10 Times WWE Bastardised Wrestling Royalty

4. Diamond Dallas Page

DDP The Undertaker
WWE Network

Diamond Dallas Page and Booker T were the most well-known - and, it can be easily argued, talented - of the WCW stars who elected not to sit out their cushy contracts following the WWF's purchase of WCW. They were hungry, and intent on making a success of the 2001 Invasion angle.

Page in WCW was a rare and welcome deviation from the main event norm. He was old, having entered the business later than most, but still fresh. With a comparatively lean physique and innate likability, he was an avatar for the common man, and an inspiration to those frustrated by the league's contractually-mandated stale upper cards. He was so in touch with the common man that he'd often celebrate his victories sandwiched between them.

In the WWF, he was repackaged as a creepy outlier - a stalker literally detached from those same people who clutched him to their hearts.

In retrospect, Page's character was difficult to reconcile within the Invasion storyline. The ECWCW invaders were presented as a hostile force - he couldn't transplant his act as it was. However, he played an ingratiating heel to semi-successful effect as part of the New Jersey Triad in 1999. There was scope for a more subtle, believable transition.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!