Like most wrestling promotions at the time, WCW heavily relied on gimmick names to sell tickets. While some stars like Norman Smiley and Kevin Nash retained their real names on TV, others like Paul Wight and Steve Borden found huge success with gimmick names.
There’s no denying that WCW didn’t have a shortage of bad gimmick names, yet the company occasionally came with some brilliant in-personas for performers. Let’s take a look at some gimmick names that Ted Turner’s promotion got right.
Lord Steven Regal
Darren Kenneth Matthews made a name for himself on the British wrestling circuit before landing a stint with World Championship Wrestling in 1993. A then 10-year veteran, the Blackpool-billed native adopted the name Steve Regal.
Matthews initially began his WCW career as the fan favorite Steve Regal, but would turn into the villainous aristocrat “Lord Steven Regal.” The in-ring persona was the descendant of William the Conqueror and had Sir William (aka Bill Dundee) as his manager.
Lord Steven Regal would thrive as a mid-card, teaming up with the future Triple H as The Blue Bloods. He also spent time working with “Squire” David Taylor and “Earl” Robert Eaton. Regal would join the former Jean-Paul Levesque in WWE during the Attitude Era as the villainous authority figure William Regal.
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine originally wanted “Jack Action” as his ring name, but nervously ditched it for Chris Jericho. The Hart Dungeon alumni got Eric Bischoff’s attention through his work in Paul Heyman’s ECW during the mid-nineties.
Bischoff brought Jericho to WCW and allowed him to keep his full ring name. Jericho thrived as a mid-carder, though his potential would go unnoticed due to the nWo angle. He’d eventually leave for rival WWE in 1999.
The rest, as they like to say, is history.
Madusa reverted to her iconic name in WCW
Debrah Ann Miceli proved her mettle around the world before arriving in WCW in 1991. She adopted the ring name Madusa and became involved with the Dangerous Alliance.
She was known as Alundra Blayze during her early-90s run in WWE. The company still occasionally addresses her as such, given that Madusa never competed there.
Miceli would revive the ring name Madusa during her second stint with Ted Turner’s wrestling promotion during the mid-nineties.
“Big Van” Vader
Leon White was a specimen even before he made his foray into pro wrestling. After a stint with the NFL, White gained national exposure through his work with the AWA. He’d have a brief feud with Stan Hansen over the AWA World Title under the Baby Bull moniker.
It would be in New Japan where White received his iconic “Big Van” Vader gimmick. Vader and NJPW found Antonio Inoki would frequently sell out arenas. He’d drop the “Big Van” name during his brief stint with UWFi, but took it up following his arrival in WCW full time.
“The Total Package” Lex Luger
Lex Luger would arrive in WCW after an underwhelming stint in WWE. The former “Narcissist” would become “The Total Package” in Ted Tuner’s wrestling promotion. Luger would be handpicked by the management to join other WCW loyalists against the flourishing New World Order. He would defeat Hogan for the world title to one of the biggest pops in company history.
“Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner
The Steiner Brothers were among the world’s best tag teams in the early nineties. Scott and Rick Steiner impressed fans and peers alike with their insane strength and tremendous athleticism. Scott, in particular, could pull off some big aerial moves despite being a physical specimen.
The “Big Poppa Pump” gimmick was born following Scott’s shocking betrayal of his brother Rick. To solidify the heel turn, Scott ditched his singlet, dyed his hair and facial color and got more vocal to give fans a bigger and badder version of himself.
“Diamond” Dallas Page
Dallas Page wasn’t the first person to use the “Diamond” moniker in WCW. Coincidentally, Scott Hall worked as “Diamond Studd” with Page as his manager during the promotion’s earlier years. DDP would soon become one of the most popular stars in WCW history.
Goldberg destroyed the WCW roster with his brute strength
The former football defensive tackle, William Goldberg, made his WCW debut in 1997. The big man immediately gained fan attention for his explosive strength. Goldberg quickly climbed the ladder of success to claim the United States Heavyweight Championship.
He’d continue to expand his undefeated streak, ultimately earning the opportunity to face Hulk Hogan for the world title. He’d beat the nWO leader in front of 40,000 strong fans at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on July 6, 1998.
Sting
A beloved figure since the nineties, Steve Borden transitioned from the “Surfer” to “Crow” Sting gimmick to keep up with changing times. After nWO gained hold of WCW, stars such as Lex Luger questioned Sting’s loyalty.
Sting would momentarily turn the odds at the WarGames match before leaving Team WCW at the mercy of the nWO. He’d eventually help the company against the villainous stable, giving fans one of the greatest gimmicks in the process.
“Hollywood” Hogan is arguably the greatest gimmick in WCW history
You cannot expect longevity in this business without being able to reinvent yourself. This is what Hulk Hogan did in the nineties. After giving pro wrestling its first big boom as “Hulk Hogan,” the beloved American turned his back on fans and peers by joining The Outsiders.
Hogan would ditch the iconic yellow color for the infamous black and white. He’d go full “Hollywood” to create arguably the biggest storyline in pro wrestling history. Business was about to change, and for the better.
Also read: 10 Best WWE Gimmick Names Of All Time
