10 Worst WWE Transformations In Recent Memory
Some of the most recent products of WWE's creative wasteland.
In the landscape of WWE, it is impossible for talent to climb any proverbial ladder of success or break through the glass ceiling without having a great character.
The strength of your gimmick as a performer is commonly viewed as more critical to your presentation than in-ring skills or athleticism.
There isn’t a legend today, nor of eras gone by, that has built their legacy without a compelling and recognizable character, and this makes it all the more baffling when WWE saddles some of their brightest stars with horrendous gimmicks.
Even more incredulous, are the occasions where WWE decide to completely crush the momentum of a once-hot performer, transforming them into a miscast, uninteresting or downright humiliating shell of their former self.
The likes of Kane transforming from a maniacal dentist into the Devil's Favorite Demon, or Steve Austin shifting from The Ringmaster to the Rattlesnake, serve as proof WWE do know how to revitalize careers for the better. However, a fresh change doesn’t guarantee dollars, and these men and women have certainly suffered the wrath of the writer’s madness in recent times. Although we as fans may have suffered more having to watch the calamity unfold...
10. Jinder Mahal
If ever there was a situation of a particular talent shamelessly benefiting from a bad idea, Jinder Mahal becoming WWE Champion in the aftermath of WrestleMania 33, would have to near top the list.
The Modern Day Maharaja found himself as the luckiest man in WWE in 2017, through no fault of his own, when he was essentially handed the WWE Championship by management in a failed expedition to capture the burgeoning Indian market. Unfortunately for both Mahal and the company, their ambitions were doomed from the beginning, as no fan on Earth believed Jinder to be a capable top guy.
As a booking direction, the decision to crucify SmackDown’s main event for a six-month stretch whilst Jinder reigned atop the brand proved disastrous, and it was in no way a successful plight. Transforming the Canadian-born Indian out of jobber purgatory had the potential to be an effective move, but Jinder wasn't ready for such a giant leap.
His current place as a lumbering midcard heel backed by two heavies is a perfect role for Jinder, and one that he is far more suited for. Hopefully WWE never regain the temptation to initiate round two of Mahal as company champion.