Gimmicks gone bad

SLAM! Sports

SLAM! Wrestling

Wednesday, December 13, 2000

Gimmicks Gone Bad

A look back at wrestling's blunders

Akeem's nightmare

By JOHN POWELL -- SLAM! Wrestling

Jive Soul Bros: Akeem and his manager Slick.

The lethal One Man Gang morphed into a feeble one man dancing machine at the hands of the WWF in the eighties. OMG's bad ass biker persona was flushed once he teamed up with his then manager Slick. As the story goes, Slick helped OMG re-discover his African roots and reinstilled pride in his reputed heritage. The Jive Soul Bro was born. OMG grew his hair back, traded in his rugged street clothes for a fez-like hat and an African-style shirt. The crowning touch of course was the map of Africa displayed on his huge back.

To top it all off, Akeem and Slick would badly boogie down in the middle of the ring before each bout. It was a sight hideous enough to make small children seated in the first row cry uncontrollably. Akeem joined forces with another Slick protege - The Big Bossman - and together they formed the fleshy Twin Towers tag team. Basically hired enforcers, the Twin Towers never won the WWF tag belts and their only claim to fame was contributing to the break up of the Mega Powers (Hulk Hogan and Macho Man).

The Twin Towers themselves went their separate ways in a feud that climaxed at WrestleMania 6 held in Toronto, Canada. Shortly following that, Akeem left the WWF. Regaining his soiled dignity, the One Man Gang reappeared briefly in WCW years later his dancing days thankfully behind him.

Crap Metre: 4 / 5.

Have any ideas or memories for Gimmicks gone bad? Email us

Oct. 1999 interview with Akeem/One Man Gang

SLAM! Sports Search Help CANOE