WWE's Most Ridiculous Gimmick Ever
When one thinks of early to mid-1990s WWE, superstars like Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, or Razor Ramon come to mind as they were not only featured performers in WWE but eventually became future Hall of Fame inductees. No one's going to deny that the early to mid-1990s WWE featured some of the most memorable moments in the wrestling industry that fans and critics continue to talk about to this day. However, it's also worth mentioning the WWE during the early to mid-1990s featured some of the most over-the-top ridiculous gimmicks that fans also discuss to this day. One of those gimmicks that debuted in 1993 was Bastion Booger.
Related: 10 Gross Wrestlers Fans Completely Forgot About
Goofy Gimmicks Were Prevalent In The Early To Mid-1990s WWE
In the early to mid-1990s, WWE was going through massive changes as legendary superstars from the Rock 'n Wrestling Era, like Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and The Ultimate Warrior were no longer wrestling for WWE. Because of this, WWE had no choice but to introduce new characters to the scene. To their credit, many successful superstars became featured performers who went on to do great things for years to come.
However, as many new superstars made their debut during this time, many gimmicks that were featured were remembered as being over-the-top ridiculous. WWE is well-known for many over-the-top goofy personas that made their way into their programming, not just during the early to mid-1990s. Wrestler Mike Shaw became one of those goofy gimmicks for over a year, as he's best known for the infamous "Bastion Booger" gimmick.
Related: 10 Wrestlers Who Were Amazing, Until They Got To WWE
Mike Shaw Becomes Bastion Booger
For those who may not be familiar with Mike Shaw's work in the wrestling industry, he's worked in several companies before signing with the WWE in 1993. He had wrestling experience going back to 1980, being a thirteen-year veteran in the industry. One of the most notable aspects of Mike Shaw is his size, as he stands out considering his build of 400 pounds.
In WWE, Mike Shaw's original persona was a "mad monk," naming himself Friar Ferguson. However, after WWE dropped the "mad monk" persona as they were getting poor publicity from it, it didn't take long for Mike Shaw to adopt the "Bastion Booger" gimmick.
The concept of Bastion Booger is that the character is supposed to be a sloppy oaf, specifically someone who didn't take that much care of himself. Rumor has it that the gimmick was a punishment from WWE, as they felt that Mike Shaw was out of shape.
Also, an embarrassing part of the "Bastion Booger" gimmick was the outfit Mike Shaw had to wear. The fact that it was too tight for him to fit around his size was part of the comedic effect of the character. Bastion Booger also had quite the appetite as he was constantly eating, such as eating pizza while being a guest on commentary.
Bastion Booger's Forgettable Run
In June 1993, Mike Shaw's "Bastion Booger" debuted on an episode of Superstars, losing to Virgil. The fact that the Bastion Booger lost in his debut match on Superstars should've indicated that there was only so much that the gimmick could do. To no one's surprise, Bastion Booger became mainly a lower-card talent putting over other superstars.
Bastion Booger did pick up a clean win over Owen Hart despite this being before Owen Hart got a main event push. Other than that, Bastion Booger didn't accomplish much of anything. Bastion Booger did appear on the Survivor Series 1993 PPV. He teamed with Bam Bam Bigelow to lose to Men on a Mission in a tag team match. He also got involved in a love storyline with Bam Bam Bigelow and his valet Luna Vachon, as it stemmed from Bastion Booger falling in love with Luna Vachon. Although Bam Bam Bigelow got the best of him, that storyline at least gave his character something worthy of doing. In August 1994, Bastion Booger was released by WWE.
Bastion Booger's Legacy
If there's one positive outlook on personas like the "Bastion Booger," the most horrible gimmicks can be most entertaining to some fans who may find it appealing. When it all comes down to it, professional wrestling is about entertaining fans, even with stupid characters. However, it's a shame that Mike Shaw never got the opportunity to portray a more serious gimmick. Unfortunately for Mike Shaw, even if he got in a better ring shape and had better creative to work with, having the stigma of previously owning an embarrassing gimmick is something that many wrestlers can't avoid.
Related: Akeem The African Dream & 9 Other Old-School Gimmick Changes That Sucked
