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Since the reveal of Bray Wyatt's new creepy persona The Fiend on RAW a few years ago, fans have been buzzing with regards to the new character and what the WWE would have in store for him in the future.
Masks add a sense of mystery and excitement to a star's career. From Hulk Hogan and John Cena who threw on masks for short spells, to our top 3 picks who used them for character changes and due to injury.
These WWE Superstars, though established names in the company, were given a mask to improve their characters.
#3 Mick Foley (Mankind)
Mankind, aka Cactus Jack, aka Dude Love, made his presence felt in the WWE on April 1, 1996, on Monday Night RAW. Foley made a name for himself due to his hardcore wrestling style.
In an interview with ESPN, Foley mentioned that he hated the mask because it smelled really bad and only got worse the more he wore it. He couldn't take it anymore, which led him to ditch it altogether.
He donned the mask as a disturbed character, created by Vince McMahon because he reportedly didn't like the way Foley looked, as McMahon wanted bigger and tougher guys, and still does to this day.
Mankind is not your typical specimen of a WWE wrestler. He's a deranged individual with psychological issues who's unpredictability made him a force to be reckoned with.
His boiler room matches are the stuff of legends and the current crop of superstars can sleep in peace knowing that he has retired from wrestling.
#2 Gregory Helms (Hurricane)
Helms went from being the bad boy wearing skullies and leather vests to being a superhero wearing colors green and black as inspired by DC Comics' Green Lantern.
Though gimmicks such as these are mostly used for jobber matches nowadays, Helms managed to capture the then European Title and held the Hardcore Title momentarily as well before being betrayed by a sidekick, Molly Holly.
WWE took the gimmick a step further by including Rosey and Stacey Keibler to the mix. However, the team disbanded in 2005.
The gimmick remained popular and Hurricane genuinely believed that he was capable of super human feats in the ring.
In a Royal Rumble match, he went on to perform a double choke slam on Triple H and Stone Cold only for the former to reverse it and eliminate him.
#1 The Undertaker
Mark William Calaway, The Undertaker, is without a doubt an iconic staple in WWE and the pro wrestling business. In 1995, the dead man began wearing a white mask along with his original attire of black pants, shirt, and purple gloves.
The mask was a short term deal, as it was revealed that the mask was meant to protect his eye injury at the time. The Undertaker suffered a crushed eye socket in a match against Mable, aka Viscera. However, some consider the mask gimmick better than his American Bad A** character.
Post his retirement, The Undertaker was recently seen opening his storage room and finding artifacts and wrestling gear from his illustrious career. His phantom mask was one of the findings and he shared a quick story about the same.
You can see him wearing the mask in the video below:
Who are some of your favorite superstars who wore masks during their careers? Leave your answers in the comments below.
One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE
