The word green is unique because of how versatile it is.
That fits right in the world of professional wrestling because adapting to any scenario is what wrestlers have to do on a daily basis.
“Green” could refer to a color or how a superstar doesn’t have much experience or it could mean cold hard cash. Unfortunately, the closest a wrestler’s gimmick has come to being ecofriendly is Duke “The Dumpster” Droese, and he was a garbage man.
There have been numerous superstars that have used the color green in their ring attire, but unless it was a prominent fixture for years, I won’t be including them.
Today I will count down the top five wrestlers who used green as an integral part of their ring attire or their gimmick in some form or fashion.
This in-your-face group of superstars was the clear and conscientious number one. Besides being one of the top stables in WWE history, DX helped start off the WWE’s Attitude Era, which many people consider the “Golden Age” of wrestling.
The first incarnation of DX —Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Chyna — used the color green subtly in their attire. Only later down the line when X-Pac, Road Dogg and Billy Gunn became a part of the stable did green become more prominent.
It’s just silly how much success each individual had in DX. Each member held multiple championships throughout their WWE careers and they should all be in the Hall of Fame one day.
This may be a bit of a stretch because Bryan didn’t use his ecofriendlyness in his gimmick specifically, but I’m including it anyways. Bryan, who retired earlier this year, is an outdoor junkie and a huge advocate for maintaining our ecosystems.
Bryan’s career may have been cut short due to concussions, but the short time that he had in WWE was a magical one.
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He proved how great of a wrestler he was after he carried WrestleMania XXX where he both began and finished the show. The image of him holding up both title belts with confetti raining won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
Green may not play an important role in McMahon’s ring attire, but Shane is all about the money. His theme song “Here Comes the Money” makes that clear enough, and he has certainly earned his fair share over the years.
It also doesn’t hurt that McMahon is willing to do some of the craziest stunts ever seen in WWE. His last match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 32 featured him leaping off a 20-foot tall Hell in a Cell.
Shane may have missed his mark but his jump will be replayed for years to come.
At the fourth spot comes not just a wrestler but a superhero. The Hurricane was a fan favorite for a couple of years with his nonsensical gimmick because he played the part so well.
When you heard “There’s a Hurricane coming through” and saw The Hurricane come out with his green cape and attire, you knew it was time for some shenanigans.
Maybe the best part of The Hurricane’s overall gimmick was that his finishing maneuver was the choke slam. That’s not what one would expect with a guy standing just 6 feet tall.
The Hurricane had his moments, but his best run came when he partnered with his sidekick Rosey and won the World Tag Team Championships.
A longtime veteran of the business, Finlay rounds out our list with one of the most stereotypical Irish characters of all time.
From his shillelagh to him introducing a “leprechaun” in Hornswoggle to the four-leaf clover on his singlet, Finlay had it all.
Finlay wasn’t the best or a fan favorite, but he was a hard worker and was always able to put on a solid match.
Thomas Romero-Salas is the culture editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @ThomasRomeroS.
