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In WWE, superstars often experiment with a few gimmicks before finding the perfect one. There are multiple reasons why one has to change their gimmick. It could be because one is shifting to a new promotion, or the planned one is not getting much fanfare or keeping up with the changing crowd.
For example, before he became JBL, John Layfield was known as Bradshaw. He was an integral part of the Attitude Era as a member of the Acolytes Protection Agency (APA). However, with the times changing, he had to reinvent himself to stay relevant. After being kayfabe fired as Bradshaw in 2004, he returned with JBL, a new and improved gimmick based on the popular TV character J. R. Ewing.
This list consists of WWE’s seven biggest names and how they changed their personas. The stars are put in alphabetical order as this is not a ranking of any kind. Not all the superstars’ previous ring names or personas will be listed here, just the most outrageous, interesting, or unexpected ones.
#7. WWE Hall of Famer - Hulk Hogan (as Terry Boulder)
In 1978, long before Hulkamania, Hulk Hogan and Ed Leslie (aka Brutus Beefcake) wrestled as a tag team in the Alabama territory. They were known as The Boulder Brothers consisting of Ed and Terry (Hogan’s real name) Boulder.
He and Leslie began wrestling in Memphis as they were offered a larger deal than in Alabama. There, Hogan appeared on a show featuring Lou Ferrigno, who played The Incredible Hulk in the titular series.
It was once noted that Boulder had a better physique than Ferrigno. Finding it amusing, the former added “The Hulk” to his nickname and became known as Terry “The Hulk” Boulder.
Vincent J. McMahon gave Hulk the 'Hogan' surname in late 1989 as he wanted an Irish name. After this, the pro wrestling icon became immensely popular, and Terry Boulder was forgotten.
#6. Hall of Famer - Kane (as Isaac Yankem, DDS)
WWE signed Glenn Jacobs in 1995 and gave him the gimmick of Isaac Yankem, DDS. As the latter, he played the role of Jerry Lawler’s dentist and was recruited to help the latter during his feud with Bret Hart.
What is amusing is that Isaac Yankem had rather bad teeth as a dentist. Throughout their feud, he and Hart faced each other a handful of times, culminating in a steel cage match on the October 16, 1995 episode of RAW, which Hart won.
He played various gimmicks once the Isaac Yankem DDS character had run its course. In late 1996, Kane played a fake Diesel due to Kevin Nash's WWE departure.
On October 5, 1997, at Badd Blood: In Your House, the Kane character made its debut, interfering in the Hell in a Cell match between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. The Big Red Machine then propelled Glenn Jacobs into immense popularity, securing a place in the Hall of Fame.
#5. The face that runs the place - John Cena (as The Prototype)
Before John Cena signed with WWE in 2001, he wrestled as The Prototype. In Cena’s early UPW (Ultimate Pro Wrestling) days, the character began as a human-robot hybrid. He won the UPW Heavyweight Championship on April 27, 2000, and held the title for 27 days.
Cena left UPW in March 2001 and signed a deal with WWE. He was placed in Ohio Valley Wrestling, which was the developmental brand for the company at the time. During his OVW tenure, The Prototype gimmick became less semi-robotic, and Cena received praise for his charisma and promo skills.
He won the OVW Heavyweight Championship for a total of 84 days.
Cena infamously made his SmackDown debut on the June 27, 2002, episode, answering Kurt Angle's open challenge. Since then, Cena has had two prominent gimmicks as the Doctor of Thuganomics and Mr. Hustle Loyalty Respect, serving as the face of the company for years.
#4. Hall of Famer - “Stone Cold” Steve Austin (as “Stunning” Steve Austin)
Billed from Hollywood, California, the blond-haired “Stunning” Steve Austin won the WCW World Television Championship on June 3, 1991.
He later formed a tag team with Brian Pillman as The Hollywood Blonds. Together, “The Team of the 90s” cut promos about their greatness and encouraged viewers at home to touch their screens to experience “a brush with greatness.”
However, Austin was fired from WCW and joined Paul Heyman's ECW. He credits Heyman as the person that taught him how to cut a promo.
Austin eventually made his WWE debut in 1996 as The Ringmaster. However, his career saw a resurgence when he cut his famous Austin 3:16 promo at King of the Ring that year. Thus began his iconic run as The Texas Rattlesnake, establishing him at the helm of the Attitude Era.
#3. Attitude Era icon - The Rock (as Rocky Maivia)
As WWE’s first third-generation superstar, The Rock made his debut on the November 4, 1996, episode of RAW as Rocky Maivia. The name was his way of paying homage to his father Rocky Johnson and his grandfather Peter Maivia.
However, fans soon rejected the clean babyface character of Maivia, chanting “Rocky sucks” and “die, Rocky, die” during his matches. Through the rejection of the audience, he was led to a career resurgence.
After returning from a knee injury in 1996, he decided to turn heel, called fans out, and started referring to himself in the third person as The Rock. With his newfound attitude and in-ring prowess, The Rock soon became one of the most popular stars of WWE.
#2. WWE executive and former superstar - Triple H (as Hunter Hearst Helmsley)
Very few know that Triple H is actually an abbreviation. He was initially going to be named Reginald DuPont Helmsley, but he suggested Hunter Hearst Helmsley as the first letters were the same.
Helmsley was a silver-spooned snob who wore a tailcoat to the ring. He made his WWE debut on April 30, 1995, and played the Blueblood Helmsley until the formation of D-Generation X in 1997.
He then slowly drifted away from the aristocratic gimmick and transitioned into the Triple H character fans know and love today.
#1. Soon-to-be Hall of Famer - The Undertaker (as “Mean” Mark Callous)
It is difficult to picture The Undertaker outside WWE, but in 1989 he appeared in WCW as “Mean” Mark Callous, wrestling in black tights and red boots occasionally.
He was managed by Paul E. Dangerously, who would later be known as Paul Heyman in WWE. Mark considered leaving WCW after he was told that nobody would ever pay to see him wrestle during contract negotiations with the company.
He then tried various ways to get a word into Vince McMahon to join the company. He even wrestled Lex Luger in a match for the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship with a dislocated hip because he knew the WWE Chairman was watching.
Eventually, he was invited to Vince's house and was told the company had nothing for him at the time. However, a few days later, he received a call from McMahon, who told him about a certain undertaker character he had been planning for years but hadn't found the right person for. The Undertaker debuted as the mystery member of Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Team at Survivor Series 1990. The rest, as they say, is history.
What are your thoughts on this list? Which previous gimmick surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments section below.
