The Mask
No, I am not talking about the green faced man from the movie. What then am I referring to you ask? You now have found you like it and got some training. It is now time to think about what gimmick you will use for your character. A gimmick is your character. It represents who you are and what you do. To be successful you have to be bigger than life. I am starting with the mask,custom bobbleheads,Tips For Finding The Best And Most Affordable Boom Lift, as that was the first gimmick I used when I began my career. The mask is a popular old school gimmick. The mask gave you advantages and disadvantages but was so popular that almost every federation had at least one masked man and sometimes more. The mask used by both face and heel alike as both realized its benefits. Some of the most popular or recognizable mask men included Mil Mascarras,personalized bobblehead, The Patriot, The Machine, Texas Hang Men and The Super Destroyer�s (I saved the best for last because I used Super Destroyer V when I wrestled). The Killer bees once used masks to confuse the referee and sometimes like the Hang Men used then to take unfair advantage in a match by posing as the other and always having a fresh man in the ring.
For myself I saw the option of a duo identity. I could put on my costume and mask being the wrestler and signing autographs and posing for pictures,How To Find The Best Mobile Billing Solutions,., I could enjoy a show, or convention without the gear as no one knew I was a pro wrestler. Another advantage was that it proved a great distraction, like a great magic trick everyone likes to see how it works; everyone wants to see the identity of the masked man. The opponent often gave up chances to pin the mask man,personalized bobble heads, as they would attempt to remove the mask in hopes of exposing his identity. This often drew some great heat from the fans. I once put an interesting twist on this gimmick and came up with the idea of a duo mask. The first was the normal full face mask. The second was a simple mask that only covered my eyes, however later I added fake hair to complete the disguise. The idea was simple the opponent would remove the first mask thus getting the crowd excited that they would get to see just who was under the mask. As my hands where removed from my face the other mask would be seen which left my unsuspecting opponent shocked and a quick hit and a three count and it would be over. As you can see,custom bobblehead, the mask has potential.
However, as the Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase would say, �Everything has a price� and unfortunately so did the mask. It had some disadvantages as well. First off, it obstructed your vision and left you with blind spots. The last thing you want is not to see a punch or move coming. It also can get very hot under that mask. Especially if you are like me and sweat a lot or even a little, it can become a big distraction. In addition, the advantage can become a disadvantage as you are constantly adjusting your mask or having to counter the attempts at unmasking you thus making it difficult to do damage to wear down your opponent for the kill.
It obviously is not all bad because several Mexican super stars use the mask still today. Rey Mysterio has made it very famous and has fans who wear masks idolizing him. He also gives a mask to a lucky youngster. For these fans, the mask is a badge of honor or a coat of arms it defines who they are and what they represent. On the other hand, in the case of Kane or the Abyss, the mask covered what was to be a disfigurement. Brutus the Barber Beefcake had a temporary mask/protector when he had his accident. There also has been some very interesting specialty matches involving masks. The mask vs. mask or loser gets unmasked. In addition, there has been several super stars that where �Barred� that showed up wearing masks. Andre the Giant used a mask and became the Giant Machine. Hulk Hogan also used a mask on a few occasions as the Hulk Machine, Super Destroyer and another masked similar to the suit Owen Hart used. Yep Owen Hart also once wore a mask. It also presented a unique opportunity. A masked man could actually work twice on the same card. He could go out as the masked star and then later in the show come out as the unmasked identity. Hey, the double payday was nice but if you had a rough first match, the second was not very fun. The duo match often worked like this. The first match usually was done without the mask and generally was about 6 to 15 minutes in length. The second match would be with the mask, most often would be a tag team match,custom bobbleheads, and you would get plenty of rest as being the one who tagged in for shorts periods. Display a few moves then quickly tag out. You are a break giver for your partner who carried most of the weight and was in the ring the majority of the time or back in the old school shows, they would have a regular match and then toward the end of the show perform in a battle royal. The battle royal was also another way to earn extra money,Yoyo Basics A Beginners Guide To Yoyo.
It is very easy to find a mask on eBay or the internet or if you are a sewing or craft person or know someone who is its inexpensive to have a custom outfit made for you. On the other hand,,, if you have deep pockets or present money, you can have a shop specially make you one. I was lucky in the fact my trainer knew someone who did his costume and got me a good deal on my first costume. I also used internet and eBay to get other suits that I wore. I was like a comic book superhero and was constantly reinventing myself,customized bobbleheads, as nothing really seemed to click. In addition, it gives the chance to change and keep things fresh. Some old Icons remain unchanged but sometimes it is necessary to make a better mouse trap even better. However,customize bobblehead, not everyone will agree with your changes. You have to be prepared for negative feedback and critics that do not like it or hate it. If you are happy and your federation is happy,custom bobblehead, do not worry but if you are not making money or getting to many bad reviews or comments it could be time to change or make alterations. Something�s never change Rey Mysterio has kept the same style just varies his colors. Mil Mascarras used a different color mask going by the saying the man with 1,000 masks.
These examples show that when you find what works stick with it. Remember whenever possible be yourself and be original. If using a variation of someone else�s character check for copyright. Better to know now then being sued later. Unless of course your boss tells you what your doing or has an idea for you. Some independent groups like the one I started in told me to be the new Super Destroyer V. I used the name, had a costume created, and gave the character my own personality and signature moves. Back to the duo mask gimmick, I had used the name �Mask� but abandoned the idea when I heard a movie was coming out using that name and did not want to create confusion. He met his end in an interesting fashion as I had someone else in the Mask costume and I used my new identity as Jammin George to �cripple� the Mask and end his wrestling career. It allowed for my changeover and created some incredible heat. Every face in the organization wanted revenge for Mask and the Heels wanted nothing to do with me,personalized bobbleheads, as they did not want to be then next victim.
Next week I will look at other gimmicks and go over what has and what has not worked. Wrestling is constantly reinventing itself in order to stay fresh and to keep drawing fans. However, history holds a saying that it repeats itself and wrestlers like Rey Mysterio or Abyss show that the mask still has a place in the new school world of wrestling.
Regardless of what gimmick you chose,customized bobbleheads, if you wear a mask or not. You will see that just as any decision in life there are both good and bad results. If the mask is for you then make it your own and do not let others,The 10 Most Popular Extreme Sports, sway your choice. Maybe you are the next Patriot or if a heel is your interest then maybe the Dark Patriot is more your style. Just remember the world already has these stars but there is always room for one more. I heard a great quote to sum up this article. �I wrestle because I love it. It is who I am and what I do.� when you achieve that then your successful at being bigger than life.
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