I have a framed “Peanuts” comic on my desk. Snoopy and Woodstock are eating ice cream, Snoopy ridicules Woodstock for liking vanilla, and it ends with the realization that “it takes all kinds to make a world.”
While I’m sure that the goal of my parents was to get me to use that as a reminder, using it as a set up for this profile is the most useful it has ever been other than being another piece in a rather extensive collection of Snoopy mementos. You see, the phrase “it takes all kinds” really does need to be taken to heart when discussing the subject of today’s profile: El Generico.
While fellow ROHer, Grizzly Redwood, may have a better singles future and a totally awesome gimmick, it’s key to remember that Generico is worth checking out for very different reasons: He is a top, and I do mean top, level tag team talent and he is a true throwback to the outlandishness of wrestling’s Golden Age.
What exactly do I mean by that? I mean that Generico (real name Rami Sahied) is simultaneously one of the strangest and best competitors on the independent circuit today.
Using the same gimmick from day one, Generico actually debuted in the International Wrestling Syndicate where he had an immediate affinity for tag style wrestling and from there he went to the PWG, where again he showed an affinity for Tag Team style wrestling.
What was even better, however, was that he held the PWG Tag and Heavyweight titles at the same time…a feat he’s also managed to attain in the IWS. Generico then began picking up matches in Ring of Honor with long time partner, Kevin Steen.
Steen and Generico, known as El Steenerico, debuted as a tag team and made an immediate impact on the division. They worked great matches for a few years and then finally won the Tag Team belts Sept. 19, 2008, and held them until April of this year, finally dropping them to the American Werewolves.
What makes Generico so worth checking out?
Other than the fact that he’s primarily tag based, a lost art in and of itself, he’s a great throwback to the 80’s wrestling boom, when colorful characters dominated the spotlight.
Think about this: Generico is a pasty Canadian, gimmicking as a Mexican luchador who shouts Ole! How cool is that?
He has high-flying moves and a giant exclaimation point on his mask. He also has dolls of himself and runs around the ring like a madman. Simply put, watching Generico is just a good use of your wrestling tiem.
On top of the awesome gimmick, Generico has a ridiculously catchy and cool finisher entitled the Brainbuster (pronounced brainbustaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.) To get a better feel for how ridiculous and awesome it is to see, click here.
It’s kind of like a pedigree meets the swanton bomb. It’s funny how to useless moves could combine to make something so awesome.
Generico, like a lot of other Independent wrestlers, really does seem to relish the part. Be sure to check him and all the other ROH stars on HDNet or on their Youtube channel which has every episode archived in full.
You should also be sure to join the Ring of Honor community too and start writing!
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