3 times WWE was accused of blatantly ripping off AEW gimmicks
WWE and AEW have become the primary destination of several top wrestlers all over the world. But there have been several cases of stars jumping ship between the two companies.
It started with big names from the Stamford-based promotion initially leaving for a new environment and becoming All Elite. Many have rejuvenated their careers with this move. On the other hand, there have been some AEW homegrown stars who have taken their chances and gone to WWE to pursue their dreams and a better situation. Some stars have even gone back and forth between the companies.
Each company has trademarks in place for certain gimmicks for their wrestlers, unless the wrestler owns everything related to them. Recently, several stars have jumped ship, and it seems like WWE has been reusing several AEW gimmicks for their new signings.
#1. Mariah May is Blake Monroe in WWE
During her time with AEW, Mariah May was known as The Glamour. She came in as a young star looking to become the protégé of her idol, Toni Storm. At the time, Storm was in her "Timeless" persona, and May began to embody this, along with her idol's past characters.
Now that May is in NXT as Blake Monroe, she has officially introduced herself via a video package that was aired earlier tonight. This showed that her character was seemingly inspired by Marilyn Monroe. The catch, according to some fans, was that this was all too similar to 'Timeless' Toni Storm, who was also embodying icons from that era.
Comparisons immediately came in from the fans, as these two former rivals had identical personas. It remains to be seen whether this is completely the same or if Blake Monroe will execute this differently.
#2. Rusev Day is no more
In his first stint with WWE, Rusev was known as the Bulgarian Brute. But in the latter part of his run, he became a fan-favorite and often implemented "Rusev Day," which became over with the crowd.
He then went to AEW and had a simple persona that was seemingly close to his real-life personality. This changed when he became The Redeemer. He became more serious, and often flirted between being a heel and someone in between. On his return to the Stamford-based promotion, he did not bring back Rusev Day.
The former United States Champion was rather sober and seemed to be embodying his AEW persona.
#3. Shawn Spears is The Chairman of NXT
Similar to Rusev, Shawn Spears was one of those stars who went from WWE to AEW, and eventually went back to where things started for them. He started as Tye Dillinger, the Perfect 10, and began a chant that the crowd began to use all the time.
He joined AEW as a heel, and he was known as "The Chairman." This was a literal persona, as he dished out pain using a steel chair and was brutal in his attacks on his rivals. In one of his first feuds, he busted Cody Rhodes' head open with a strike using a chair.
In his return to NXT last year, he came in bringing his Shawn Spears name and his persona as The Chairman as he attacked Ridge Holland. The Perfect 10 that the fans knew was no longer there, and a top heel made his way to the brand.
It is unclear if this means that they own their gimmicks, as they have brought them to another company. This could also be WWE trying to replicate these, as they know that these personas are effective, and something they can build up on.
Comparing these names to their previous stints, they look completely rejuvenated, and they can each provide an interesting dynamic to the company. It remains to be seen whether their current runs will end up being a success in the coming years.