WWE gets an Irish character at last!

Mr.Nice Guy · 31-12-2005 12:24am #1

Did you all see Smackdown and the vignette for 'Finlay'? (Presumably Fit Finlay)

It begins with Irish music in the background and it goes along the lines of...

"My family lived through it all...they did what they had to do to survive. Here in Belfast, words don't change. We settle things like men.

"My name's Finlay. Some people call me a fighting Irish bastard - Not to my face."

A green, white and orange flag then appears with a crest in front of it and it says 'Finlay - Coming Soon'.

I'm excited by this but I thought Fit Finlay couldn't wrestle because of an injury?

Good to finally have an Irish character though!

Devon · 31-12-2005 3:43am

I'm very interested by this as well. I would have thought Fit was too old now to make a comeback. He's a legend though. Hope they don't bring him back just to have Randy squash him.

Mr.Nice Guy · 31-12-2005 3:48am

Laguna wrote:

Ken Shamrock played the 'Irish' card years ago, he was one of those pseudo Irish-American types, but still..

Hulk Hogan was supposed to have an Irish gimmick but that idea was ditched (lucky for him).

Still, for an Irish-born wrestler to be given a chance is pretty big news. No doubt he'll be at the Belfast show.

Laguna · 31-12-2005 3:54am

Laguna wrote:

Ken Shamrock played the 'Irish' card years ago, he was one of those pseudo Irish-American types, but still..

Hold on, I'll retract that - I'm 'struggling' to be sure if it was 'articulated' well enough

Brow · 31-12-2005 11:41am

TNA had Pat Kenny there for a while...some coup on there half...

Charlie · 31-12-2005 3:02pm

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

Hulk Hogan was supposed to have an Irish gimmick but that idea was ditched (lucky for him).

It was McMahon Snr. who thought that Hogan's character should be that of a fighting giant Irish man. The character didnt take off, but he was given the "Hogan" name for this character. It would be interesting if the character had neve been devised, what Hogan would actually have been called. I know it sounds stupid, but in the fickle world that is wrestling, I can't picture someone named "Hulk Boella" would have set the world alight. Hulk Hogn just fits.

The Cannibal · 31-12-2005 4:08pm

charlie mchugh wrote:

It was McMahon Snr. who thought that Hogan's character should be that of a fighting giant Irish man. The character didnt take off, but he was given the "Hogan" name for this character. It would be interesting if the character had neve been devised, what Hogan would actually have been called. I know it sounds stupid, but in the fickle world that is wrestling, I can't picture someone named "Hulk Boella" would have set the world alight. Hulk Hogn just fits.

All the big brands name their guys with the same starting initial for first name and last name, it always has a better ring to it. Disney had Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse and Marvel had Peter Parker, Matt Murdoch, Bruce Banner etc. Seems to roll off the tongue better.

Lump Basher · 31-12-2005 4:49pm

The Cannibal wrote:

All the big brands name their guys with the same starting initial for first name and last name, it always has a better ring to it. Disney had Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse and Marvel had Peter Parker, Matt Murdoch, Bruce Banner etc. Seems to roll off the tongue better.

Micheal McGovern - it's a sign!

31-12-2005 4:54pm

David Davis

It all makes sense now.

RebelRockChick · 31-12-2005 6:24pm

There were rumours that he was going to start wrestling again, it is gonna be cool to see an Irish character.

I remember seeing that 'Irish' Pat Kenney (Simon Diamond) in TNA, lol.

Jonny Arson · 31-12-2005 6:30pm

It would make good sense to have an Irish character comercially since they are coming over here all the time now.

Just hope as with so many charcters these day they don't make this guy a complete loon. If it's gimmick based on drunk alco Irishman or a stupid Irishman I'll hit the roof! Knowing WWE you can bet they'll screw it up.

carpothepunk · 31-12-2005 9:11pm

Taken from ringsidemayhem.com

"Fit Finlay is returning to the ring. A promo video of Fit Finlay aired at the Smackdown tapings last night. Finlay hasn't actually wrestled since the spring of 2000 in WCW, however, he's been training the WWE Divas since that time. His age isn't known, but he was in his late 40's towards the end of his WCW career. "

Lump Basher · 31-12-2005 9:44pm

Deleted User wrote:

David Davis

It all makes sense now.

Who?

Brow · 01-01-2006 1:51pm

I hope he can carry himself well in the ring. His finisher throughout the years was the tombstone though, I dont think Mark will take kindly to that. He might get something like the cloverleaf or something.

RebelRockChick · 01-01-2006 3:48pm

I was just reading that he actually wrestled at a Smackdown houseshow in Scotland March 21st '04, and won against Jamie Noble!

The Cannibal · 01-01-2006 4:03pm

Brow wrote:

I hope he can carry himself well in the ring. His finisher throughout the years was the tombstone though, I dont think Mark will take kindly to that. He might get something like the cloverleaf or something.

Mark? You on a name basis with the Undertaker now?

Lump Basher · 01-01-2006 5:30pm

The Cannibal wrote:

Mark? You on a name basis with the Undertaker now?

lol - I hate people who do that to try to look smart. It's cringeworthy. A lot of wrestlers take personal offence to it too - noteably Raven & CM Punk.

Juggalo · 01-01-2006 9:49pm

I hope the gimmick is an Irish drunk, that be fun, his quest is for gold but not a championship he's after a lepreachaun, who's always trying to rob me lucky charms.

And if WWE's stereotyping is anything to go by(Japanese wrestlers being comedy characters and not speaking any english well, arab looking wrestlers being terrorists or anti-usa, english wrestlers being posh and uptight) we might just have.....an Irish Drunk/Fighting Irish.

Brow · 01-01-2006 10:26pm

Lump Basher wrote:

lol - I hate people who do that to try to look smart. It's cringeworthy. A lot of wrestlers take personal offence to it too - noteably Raven & CM Punk.

I wasnt doing it to look smart. I dont put a lot of effort into my post and I just type down what comes into my head first. Sounds like you found out the hard way off Punk and Raven by the sounds of it...

Lump Basher · 01-01-2006 10:49pm

Brow wrote:

I wasnt doing it to look smart. I dont put a lot of effort into my post and I just type down what comes into my head first. Sounds like you found out the hard way off Punk and Raven by the sounds of it...

The hard way? Yeah, I read it on their websites (online commentary), referred from a topic on the UKFF...it was pretty rough though.

Sorry did I say "Raven" & "CM Punk"? I meant Scott & Philip - do I sound like a smark yet?

Brow · 01-01-2006 11:05pm

Yes. But dont let them hear you say that.

Cactus Col · 04-01-2006 10:49am

What are the odds on him feuding with William Regal?

Vince135792003 · 04-01-2006 1:37pm

The storyline could be a little cheesey but I'd love to see those 2 wrestle.

Brow · 04-01-2006 8:32pm

He actually had a pretty long feud with Regal in WCW when Regal was Stephen Regal I read.

J.R.HARTLEY · 05-01-2006 12:45am

actually i wouldn't mind the drunk angle, becuasse with some of the tone of the recent gimmicks i'm dreading a terrorist angle.

Brow · 05-01-2006 11:48am

They already have one in the works...this place has been a feeder of talent for WWE for years...

Drunken Irishman

Firewalkwithme · 05-01-2006 11:53am

Brow wrote:

They already have one in the works...this place has been a feeder of talent for WWE for years...

Drunken Irishman

Well if he ends up anything like that guy the only way for him to go would be to take Eugene's spot and have a "hilarious" feud with him once Eugene checks out of rehab.

Then they could become friends and form a comedy tag team, think of the (lack of) potential!!

WWE gets an Irish character at last!

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