10 Wrestlers Who Turned Their Backs On Former Gimmicks

They say a leopard can never shift its spots, though, as Mitsuharu Misawa proved on 14 May 1990, a tiger can certainly shuffle its stripes.

There were numerous factors leading to the second incarnation of Satoru Sayama's famous pantherine protagonist ditching the hood. Years aping his predecessor's innovative aerial offence had left Misawa's knees in tatters, and wished to transfer to a more technical style. Besides, the reward was hardly worth it; Misawa felt his eye-catching moveset was undermined by his obscured face.

What's more, the cat, as it were, was already out the bag, after photos from Misawa's wedding had hit the Japanese glossies. Two years on, Tiger Mask II's secret identity was nothing of the sort - the time for a change was ripe.

During a tag match opposite Yoshiaki Tatsu and Samson Fuyuki, Misawa, in a fit of passion, ordered partner Toshiaki Kawada to remove his mask. He promptly flung it into the baying crowd, symbolising what everybody already knew: he didn't need the old gimmick to be a star. He already was one.