WWE: 8 Reasons We're Stoked to Have Brodus Clay Back in the Mix

Brodus Clay is back, but not like anyone expected him to be.

After months upon months of hype and delays, Clay finally returned (or is it debuted?) on last week's episode of Monday Night Raw with a completely new gimmick: The Funkasaurus.

Clay's return as some sort of comedic dancer was certainly shocking, and it's been the talk of the town for the last week and a half.

Some love Clay's new character, some hate it, and some are taking a wait-and-see approach.

As for me, I think it's awesome.

Here are eight reasons why we (well, at least some of us) are stoked to have Clay back in the mix.

8. He's a 1990s Throwback

Brodus Clay's gimmick seems to be getting over so far, but it is definitely one that would have thrived in the 1990s.

Immediately upon seeing Clay, you can't help but think of guys who had similar gimmicks 15 or 20 years ago.

Names like Flash Funk (because of Clay's dancing) and Rikishi (because of their size) come to mind, and Clay is even using a remix of Ernest "The Cat" Miller's old WWE theme song.

I'm one of those wrestling fans who loves seeing throwbacks to the past every once in a while, and that is undoubtedly what Clay is doing.

He's a brilliant blend of the 1990s look and style of dancing, mixed in with the ability to make it translate to today's audience, which is much different than it was when similar gimmicks were more common.

Props are in order for Clay because what he's doing is equivalent to Vanilla Ice releasing "Ice Ice Baby" today and still becoming popular.

7. The Lack of Quality Babyfaces in WWE

Quite simply, the WWE just doesn't have as many quality babyfaces as it once did.

There were times, like during the Attitude Era, when just about every face from the top of the card to the bottom had a unique gimmick and was over with the crowd.

Now, however, the list of babyfaces who are actually over is limited to a very select few superstars.

That's why I'm welcoming Brodus Clay back with open arms.

The WWE needs to develop more top babyfaces than it currently has because the company is relying heavily on CM Punk, John Cena, Randy Orton and even someone like The Big Show.

For the most part, that's fine because those guys draw, but you don't want to get to the point where, like with Cena, the fans grow sick of seeing them at the top.

If Clay can continue to develop and increase his popularity, then he could provide the WWE with another upper-midcard/main-event caliber babyface.

6. He Actually Has a Gimmick

Gimmicks aren't nonexistent in the WWE, but they are few and far in between.

Aside from someone like The Undertaker, today's WWE stars aren't given certifiable gimmicks so much as they're given nicknames. 

For example, Heath Slater calls himself "The One Man Rock Band," but you don't ever see him playing the guitar or the drums.  

Brodus Clay, however, has a distinguishable gimmick as a comedic, dancing big man, and his "Funkasaurus" nickname actually goes along with his ring entrance and his mannerisms during his matches.

That truly has become a lost art in professional wrestling.

There are exceptions--like Randy Orton, who actually acts like a "Viper" in the ring--but for the most part, nothing really sets one superstar apart from another in any drastic way.

Thankfully, though, Clay is breaking that mold. 

5. His Return Genuinely Shocked Us

Why were we so excited about the Nexus when it first started? Because their debut and initially attack genuinely shocked us. 

We sat there in amazement with a "WTF?" look on our faces as we tried to figure out what just happened and where this angle was going.

That's exactly what happened with Brodus Clay.

There's no one reading this who can honestly say that they expected Clay to return as a hilarious dancer known as the "Funkasaurus." We just never would have even fathomed something like that taking place.

Nonetheless, Clay returned with a gimmick that no one saw coming, and as a result, we'll be more likely to give him a chance and more interested in seeing where the WWE is headed with him.

4. He Makes His Gimmick Work

I have no idea if Brodus Clay had any input into his gimmick, but either way, I'm incredibly impressed by how well he makes it work.

The gimmick itself is absolutely ridiculous, but Clay fully invests himself in everything he does, from his ring entrance to his gyrations (as Michael Cole calls them) to his epic "Should I get him?" line that he yells during his matches.

Clay kinda reminds me of The Boogeyman with the way that he moves around and sells his character as if it is 100 percent real.

As outrageous as both of these characters are, it's all about how they are presented.

Both The Boogeyman and Clay are able to present them absolutely perfectly, and that translates on TV with the great reactions they get from the crowd.

I have to applaud Clay for quickly getting this "Funkasaurus" gimmick over when the basis of it is beyond absurd. 

3. He's Not Your Typical Big Man

What do almost all big men have in common? They're angry monsters, right?

Essentially, they're just big bullies who pick on the smaller wrestlers, get angry and walk around with a mean look on their face.

But Brodus Clay is not your typical big man.

He doesn't have the same old big-man shtick that we've seen thousands of time, that never changes and that is boring as all hell.

Clay is a completely different breed of big man, one who may be borrowing ideas from others but is truly making them his own.

I'd rather see Clay in his current gimmick than watch the creative team turn him into another Mason Ryan or Ezekiel Jackson any day of the week.

2. He Can Actually Wrestle

Sure, we like Brodus Cay because of his over-the-top gimmick, but we're willing to get behind this guy because we know he can do something that not many big men can: Wrestle.

I'm not going to try to label Clay as the second coming of Shawn Michaels or anything like that, but I will praise him for what he can do in the ring.

Clay is surprisingly agile and athletic, he's mobile, and he simply can do things that most 6'8", 375-pound guys can't do.

I'd take him over Mark Henry any day of the week and would argue that he is the most suitable possible "replacement" for The Big Show once he hangs up his boots for good.

Clay won't ever really replace Big Show, but like Show, he will be able to put on solid to good matches that are much better than what you would expect out of him.

Once Clay stops squashing jobbers, I think we'll all see just how good of a wrestler he really is.

1. He's Hilarious

Just like there's a place in pro wrestling for the Divas, there's a place for comedy, too.

You can literally make a career out of being a comedic wrestler (like Santino Marella), or you can use it as a big part of your character (like Zack Ryder).

And what do both Santino and Ryder have in common? They're ridiculously over.

There will always be wrestlers who thrive because of their comedic talents, and it certainly looks as if Brodus Clay could be the next great comedian in the WWE.

Although it's only been a couple weeks since Clay returned as "The Funkasaurus," it's pretty clear that he has a ton of charisma and is downright hilarious.

I'm a sucker for wrestling comedy figures (the ones who are actually funny, at least), so I'm excited to have Clay back as one of the funnest performers in the WWE.

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