10 Precise Moments WWE's Best Ever Gimmicks Stopped Working

9. John Cena

Few acts were hotter than bad-boy rapper John Cena when he caught fire in 2003/04. His sexually-explicit rap lines, thuggish mentality and Eminem with muscles appearance captured the imagination of an audience still seeking someone with that same old Attitude. Cena became the poster boy for 'Ruthless Aggression'.

Then, he said fudge it and changed.

All of a sudden, that tough exterior, the gangster-looks and all of Cena's menace was replaced by a goofy smile, an ever-changing wardrobe of garish t-shirts and caps, and an altogether more wholesome image. This was an overnight change for John, and it was totally deliberate. He didn't feel comfortable playing the character when he noticed more kids and young families in the WWE crowds.

So, Cena told Vince McMahon he'd be switching things up from now on and projecting a more family-friendly persona on TV. That, eventually, was in line with the organisation's PG certification, but there was an awkward period before that when happy, happy, smiling Cena was at odds with his own gimmick.