Top 5 WWE gimmicks of 2019
In the world of Sports Entertainment, WWE has ruled the roost with the likes of John Cena and The Rock headlining multiple marquee events for Vince McMahon over the years. Their brand value is evident by the fact Fox Sports invested $1 Billion on arguably WWE's second choice brand, SmackDown Live. As part of this initiative, the brand split will come to fruition with ploys such as the Wild Card being nullified in the process. The battle with two brands has always been an intriguing one with Survivor Series generally hosting their contests.
The build-up to such a marquee event raised the stakes with dream matches and pairs being the key attractions. A significant part of this and the WWE creative, in general, is the gimmick of a particular individual. Although there are two variations of a gimmick - heel and face, the minute details of a superstar depend on his gimmick. Over the years, the WWE Universe has been enthralled by several entertaining and binge-worthy gimmicks that have often raised the standards and expectations of the company.
There are times when a gimmick correctly pushed has reaped rich dividends in the case of Daniel Bryan and his Yes! Movement a couple of years ago. Another classic example is that of the Undertaker, whose fear-inducing gimmick is still rated one of the best in WWE history. All in all, a unique or relevant trick could make or break a WWE Superstar's career in the company. On a similar note, here are five gimmicks in WWE right now which are deemed to be the best and most successful in terms of characterization, the reception of the WWE Universe and the scope of the gimmick.
Notable Mentions: Shayna Baszler, Elias and Lacey Evans
#5 The Demon King
Ever since his debut on RAW in 2016, Finn Balor has been a fan favorite among the WWE Universe. The first-ever Universal Champion has enjoyed a decent run as a singles competitor as well during his tenure. Destined for huge things after his Universal Championship win, his push was derailed by an injury he sustained during the match. Since his return from injury, Balor hasn't featured much in the main events with only one appearance alongside Brock Lesnar in this year's Royal Rumble PPV to his credit. Much to the disappointment of the fans, the WWE creative hasn't been able to find anything concrete for the former NXT Champion over the last few months.
Nevertheless, Finn Balor owns one of the most intriguing gimmicks in WWE history - The Demon King. He won his only World Championship with this gimmick, which also comes with a killer entrance as well. The WWE creative has handled the Demon King very cautiously with Finn Balor only putting out the gimmick on a few occasions.
His high-flying moves complement the gimmick perfectly with Finn Balor being undefeated as the Demon King on the main roster. Riding on the past successes of larger-than-life characters such as Kane, WWE have another such gimmick on their hands along with Woken Matt Hardy and quite recently, The Fiend.
The fact that Vince McMahon only pulls out the Demon King on special occasions gives an idea of how highly rated the gimmick is. Although Finn Balor hasn't featured on the main roster of late, he will forever be remembered as the Demon King, which makes it one of the best gimmicks in the WWE.