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WWE has witnessed a number of character changes over the years. These “gimmick” changes, in wrestling terms, help entertain the fans in different ways. While some have been funny, other character changes have failed miserably.
There must be a build-up to a character change. Changing the persona of a superstar drastically might fail to impress the WWE Universe. The transition may seem totally bizarre to them.
On this list, we will take a look at the five craziest character changes that flopped in WWE.
#5. Solofa Fatu: Make a Difference to The Sultan in WWE
Rikishi made his debut as a member of The Headshrinkers in 1992. The former Tag Team Champion was removed from WWF Television three years later, following a disappointing run with Samu. He did return the same year but with a new persona.
“Make a Difference” Fatu was inspired by Rikishi’s troubled life in the ghetto. It preached moralistic messages such as saying no to drugs. However, the character did not get over with fans. It was dropped in 1996 after Fatu regularly lost to superstars such as Steve Austin, Vader, and Triple H.
WWE repackaged Fatu as The Sultan. The character was a drastic take on his personality, having changed from a positive role model to a menacing masked Middle-Eastern. The Sultan even had a grim backstory in contrast to its earlier gimmick. Apparently, he had his tongue cut off, which is why he was unable to speak.
The character failed to pick up steam and was discarded in 1998. It was just as disappointing as the previous character. The only mark Sultan left was unsuccessfully challenging Rocky Maivia at WrestleMania 13 for the Intercontinental Championship. Better days followed as Rikishi changed to his now-renowned “Too Cool” role.
#4. Matt Bloom: A-Train to Lord Tensai
Matt Bloom’s runs as Albert and A-Train felt like generic big-guy gimmicks and proved to be nothing substantial. However, they were much better than the time he adopted the character of Lord Tensai.
After being released from WWE in 2004, Bloom reinvented himself in New Japan Pro Wrestling as Giant Bernard. He became one of the strongest foreign competitors on the roster for a total of six years. Fans loved the dominant tag-team specialist and WWE wanted to capitalize on this new-found momentum.
Matt would return to the company in 2012, repackaged as Lord Tensai. There was a significant change in his appearance as well as “nationality.” Earlier as A-Train, Bloom portrayed a hairy, brawny brute bent on bulldozing opponents. As Lord Tensai, he had tattoos with Japanese inscriptions and spoke the language with a weird accent.
The “Lord Tensai” decision by the company was presumably a misguided attempt to recognize his accomplishments in Japan. The gimmick wasn’t well-received by the crowd. They saw through the facade and chanted “Albert” continuously. WWE even dropped the word ‘Lord’ yet it did nothing. Tensai reverted to the lower card with Brodus Clay.
Matt Bloom retired in 2014 and is currently a head coach for NXT Superstars.
#3. Glenn Jacobs: Isaac Yankem to Fake Diesel
The Mayor of Knox County, Glenn Jacobs, was not always referred to as ‘Kane.’ In fact, he made his first WWE television appearance as “Isaac Yankem, DDS” in 1996. The private dentist of Jerry Lawler helped The King in his feud with Bret Hart. However, he failed miserably in the mission.
The character was dropped after multiple losses to top superstars like The Undertaker and The Ultimate Warrior. Glenn was repackaged as Fake Diesel and thus started his horrible time with the fans. Alongside Rick Bognar, who parodied Razor Ramon, the duo mocked the departure of the stars who originally portrayed the gimmicks, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall.
The transition from Isaac Yankem to a cheap version of Diesel is bizarre in many ways. Glenn Jacobs started with a horrifying role but reverted to a controversial one. It was arguably a downgrade.
In mid-1997, Jacobs briefly returned to the United States Wrestling Association as "Doomsday", winning the USWA Heavyweight Championship. Upon his return to WWE, he was no longer Fake Diesel… but The Big Red Machine, Kane. That was the turning point in his career.
#2. Cody Rhodes to Stardust
Back in 2013, Cody Rhodes and Goldust had an excellent run as a duo. They even won the Tag Team Championships by defeating Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. However, WWE later botched it by having the team go on a lengthy losing streak.
The Brotherhood lost all momentum and eventually split. Goldust wandered in vain to find a better tag team partner. Cody eventually returned in an appearance similar to his brother.
Stardust arrived on an episode of RAW in June 2014. He imitated the mannerisms of Goldust and even wore a bodysuit like The Bizzare One. The character got relegated to comedy roles, despite giving the clearly ridiculous act all of his efforts.
The final nail in the coffin was struck in 2015. After another barrage of losses, Stardust turned on his partner, claiming that Goldust “killed” Cody Rhodes. While the accusation was never justified, it is safe to say WWE actually committed the crime by making Cody change to Stardust. The gimmick was reportedly one of the reasons why Rhodes requested his release from the company in 2016.
#1. Alexa Bliss to a Wicked Witch?
Alexa Bliss is the most recent example of someone who completely changed their character into something drastically crazy. She initially played several characters on television, from a princess to a heel “high school bully” but WWE wanted to do something different with her flexible personality.
This led to the emergence of Bliss’ demonic character. She was relegated to a supporting role in The Fiend’s feud against Randy Orton. WWE seemingly had vivid plans for her character, but Bray Wyatt’s untimely exit caused ripples in their storylines. Following WrestleMania 37, Bliss introduced her demonic doll named Lily.
Alexa might have loved her transition to someone with supernatural abilities, as it was outside the box. However, WWE ended it abruptly and it didn’t help her push at all. The three-time RAW Women’s Champion was nowhere in the title picture. She hasn’t won any titles since the change, barring the 24/7 Championship.
Little Miss Bliss is currently less dark than her usual self, although the supernatural element is prevalent with Lily’s presence.
