John Cena’s “Gimmick Infringement” of Steve Austin

Are we really this bored these days?

So let me get this straight: Cena started using a springboard Stunner (allegedly due to Austin filming Broken Skull Challenge instead of Tough Enough and Vince being a vindictive old man that was annoyed at Austin for having a career outside of WWE, though that’s still pretty much speculation) and the response is that it’s gimmick infringement. I for one certainly agree.

It’s the same as Randy Orton and Diamond Dallas Page, Dean Ambrose and Mick Foley, Fandango and John Cena (who cares which way the guy is facing? It’s still a top rope legdrop) and the probably dozen guys who have used a superkick over the years and Shawn Michaels. I mean, Tyler Breeze and Alberto Del Rio are clearly ripping off Shawn Michaels.

Calling this gimmick infringement shows that wrestling fans continue to type before they think for ten seconds, as for one thing it’s not gimmick infringement but move somewhat, kind of, almost, maybe, sort of move borrowing. On the other hand, it’s not even the same move. The moves are the same as the RKO and Diamond Cutter or Drew McIntyre’s Future Shock and Jake Roberts’ DDT. If you want to talk about gimmick infringement, talk about Orton being named after a snake and posing with two arms in the air on the ropes a few years back.

This is a non-story but for some reason people are bored and trying to make it into a thing because they’re not thinking, as is so often the case.  It’s on par with the dust up of Michelle McCool using the Styles Clash a few years ago when TNA fans complained about it and then McCool said something along the lines of “Uh, it’s not a big deal” and that was the end of it.  This isn’t a big deal and the fact that it was talked about so much makes my head hurt.

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