#10 – The Vaudevillians
Aiden English and Simon Gotch are The Vaudevillians, a “vintage” tag team that utilizes a 20’s-era look and in-ring style. If Cesaro is considered a “throwback”, The Vaudevillians are the throwback of throwbacks.
I’ve been critical of this duo in the past, mostly due to their inexperience on the microphone. This is NXT, where the stars of tomorrow get a chance to work on those skills and develop their craft before coming to the main roster, so you can’t be too hard on them. That said, while I respect the safe atmosphere of NXT, their promos made me want to change the channel. No hard feelings, guys.
What really draws me in now is the dedication to the gimmick. English has been working on the cocky heel character since his debut, but it was Gotch (former indie star Ryan Drago) that brought in the old school vibe. Just look at that name! Frank Gotch was one of the first nationally popular pro wrestlers ever, and was a brutal, legitimate catch wrestler. Karl Gotch was the “God of Wrestling”, largely responsible for revolutionizing the Japanese strong style, inspiring Antonio Inoki, who would become one of the most famous Japanese icons…ever. Simon has a long way to go to live up to those names, but his character is solid and there’s definitely some potential buried down in there. He just has to watch out; there’s a fine line between vintage character and comedy jobber in the WWE.
