5 WWE/WCW gimmicks that Superstars rejected or countered

A basic yet incredibly crucial premise of WWE and pro-wrestling as a whole is the character that a particular wrestler portrays on TV. Gimmicks are an important element of wrestling and the right gimmick can turn a nobody into one of the all-time greats of this industry.

Here are a few examples of what the right gimmick can do for a Superstar: Rocky Maivia, a generic babyface in WWE, soon became The Rock and turned into one of the greatest entertainers in WWE history.

The same goes for the likes of Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin. In some cases though, wrestlers don't find themselves connecting with a gimmick that's been pitched to them and they end up rejecting it.

In the following slideshow, we will take a look at five gimmicks that were rejected by Superstars.

#5 AJ Lee rejected a character as it joked about mental health

AJ Lee is one of the most influential women in WWE history and many regard her as someone who was instrumental in kicking off the Women's Revolution. A few years ago, Lee had a chat with NYPost to promote her new book, "Crazy Is My Superpower", and revealed that she once rejected a storyline that would portray her as

The character that the storyline demanded was that of a mentally unstable woman who would hallucinate and imagine things in her head, like dancing with dinosaurs from outer space. Lee wasn't thrilled with the gimmick one bit and decided not to portray the character.

It felt like it disrespected both me and my mother. It was a joke, but, to me, it wasn’t something to laugh at. It’s hard to not think you’re alone in the world so it’s good to connect with other people who’ve faced similar issues.

Lee and her mom both suffered from bipolar disorder, and this was a big reason why she didn't agree to the pitch. Lee still did the "crazy girl" gimmick to a certain extent, and was involved in a love triangle with Daniel Bryan and CM Punk. She would leave WWE following WrestleMania 31. She married Punk in real life, around a year before her WWE departure.