As we witnessed on Raw, it takes very little time to make an impact. From Michael McGillicutty, who lost dark matches two weeks ago, to Curtis Axel, the newest "Paul Heyman Guy." All it takes at times is a gimmick change, a name change. ...
As we witnessed on Raw, it takes very little time to make an impact. From Michael McGillicutty, who lost dark matches two weeks ago, to Curtis Axel, the newest "Paul Heyman Guy." All it takes at times is a gimmick change, a name change. Some wrestlers never needed that, including John Cena, Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan, Macho Man, Ric Flair, and many more. Yes, they may have turned heel or face, may have tweaked their characters, but these legends never had to change the basis of who they were. Here are 10 guys that changed gimmicks who went on to be World Champions.
Number 10: Deacon Batista to Batista
Before Legacy, Dave Batista was known as Deacon Batista. He was paired with D-Von Dudley on the Smackdown brand as his bodyguard, somewhat of a religious bodyguard to protect the teachings of Dudley. This experiment did not last long, as a simple punch launched one of the best modern day champions in Smackdown. After this, Batista joined legacy, with a new look and a new atttitude, Learning from Flair and Triple H, Batista would become a multiple time world champion, Intercontinental Champion, and Tag Team Champion. He has done it all in WWE and did it because of the second gimmick that was given to him in WWE.
Number 9: Nicky to Dolph Ziggler
Before he was showing off on Raw each week, Dolph Ziggler was a cheerleader. Yeah, Dolph was apart of The Spirit Squad, a group of male cheerleaders that actually were important at a certain time. Although he was apart of some interesting and high profile feuds, Nicky(Ziggler) was not the stand-out of the group. Kenny was being bred as the real star of the group. After the split, Nicky would get a new name, one that many people laughed at. How could you take a guy named Dolph Ziggler seriously? Well, the WWE Universe certainly loves Ziggler now, as he is the World Heavyweight Champion. This change was huge. He went from a joke to a star in only a few years time, and he is never looking back.
Number 8: Bradshaw to JBL
One of the most random gimmick changes was when Bradshaw went from being a beer drinker to a millionaire who was smarter than everyone else. He cut his hair, gave up his redneck ways, sort of, and put on a suit. JBL was very successful for so many reasons. He was leaned heavily on in a down period in WWE where they did not have their young stars ready for World Championships. JBL became intelligent, interesting, and was not just a guy with long black hair who had success in one division. He would ultimately become a long reigning champion on Smackdown, only to lose it to John Cena at Wrestlemania 21.
Number 7: Shawn Michales to Heartbreak Kid
This one was a bit tricky to explain. Michaels was a member of The Rockers, a happy and fun group that catered to the women and kids. He flew through the air and had ZERO personality aside from that. All of that changed when he turned on Marty Janetty, hitting Sweet Chin Music. Before Michaels was beloved by millions, he became a great heel at "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels. He was no longer stuck in a tag team. Michaels would transition quickly into the main event picture and stay there for the rest of his career. He carved his name in the world of wrestling forever. He has all the championships, all the nicknames, and has been one of the best entertainers we have ever seen.
