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[THE LOWDOWN // UK WRESTLING// PURO//INDIE //REVIEWS//COLUMNS]
TEXT BY sara
h leach
FEATURES
GUILTY PLEASURES
They say like life is like a box of chocolates, because you never know what you are going to get, and nothing could be closer to the truth when it comes to the wonderful world of WWE. Some of the strangest character ideas have been thought up in the creative department of the WWE, and many of them have made it into the wrestling ring. Of all of the guilty pleasures that there are in the wrestling universe, none stand out quite like one man. Eugene.
Ultimate Underdog Eugene first appeared as Eric Bischoff’s not too intelligent and overly excited nephew back in 2004. He won his first match on Raw, and soon went on to feud with Jonathan Coachman, further helping to sell Coachman’s heel status. The feud was petty, and even The Rock was brought out to sell it to the fans. As time went on though, it became clear that the fans wanted to see more of Eugene. Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and Kurt Angle were all involved in selling this newly popular character to the WWE Universe.
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With his messy hair, hand me down wrestling attire and childlike personality, he was the ultimate underdog, and the last man you would bet on in a fight. However, and perhaps surprisingly, it was not long before fans were chanting his name and rooting for him to win. Eugene was quickly paired with William Regal, and a more unlikely duo has never been seen. Despite Regal’s apparent initial displeasure, he could not help warming to Eugene just like the rest of us. It was with William Regal that Eugene won his first and only
championship belt when they beat La Résistance on the November 15 episode of Raw for the World Tag Team Championship. This victory was as far as the writers were allowing Eugene in terms of holding championship gold, although you cannot help thinking about what would have happened had they decided to give him a championship title all to himself. Whilst it would have been easy for wrestling fans to immediately dismiss him as a creative decision gone bad, there was something about Eugene that kept fans wanting more. There was something they could identify
with, and that was a love of wrestling. The boyhood dream of being a wrestler and wishing to be in the same ring as the stars you look up to is something that many fans know well. We all know that it takes dedication, hard work and skill to become a Superstar, and Eugene did it, albeit in his unconventional way. He did not have his own finishing moves, but instead used those of his wrestling heroes. There was the suspense in wanting him to win; doubting that he would and wondering whose finishing move he would use to gain victory. There was something in his childlike attitude towards his heroes and the disbelief at being in the same ring