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The storied history of professional wrestling has witnessed a string of legendary characters who left a lasting mark on the business.
Ever since pro-wrestling came into being, Superstars have been divided into two categories: babyfaces and heels. As time passed, the boundary between the two characters began fading and we got iconic anti-hero characters/factions like Stone Cold Steve Austin and D Generation X.
Austin and many others like him utilized their gimmicks to the fullest potential to become top champions.
On the other hand, there are Superstars who weren't lucky enough to bag a good gimmick upon their arrival, and ended up giving major cringe to wrestling fans.
Somehow, these Superstars kept working harder to the point that they eventually managed to become top champions. Let's take a look at four of these Superstars.
#4 Dolph Ziggler
When Dolph Ziggler came up to the main roster in WWE, he was a part of a male cheerleading group called The Spirit Squad.
The group debuted on the road to Royal Rumble 2006, and helped Jonathan Coachman win a Royal Rumble qualifying match against Jerry "The King" Lawler.
The faction aided Vince McMahon on several occasions, during his months-long feud with Shawn Michaels and Triple H.
The group's antics consisted of cheering and performing awkward gymnastics. It wasn't a surprise when the group soon disbanded after losing a match to DX and Ric Flair. As a part of the group, Nicky was destined for failure from the very beginning.
Soon after, Nicky was repackaged as Dolph Ziggler, who became a main roster mainstay and became a two-time World Champion. Ziggler recently lost to Kofi Kingston in a Steel Cage match at WWE Stomping Grounds, that was contested for the WWE Title.
#3 Kane
Kane debuted in WWE at Bad Blood 1997 and cost The Undertaker his match against Shawn Michaels inside Hell in a Cell. He won his first and only WWE Title by defeating Stone Cold Steve Austin in a First Blood match at King of the Ring 1998.
The reign didn't last long as he lost the title back to Austin the night after. Years later, Kane cashed in his Money In The Bank contract on Rey Mysterio to win the World Title.
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Before he debuted as Kane, Glenn Jacobs was given the gimmick of Dr. Isaac Yankem, Jerry Lawler's private dentist.
The incredibly creepy character was hired by Lawler to get rid of Bret Hart. This was 1995, considered by many as a dark time in WWE, and Kane's cringey gimmick was just one of many examples of how WWE was in a terribly bad state at that time.
Kane was later introduced as another awful character, which threw shade at the recently departed Diesel. To no one's surprise, this character didn't last long either.
#2 Becky Lynch
Today, Becky Lynch is regarded by many as one of the biggest and most popular Superstars in WWE.
Her popularity rose last year when she turned heel on her longtime friend Charlotte Flair, at Summerslam. The heel turn resulted in Lynch getting heavily cheered by the fans. She soon donned the gimmick of The Man, a ruthless anti-hero.
The chain of events that followed, resulted in Lynch closing WrestleMania 35 as Raw and SmackDown Live Women's Champion.
When Becky made her NXT debut, she was positioned as a joyous and bubbly Irish lass, who used to dance awkwardly while making her way to the ring. Looking back now, it becomes evident how far Becky Lynch has come.
Here's a clip from Becky's NXT debut, where she faced Summer Rae. The dance-off between the two women is nothing short of cringe-worthy and awkward.
#1 The Rock
Before becoming The Rock, Dwayne Johnson was introduced to WWE fans as Rocky Maivia, the son of Rocky Johnson and a third-generation Superstar. The gimmick saw Maivia coming out in fancy attire and sporting a bad haircut, with a big smile on his face.
The always happy Maivia was too much for the rabid WWE fans who were getting tired of WWE still being stuck in the past.
Maivia began getting chants of "Die Rocky, die", and the gimmick was soon scrapped. Maivia soon became The Rock and the rest is history.
His feud against Stone Cold Steve Austin is widely regarded as being one of the greatest rivalries in the history of this business. The two legends were featured in big-stake matches at WrestleMania 15, 17, and 19, with two of them being WWE Title bouts.
