10 Times WWE Took Away The ONE Thing That Got Wrestlers Over
3. DDP
Much has been written about DDP giving up ample cash from a guaranteed WCW contract to join the WWF when his old employer bit the dust. Page backed himself, and likely thought he could make a splash before all his old peers inevitably joined on for a payday when their own concrete deals with AOL/Time Warner ended.
It was a mistake, because the WWF didn't get what made DDP a star in the first place. Basically, they took away any relatability wrestling fans had with the man; he'd earned a reputation for being the 'People's Champion' in WCW. People loved the fact that Page had overcome serious odds to work his way up the ladder towards World Title status.
Vince McMahon, meanwhile, made him a creepy stalker. Yeah.
Who was going to relate to that? Other stalkers? All the "Self High Fiving" in the world wasn't gonna save DDP from this horrible gimmick change. The WWF peeled off every layer that Page had spent years putting on.