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Pro wrestling is all about dynamic characters. We often see our beloved WWE Superstars struggling to find their footing in the main-event picture due to not having a well-built character.
They could have excellent in-ring skills and be exceptional on the microphone, but if they don't have a gimmick that makes them stand out among the rest of the roster, it gets very tough for them to get over with the audience.
There have been many WWE Superstars who have had to change their gimmicks to be successful in their careers. Look no further than Kane, who played several failed roles before finally turning into the Big Red Machine. In this article, let's look at four such WWE Superstars who saved their careers with a gimmick change.
#4. John Cena saved his WWE career by turning into the Doctor of Thuganomics.
John Cena's first few months on the main roster were quite difficult. After some massive initial success, Cena started to get lost in the shuffle. He had a bland gimmick at the time, which did not allow him to show much personality. The WWE Universe, who popped for Cena during his debut, began to turn on him.
Hence, Cena needed something extraordinary to get himself over once again. That is when he introduced the world to "The Doctor of Thuganomics."
The D.O.T. was a cool, rapping-machine character who embarrassed his opponents with his fiery disses and insults. It was a non-PG gimmick that symbolized the essence of the Ruthless Aggression Era.
With this gimmick change, Cena was able to make the fans understand his true worth. The Cenation Leader's immense popularity also seemingly convinced Vince McMahon to put John Cena in the main event picture.
#3. Nikki A.S.H. finally fulfilled her championship goal with her new gimmick.
Nikki A.S.H. (fka Nikki Cross) has always been a popular figure among the WWE Universe. During her NXT run, A.S.H. had the persona of an unstable lunatic. Fans loved the unpredictability surrounding her character.
However, her popular gimmick was taken away from her when she got called up to the main roster. She was handed the role of a cheerful person who didn't have much personality, aside from being a helpful friend. It was really hard for Nikki to get over with such a persona.
She continued being a washed-up version of her previous self for the next three years. It seemed like she would never become the top star people expected her to be.
Luckily, the former two-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion changed her destiny with an innovative superhero persona (Nikki A.S.H.)
Nikki recently became Ms. Money In the Bank at the namesake pay-per-view. She cashed in her contract the next night to become the new WWE RAW Women's Champion.
Vince McMahon is reportedly very pleased with Nikki for coming up with this gimmick idea, as it can help create new opportunities for merch sales. After years of neglect, it is heartwarming to see Nikki's hard work finally getting paid off.
#2. Sami Zayn turned his WWE career upside down with a heel turn
Sami Zayn spent his first three years on the WWE main-roster trying to find a suitable role for himself. Considering his massive NXT success, people were sure that Zayn would be a top-level babyface on WWE RAW or Smackdown.
Unfortunately, things never really took off for the two-time Intercontinental Champion. His underdog persona wasn't working at all. Also, he did not show any significant improvement in his character work and promo ability.
In 2017, WWE tried to give a new direction to Zayn's career by turning him heel. Although people still loved Sami, they weren't sure if he would play that role to perfection.
After a couple of underwhelming years, heel Sami Zayn finally started to take flight. In the fall of 2019, Zayn formed the 'Artist Collective,' a heel faction consisting of Shinsuke Nakamura, Cesaro, and Zayn himself.
Although he did not wrestle much during this time, it proved to be the most crucial period for the evolution of Zayn's heel persona. With his cocky mannerisms, the former NXT Champion turned himself into one of the despised heels on the roster.
Sami's hard work finally paid off in 2020, as he became one of the most entertaining upper mid-card acts on Smackdown. He defeated top stars like Daniel Bryan, Braun Strowman, AJ Styles, and Jeff Hardy. He also captured the Intercontinental title twice during this time.
In 2021, Sami Zayn upgraded his character to an even greater level. He now acts as a delusional heel who thinks that the whole world is conspiring against him. Fans absolutely love this 'Conspiracy Theorist' character.
#1. Roman Reigns' Tribal Chief Gimmick turned him into the No.1 superstar of the industry.
Roman Reigns' babyface run was full of ups and downs. He always received mixed reactions from the WWE Universe, with the majority of the audience wanting him to try a different character. However, Vince McMahon kept pushing him as a babyface, which annoyed the fans.
Although Roman Reigns won every possible title, he never earned the most important thing, the acceptance from the WWE Universe.
But Roman Reigns changed his destiny forever at WWE SummerSlam 2020. After spending five months away from wrestling, Roman Reigns finally made his WWE return with a bang. He had finally turned to his dark side.
The era of domination that started that day is still going on without interruption. Ever since Reigns donned his Tribal Chief gimmick, he has been unstoppable. His character work and promo skills have witnessed significant improvement. His heelish persona has made the world admire his true capabilities.
In the last eleven months, The Big Dog has changed the entire landscape of the WWE. Under Reigns' leadership, WWE Smackdown has become the No.1 show of the wrestling industry. It's been almost a year since Roman Reigns captured the Universal title, and fans are still clamoring for The Tribal Chief.
It shows how much the company was holding Roman Reigns back as a character. And now that he finally has the freedom, Roman Reigns is proving to the world why he deserves to be the face of WWE.
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