10 Gimmick Changes That Saved A Wrestler's Career
The Ringmaster vs. Rocky Maivia just doesn't have the same ring to it.
The late, great Randy Savage once said "The cream will rise to the top". He also said, "funky like a monkey, skies the limit and space is the place" but, for the purpose of this list, we'll stick to the first comment.
For the ten men in this list, the cream definitely did rise to the top. While it may have taken a little longer than some had hoped for, a simple gimmick change proved to be the difference maker and allowed them to get their careers back on track almost instantly - such is the importance of a solid wrestling persona.
In fact, some of the biggest stars in the history of the industry began their wrestling careers shackled to a dead gimmick. As such, the cream of the crop on the following pages happen to be a revered mix of former champions, Hall of Famers, and present day superstars.
Luckily for the wrestling world, these men broke free of their respective restrictions and transformed from ailing would-be superstars into bona fide main event talents. The results are a creamy cocktail of gimmicky goodness without a Shockmaster, Gobbledy Gooker, or Mantaur in sight.
10. Spirit Squad To Dolph Ziggler
If there's one gimmick that will probably never get over as a badass wrestling character, it's that of a male cheerleader. Which is exactly what Vince McMahon was looking for in 2006, when The Spirit Squad made their debut on Raw.
Consisting of OVW standouts Ken Doane, Nick Nemeth, Nick Mitchell, Johnny Jeter, and Mike Mondo, the green-clad group became a weekly addition to WWE's Monday programming. The five-man team even became a key part of the Vince McMahon/Shawn Michaels feud after WrestleMania 22 and held the Tag Team Titles for seven months.
Nevertheless, the group's feud with the reunited D-Generation X ultimately led to their downfall. After losing a 5-on-3 handicap match to D-X and Ric Flair, all five members of the Spirit Squad were placed in a crate, labelled "OVW - Louisville, KY". The unceremonious exit saw them written off TV immediately.
While Ken Doane would find a modicum of success on SmackDown, he and the rest of the squad would be gone from WWE the following year. All except Nick Nemeth that is, who returned to the main roster in late 2008 under the name Dolph Ziggler.
As the bleach blonde heel, 'The Showoff' has become an asset to WWE and is widely regarded as one of the best in-ring performers today.