10 Gimmick Changes That Saved A Wrestler's Career

When Matt Hardy was let go from the WWE in late 2010, it was the beginning of a downward spiral for the older Hardy sibling.

A short, forgettable run in TNA in 2011 saw the former 'Sensie of Mattitude' sporting dreadlocks and looking like a troubled man. His online presence at the time confirmed this and his YouTube videos were becoming increasingly bizarre and worrying - including one that was interpreted as a suicide note. Hardy was also later arrested three times in one month, all of which led to his inevitable TNA release.

The multiple time champion was on a slippery slope and retired from full-time competition in late 2011. Luckily, it wouldn't last and, after rebuilding his reputation considerably through his work on the indies, Hardy returned to TNA in 2014.

After continuing in his usual guise, Hardy eventually became a heel and entered into a feud with his brother, Jeff. Following a number of physical battles together, Matt began to refer to himself as being "broken". The transformation evolved into the 'Broken Matt' character and made him the talk of the wrestling world.

The success of the gimmick saw him and Jeff return home to WWE at WrestleMania 33, where they have continued to be successful ever since.