The 411 Wrestling Top 5 4.21.10: Week 71 – Gimmick Changes

Hello everyone and welcome to 411 Wrestling’s Top 5 List. What we are going to is take a topic each week and all the writers here on 411 wrestling will have the ability to give us their Top 5 on said topic, plus up to three honorable mentions. Most of our topics will be based on recent events in the Wrestling World, looking at those events that make us think of times past.

So, on to this week’s topic…

GIMMICK CHANGES

The right gimmick is the ticket to greatness, but sometimes the change in one’s gimmick is the spark of that rise to stardom. Today, we look back at those people who went from maybe have a good career in wrestling to having a great one.

So what did our group of writers select? Let’s find out…

Scott Rutherford

HONORABLE MENTIONS

HHH – Hunter Hurst Helmsly was a staid tired idea that had been done before. HHH was cool and edgy and became the most successful heel in the last 20 years of wrestling.

Mankind – Only Foley could make a dog of an idea like this work. It also happened to be the gimmick that truly brought Foley to a larger audience and eventually bringing Cactus Jack out too. All’s good to me.

Taz – Tazmanic looked like an idiot. Taz was the template for all the “shooter” type gimmicks that sprung up not long after.

5.“Nature Boy” Ric Flair – An odd choice to be sure, but Flair was not always the Naitch and for the first part of his career he was trying to copy Dusty Rhodes and was running around pretending to be a cowboy. After a few timely suggestions, out when the cowboy hat, in came the blonde hair and robes and thus was born a wrestling legend. It was a natural fit and even the great Buddy Rogers who was the most famous Nature Boy before this couldn’t come close to Flair. Like a lot of my other choices you really don’t need me telling you why Flair fits the bill so well and or of the famous stories that back it up. We all know why this gimmick worked and even today, even with the tarnished legacy he is now carrying, Flair just can’t help being the Nature Boy. Ric defines “living” a gimmick as opposed to “acting” a gimmick. Huge difference.

4.The Rock – Much like my #1 choice, this was as much a shift in attitude as it was a gimmick. While the “blue chipper” Rocky Mavia was certainly good out of the gate, the look and the attitude didn’t gel with the evolving tastes of the 1996-97 crowds. I mean…DIE ROCKY DIE…really says it all. Cue the attitude adjustment, in comes the smarmy, cocky heel promo’s, the arrogant demeanor and suddenly you had a fucking superstar. When The Rock came into being it was only a matter of time until he caught fire as he was the most consistently entertaining wrestling character out there and had the rare gift that made everything out of his mouth sound interesting while sometimes being more than a little absurd. I could rattle off a million great Rock moments and promo’s but you know them and the fact he broke into the mainstream to a level that Hogan never even come close to achieving, shows just how successful this gimmick change was.

3.The Undertaker – WCW saw Mark Calloway as big man with no upside, Vince McMahon saw the perfect fit for his new morbid gimmick. It is clear to see the Calloway was DEEPLY into this character right from day one, making the absurdity of the gimmick almost melt away and turning it into one of the most successful and long lived wrestling characters. What has helped has been the ever-evolving image and the shift to the bikertaker theme for a couple of years in 2000 helped show the “real” side of UT while taking a break from silly satanic slant that crept into the character in 1999. When he did go back, the fans were insanely for it and Calloway now has managed to strike a balance of the attitude of the “biker” phase with the look and image of the gimmick. And for all those that bitched about Vince and his predilection for crazy gimmicks (The Goon, Isaac Yankeem, Duke the Dumpster Drose, Max Moon etc) you only have to look here for why he kept going back to this particular barrel for the next break out character. I mean, the guys is an undertaker…

2.“Hollywood” Hulk Hogan – What do you do when the entire wrestling world is sick of you? You completely shift directions and create one of the most successful angles in wrestling history. The smarks never though they would see the day when Hogan voluntarily went heel but when he did it was nothing less than a complete reinvention and big $$$ for Ted Turner. While debate will rage about how the nWo ultimately was WCW’s demise, you cannot deny that Hogan’s shift to the “Hollywood” gimmick away from the classic yellow and red hero was nothing short of seismic in the annuals of wrestling.

1.“Stone Cold” Steve Austin – Millions of column inches have been written about the transformation of Steve Austin. From “Stunning” in WCW, to The Ringmaster in his early WWF career and finally to “Stone Cold”, it completed the rise of one of the most unlikely breakout stars in wrestling history making him one of the two highest drawing wrestlers in the modern era. While I always thought the “Stunning” personae was a great fit for Steve (witness his rechanneling of this during the HHH feud in early 2001), he ended putting more of himself out there and tapped into a more adult audience right at the time we were screaming out for something different. This really is a no-brainer of a number one pick.

Aaron Hubbard

HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Deadman becomes The American Badass – With the WWF moving towards a more realistic character, Mark Calloway decided to stop imitating zombies and cult leaders and just showed up as himself, in the process humanizing the most mysterious character in wrestling.

Bradshaw becomes JBL – Going from midcard purgatory to long-term main event status by becoming a parody of big business and the Republican Party was night and day for John Layfield.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley becomes Triple H – Dropping the Greenwich snop act so he could just be himself as part of D-Generation X, getting a new attitude and a cooler name, helped put Triple H on the road to becoming one of the WWE’s biggest stars.

5.John Cena becomes a white rapper – Sometimes I wonder where Cena would be if he hadn’t gotten the chance to develop this gimmick. While he always had the look and the charm, his goofy tights did little to seperate him from the pack. Switching over to jean shorts and throwback jerseys, Cena started writing out his own raps, insulting whoever his opponent was in glorious fashion. Cena’s mic skills eventually turned him babyface and he rapidly climbed the ladder on Smackdown!, defeating JBL for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 21. Then he came to Raw, beat Triple H in a huge upset at Wrestlemania 22, and has been the face of the company ever since then. He doesn’t even rap anymore, but this was the most significant gimmick change of the last decade.

4.Shawn Michaels becomes The Heartbreak Kid – Shawn Michaels throwing Marty Janetty through a window was many things. A fantastic heel turn. A tag team wrestler breaking out on his own. The end of a very popular act and one of the best teams of all time. It was also the start of a new arrogant and conceited Michaels, who called himself The Heartbreak Kid, was Sherri Martel’s “Sexy Boy”, and who had Bobby Heenan remind us that he had left the building. While it would take a few years of great in-ring performance to elevate Michaels to the top of the card, Shawn largely kept this character for the rest of his career.

3.Rocky Maivia becomes The Rock – This was actually a lot like John Cena’s change from “generic handsome nice guy in tights” to a cocky, self-assured punk who became noticed for his creative mic work. The difference is that Cena didn’t get a mega-push before the gimmick. Rocky Maivia was almost instantly pushed to the Intercontinental Championship level, but the fans didn’t buy his act. Chants of “Die, Rocky, Die!” filled arenas all over until he joined up with the Nation of Domination and became “The Rock”. Referring to himself in the third person, calling himself “The Rock” and verbally tearing apart his opponents eventually made The Rock one of the most popular acts in wrestling. He became so popular that within five years he was a movie star and before a decade had passed he had retired from wrestling, leaving a huge hole that has yet to be filled.

2.The Ringmaster becomes Stone Cold Steve Austin – Dropping a crappy gimmick with a worse name for an all-time great gimmick and a killer name? Check. Huge career boost for the man in question that led him to becoming a main event star? Also check. Creation of arguably the biggest star in wrestling history and changing the landscape of pro wrestling in the process? *Glass shatters* We have a winner! Were it not for one factor which I will explain, this would be the number one. Much like The Rock, this gimmick change created a monster who made such an impact on the business that no one, not even Cena, has filled those shoes.

1.Hulk Hogan becomes Hollywood Hogan – The other ones on this list were gimmick changes that took people going nowhere fast and made them into stars. This on the other hand saw the biggest star in wrestling radically change everything about him. It’s not just a heel turn, it was a reinvention. The guy who slammed Andre the Giant was now a coward who ran away and retained his championship by hitting someone with a belt. Red and yellow became black and white. Prayers, training and vitamins became wealth, power and prestige. “Hulk” became “Hollywood”. It was wrestling blasphemy. And it was the biggest thing since Hulkamania first hit in the 1980’s.

Michael Uphoff

I did these in what I believed to be in order of importance to the wrestling industry.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

John Cena is the Doctor of Thuganomics – When Cena became the Doctor of Thuganomics, it changed him from a rookie babyface to a heel that would rap about anything. His rapping and being the Doctor of Thuganomics were the catalyst for him going face and eventually winning the WWE Championship and becoming the man in the industry today.

Edge becomes the Ultimate Opportunist/ Master Manipulator – Edge had been languishing as a poorly booked babyface in late 2004, and therefore the WWE turned him heel. His heelish ways would grow and continue to manifest itself, but it really didn’t kick off until he cashed in his MITB briefcase on John Cena after the Elimination Chamber match at New Year’s Revolution 2005. Think about it. Edge being the ultimate opportunist has provided the WWE with some memorable moments, such as him cashing on Cena, him cashing on Taker, him losing the WWE Championship at No Way Out 2009, only to destroy Kofi, and put himself in the Chamber and go on to win the World Heavyweight Championship. We’ve seen Edge cheat his way to victory using any means necessary so many times it was commonplace to see him do so.

Shawn Michaels becomes the Heartbreak Kid/ Triple H becomes the Game – Both of these guys when they changed their gimmick, their careers skyrocketed. Triple H was a blueblood aristocrat, but when he became the Game, and Michaels had already become HBK, they took the WWF to new heights with DX. Michaels had been in a legendary tag team with Marty Janetty, but wanted to go a singles route. When he ditched Janetty and became the Heartbreak Kid, his career skyrocketed and probably could be argued to be the greatest ever. The only reason why this one doesn’t make the Top 5 is because they were even more impactful.

5.Randy Orton becomes the Legend Killer/ the Viper – Randy Orton was in Evolution for a while, but when he won the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam 2004, he was abruptly shown the door by Triple H. Even when he was in Evolution, his Legend Killer gimmick started to shine, and after as well. He took out Sergeant Slaughter, Ric Flair, etc. After his great and enjoyable feud with Undertaker, he languished until they turned him fully heel and gave him the IED gimmick and he became the Viper. When Orton became the Viper, he became one of the greatest heels of all time. Why is he only #5? Simple. Orton is only 30 years old. He has only spent about seven to eight years in the WWE, not truly long enough to realize his full potential. He has the potential to become one of the greatest ever, and he has a lot of time in the WWE to do so. I’m going to make a bold prediction, in line with a fellow colleague. In the next several years, I would look for Orton to be bigger than Cena.

4.Hogan goes Hollywood – This gimmick change certainly wasn’t popular, but its importance to the wrestling industry cannot be denied. When the Hulkster became Hollywood Hogan, people were crushed. This took a rival company in WCW and put it over the WWF for a long time, and really revolutionized the business. It also marked a career revival for Hogan, as he was becoming pretty stale at this point.

3.Rocky Maivia becomes the Rock – Rocky Maivia debuted in 1996. He won the Intercontinental Championship in 1997 and 1998, but he never could get really over with the fans. They just couldn’t really find a reason to care about him. But when Maivia became the Rock and joined the Nation, his career took off as a heel. He began getting heat with DX, and that heat transferred over when at Survivor Series, he became the Corporate Champion. When the Rock would turn face and become the People’s Champion, his career took off and he became arguably the most popular wrestler and easily one of the most recognizable wrestlers. His gimmick change led to the career of one of the greatest in the business and would undoubtedly be higher on this list, if not for a beer-drinker among beer-drinkers, and a man who knew how to open a can of whoop-ass.

2.The Ringmaster becomes Stone Cold Steve Austin – When Austin was the Ringmaster, he had a decent gimmick. He was the Million Dollar Champion allied with Ted DiBiase, Sr. He never truly took off the in the WWF until he became Stone Cold. Stone Cold was everything every wrestling fan wanted to be. You wanted to hit your boss. You wanted to screw him over every chance you got. Stone Cold was seen as a man of the people, and when he took down the Corporation at Wrestlemania XV, Stone Cold cemented his legacy. When he took his heel turn in 2001, he was still Stone Cold, but willing to do anything and everything to keep the WWF title around his waist. When Austin became Stone Cold, it was the gimmick change that created a new era of wrestling. This is why he is #2: his gimmick change revolutionized the wrestling industry even more than Hogan ever thought possible. Why is it not #1? Solely because there is one more gimmick change that had more of an impact on the WWF and WWE.

1.Mean Mark Callous becomes the Undertaker -I may catch a lot of flack for this one, but I cannot honestly think of another gimmick change that has had as much of a profound impact on the wrestling industry as Mean Mark Callous becoming the Undertaker. Before the Undertaker came along, Mark Callaway was languishing in a retarded gimmick that was doing absolutely nothing for his career. He made one gimmick change, and that gimmick change has sustained his career for twenty years. TWENTY YEARS. I have asked people who are not wrestling fans if they can name one person synonymous with the wrestling industry since 1990. Each and every one of them said the Undertaker. It may be because he still remains one of, if not the most popular wrestler, of all time. I believe it’s because Taker is so smooth and into his gimmick that you can hardly tell if Mark is playing Taker or if that is really him. The fact that he has always been able to adapt his gimmick for the times (Underbiker, switching back to Deadman at Wrestlemania XX) and still having such a profound impact on the industry with so many great matches and some of them coming as a man in his early 40’s is nothing short of phenomenal. He also has arguably the greatest accomplishment of any wrestler ever. He is 18-0 at Wrestlemania. The Streak would not exist without the gimmick change, and it has one of the main selling points for Wrestlemania since 2005. The man is 45 years old, and I can honestly tell you that if he had not made the gimmick change when he did, he wouldn’t still be wrestling today, and we wouldn’t have gotten two classics at Wrestlemania between him and HBK, and we damn sure wouldn’t have the Streak. That is why Mean Mark Callous becomes the Undertaker is #1.

Chad Nevett

HONORABLE MENTIONS

CM Punk becomes your Straight Edge Saviour – A recent change that hasn’t played out entirely, but it’s been fantastic so far, taking Punk from mid-level face to one of the top heels in the WWE.

Cactus Jack becomes Mankind – A twisted, demented character not too far from the Undertaker was what it took for Mick Foley to get over big with fans. Eventually, the character shifted to be more like him, but that initial change of a mask and ugly brown costume was all it took for him to stand out for fans.

Hunter Heart Helmsley becomes Triple H – The blueblood gimmick took Trips far, but simplifying his image and becoming an amped up version of himself when paired with Shawn Michaels in Degeneration-X made him a star.

5.Hulk Hogan goes Hollywood – Hogan went from being the biggest name in the business to being a guy with a stale gimmick stuck in the number two promotion. Times were changing and Hogan needed to change with them — and he did. He turned heel, revealed as the third member of the nWo, becoming Hollywood Hulk Hogan, a brash, crude arrogant prick and doing everything that the Hulk Hogan we all grew up with would never have done. It was a brilliant move that helped make WCW the top promotion in wrestling and a great demonstration of changing up a stale gimmick at exactly the right time.

4.Rocky Maivia becomes the Rock – Despite skill and some natural charisma, fresh-faced Rocky Maivia just wasn’t getting over with the crowds. They resented his clean, boring character and didn’t want to get behind him. There wasn’t any reason to. In a sign of going with crowd reaction, they stuck him in the Nation of Domination, gave him an attitude adjustment, and the Rock was born. Arrogant, cocky, dynamite on the mic, and you couldn’t stop him. Well, everyone knows what happened next. Much like Hogan’s change is an example of staying with the audience, the Rock’s formation came from the audience telling the company what they thought of a performer and the company using that reaction to build a star.

3.Steve Austin becomes Stone Cold – Steve Austin had talent and some success in wrestling, but was stuck in midcard status, first in WCW where he was eventually let go and, then, in the WWF as the Ringmaster. He just needed the right gimmick for that talent to be recognized as main event caliber, which came in his Stone Cold persona. Another case of an amped up version of the wrestler’s own personality, almost always a great way to make the performer comfortable and more naturalistic — and seem more genuine to the crowd. The crowd got behind him quickly in his feud with Bret Hart and he went on to be the biggest name of the Attitude Era.

2.Chris Jericho becomes an honest man – While Jericho took time off from wrestling, he came up with a character of a heel that claims to be an honest man, no longer willing to pander to the crowd, seeing through their fickle nature and willingness to turn on a performer at any moment. He didn’t get a chance to use the character right away when he returned in 2007, but, in 2008, it was a change that took Jericho from being a well-respected and admired performer to being one of the most hated heels in the business — and got him over like nothing else. His Y2J personality was great, but his honest man persona is even better. With more subdued behaviour, fancy words, and stellar in-ring performances, Jericho has been the WWE’s MVP since making the turn. He’s so hated that he can make almost anyone on the other side of the ring get cheered, just ask Edge.

1.Shawn Michaels becomes the Heartbreak Kid – While Jericho’s change is probably my favourite gimmick change, I have to give the top spot to Shawn Michaels going from Rocker to Heartbreak Kid. Many great tag performers languish once the team breaks up because they fail to get a strong singular identity, but Shawn Michaels went from fun party guy with the Rockers to putting his partner through a window and becoming an arrogant, self-absorbed, cocky asshole. He toned down his flashy in-ring style, but made his in-ring persona even bigger, dancing and strutting, wearing outlandish clothes, managed by Sensational Sheri. Part of the reason this gimmick change stands out so much is in contrast to Marty Jannetty who never found the right singles persona to sustain himself. HBK is a gimmick that he kept for the rest of his career with some tweaks here and there, once able to cross between face and heel. It made Shawn Michaels stand out and helped him become one of the most popular wrestlers of all time. once able to cross between face and heel. It made Shawn Michaels stand out and helped him become one of the most popular wrestlers of all time.

Michael Bauer

HONORABLE MENTION

Booker T is a King – Seriously, I don’t think anyone else could have pulled this off.

5.Rocky calls himself The Rock – The happy go lucky rookie routine wasn’t going to get the third generation wrestler over in any time frame, especially at the dawn of the Attitude Era. Rocky was actually lucky enough to get injured, because he came back with a vengeance and The Rock was shortly born right after. The rest is history.

4.Shawn Michaels starts Breaking Hearts – One had to imagine what would become of Shawn Michaels after he superkicked Marty Jannety into obscurity. I don’t think anyone back in 1990 would have imagined this transformation into the Heartbreak Kid would have been so perfect for Shawn or that his career would just take off like it did.

3.Austin preaches Stone Cold 3:16 – The Ringmaster won the King of the Ring? I wouldn’t have believed it if the next words out of his mouth would become the true birth of the Attitude Era. You can point to the I Quit Match all you want, but that would have meant nothing without those words on that night.

2.Hulk Hogan goes Hollywood – The number one biggest heel turn in the history of professional wrestling and it will never be topped. And I don’t care if the most beloved wrestler ever goes nuclear on everyone and becomes a terrorist, it will pale in comparrison to Hogan joining the dark side.

1.Bradshaw becomes JBL – By far, my favorite change for the simple fact that this felt so natural, like it was the role he was made for. Also, unlike every other gimmick change, JBL went straight up to World Title comtention and held the biggest prize in the game within months. Hogan was already big and every other person in my Top 5 had to wait at least two years before holding World Championships. That’s why this is my top choice.