7 Wrestlers Who Weren't The Same Without The Mask

There have been a number of wrestlers that have worked in the American wrestling scene that were really successful with the mask on, but when they took it off they really had trouble finding that same level of success. Sometimes it was because of the booking because the guy without the mask loses the mystique that he had with it on. Other times it's just because fans aren't used to seeing the masked wrestler looking like a normal guy. The whole purpose of wearing a mask in wrestling is a Mexican wresting tradition. However, when it's done in American wrestling the main reason is because they want to have that guy stand out. The 10 year old kid watching on television is going to remember the masked guy more than everybody else because he looks different than them. A number of wrestlers have had unsuccessful runs under the mask. An example is a guy like Rikishi Fatu who was known as a Headshrinker, then a "making a difference" babyface and then this mysterious masked guy known as The Sultan. That didn't work out for him, but when he became the dancing fat man known as Rikishi he really took off. That's not what we're looking for. However, it's just an example of how putting the mask on didn't always help people. Here's a look at seven wrestlers that worked in WWE, WCW and TNA that spent a good portion of their careers wrestling under masks and how things changed when they were unmasked.