With today being Halloween, it seems like a good time to take a look back at the history of some of the “scariest” or “creepiest” characters in WWE history. In the land of crazy characters, there are so many to choose from. We’ll take a look at five of the best creepy characters, past and present, in the history of the biggest sports entertainment company on earth.
#5. The Boogeyman
The Boogeyman is about as odd as they come. Since the dawn of time, little kids around the world have been scared to death about the prospect of a boogeyman living in their closet, or under their bed. Wherever they’re hiding these days. So of course WWE would capture that fear, and try to capitalize on it with a character of their own. The name was a simple one. The Boogeyman. With a mouth full of worms, among other weird gimmicks, the idea behind The Boogeyman was a simple one. I’m sure small children were afraid of The Boogeyman, but for older fans, it was just one goofy-ass gimmick. A theme that runs throughout most of gimmicks attempted to strike fear into the hearts and minds of viewers. The younger you are, the more they deliver on the fear factor. The older you are, the dumber they seem.
#4. The Brood
Goth at its’ finest. The Brood were a trio of young wrestlers united to capitalize on the Gothic movement of the 1990s. Anyone who went to high school in the 90s know the type. Dressed in all black. Black lipstick. Weird piercings. And some of the most ridiculous music known to man. However, it was a growing phenomenon at the time, so of course WWE, always trying to tap into pop culture, put together a faction of that nature. Edge, Christian and Gangrel made up The Brood faction. Two of the three would go on to be mega-stars, with one being an obvious future-star from the start. Who could forget arguably the coolest entrance in WWE at the time? The Brood would rise through the floor in a ring of fire, with some of the coolest entrance music known to man. The Brood didn’t have a long run as a faction, but they kick-started two future World Champions, and one WWE Hall Of Famer. Possibly two, depending on whether or not Christian gets the nod from WWE into their coveted Hall one day.
#3. The Wyatt Family
I’m a grown-ass man. Yet even I can see the creepiness of The Wyatt Family. It oozes through my television set every Monday night. The package is well put together. The entrance is creepy and awesome. The sheep mask is an odd choice, yet somehow works perfectly. Bray Wyatt’s promos are a work of creepy-genius. All three look like wild men, with scary factors to all of them if you’re a child watching WWE present-day. Depending on where the creative direction in WWE takes The Wyatt Family, they stand a chance at being a rare creepy gimmick. One that’s both scary and wild to children, but not a total joke to older fans. In fact, to many of the older fans of WWE today, The Wyatt Family are some of the most “over” characters in the company right now. As with anything else, that can die a quick and painful death before our eyes depending on how the writers in WWE guide their careers. But as of right now, they seem to have a ton of potential, and Bray Wyatt especially has top-tier player written all over him. Time will tell.
#2. Papa Shango
Papa Shango to me personally, represents a time when I was freaked the hell out by professional wrestling. I’ve been known to have somewhat of a bad memory, but I’ll never forget the fear that this wild gimmick would strike into my mind as a child watching WWE programming. I vividly remember a time when Papa Shango was having a match with Bret “Hitman” Hart, I believe on a WWE Superstars television show, in the main event. I remember Bret Hart being one of my favorite wrestlers at the time, and how I always enjoyed watching his matches. But I also recall on this particular occasion being afraid to watch his match. I was afraid of Papa Shango. He scared me. As best I can tell, Papa Shango was a complete joke to the older fans of that generation, but it worked for me at the time. I remember his feud with The Ultimate Warrior, and some of the weird things that went on during that time. It’s interesting to think that later on, during the Attitude Era, the same guy that scared the crap out of me as a kid, was welcoming myself, and millions of other wrestling fans, aboard the “Hooooooooo train!” What a difference a few years can make.
#1. The Undertaker
One would be hard-pressed to come up with a gimmick that ended up being a long-term main event success more than that of The Undertaker. We all know the story. He debuted with The Million Dollar Man and later became aligned with Paul Bearer. We all remember the creepy Paul Bearer promos. Again, same formula. To kids, it freaked them out. To older fans, it was completely ridiculous. What wasn’t ridiculous was how effective The Undertaker became in such a short amount of time. Who could forget his string of casket matches in his early days? Or the time he “rose to the heavens” when losing a casket match to Yokozuna. Throughout the years, many things in WWE have changed. One thing that has been consistent is The Undertaker is one of the top Superstars in the company. From the very beginning until this very day. His undefeated streak at WrestleMania is one of the most legendary things in pro wrestling history, and is a huge promotional focal point of the biggest annual event in the biggest sports entertainment conglomerate in the world. The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak will never die, nor will the legacy he leaves behind in the form of entertainment you and I love so much.
Happy Halloween everybody!
