WWE: 5 Superstars who need to revisit their old gimmicks

Change, they say, is the only constant.

Even in the world of pro-wrestling, superstars change their character to reinvent themselves and freshen up the wrestling scene. Gimmicks were, are, and will always be, an integral part of professional wrestling, and thus, to reach to the top, a wrestler needs to have an out-of-the-box gimmick along with exceptional in-ring skills. While these new characters adopted by a superstar tend to be better than their previous iterations, that is not the case always. So without further ado, allow me to present to you the Superstars who desperately need to visit their old gimmicks.

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Honorable Mention: Robert Roode becomes Bobby Roode

The return of Bobby Roode will be Glorious

I know that changing a wrestler's name doesn't change his career trajectory (looking at you, Shorty G), but Robert Roode reverting to his old name will be the first step in re-establishing him as the Glorious superstar he was back in NXT. Roode's appearance, personality, and moveset are quite similar to Triple H, and the Canadian native deserves to be a star as big as, if not bigger, than Hunter. But, given the fact that fans used to sing him to the ring, led to the company turning the former NXT Champion into a babyface, and his career has been on a downward spiral since then. Roode has proved in his time in NXT that he is a top-tier main event heel, and careful booking will not only keep The Glorious One strong but will also allow the superstar defeating Roode to come over as a big babyface.

With Roode stuck in Canada due to the global pandemic, it is the best time to hit the reset button on the 'Glorious One', giving him the push he deserves upon his return. We have seen how returning to NXT, and turning heel, has revived Finn Balor's career, and the same route can be taken for Roode as well. The Undisputed Era's time on NXT is possibly coming to an end, and given that Finn Balor may restart his quest for the UK Championship when things return to normality, the Black and Gold Brand will benefit by having a veteran like Roode as the top heel.

You may like it or not, but this honorable mention was GLORIOUS!

#1 Jeff Hardy unleashes Willow

Willow in WWE? Of course!

Jeff Hardy is back in the thick of things, and it seems that he is getting a big push, to say in the least. This decision may have come in the wake of Matt Hardy's move over to AEW and may have been a desperate attempt from WWE to stop the Charismatic Enigma from following his brother into their rival promotion. WWE has been laser-focused on building Jeff Hardy as a singles performer, completely ignoring his past as one-half of the Hardy Boyz due to obvious reasons. What better way to establish Hardy's uniqueness and individuality than by allowing him to unleash The Willow?

For those who don't know, Willow was Jeff Hardy's alter-ego, one which was insanely over with the fans during his tenure with Impact Wrestling. The gimmick stayed for only about a year, but fans have been clamoring to see Hardy return as The Wisp. A character like this, combined with the intellect of WWE creatives, can make this run of The Charismatic Enigma a memorable one, even allowing him to enter the Universal Title picture.

Granted, we sort of said that about 'Woken' Matt Hardy, too. But, still...

#2 Shinsuke Nakamura reclaims the throne of the Strong Style Kingdom

The time when fans used to sing not only through his entrance, but throughout his matches too

Shinsuke Nakamura, who was the most over star in WWE at one point, has been reduced to nothing more than an enhancement talent now due to poor booking. A veteran who had the capability of being the flag bearer of WWE's Asian expansion projects is currently being working as a sidekick to King Corbin, a role which would have a suited an up and coming heel - not one of the most decorated performers in the entire business. But there's still nothing lost, and if booked right, Nakamura can become as big a star as Brock Lesnar (minus the mainstream appeal due to UFC).

The Artist has been on a downfall since his heel turn, so the first thing that WWE should do is to turn him into a face again. Even better would be allowing him to win the tournament for the vacant Intercontinental Championship, which will lead to tensions between the members of the Artist Collective.

A face turn, along with the return of his old theme song, and proper booking is the route that WWE should take with Nakamura. He needs to have a manager too, just like Bobby Lashley has found one in MVP.

Shinsuke Nakamura for World Champion? Yeah Oh!

#3 Kevin Owens returns as The Prizefighter

Back when KO was the hottest thing in WWE

Remember the good old times when Kevin Owens was humiliating John Cena and putting on classics with his best friend-turned-bitter enemy Sami Zayn? The current Kevin Owens doesn't have the fire that the KO of 2015 had. While he doesn't necessarily need to turn heel to become the KO of olden days, a more aggressive version of him is maybe what it will take for him to become the face of WWE - much like he was the Face of America a few years ago.

Kevin Owens returned to RAW recently, and it will make sense for him to go after any of the titles, even if it means transitioning over to SmackDown or NXT to challenge for any singles championship on those brands.

WWE should allow Owens to retain his trash-talking and ruthless fighting style, even if he is squaring off against babyfaces. Instead of forging temporary alliances, Owens should work as the lone wolf, doing what is in the best interest of Kevin Owens. Who knows? Owens may even end up being the Ultimate Opportunist, defeating Otis for the Money in the Bank briefcase, before becoming the World Champion again.

#4 Braun Strowman comes back home

Will Strowman become the Black Sheep again?

Well, the answer is not Braun Strowman, but Bray Wyatt. A unique story involving the two former Wyatt family members has been unfolding in front of our eyes ever since The Monster Among Men won the Universal Title. I do agree with the fact that it'll be too soon for Strowman to lose his title, but there is a bigger picture in play here.

Similar to the Wyatt/Orton feud from 2017, a loss can lead to Strowman reuniting with his old mentor in one of the most intriguing storylines of the year, with Strowman possibly even taking up the Funhouse and Black Sheep gimmick at the same time. His betrayal and eventual match with Wyatt will serve as the ultimate conclusion to a storyline that has the potential of being one of the best rivalries of the year.

Not only does this add some depth to Strowman's gimmick, but it also allows WWE to explore not only the characters of Wyatt and Strowman but also the possibility of having a proper stable under Wyatt again. As mentioned already, Hardy's alter-ego can serve as the credible babyface challenger for Wyatt's Universal title until Storwman snaps.

But, will a single alter-ego satiate the hunger of WWE fans?

#5 Return of The Demon King

Will The Prince allow The Demon King to Takeover?

Finn Balor's career has seen a resurgence ever since he made his return to NXT under The Prince moniker. I too agree with the fact that Balor doesn't need the Demon persona anymore, but we need to look at the corporate side of things, to understand why the Demon King's arrival is Best for Business.

Before WWE moved into the Performance Center due to the global pandemic, Finn Balor was on the verge of feuding with the NXT UK Champion Walter. Now, with Imperium holding the NXT Tag Team Championships, and the rumors that WWE was planning an invasion angle before the pandemic shook the world, one can speculate that Imperium was supposed to invade NXT. Balor as NXT UK Champion would have not only filled this void but would have also given the UK brand a popular name as their champion. Given how the UK brand has suffered due to not being able to tape their shows, Balor's insanely popular Demon King gimmick may be the perfect start to get the brand back on track.

Also, given how successful Balor has been as the Prince, the use of the Demon King can be minimized, building on the unpredictability factor. While Finn doesn't need the Demon King anymore, NXT UK needs Demon King the most. Don't be surprised if The Demon King graces our TV sets soon.

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Which wrestler should revert to their previous monicker, in your opinion, dear readers? Do drop in your valuable opinion in the comments box!