The Gimmick Table: The Origin of The Missing Link
Posted: Oct 16th 2025 By: Brian Damage - RingTheDamnBell.com
A gimmick is something that is intended to hook the attention of fans to a wrestler. They may be outrageous or steeped more in reality. Whatever the case may be, some have succeeded and many others have failed. The Gimmick Table takes a look at the origins of some of your favorite and not-so-favorite gimmicks of professional wrestlers.
Today we browse the gimmick of The Missing Link
Dewey Robertson was a semi successful professional wrestler who began his career in the early 1960’s. His clean cut image and grappling skills made him a fan favorite. The problem was, Robertson wasn’t getting the main event level pushes from promoters. Robertson tried to turn his character heel, but still never made it out of the mid card. The breaking point in his career came when he tried to find work with Fritz Von Erich’s World Class territory and was denied work.
Robertson saw other wrestlers with less mat skills than him find success and opportunities. He began to realize that his old school mentality was being phased out in professional wrestling. Gone were the days of wrestlers being pushed based on their in ring technique, but rather the outrageous characters many were playing. Robertson talked to his friend Gene Petit, who was wrestling in World Class as ‘The Mongol’ and started picking his brain about how he reinvented himself into a different type of character. Petit told him it wasn’t just about wrestling under a specific gimmick, but to create a complete backstory and live the gimmick 24/7.
Dewey Robertson went to work on reinventing himself. He decided to shave his head, only leaving small patches of hair. He grew facial hair and painted his face green and black. Robertson gave himself the name of Max the Missing Link. Dewey created a backstory where he was discovered living in the mountains inside of a cave and was the missing link between ape and man. A modern day caveman of sorts that could not talk…only grunt and groan. He also changed his wrestling style from being scientific and technical to a brawling style. The character of Max the Missing Link made its debut in 1983 and became an instant success.
To further the believability of the gimmick, Dewey kept up the character outside the ring whether it was in the locker room or out on the streets in public. Freebird Buddy Roberts who was friends with Dewey, once said that he didn’t initially recognize his friend under the new gimmick and thought that this Missing Link wrestler was legitimately crazy. Eventually, the promoters dropped the Mx from his name and he only competed under the Missing Link name. He wrestled successfully throughout various territories including the WWF. Dewey Robertson kept the gimmick for the remainder of his wrestling career, up until his retirement in 2004.
Supplemental Information
Spotlight in History
- 1967 Chati Yokouchi & Togo Shikuma def. Danny Hodge & Skandar Akbar for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 2005 Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch def. The Hurricane & Rosey for the WWE RAW World Tag Team Titles
- 2005 Ric Flair def. Carlito for the WWE Intercontinental Title
- 2015 Sons of Texas (Moonshine Mantell & Killer McKenzie) def. The Imperialists (Charlie Haas & Griffin) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Titles
- 2021 Thrash def. Jermaine Johnson for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
- 2021 Reed def. Thrash for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
- 2022 Fuel def. Koko for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 2022 Fuel def. Koko for the UWE Apex Title
Week of Sun 09-13 to Sat: 09-19
- 09-13 1967 Brute Bernard def. Bull Curry for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 09-13 1974 Jose Lothario def. El Gran Markus for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 09-13 1987 Eric Embry became the WCCW World Light Heavyweight Champion
- 09-13 2008 Dustin Heritage def. Kenny Campbell for the IZW Impact Division Title
- 09-13 2008 Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Bernie D) def. Nathan Sensation & Striker for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 09-13 2008 Shawn Sanders def. Kevin Morgan for the OECW Heavyweight Title
- 09-13 2008 Martin Justice became the OECW Southwestern Champion
- 09-13 2009 3rd Rail def. Maniac Mike for the SWCW Hardcore Title
- 09-13 2009 Maniac Mike became the SWCW Hardcore Champion
- 09-13 2014 J. R. Orullian & Running Wolf became the NAW Tag Team Champions
- 09-13 2014 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Billy Ray [1st]) def. J. R. Orullian & Running Wolf for the NAW Tag Team Titles
- 09-13 2014 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Running Wolf) became the NAW Tag Team Champions
- 09-13 2020 Dimitri Alexandrov def. O’Brien for the ASP Heavyweight Title
- 09-13 2025 Michael H became the NAW Openweight Champion
- 09-13 2025 Jupiter Jones def. Frankie Lee for the RDW Iron Man Title
- 09-13 2025 Sgt. Hartman def. Floyd Maystorm for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
- 09-13 2025 Floyd Maystorm def. Sgt. Hartman for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
- 09-13 2026 Tuff Love (Cade Lovee & Cole Lung) def. GBA (Drake Gallows & Colton Kinnamon) for the RDW Tag Team Titles
- 09-13 2026 Nate Bourne def. Ricky Wingrave for the RDW Iron Man Title
- 09-13 2026 Malik Mayfield def. Will Chambers for the UWO Heavyweight Title
- 09-13 2026 Lunchador def. Max Leon for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
- 09-13 2026 Max Leon def. Lunchador for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
- 09-14 2007 Dane Griffin def. Montego Seeka for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
- 09-14 2007 Dane Griffin became the UWF06 Texhoma Champion
- 09-14 2013 Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) def. What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 09-14 2013 The Oakhurst Fire Mafia (Chief Mike & Keebler) def. The P. I. N. K. Nation (Ray Martinez & Tommy Toops) for the SRPW Tag Team Titles
- 09-14 2019 MVP def. Chavo Guerrero, Jr. for the WCR Heavyweight Title
- 09-14 2024 Original Renegade became the NAW Openweight Champion
- 09-14 2024 Umbra def. Trench Blythe for the WAH Spotlight Title
- 09-14 2024 Pastor Brent def. Daniel Aaron Michalles for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
- 09-14 2024 Jean-Claude def. Eddie LeVaughn for the WAH Heavyweight Title
- 09-14 2024 Manico def. Billie the Kiid for the NAW Indigenous Land Title
- 09-14 2024 Jeb Bingham def. Jastin Taylor for the BCW Heavyweight Title
- 09-15 1969 The Medics (Medic #1 & Medic #2) def. Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 09-15 1980 Junkyard Dog & Terry Orndorff def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 09-15 1986 Black Bart def. Chris Adams for the WCCW World Title
- 09-15 2007 Sudden Impact (Sudden Impact 1 & Sudden Impact 2) def. Texas, Inc. (Bernard Funk & Tim Rockwell) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
- 09-15 2007 Anthony Jackson def. AWOL for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
- 09-15 2007 Shane Morbid def. Justin Lee for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
- 09-15 2012 Double D def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
- 09-15 2018 Chavo Guerrero, Jr. def. MVP for the WCR Heavyweight Title
- 09-15 2019 Chaz Sharpe def. James Southard for the ASP Inter-County Title
- 09-15 2023 Jastin Taylor def. Sam Stackhouse for the BCW Heavyweight Title
- 09-16 1975 John Tolos def. Al Madril for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
- 09-16 1988 Michael Hayes & Steve Cox def. The Samoan SWAT Team (Fatu & Samu) for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
- 09-16 2005 Lily McKenzie def. Chiquita Suzuki for the SRPW Womens Title
- 09-16 2006 Michael Barry def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
- 09-16 2006 Ryan Davidson became the IZW Impact Division Champion
- 09-16 2017 Paige Turner def. Erica for the IZW Womens Title
- 09-16 2017 Skyler Fayden def. Riker for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 09-16 2017 Big Smooth & Zakk Sinizter became the UWE Tag Team Champions
- 09-16 2022 Shane Taylor def. Johnny Bedlam for the TexPro Heavyweight Title
- 09-16 2023 Red James def. Ozzy Hendrix for the EPW Internet Television Title
- 09-17 1979 The Spoiler & Mark Lewin def. Kerry Von Erich & Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
- 09-17 2004 Bobby Dalton def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 09-17 2008 Michael Faith became the TCB Heavyweight Champion
- 09-17 2008 High Society (Al Farat & Thomas Trump) became the TCB Dual Kombat Champion
- 09-17 2008 Michael Faith became the TCBW Heavyweight Champion
- 09-17 2008 High Society (Al Farat & Thomas Trump) became the TCBW Dual Kombat Champion
- 09-17 2010 Dane Griffin def. Cody Jones for the NWA-OK Texoma Title
- 09-17 2010 Aerial Assault (Ky-ote Joe & Montego Seeka) became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Tag Team Champions
- 09-17 2010 Michael Faith def. Dane Griffin for the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
- 09-17 2016 Mr. Nasty def. Brian Breaker for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 09-17 2026 T. J. Spade became the ASP WTF Champion
- 09-18 1967 Chati Yokouchi & Togo Shikuma def. Danny Hodge & Skandar Akbar for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 09-18 2005 Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch def. The Hurricane & Rosey for the WWE RAW World Tag Team Titles
- 09-18 2005 Ric Flair def. Carlito for the WWE Intercontinental Title
- 09-18 2015 Sons of Texas (Moonshine Mantell & Killer McKenzie) def. The Imperialists (Charlie Haas & Griffin) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Titles
- 09-18 2021 Thrash def. Jermaine Johnson for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
- 09-18 2021 Reed def. Thrash for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
- 09-18 2022 Fuel def. Koko for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 09-18 2022 Fuel def. Koko for the UWE Apex Title
- 09-19 1979 Mike Sharpe, Jr. def. Mike George for the MSW Mississippi Title
- 09-19 1982 David Von Erich def. Bill Irwin for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
- 09-19 1988 The Samoan SWAT Team (Samu & Fatu) def. Michael Hayes & Steve Cox for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
- 09-19 2014 Simply Irresistible (Matthew Palmer & James Johnson) def. The Dark Circle (Mace Malone & Apoc) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Titles
- 09-19 2015 Loaded Guns (Jon Cross & Brandon Walker) def. The Rising (Riker & Abel) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
- 09-19 2015 Brian Breaker def. Clint Cassidy for the UWE United States Title
- 09-19 2015 Zakk Sinizter def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 09-19 2015 Jon Cross became the WFC Heavyweight Champion
- 09-19 2019 MVP became the WCR Imperial Champion
- 09-19 2020 Pastor Brent became the WAH Heavyweight Champion
- 09-19 2021 Maui Mike def. Thrash for the ASP Mid-American Title
- 09-19 2021 Brixton Barricade def. Brandon Barricade for the ASP All Time Title
- 09-19 2021 Malik Mayfield def. Jerome Daniel Griffey for the ASP Livestream Title
- 09-19 2021 Double D def. Jerome Daniel Griffey for the ASP 5-Star Title
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- Justin Lee Sep 20th
- Bishop Simon Sep 20th
- Randy Rhodes Sep 20th
- Ethan Page Sep 20th
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- Joey Stixx Sep 20th
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- Greg Valentine Sep 20th
- Chuck Singer Sep 20th
- Ricky Morton Sep 21st
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- Jason Bruce Sep 24th
- Len Rossi Sep 24th
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- Jimmy Garvin Sep 25th
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- Angel [2nd] Sep 25th
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Current Champions
Empire Pro Wrestling
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- Heavyweight Champion: Remy Devereaux
- Tag Team Champions: DeathKnoks
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