was intolerable, Striker would do that in spades. His character had the actual education to back up his proclamation of intelligence on-screen, and his astute wrestling knowledge is impossible to ignore. Fans shouldn't be insulted if Matt Striker believed he was smarter than you, because truly he was.