The Yeti in WCW: Behind One Of Wrestling’s Most Awkward Debuts

Billed at 7 feet 2 inches tall and covered head-to-toe in what looked like wrappings and gauze, he was clearly designed as a mummy-type character, yet was called “The Yeti” (or “THE YET-TAY!” as Tony Schiavone memorably would pronounce it). It may go down as one of the most peculiar wrestling gimmicks of all time! Who was originally tapped for the role, and what exactly transpired during that awkward moment with Hulk Hogan? We dive in to answer these wrestling history questions!

Backstory on WCW’s The Yeti

In 1994, Hulk Hogan joined Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling, bringing mainstream star power and legitimacy to the promotion’s main event scene. About a year later, as WCW sought to establish compelling storylines against Hogan’s dominance, a stable of monster-themed wrestlers was introduced. Led by “Taskmaster” Kevin Sullivan, the Dungeon of Doom’s stated purpose was to challenge Hulkamania and provide Hogan with formidable opposition.

In reality, the Dungeon of Doom was composed of wrestlers Hogan had worked with during his WWF years, safe and reliable opponents who posed no genuine threat to his main event status. The stable included colorful characters designed to look intimidating but ultimately serve as stepping stones for Hogan’s continued dominance. This was typical of WCW’s booking philosophy during this era: surrounding Hogan with entertaining characters rather than legitimate threats who could credibly defeat him.

The roster included The Giant (who would go on to become Big Show in WWE), Diamond Dallas Page (before his ascent to main event status), and various other performers designed to challenge Hogan in spectacular fashion. Each member had their own unique visual presentation, whether through size, costume design, or supernatural gimmick elements.

After promotional vignettes aired on Monday Nitro, building anticipation, The Yeti made his in-ring debut at WCW’s spooky-themed pay-per-view, Halloween Havoc, on October 29th, 1995. The event itself was built around a Halloween theme, with its traditional atmosphere and horror-inspired storylines. Halloween Havoc had become one of WCW’s signature events, offering the promotion an opportunity to experiment with creative concepts that pushed beyond traditional wrestling presentation.

In the main event, Hogan defended his WCW championship against The Giant (who would later become known as Big Show), the Dungeon of Doom’s signature attraction. The Giant, standing nearly 8 feet tall, was positioned as the credible heavyweight challenge to Hogan, someone whose size and strength justified being a legitimate main event performer alongside Hogan.

The match concluded with a chaotic sequence involving multiple Dungeon of Doom members attacking Hogan, which should have provided an impactful finish to the pay-per-view’s main event. The interference angle suggested that the Dungeon was a unified force, working in concert to overcome Hogan through a numbers advantage. However, WCW had one final surprise planned: The Yeti!

Stumbling down the aisle awkwardly and into the ring, The Yeti positioned himself with his arms around Hulk Hogan, who was already in the grip of a bearhug from The Giant. The character’s entrance itself was poorly executed, the bumbling, clumsy movement telegraphed uncertainty about the segment’s direction, and the awkward positioning suggested minimal planning or rehearsal.

It wasn’t immediately clear whose side The Yeti was on as he awkwardly positioned himself behind Hogan with his arms wrapped around both Hogan and The Giant. The visual confusion was compounded by the lack of clear storytelling. Was he attacking Hogan? Was he attacking The Giant? Was he somehow joining forces with both?

The Yeti was supposed to join The Giant in applying simultaneous bearhugs to Hogan, creating a visually imposing moment where the hero was overwhelmed by numbers and size. However, the visual presentation on television was unfortunately ambiguous and appeared unintentionally awkward to viewers. The segment did not achieve its intended effect, becoming instead a memorable moment for all the wrong reasons.

The Yeti was removed from television programming for the next month of tapings, ostensibly to rebuild his character and establish credibility through absence. This is a time-tested wrestling booking technique where a character’s mysterious disappearance can build intrigue and anticipation for their return.

The character reappeared at WCW’s World War 3 pay-per-view event with a noticeably different appearance. The wrappings and gauze were replaced with a black and yellow ninja outfit, a complete departure from the mummy aesthetic. Interestingly, his name was spelled “Yetti” during this appearance, suggesting either carelessness in production or a deliberate (though unexplained) change to the character’s identity.

The announcers explained the transformation by suggesting he must have “thawed out,” implying that the wrappings represented ice or frozen material that had melted away. The explanation was not received well by audiences, who found the character change confusing and poorly executed. Fans had invested in understanding The Yeti as a specific character, and the sudden costume change and name alteration undermined any character consistency.

World War 3 featured WCW’s signature 60-man triple threat battle royal, offering The Yetti a platform to demonstrate his wrestling abilities. Despite being advertised for his return at World War 3, his performance was unremarkable. He was eliminated from the battle royal match quickly, his participation barely notable compared to other performers involved in the match.

He would technically compete later that month under the name “Super Giant Ninja,” maintaining the same character while changing the name once again. This third identity in as many appearances further demonstrated WCW’s lack of direction and planning for the character. Ultimately, he was defeated by the One Man Gang, who acted oblivious to the fact that they were opponents from the same wrestling stable, either a booking oversight or a creative decision that failed to register with audiences.

The Yeti’s Origin: Who Was Originally Cast, and That Awkward Moment Explained

In an interview with In Your Head Online, Ron Reis (who played The Yeti) provided invaluable insight into the character’s creation, the last-minute casting, and the famous (or infamous) Halloween Havoc moment:

“I don’t think there was too much thought into it (laughs). The Yeti was supposed to be Giant Gonzalez. They brought him down for a taping, but he left due to physical issues. They called me and said, ‘Fly down… you’re The Yeti now…’

At the time, I had no creative input; I was just grateful to be there! But honestly, it was like, ‘What is happening?’ Nobody understood what the character was supposed to be; there was no one to provide direction. They just said, ‘Get in there and work with Hogan.’

I was like, ‘Alright…’ I got in there, and The Giant was bearhugging him from the front, so I bearhugged him from the back. People say it looked inappropriate on television. The positioning was unintended, but I understand why it appeared that way visually.

I think that’s one of the most memorable awkward moments in wrestling history, so at least I made SOME kind of impact, right? (laughs).”

Ron Reis’s candid account reveals the chaotic nature of WCW’s creative process during this period. Giant Gonzalez, originally cast for the role, had to leave due to health concerns. Rather than postpone the segment, WCW rapidly recast the role with Reis, providing minimal explanation or creative direction beyond “get out there and help The Giant with Hogan.”

This last-minute casting and lack of preparation perfectly encapsulates both the strengths and weaknesses of WCW during the mid-1990s. While the promotion could pivot quickly and adapt to circumstance, the hasty decisions often lacked the polish and coherence necessary for successful long-term storytelling. The Yeti gimmick, despite its peculiar nature, might have worked with proper planning and consistent character presentation.

Thus concludes another chapter in WCW’s storied history of creative experimentation, a promotion willing to take risks, but not always willing to follow through with proper execution and planning.

If you enjoyed this piece, be sure not to miss these related articles:

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