10 Wrestling Stars Who Reinvented Their Way To Longevity

7. CM Punk

CM Punk 1
WWE

CM Punk's 'Better Than You' straight edge heel character in Ring of Honor was so original and well-defined that hardcore fans were clamouring for him to wrestle a retired legend in Steve Austin before he even stepped foot in OVW.

There were concerns over his ability to translate that to the mainstream audience, what with WWE's famous constraints. He couldn't very well accuse the post-Attitude Era roster of pill-popping and steroid abuse - even in the pre-Chris Benoit landscape.

He instead fashioned a babyface character whose "only addiction" was competition, astutely reigning in the unpalatable aspects of his gimmick to mould it into a more corporate-friendly variation.

Serendipitously, his 2009 feud with Jeff Hardy allowed him to unleash his natural heel - just as his face character, which was booed at that year's WrestleMania, was growing stale. Somehow, despite being familiar, it was a revelation. Before perceived backstage transgressions derailed his momentum, Punk had demonstrated that he was enough of a chameleon to not outstay his welcome.

Punk in his subsequent main event career, in which he was actively involved in the creative process, veered from cult leader to agent of change, proving via his versatility that he was the most successful iteration of his character in everything and name - the Best In The World.

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Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!