10 Times Wrestlers Abandoned Their Comfort Zone
4. Crowning Glory
Despite signing on to work for Vince McMahon in late-1992, Jerry 'The King' Lawler has had notably few WWE title shots, and until 2011's WrestleMania 26, had never even wrestled on the 'Showcase of the Immortals'.
For a performer that spent twenty years winning and losing major titles every other month as a Memphis icon, his longstanding separation from the top of the WWE card was always somewhat puzzling, but he established a brand new legacy at the commentary table, becoming one of the definitive voices of the company.
However, when offered his first ever shot at the WWE Title against new Champion The Miz on a November 2010 'King of the Ring' Monday Night Raw special (that also happened to be his 61st birthday), Lawler agreed to work a brutal Tables, Ladders and Chairs match in the headline attraction.
The contest lay in stark contrast to Lawler's prior in-ring work, let alone his regular job at the ringside desk calling the action, but he risked everything in his rare pursuit of the title.
A fish out of water, he battled gallantly in a hazardous but hugely entertaining brawl, and was only defeated thanks to an interfering Michael Cole, sowing the seeds for his eventual long-awaited WrestleMania clash.