10 Best Gimmicks Of WWE's Golden Era, Ranked

From the birth of HulkaMania until the early 1990s, WWE experienced their Golden Era. During the time period, professional wrestling became a main stream form of entertainment. Vince McMahon's rock and wrestling concept transitioned into WrestleMania and sports entertainment would skyrocket to success never experienced before. The entertainment aspect of the WWE would most definitely increase during the Golden Era, and with that increase came some of the greatest gimmicks in the history of wrestling.

On the famed Something to Wrestling podcast with Bruce Prichard, the ongoing joke is WWE had a box of gimmicks and new talent would reach in and pull out their new character. While a joke, the truth is WWE had a never ending list of gimmicks. Some gimmicks seemed tailor-made for the man behind the character and those are the gimmicks that become the greatest.

10 Honky Tonk Man

The "honky tonk" gimmick mixed Elvis Presley with professional wrestling heeldom. The Honky Tonk Man was cool, cocky and bad. The man behind the gimmick was Wayne Farris. Farris would start wrestling in 1977. Yet, he reached in the box of gimmicks and changed his life in the summer of 1986 when he debuted the Honky Tonk Man. The heel bravado that Ferris brought to the Honky Tonk Man would lead to a historic reign as Intercontinental Champion and a place in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019.

9 Ravishing Rick Rude

In 1987 the box of gimmicks would allow Rick Rude to pull out Ravishing. Rude was a ripped 6'3 and 250 pounds which made him the perfect character to play the heel persona of the Ravishing One. Rude would slowly disrobe and call the fans sweat hogs while kissing a local woman from the audience. That character would make him hated during the WWE Golden Era. Rick Rude would ride the gimmick to the WWE Intercontinental Championship and many WWE World Heavyweight title shots. Rude would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017.

8 The Barber

Brutus Beefcake would go from Chippendale dancer to Barber with his gimmicks in WWE. Beefcake came into WWE portraying himself as a male stripper and even with that poor gimmick would become a World Tag Team Champion with Greg Valentine, as part of the Dream Team. Yet, Beefcake would find Golden Era gimmick gold when repackaged as the Barber in 1987. Beefcake would bring garden shears to the ring and would use a sleeper hold to win his matches. Then after the match, Beefcake would cut the hair of his opponent. Young fans loved the gimmick, leading to Beefcake being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019.

7 Common Man

Dusty Rhodes already had a timeless gimmick as the American Dream when he entered WWE in 1989. Yet, WWE officials wanted to change the gimmick or at least tweak it some. Many have suggested Rhodes' Common Man gimmick was created to embarrass the American Dream. Yet, Rhodes got the yellow polka-dotted gimmick over and his vignettes of being a member of the working class are memorable to fans. Rhodes was still a "son of a plumber" in WWE and his gimmick still inspired fans to cheer him on. The Common Man was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.

6 Face Painted Intimidating Tag Team

Demolition would hit the box of gimmick lottery when they received the intimidating face painted tag team gimmick. While so many fans want to point to Demolition as a direct ripoff of the Road Warriors, Ax and Smash were a hugely successful tag team. Demolition would win 3 WWE World Tag Team Championships during the Golden Era of WWE. While their painted faces and powerful move set did remind many of the legendary Road Warriors, Demolition paved their own path in WWE. Their path deserves to be in the WWE Hall of Fame.

5 The Snake

Jake Roberts started wrestling in 1974, yet it was 1986 that his Snake gimmick became infamous. Roberts would defeat George Wells at WrestleMania 2. In the match, Roberts would wrap his snake around Wells, causing his opponent to foam at the mouth.

Just like that one of the most notorious gimmicks of all time was born. Roberts would remain one of the most over stars of the Golden Era of WWE. Without ever winning a WWE title, Roberts was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.

4 Mr. Perfect

Curt Hennig debuted in 1980, but would become perfect in 1988. Luckily for Hennig, he didn't pull out the Red Rooster gimmick upon his arrival to WWE! As Mr. Perfect, Curt Hennig would become one of the greatest Intercontinental Champions of all time. His vignettes of him playing sports and being perfect are absolutely legendary and made him seem like a true athlete at the time. The two-time Intercontinental Champion was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.

3 Million Dollar Man

Ted DiBiase started wrestling in 1974, yet he became the Million Dollar Man in 1987 (good year for gimmicks). Many have said the Million Dollar Man is who Vince McMahon would have been if he were a wrestler. Instead of McMahon, we got DiBiase who played the character remarkably well. DiBiase's laugh, attire, valet and catchphrase (every man has a price) were synonymous with the Golden Era of WWE. DiBiase even tried to purchase the WWE World Heavyweight Title. The Million Dollar Man entered the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010.

2 Macho King

Randy Savage was the Macho Man! While Macho Man was his moniker, it was just an extension of the hyper focused intimidating competitor Savage was. Yet, in 1989 the Macho King was born. The gimmick of former WWE Champion turned ultimate heel becoming the King of the federation was priceless. As the Macho King, Savage did some of the best heel work of his career. Savage held two WWE World Heavyweight Championships, and an Intercontinental Championship in his career. The Mega Power was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015.

1 Real American

HulkaMania was the birth of the Golden Era of WWE. Hulk Hogan defeating the evil Iron Sheik in 1984 was the starting point of rock and wrestling (and possibly the mythical box of gimmicks). Hogan's "Real American" gimmick of being patriotic, taking vitamins, saying your prayers and over coming all giant heels quickly became the greatest gimmick of the Golden Era.

Hogan would become one of the first cross-over entertainment stars from professional wrestling. The 6 time WWE Champion is a two time WWE Hall of Famer and his gimmick is the best of the Golden Era.