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Not only WWE, but the entire pro-wrestling business has seen a host of traditional as well as gimmick matches.
While traditional wrestling bouts test the physical, technical, and athletic ability, gimmick matches add an entertaining quotient for the audience. Typically these gimmick contests are an extension of a wrestler's on-screen persona. Some have also invented these matches in kayfabe which makes them so intriguing.
In this article, we look at five WWE Superstars who had their gimmick matches:
#5. WWE Hall of Famer – The Great Khali (Punjabi Prison Match)
The Great Khali was one of the most dominant forces to step into a WWE ring. In a similar vein, The Punjabi Prison, a cage made of bamboo, was one of the most intimidating structures ever seen in WWE.
Three Punjabi Prison gimmick matches happened in WWE.
The Great Khali was supposed to face The Undertaker in the first match at The Great American Bash 2006 but was forced to miss the bout due to illness. He was replaced by The Big Show. The Phenom overcame The World's Largest Athlete in this one.
The Punjabi Playboy lost the second Punjabi Prison Match at No Mercy 2007 against Batista. The third match in this structure took place at Battleground 2017 when The Great Khali helped Jinder Mahal retain his WWE Championship against Randy Orton.
#4. Former WWE Champion – Dean Ambrose (Asylum Match)
Former WWE Superstars Dean Ambrose, aka Jon Moxley, and Chris Jericho participated in the Asylum Match at Extreme Rules 2016.
The gimmick match, which suited Ambrose's extreme persona, was held inside a steel cage with a host of weapons. This after Jericho destroyed Mitch the Potted Plant, a permanent fixture of the short-lived Ambrose Asylum talk show in WWE, leading to this special match.
The weapons included: a straitjacket, a bucket and mop, a leather strap, a potted plant, two kendo sticks, a barbed wire, and a fire extinguisher. Both superstars made use of the weapons destroying each other in the process.
Ambrose eventually emerged victorious when he nailed Jericho with a Dirty Deeds on thumbtacks. The WWE Universe was thrilled watching this unique spectacle.
#3. Former WWE Universal Champion – 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt (Firefly Fun House Match)
On the second night of WrestleMania 36, 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt and John Cena competed in a Firefly Fun House House Match. The match stole the show on Night 2 following The Boneyard Match between The Undertaker and AJ Styles.
In this bout, The Cenation Leader was teleported into The Fiend's Firefly Fun House. The contest went through Cena's career and looked to rectify many of his decisions and focus on the time when the 16-time World Champion defeated Wyatt at WrestleMania 30. After going through some awe-inspiring moments, Wyatt performed Sister Abigail and The Mandible Claw on John to win the contest, exacting revenge for his earlier WrestleMania loss.
#2. WWE Hall of Famer – Kane (Inferno Match)
WWE Hall of Famer Kane pioneered the Inferno Match.
It was no surprise as the back story of Kane's on-screen character delved into the burns he suffered in a funeral home fire during his childhood. The first Inferno Match took place at Unforgiven 1998, with The Undertaker beating his kayfabe half-brother.
The brothers competed in a second Inferno Match on RAW in 1999 with The Phenom prevailing. Kane suffered his third consecutive loss in this gimmick match against Triple H on SmackDown the same year.
The Big Red Machine finally triumphed in his last Inferno Match against MVP at Armageddon 2006, much to the delight of fans. At SummerSlam 2013, WWE introduced another similar gimmick match called The Ring of Fire, where Kane came up short against Bray Wyatt.
#1 WWE Legend – The Undertaker (Casket and Buried Alive Match)
There are few superstars who command the respect The Undertaker does not only in WWE but the entire business of professional wrestling.
For 30 long years The Phenom has laid countless opponents to rest and has been part of some special gimmick matches like Hell in a Cell, Boiler Room Brawl and most recently the Boneyard match. Apart from these unique creations, The Undertaker has also pioneered two very special matches called The Casket Match and The Buried Alive Match which undoubtedly are an extension to his Deadman persona.
There have been a host of Casket Matches in WWE, with The Undertaker being a part of most of them. The Phenom's first Casket Match took place way back in 1992 when he put the late Kamala in the casket. Over the years numerous opponents have suffered his wrath in this special gimmick match the likes of the late Yokozuna, Diesel, Kama, Mark Henry, The Rock, The Big Show and Rusev.
In a similar vein, The Undertaker also introduced The Buried Alive match which captured the interest of the WWE Universe as well.
Five Buried Alive Matches have happened so far with the first one going back to 1996 when The Deadman buried Mankind. The Phenom has also squared off against Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock 'n' Sock Connection, Vince McMahon and Kane, making this gimmick match a classic fans' reminisce till date.
