10 Wrestlers Who Transformed Their Careers By Leaving WWE

Scott Levy’s first run in WWE saw him adopt a gimmick that was the antithesis of his future Raven persona. Johnny Polo was a rich snob manager who pinged around several clients during 1993 and 1994. He was decked out in preppy clothes that even the more Patrick Bateman yuppies weren’t insane enough to rock. Polo looked like a hippie testifying in a land law dispute.

The seeds of the Raven character developed during this time. However, it would need the dirt and grime of a more extreme climate to grow. In Paul Heyman’s ECW, Raven emerged as a hardcore superstar. The character perfectly embodied the zeitgeist of grunge, nihilism, and rebellion. Though he appeared as a slacker, albeit an intimidating one, too psychotic to be featured in a Kevin Smith outing, Raven was well-educated, eloquent, and used his intelligence to confuse others and sneer at their bewilderment. Raven was a staple in ECW’s hardcore wrestling and captured the company’s top prize.

Raven found mid-card success upon his return to WWE, racking up the most reigns as Hardcore Champion (27). However, this career boost wouldn’t have been possible without Levy’s hardcore leave of absence.