the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC. A former amateur wrestling standout, he entered the military and continued to dominate in that sport. While the episode of SmackDown on which all this happened was taped on July 4, it actually aired on July 7, 2005 the same day that the news was dominated by news of a terrorist attack in London that killed 52 people. It hit its peak in July 2005 when Hassan and his manager, Daivari, were embroiled in a feud with the Undertaker, who rather than being a spooky undead cowboy or a sinister Lord of Darkness was in the "American Badass" phase of his career. Then, their big debut happens, and they start to falter. Why he never became a bigger star: Snitsky is huge, but was stiff and awkward in the ring. Characters like that have to overcome adversities and face everyday challenges, and they always come out on top. His in-ring debut was in May and 4 months later he had the 3rd biggest match at Summerslam against Triple H. In which HHH had to cheat to beat him. Dinsworth even made [7] Although Regal was originally dispirited at having to manage Eugene, he would grow fond of him and the two would quickly become firm friends. The current run as a top heel for Roman Reigns has been a major success, but its tempered by years WWE trying to force him as a white meat babyface. . We saw different sensitive and comical sides to this man-child in an attempt by WWE not to offend the audience. He could never shake off The Red Rooster character despite returning to his real name in WCW later. Unfortunately, the factions were often built around racial stereotypes, especially during the "Gang Warz" storylines that revolved around a skinhead biker gang called the Disciples of the Apocalypse, the Puerto Rican Los Boricuas, and the Nation of Domination, a cartoonish parody of the Nation of Islam and the Black Panthers. He formed a tag team with Luke Williams, better known as one half of The Bushwhackers. Bret Harts days as a great world champion were balanced by years of him being stuck in the tag team ranks when he was more than ready for a solo run, not to mention getting temporarily passed over the top babyface spot for the likes of Lex Luger or Diesel. What's Eugene been up to since getting released by WWE in 2007? He is a former World Tag Team Champion, with William Regal. Eugene made his return to WWE in the Royal Rumble match at the namesake event on January 29, 2006, as the eighteenth entrant. "Eugene" is a very controversial character among wrestling fans. Kevin Matthew Fertig had one of the luckiest breaks into the business imaginable. However, Eugene to the company as a trainer for NXT as he had the opportunity to work with the up-and-coming superstars of the future. Anyway, Dinsmore has been around forever and. learning disabilites is an insult to our . Entirely at his expense. His plodding style also became out of style as smaller, quicker athletes like Daniel Bryan and CM Punk took center stage. Unfortunately, many others have failed. Former WWE Superstar Eugene has announced via Twitter that he will be conducting a retirement tour for his well-known character, beginning sometime in 2022. returning Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson on a May 2004 episode of Monday Night Raw, wrestled Triple H at the SummerSlam 2004 PPV, Eugene & 9 Other WWE Gimmicks That Would Never Fly Today, wrestling against "The Calgary Kid" (The Miz in a mask) in a Contract on a Pole match, Former WWE Star Eugene Set To Retire After Latest Tour. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the [30] He formed a tag team with Zach Gowen at Up in Smoke, believing that he could be Gowen's second leg, but ended up costing his team the match by distracting the referee. Needless to say, this prompted a debate among fans and fellow wrestlers that touched on questions about forgiveness and redemption that aren't usually seen inside the squared circle, with plenty of black wrestlers asked for comment. Press J to jump to the feed. Once the fans started to see that he could live his dream, he was winning championships, he was meeting his idols, more and more people cheered for Eugene and wanted to see him succeed. Why he wasn't a bigger star: Hennig was a pure wrestler when over the top gimmicks were the rage. They've been able to pick up a wrestler who may have been someone else in another place and time, place them in colorful spandex, and give them a whole new persona. Mostly, this resulted in jokes about how "everybody wants Head," and neither Snow nor WWE ever presented it as anything but what it was: a mannequin head that Snow had picked up at a discount store back when he was working in Extreme Championship Wrestling that was used as a prop for his relatively lighthearted, "crazy" character. Sometimes, though, that spectacle goes a little too far. Making his debut in mid-2004, Eugene quickly established himself as a beloved "special" character on the Raw brand. Why he never became a bigger star: While he was as big as the Undertaker, Thorn lacked the Phenom's athletic prowess. In the context of WWE, that discussion includes the womens roster being treated more seriously, not to mention the milestone of Big E defeating Bobby Lashley to become the first black Superstar to win the WWE Championship from another black Superstar. One of the women involved did in fact take her top off, but it wasn't the Kat, whose bikini was literally made of packing tape and bubble wrap. Dinsmore debuted in Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) in October 2007, as U-Gene. Perfect gimmick for the first time. Dinsmore's first full-time run with WWE lasted from 2004 to 2007 . Portrayed by Nick Dinsmore, who worked the "Eugene" gimmick to perfection, Eugene lasted a couple of years until getting released in 2007. That in itself isn't surprising, since dressing up as your opponent had been a time-honored heel tactic for years, but if you were paying attention to the last paragraph, you might've already spotted the problem here. The premise of the Eugene character was that he was the mentally-disabled nephew of Eric Bischoff, who based his wrestling style on his favorite wrestlers like The Rock and Hulk Hogan. A heel wrestler insulting a location as being inferior to their own hometown is a time-honored tradition in pro wrestling, but in 2018, WWE discovered that the politics of the Middle East are a little more complicated than the rivalry between, say, Boston and New York. Jesus christ I need a hood after saying that. Eugene won this match (with help from Mr. McMahon) and subsequently shaved Bischoff's head. In the past, World Wrestling Entertainment has had to deal with accusations of creating content that's racist, sexist, demeaning, or otherwise offensive, and looking back at WWE's history, it's easy to see those accusations aren't exactly unfounded it's been a colorful and eventful run, to say the least. Archie is a WWE and UFC Editor/Author at the SportsRush. He On September 1, 2007, Nick Dinsmore was released from his WWE contract.[26][27]. Amidst this conversation, there could be some merit to a differently abled Superstar hanging on the WWE roster. Glacier looked so much like the character it's a wonder they weren't sued! How do you telepathically connet with the astral plain? But even with all those forces against him, Eugene always came out on topeven pinned Mr. McMahon one time. Forums | Journals| Store The idea was that he was the onscreen nephew of the evil Eric Bischoff, whose obsession with wrestling had made him a sort of "wrestling savant," who could emulate his heroes once the bell rang and whose obvious mental difficulties would immediately make him sympathetic to the crowd. The fan-chosen (via voting at WWE's website) stipulation for the match was that the loser would have his head shaved. Trish Stratus Returns On RAW, Explains Why She Turned On Becky Dustin Rhodes On Cody Losing At WrestleMania 39 Theyre Making Reason Why Becky Lynch Wont Be Appearing On Tonights Episode Of New Photos Of Gigi Dolin, Chelsea Green, Cora Jade, Carmella, Trish Update On Jordynne Graces Contract Status With Impact Wrestling. While the fans mostly responded to Eugene in a positive fashion, they were also clearly made uncomfortable by the crux of his character. A brain storming session with former wrestler and OVW trainer Rip Rogers gave birth to the character of Eugene; a mentally challenged character who could outwrestle anyone in the ring. In its latest how dare you letter to a Connecticut newspaper, the WWE argues that Eugene is an underdog who repeatedly triumphs. [1] He returned in 2010, at the "Flashlight Wrestling: Legends & Loonies" event, and lost to Breyer Wellington. Nicholas "Nick" Dinsmore (born December 17, 1975), also known by his World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) ring name Eugene, is an American professional wrestler and promoter. on World Wrestling Entertainment's RAW brand. [22] However, the angle was soon dropped and, before the end of the year, Eugene became a face again. He was signed by a scout for Ohio Valley Wrestling. Why did the Osage Indians live in the great plains? Usually, this takes the form of a 'crazy man' gimmick like the Missing Link or. From there he garnered an athletic scholarship to the University of Missouri and later would play for the Canadian football league. Worse, WWE's head of programming at the time actually thought Eugene would lead to big rating increases and merchandise sold. When he returned, he had shaved his head and beard, and presented his somewhat grotesque visage as his new gimmick. The news media took notice, and while WWE initially attempted to spin it to give the Hassan character more material to work with, UPN, SmackDown's home network, pressuring WWE to remove the character from the show. Nick Dinsmore, the guy who plays him has about a dozen other characters. I think it's pretty fucked up, personally. Then he and fellow NXT rookies -- when it was still a reality show and not a separate brand -- became the Nexus, having a brief but strong reign as an almost NWO type group. In Dinsworth's official debut on the April 5, 2004 episode of WWE Defends Use Of Eugene Character Details. Lashley had an on again-off again relationship with TNA/Impact for years, bouncing back and forth between wrestling and MMA. He was trained by Shawn Michaels at his wrestling academy in San Antonio in 1998. 79.7K subscribers One of the more controversial characters of the Ruthless Aggression Era, Eugene. copying the signature moves of popular WWE superstars. Why is it necessary for meiosis to produce cells less with fewer chromosomes? Hulk Hogan is one of the most well-known wrestlers in the world, a truly iconic figure who took pro wrestling to new heights twice in two different decades. Hennig had a great career, but it seems like he should have held the big belt in either WCW or WWE, if not both. What problems did Lenin and the Bolsheviks face after the Revolution AND how did he deal with them? Have anyone seen the new character on WWE wrestling . |-- DU Groups This also cost him the World Tag Team Championship, which Regal lost to La Rsistance when forced to defend at a house show on January 16, teamed with Jonathan Coachman as a substitute. He has trouble broadcasting the image of a legit badass, even though he actually is one. He's also a writer that's covered many topics that not only include professional wrestling but other forms of sports. After appearing at ECW One Night Stand,[20] Eugene formed a tag team with "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan. At the Armageddon pay-per-view event, the Women's Championship was defended in a match between four competitors who had to win by stripping each other out of evening gowns. most foreign heel characters are racist caricatures, so all depends on whats offensive to you. As The Red Rooster, Taylor would cluck, do the cock of the walk, and even dye a red rooster comb through the middle of his blonde hair. Thorn was never a great wrestler, but he was big and mean looking, so he was pushed hard by OVW. There he initially developed the Ryback gimmick, who was basically just a big muscle guy who ran roughshod over opponents. Wrestling fans who grew up during the Ruthless Aggression Era should be familiar with former WWE superstar Eugene, one of the most comedic characters of that era. Nor should he have feuded with Evolution, Benoit, Angle, Regal, etc. Kofi Kingston touched on those issues in a statement on Twitter, saying "from a career standpoint, there is no argument on whether or not Hogan should have his place" and fellow Hall of Famer Mark Henry said he believed Hogan was "willing to fix it.". A Procession Of Them: The Plight Of The Mentally Disabled EUGENE RICHARDS Spring 2005 . Stephens won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship in 2010. Best known for his time in WWE working under the ring name Ezekiel Jackson. The man who played Renegade, Richard Wilson, was actually an incredible athlete who could perform a springboard elbow and moonsault despite being huge. He returned to the states and worked in WWE's developmental territories for a time, first HWA and then Ohio Valley Wrestling. It was 6:30 and so dark that all I could see of the attendant who unlocked the door were his hands. Curt wound up back in the WWE again, which is where he debuted his Mr. Taylor, one of the smoothest technical wrestlers in the game, was the perfect 80's babyface. Worse, instead of creating an original character, WCW decided on a blatant rip off of Mortal Kombat fighter Sub Zero. His favorite wrestler is Shawn Michaels and he believes that GSP is the greatest to ever step foot inside the octagon. Eugene was also the first wrestler to defeat Kurt Angle in his Invitational Challenge when he briefly feuded with him in 2005. If "Eugene" actually was "retarded," the McMahon family would have been lynched the second "Eugene" was introduced. [32] However, Gowen forfeited the championship after realizing that U-Gene cheated to win, causing U-Gene to attack him and disband the team. It's worth noting that McMahon was absolutely the bad guy in this story, and this villainous behavior was presented as just that. When he made his debut on ECW, it was using a 'vampire' gimmick, which fell largely flat with the wrestling audiences, even on the Sci-Fi channel. It was one of the strangest transformations ever witnessed in pro wrestling. | ContactUs | PrivacyPolicy. no one really complained if those characters were portrayed accurately. Henry retaliated by squeezing him with a bearhug until he passed out. Given his limited athletic ability and technical wrestling acumen, Ryback was basically just around for his chiselled physique. He ended up leaving for the world of MMA, where he met with success though never on the scale of fellow WWE alum Brock Lesnar. Glacier was meant to be the face of a new breed of sports entertainer, but just ended up melting away like his namesake. What does Terry Taylor know? Nicholas David Dinsmore (born December 17, 1975), better known by his ring name Eugene, is an American professional wrestler. Sure enough, on the August 3, 1998, episode of Raw, the members of Kai En Tai ambushed Val after a match, dragged him backstage, and tied him up with his junk on a literal chopping block. Because of how compelling the character was, he was involved in some of the most entertaining segments on Monday Night Raw not long after making his debut. Teens and young adults especially loved the gory fatalities and cold-blooded characters. He defeated Grado in his first match for the promotion. |-- Archives During his time with the WWE, Eugene failed two drug tests and even had a very public overdose on Somas and prescription pills. [37][38] On August 1, Dinsmore (as Eugene) defeated Ricky Ortiz at a SmackDown/ECW house show in Manchester, New Hampshire. He took to the mat game quickly and won over the heart of William Regalthe Englishman went from the begrudging coach assigned to him, to genuinely being protective over his mentee. This led to a match at the first-ever Taboo Tuesday pay-per-view on October 19. He was working out in a gym when then WCW star Sid Vicious came in to work out. |-- Political Videos And that's exactly how fans love it. But my favorite quality was his heart and desire. Nicholas Dinsmore, better known by pro wrestling audiences as "Eugene", spent his years in WWE portraying a kindhearted, intellectually disabled character. The story line was fantastic, it in no way made mentally challenged people look bad or put them in the spotlight for mockery it was funny, it was actually somewhat heartwarming.it had heart and was done really well. The character Eugene was unique in the fact that he was a person with special needs. After losing a rematch to The Spirit Squad, Eugene attacked Duggan, turning heel. WWE responded: It is clear, based on Mr. McEnroes latest blog post, that he does not understand WWEs programming. The show went off the air just as Yamaguchi-San, screaming, brought his katana down to emasculate Val, but the next episode revealed that a sudden gust of cold air had allowed him to, ah, contract his way out of danger. This was during the Monday Night Wars, and both WWE and WCW were more interested in signing established talent rather than taking a chance on new blood. record. it just disturbed me considering my situation. [43] In December 2021, Dinsmore announced his retirement tour. [13] Eugene suffered an injury at New Year's Revolution on January 9, 2005, in a match with Christian and Tyson Tomko, after botching a dropkick. He got over within a month of his debut with the help of The Rock, Had a superb summer for a. We're not sure if they even let him have the shower. The whole ordeal was made even worse by the fact that WWE legend Eddy Guerrero had just passed away four days ago with anabolic steroid abuse on his death certificate as a contributing cause. Not sure what Vince was thinking, but there was no need to display a mentally handicapped character in the WWE roster. I'm on the autistic spectrum and have other developmental disabilities and I personally don't think Eugene was any more offensive than Forrest Gump, for example. [46], The "Eugene" gimmick received mixed reviews. . That came (so to speak) when Venis got into a feud with Kai En Tai, a faction of Japanese wrestlers, during which he filmed a sex tape with Kai En Tai's manager Yamaguchi-San's wife. [33] In 2009, he was part of Hulk Hogan's Australian tour, Hulkamania: Let The Battle Begin, where he wrestled as U-Gene. Taylor came to WWE with a sparkling resume. Speaking on the Cheap Heat . Calling pretty much everything WWE did with their Women's Division from the mid-'90s to about 2010 "controversial" is the most polite way to put it, but December 12, 1999, marked a definite low point. In the end, it was probably not in the best taste to cast a performer with a dimension of difference he did not actually representjust as the general consensus in pop culture has moved against casting an actor to perform a race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation they do not actually embody. 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