10 Genius Ways WWE Stars Recovered From Absolute Disaster

1. The Rock

Disaster: The poodle hairdo, the ho-hum blue aesthetic, the painted-on smile and the "third generation" branding were all hallmarks of "Blue Chipper" Rocky Maivia when he debuted in late-1996. It didn't take long for fans, who were rapidly switching to a new 'Attitude', to turn their noses up at this 70s-style babyface presentation.

Worse, they began chanting things like, "Rocky Sucks" and holding signs emblazoned with nasty sentiments like, "Die, Rocky, Die!". The hate was becoming overwhelming, almost to the point that it seemed the handsome future Hollywood sensation would shrink rather than grow.

How He Recovered: Oddly, it was injury and some time away that saved Rocky's bacon. When he returned, he used fan hatred as the crux of his new, self-obsessed character. The Rock was born, and he was willing to join up with the nefarious Nation Of Domination and stick it to those he had once tried so hard to please.

It was a slick repackage job, and Rock's justification for aligning with despotic heels was understandable. Over the next six months or so, he grew and grew into a confident, amazing success story. Ironically, those who had once reviled him now cherished what they had, and it's almost like Rock knew that'd happen.

Which other WWE stars recovered in genius ways? Let us know down in the comments section below!