Vince Russo pitches new WWE persona: "That needs to be somebody's gimmick" (Exclusive)
Former WWE writer Vince Russo wants a wrestler to be repackaged as an old-school in-ring competitor from decades ago.
In a recent interview, Goldberg criticized WWE for allowing so many wrestlers to use the spear. The Canadian Destroyer, a variation of a sunset flip piledriver, is another move that some fans often view as overused.
Russo appeared on Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Outlaws show alongside host Dr. Chris Featherstone and former WWE star EC3. The one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion explained why an old-school persona would work in today's world of repetitive move sets:
"Here's what a gimmick should be," Russo said. "Somebody using all the old moves and all the old finishes, because two things will happen, bro. Number one, nobody uses them anymore, and number two, it would be safe as heck. You would be so safe doing these things. That needs to be somebody's gimmick. Now, all of a sudden, they've never seen that stuff before. The only difference is, bro, that stuff's safe. It's not gonna break your neck." [9:52 – 10:25]
Watch the video above to hear Russo's thoughts on whether Goldberg was right to belittle Asuka's undefeated streak.
Vince Russo wants iconic move to return to WWE
Several wrestling legends used The Iron Claw as part of their move set, most notably Baron von Raschke and Fritz Von Erich. Mick Foley also used The Mandible Claw when he performed as Mankind in WWE in the late 1990s.
Bray Wyatt reintroduced Foley's version of the Mandible Claw when he debuted The Fiend persona in 2019. However, he used the move as a pinfall instead of a submission.
Vince Russo believes a current wrestler would have a lot of success if they brought back The Iron Claw in 2024:
"I guarantee you, you could get this [Iron Claw] over. I guarantee you. Bro, if Mick Foley can get the Mandible Claw over during the Attitude Era, you can get this [Iron Claw] over." [11:28 – 11:43]
A widely praised film titled The Iron Claw was released in 2023. The movie tells the tragic story of the Von Erich wrestling family.
Which legendary move would you like to return? Hit the discuss button and let us know.
Also watch: Goldberg in AEW? Vince Russo pitches a brilliant debut idea | Writing with Russo.
Please credit Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Outlaws and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.