7 WWE Wrestlers That Reinvented Themselves In 2016
These character changes highlighted an ever-unpredictable 2016 for WWE.
Essentially every successful Superstar in WWE history switched up their shtick at one point or another. Whether it was The Rock embracing his inner heel and selling out to the authority or Hulk Hogan turning on his lifelong fans to go rogue and add another five years onto his in-ring career, character evolution is an absolute must in the wrestling business. Because without it, an individual can be prone to fading off into obscurity.
Without question, 2016 has been a banner year for not only WWE but several stars on the SmackDown Live and Raw rosters. The Brand Split has allotted a number of names new opportunities to branch out and establish their own identities. From undercard competitors to main event level guys, a handful of wrestlers have benefited huge from changing up their characters this year.
Due to the vast amount of fresh faces being called up to WWE's main roster on a regular basis, fans tend to overlook the athletes who have been a part of the company for years. However, those are the ones who have the most to gain from reinventing themselves, and thus they have truly taken 2016 by storm with their respective resurgences.
With more than a month remaining in the year, one can only begin to speculate who else we could see resurrect their stagnant personas in the foreseeable future.
7. The Brian Kendrick
Although The Brian Kendrick made a one-off appearance in NXT in 2015 and played a hand in training Eva Marie at his California-based wrestling school, I don't think anyone ever expected to see him back in WWE in a full-time role as an active competitior. When we last saw him at the tail-end of 2009, he was floundering without any motivation or direction as a character.
During this summer's Cruiserweight Classic, however, he demonstrated an all-new determination to return to WWE's main roster, and the only way he could do that was by winning the tournament. As a result, fans were emotionally attached to his journey, and were subsequently heartbroken when he was ultimately eliminated from the competition by Kota Ibushi.
Of course, Kendrick was brought back as part of the re-branded Cruiserweight division, and within one month, he was the WWE Cruiserweight champion after knocking off T.J. Perkins at the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. Now, he stands tall as the division's lead heel, willing to take every shortcut possible if it means keeping his spot on the roster.
At a time where the Cruiserweights are void of any real character development, Kendrick's ability to stand out from the rest of the pack is a welcome change.