Pro Wrestling: Was Sting's New Gimmick Taken from an Independent Wrestler?

It’s bound to happen.

In a business of so many workers, in so many different promotions, spread out all over the world, inevitably it will happen. It’s nothing new; it’s been happening for years.

Gimmicks get ripped off. It’s the nature of the beast.

Whatever sells for one guy, may sell for another. The truth is, while no one wants to flat-out steal anyone else’s gimmick, workers get ideas from each other all the time.

Often, it’s intentional and deliberate when two similar gimmicks exist. Other times, it is purely coincidental.

Take a little here, take a little there, not to the point of being noticed, but just enough for a worker to build his character. He or she adds more and more layers of interest on their persona for the fans who pay to see them perform. Eventually, the character becomes all their own, and the initial source of the ideas is forgotten, or lost in the shuffle.

Stone Cold Steve Austin, the beer-drinking, no-holds-barred bad a**, will go down in pro wrestling history as one of the greatest of all time. What about Sandman? Will he be remembered 20 years from now, by anyone other than the fans who watched him during his career?

In Austin’s case, he took the Sandman concept, and improved upon it, with a superior talent level, and made it bigger than anyone could have imagined.

Demolition were two tough monsters, like The Road Warriors. Ax and Smash worked stiff like Hawk and Animal, with big power moves. Ax and Smash also painted their faces, like Hawk and Animal.

The problem? Ax and Smash were not Hawk and Animal.

A lot of fans are quick to point out that Demolition really came into their own, becoming a legitimately good tag team, gaining respect and getting over every time they were in the ring. After looking at it objectively, one is hard pressed to argue that fact.

But, the minute Hawk and Animal got to WWE, Ax and Smash died faster than a couple of teenagers in the opening 15 minutes of a slasher flick. There was just no comparison to the original.

These are just two examples of many, and it seems, at least on the surface, that the workers in question are merely doing what they are told to. But, the question of who is really behind the moments when gimmicks are “borrowed,” or changed to suit the individual, is one that varies by company.

In the case of TNA, the issue of who is responsible for what always seems to be a mystery.

Is Vince Russo calling the shots? Is it Eric Bischoff? Hulk Hogan? Dixie Carter? Jeff Jarrett? Perhaps all of them?

One of them, or at least someone who reports to them, has apparently told them all about Justin Carnes. Or, at least, his gimmick.

Carnes is an independent wrestler who, for the past two years, used the name Krimson. That is, until the debut of the man now known as Crimson, the undefeated wrestler currently employed by TNA.

Carnes changed his name to Villain, and continued using his gimmick of the heel who wears face paint, and is somewhat psychologically unstable, very similar to Heath Ledger’s Joker.

Sound familiar?

For a few weeks now, Sting’s mind is apparently becoming more and more disturbed, as his bizarre actions continue to confuse fans as to what exactly is wrong with him mentally.

So, the big question: Is this just coincidence? Or, is someone in TNA choosing to go with a “borrowed” gimmick for one of the biggest stars of all time, rather than do something new?

Before you say yes or no, watch the video, which is an exclusive on Wrestlezone.com, and keep one very important fact in mind:

Justin Carnes just wants a shot. He has nothing to gain by lying, and even less by trying to make trouble for the one company he wants to work for. He just wants to be heard. He deserves that much.

I have to say, after watching this, and watching some of his matches, the guy has a point.

What do you think?