The Simon Dean Fitness Guru Gimmick: A Comedic Character In WWE’s Ruthless Aggression Era

In the mid-2000s, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) introduced a unique and memorable character to its roster—Simon Dean, a fitness guru with an over-the-top personality and questionable health products. This gimmick, portrayed by wrestler Mike Bucci, became one of the more entertaining aspects of WWE programming during the Ruthless Aggression Era. Let’s take an in-depth look at the origin, development, and impact of the Simon Dean character.

The Birth of Simon Dean

Signed to a WWE developmental deal in 2002, two years spent by Mike Bucci honing his craft in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), then WWE’s developmental territory, had grown frustrating. Bucci took it into his own hands, frustrated with no call-up on the main roster. After wrestling a dark match before a WWE television taping as his former character Nova, Bucci eventually landed a sit-down with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. Given McMahon’s love of all things fitness-related, Bucci pitched a character he thought would intrigue the chairman—a psychotic fitness guru influenced by infomercial personalities such as Tony Little and Jack LaLanne.

McMahon was instantly interested in the concept, and his eyes were said to “light up” upon hearing the pitch. Bucci was given the go-ahead to further develop the character in OVW. He bought a loud purple jumpsuit and initially called the character Sonny Slade. WWE sent scouts to see how Bucci was presenting the gimmick in OVW, and the feedback was good.

Encouraged by reports and video footage of the Sonny Slade character, McMahon called Bucci to WWE headquarters to fine-tune the gimmick. Bucci came up with a creative idea: Instead of using the traditional vignette to introduce the character, Bucci would tape a series of infomercials—an idea that McMahon fell in love with. The name “Sonny Slade” was eventually scrapped in favor of “Simon Dean,” which, in a twist, was actually a play on the real name of WWE wrestler Dean Malenko, Dean Simon.

The Simon System

In August 2004, WWE started airing a series of introductory promos for the “Simon System,” which it presented as an all-inclusive diet, exercise, and supplements program. These promos parodied fitness infomercials, with Dean regularly insulting his supposed customers. The character functioned as a sponsor for WWE’s Raw brand, often appearing to insult the fitness level of the live audience and the city they were in before competing in matches.

Bucci said that he described what he wanted the character to be like, explaining, “I told them I wanted it to be a cross between Tony Little and Jack LaLanne. I said I wanted to have supplements and do infomercials. [Mr. McMahon’s] eyes lit up, and two weeks later I was at WWE Headquarters filming the infomercials.”
The Simon System became the focal point of Dean’s gimmick, as the character constantly promoted his fitness products and berated others for their perceived lack of physical fitness. This allowed Dean to generate significant heat from the audience, who were eager to see the arrogant fitness guru get his comeuppance in the ring.

The Dean Machine

In late August 2005, Simon Dean’s character added a significant new element to his stable – the “Dean Machine.” This was pretty much a Segway PT-type vehicle that Dean rode to the ring, and it just re enforced his character as lazy and hypocritical. The concept of the Dean Machine originated from unlikely provenance, according to Bucci:

“I was on a casino boat in Indiana, and I saw a security guard going around on a Segway. I said, ‘Look at him, he’s too lazy to walk around.’ I thought, ‘This is perfect!'”

The Dean Machine became part of Simon Dean’s entrance and presentation, adding another layer of comedy to the character and providing opportunities for humorous interactions with other wrestlers and the audience.

In-Ring Debut and Early Feuds

Simon Dean made his in-ring debut for WWE in December 2004, defeating The Hurricane. While many wrestlers might feel a rush of adrenaline when first competing on Raw, Bucci approached the moment with a sense of satisfaction and perspective. He reflected, “To me, it was more satisfying than anything else, because it showed my mom and dad, my relatives and friends that I made it. This plain guy from Toms River made it. I had action figures and was on pay-per-view.”

Initially, Dean did not make too much of a difference for Raw. He tagged with Maven on a few short-lived occasions during which Maven depicted himself as employing the “Simon System.” There was not a lot of push behind this as Bucci soon found himself included in the 2005 SmackDown! Draft Lottery, having been traded away to that company on June 30, 2005.

Greatest Matches and Moments

All throughout his stint as Simon Dean, Bucci took part in several very memorable matches and segments that forever etched the character in the minds of WWE fans:

No Mercy 2005: Simon Dean squared off against Bobby Lashley in Dean’s first major WWE pay-per-view appearance. After losing the match, Lashley forced Dean to eat 20 double cheeseburgers, and Dean vomited backstage. It was a perfect moment for the comedic nature of the Simon Dean character and his supposed dedication to fitness.

Feud with Bobby Lashley: On the No Mercy 2005 pay-per-view, Lashley pinned Simon Dean after a Dominator less than two minutes into the bout. After this match, Lashley compelled Dean to eat 20 double cheeseburgers on television as the episode went on.

Royal Rumble 2006: Dean participated in the Royal Rumble match, entering at number three. However, his appearance was short-lived, as he was quickly eliminated by the match’s starters, Triple H and Rey Mysterio.

Batista Confrontation: On the September 1, 2005 episode of SmackDown!, Simon Dean faced off against World Heavyweight Champion Batista. Dean had claimed that Batista was a user of his products, setting up a humorous confrontation between the two.

These moments helped to establish Simon Dean as a comedic character who, despite his claims of physical superiority, often found himself on the losing end of matches and embarrassing situations.

The Gymnasium and Managing Experience

Early in 2006 Simon Dean became associated with a more managerial role for his character. On the Friday, January 6, 2006 episode of SmackDown!, Dean accepted an open invitation to any tag team. However, when they came to fight Paul London and Brian Kendrick, they were the victims of an unprovoked beating by Jake and Jesse, nicknamed the Gymini. The twin wrestlers then were introduced in the ring using the Simon System, and these twins began being Simon Dean’s second tag team wrestlers.

The Gymni added yet a new dimension to Simon Dean’s character while he exhibited his influence and the perceived effectiveness of his exercise products through these physical, imposing athletes. However, the partnership was short-lived due to circumstances beyond their control.

Unfortunately, the Gymni storyline was abruptly shortened when Jesse was injured in May 2006. Without one half of the tag team, the group’s television presence quickly faded, and Simon Dean resumed his role of jobber to other superstars.

Reception and Impact

The Simon Dean character, although not a main event-level gimmick, definitely left a mark on WWE audiences during its run. The over-the-top nature of the fitness guru persona, coupled with Bucci’s committed performance, made Simon Dean a memorable part of WWE programming in the mid-2000s.

Simon’s fitness promos consistently drew boos from the crowds, who eagerly anticipated seeing him get his comeuppance at the hands of other wrestlers. This reaction was precisely what the character was designed to elicit, making Simon Dean an effective heel (villainous) personality.6

However, given the humorous nature of the gimmick, the Simon System didn’t quite come off as Simon Dean had expected it to in kayfabe (the fictional world of professional wrestling). Almost as soon as Simon Dean debuted on the main roster, he became a sort of punching bag, suffering very embarrassing losses at the hands of most of the wrestlers he came into contact with. While Simon Dean may have believed he was better than everyone else because of his absurd ego, that did not stop him from being disrespected by both his fellow wrestlers and the audience.

Behind the Scenes and Eventual Departure

Despite the early hype surrounding the Simon Dean character by Vince McMahon, Bucci did face some backstage issues with the gimmick during his run. Bucci believed that a few of the power players within WWE’s decision-making structure, such as Bruce Prichard and Michael Hayes, didn’t care for him. Bucci suspected that their disdain for him was because of jealousy over his self-created concept and the strong bond he had formed with Vince McMahon because of it.

In August 2006, Bucci’s involvement with WWE ended as he relieved Tommy Dreamer of his status as a talent development manager with Ohio Valley Wrestling. This job in the company’s back office led to the decline of the Simon Dean character in WWE television broadcasts. On August 31, 2007, Bucci left WWE, thus marking the end of a tenure that consisted of both performing in front of a camera and being a part of the company’s workings behind the cameras.

Legacy and Retrospective Views

Even though Simon Dean did not prove to be a long-term champion or a title holder in WWE, the character will always be cherished as one of the gimmicks of the Ruthless Aggression Era. The dedication by Mike Bucci to the character coupled with the bizarre nature of the fitness guru character did bring many interesting moments for WWE viewers.

Simon Dean getting played as a punchline was the whole appeal of his fitness guru gimmick because he didn’t have to win championships to entertain the fans. Bottom line, Simon Dean fits the bill for the sports entertainment genre that WWE touts, even if some fans feel he could’ve been treated better in regards to booking. As long as he brought some laughs along the way in his career, such as when his match with Batista is still remembered today, the “Simon Dean” gimmick can be said to have worked.

The Simon Dean character epitomizes how willing WWE is to accept outlandish and comedic gimmicks, even within an era generally made known for edgier content. It also shows how the creativity or initiative of a wrestler in developing a character can bring them onto the roster, even if the potential for long-term gimmick success is unknown.

Conclusion

The Simon Dean fitness guru gimmick, although a short-lived one, left an indelible mark on WWE programming during the mid-2000s. The character, pitched by Mike Bucci to Vince McMahon, evolved from its inception into OVW and its eventual run on the main WWE roster, giving wrestling fans endless entertaining moments.

Simon Dean is a stereotypical over-the-top professional wrestling character, exaggerating the caricatures of the infomercial fitness personality but making for an excellent heel for people to boo. Adding in gimmicks like the Dean Machine and the Gymini tag team rounded out the gimmick and fleshed out a well-defined character within the WWE.

Although the Simon Dean character didn’t achieve major championship success, it succeeded in its primary goal of entertaining the audience and creating memorable moments. The gimmick stands as a testament to the creativity of wrestlers like Mike Bucci and the willingness of WWE to embrace unique character concepts during the Ruthless Aggression Era.

In the end, the Simon Dean fitness guru gimmick remains a nostalgic reminder of a certain period in WWE history, where the company showed the ability to combine comedy with wrestling and create characters that are still remembered long after they have been done.