10 Wrestlers Who Completely Changed To Become Main Event Stars

by Jamie Kennedy

1. JBL

Bradshaw JBL
WWE

The Change: Once longtime tag partner Ron Simmons decided to call it a day in 2004, Bradshaw had a decision to make. He could either continue working the ass-kicking APA gimmick as a beer-drinking gun for hire, or he could start afresh. Guess which one he chose?

His new 'Million Dollar Man' mixed with J.R Ewing character JBL was born by the summer, and it turned Bradshaw from mid-card stalwart to the longest-reigning WWE Champion in years.

How It Helped: JBL was one of the least-likeable characters WWE had ever created. It also allowed Bradshaw to move on from dying his hair and beard black, and the money-grabbing, bully-boy with fingers in all of Wall Street's pies was tailor-made for someone with a legit interest in business.

Armed with sound financial knowledge and eager to prove he could stand on his own two feet as a main-eventer, JBL put everything he had into the gimmick and held up his end of the bargain against world-class talents like Eddie Guerrero to boot.

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What other examples of wrestlers completely changing to become main event stars can you think of? Let the world know down in the comments section below!

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.