Johnny Polo/Scotty Flamingo changing to Raven was one of the best!

Rock, Austin, HHH, and Cena gimmick changes saved their careers

Honorable mentions: 1. Ric Flair. Let's not forget that he wasn't the Nature Boy when he started wrestling in 1972. That would be four years later. 2. Hulk Hogan to Hollywood Hogan 3. Tommy Dreamer from pretty boy to the Innovator of Violence. 4. Taz from the Tazmaniac to the Human Suplex Machine 5. Roman Reigns from the Big Dog to the Tribal Chief

@nicholaschristie8699

21 күн бұрын

I would like to add Sandman from literal surfer dud to beer drinking *ss kicker, Tazz from Tazzmaniac to Human-Suplex Machine, and Rhea Ripley from smiling babyface to Mami

@PhysicalMediaPreventsWea-bx1zm

18 күн бұрын

Flair's idea when he first started was to be Dusty Rhodes kayfabe brother Rambling Randy Rhodes!

Roman reigns change to the tribal chief not being on here is criminal

Steve Austin from "Ringmaster" to "Stone Cold", "Rocky Maivia" to "The Rock" and "Greenwich Snob Hunter Hearst Helmsley" to "Triple H" are three of my all-time favorite gimmick changes in wrestling history.

@tompatchak8706

21 күн бұрын

3 of the biggest too

To be honest Toni is absolutely amazing and is really showing her acting abilities with it

While Sting's work as part of the Main Event Mafia and the Wolfpack were slight missteps, his Joker Sting persona is dang near as iconic as Crow Sting and Surfer Sting. So much so that allusions to Joker Sting were made during his epic AEW run. Lest we forget "more pompoms" and his interactions with Orange Cassidy.

@All5Horizons

21 күн бұрын

I don’t think it’s true that joker Sting is anywhere near as iconic as Crow or Surfer. Cool gimmick and everything, but not nearly as iconic.

I remember going to a house show at MSG in 1997 (A week after the Montreal Screwjob) and seeing "Rocky Sucks" shirts at the merch tables.

Jailing predator vince will make history

Why was a man literally called Steve Austin was paired with a character called The Million Dollar Man... coincidence? Apparently so!

@tompatchak8706

21 күн бұрын

That joke would only apply for people 35 and over. Like if you’re not a certain age, you won’t know the $6 million man who is his name Steve Austin.

@PhysicalMediaPreventsWea-bx1zm

18 күн бұрын

​@@tompatchak8706... Jim Ross certainly knew. That's why he called him the "Bionic" Redneck!

Hulk to Hollywood would be on my list.

How was Hulk to Hollywood Hogan and/or Undertaker gimmick changes not get on this list?

@user-fb1ce7uh1u

20 күн бұрын

You mean Terry Boulder to hulk hogan, and mean Mark to undertaker

Jay Lethal's macho man impression and Ric Flair impression are two freaking good 😂😅. I legit hope we can get to see it in the WWE one day and Jay Lethal does do the best impression of the two hall of famers. And I can't believe we have to thank Kevin Nash for the Macho Man impression my god how quickly things can change when someone discovers your amazing talent

Cool concept vid!

If you want to mention international wrestling then there's naito from NJPW going from a vanilla Babyface to los ingobernables naito

Big Jim Martin from Faith No More chose to write that sign in German. It says "The Rocky The"

Rocker Shawn Michaels to Boy Toy to Mr Wrestlemania was pretty good. Austin changed his move set to a brawler by necessity which probably makes him the best gimmick change on top of how successful the character was.

Simon Miller still Carrying Whatcutlure wrestling 🗿

@dubbmoon

21 күн бұрын

Like his name was Atlas. 😂

@cliffordjackson3

21 күн бұрын

FACTS.

@JACKHAMMER82A1

21 күн бұрын

Only good thing at what culture

@razorramon7573

21 күн бұрын

What Culture sucks and so does Simon! 🤮

Well according to the thumbnail Rocky Maivia changed into Triple H! That IS impressive!

Big Dog ➡️ tribal chief should be acknowledged to say the least

6:43 He hired the dentist to get the taste out of his mouth after he had kiss his own foot that he made dirty for weeks after a match with Bret Hart

Matt Hardy said the Broken character came from when he got himself clean and he thought on how he was 'broken' during this addict days and wanted to put himself back together

Kenny Omega turning into The Cleaner. We wouldn't have Kenny like He is now without the change from blonde hair and bright colours to black leather and silver curls.

NGL I wish they could show the OG "Crow Sting" where the makeup matched the movie. Looked way more ominous & creepy compared to later versions but I'm guessing trademark/copyright came into play so they had to change things up.

Where is Chris Jericho on this list? He's had so many great gimmick changes, you could probably do him his own list

What about the greatest gimmick of them all? Michael "Vintage Mcmahon behind his ears" Cole into Michael "Flop Dolla" Cole

Am I the only one that is surprised that Simon didn’t mention Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns or John Cena? John Cena almost got fired until he started rapping on the bus and Stephanie heard him which changed his career forever. Roman almost killed his own career as the big dog and when he came back as the tribal chief, he turned into one of the best heels of all time. And Cody Rhodes had a dead-end gimmick in Stardust but left become the American nightmare and now is the biggest name in wrestling. Like I get the others 100% but these had to be an honourable mention at least.

I think American icon red and yellow Hogan switch to all black and evil Hollywood hogan was also a great character change

how tetsuya naito or kazuchika okada didn’t make this list is beyond me

what about 'Taker? Mean Mark with Paul was not really anything remarkable but then in 1990 survivor series, a Legend was born.

Clearly Leapin' Lanny Poffo becoming The Genius was the greatest gimmick change of all time. 🙄

Bret Hart in 1997- Anti American heel in the States but still the babyface abroad

Not trying to be "that guy" but although Toni is a 3-time womens champion she didn't break the record since Hikaru Shida got there first. Toni's still amazing in this gimmick, just wanna give Shida her flowers!

Roman and cody should have also been in the list i believe.. . The tribal chief and the nightmare changed the game tbh..

I do wonder if Triple H or Vince ever considered changing his name when his gimmick changed

By limiting this list to gimmick changes, while staying in the same company, there are some major ones missing, maybe next time! Natural Dustin Rhodes to Golddust Mean Mark Callous to the Undertaker Plain Ted DiBiase to the Million Dollar Man

Brey Wyatt and Kanevare my favorites

RIP bray wyatt u are missed

for it has to be 1. hbk from going to asshole to born again christian man 2. surfer sting to crow sting 3. ringmaster steve austin to stone cold steve austin, rocky Mavia to the rock, hunter hurse hemlsley to triple h, Dustin Rhodes to goldust

What about stars that had a bad gimmick in WWE/WWF and went to other promotions and won championships

Stone cold is the reason wwe still around to this day

How is Cody Rhodes not on the list? He basically had to three different gimmick changes to become the American Nightmare

Why did you forget about the dead man Undertaker you had Kane?

Yup

Hulk Hogan turning into Hollywood Hulk Hogan?

really, how many popular wrestlers didn't go through a gimmick change?? i could almost say Ray Mysterio... he did change his gimmick a bit, when he unmasked, but that certainly didn't make him a star, it brought him down if anything.. and he went back to the mask after.. so, basically no gimmick change.

John Cena belongs on this list. No gimmick change would have gotten him fired.

How is Hulk Hogan or John Cena not on this list!?

Festus to Gallows?

I can never forgive Vince/ Goldberg killing 'The Fiend' and his momentum. Let us give a temp the Title just earned by true fan favorite in seconds with a boring nothing squash because your temp refused to not win.

Not going to mention The Undertaker going from Dark and Gloomy to American Badass?

@CarlosCruz-ox9wc

21 күн бұрын

That was a huge downgrade

@All5Horizons

21 күн бұрын

Nor should he

@stlfatman

21 күн бұрын

I loved that version of Undertaker. No idea why it's so hated.

@All5Horizons

21 күн бұрын

@@stlfatman Personally, I didn't hate it at the time. I just don't think it was one of the "best" gimmick changes. I actually think he largely got away with it because his reputation was already firmly established and he probably could have done anything he wanted to. Had that been his initial gimmick in the WWE, I don't think it would have taken him that far.

Toni Storm is basically Cruella Deville and I LOVE IT!

This Has Nothing To Do With Wrestling But Hearing About these Wrestling Gimmick changes reminds me of the Time I went from the TV Show Cops and It's Adjacent spinoff Jail to Geoff Pierson TV Shows Grace Under Fire and Unhappily Ever After 30 bloody years with several other Sitcoms and Miscellaneous TV Shows In between thank you Laff TV you're the best

What about Sharkboy becoming a Stone Cold copycat

Jay lethal doing his ric flair impression is pure gold

Is Chris Jericho a joke to you? YOU JUST MADE THE LIST!!

@jsmith3946

21 күн бұрын

ya he is the guy is a hack

Batista wasn’t underrated, he was massively overrated. Just another immobile muscle guy that could NOT go, aka the Vince special. He may have had the worst looking spear I’ve ever seen. Goldberg puts him to shame.

🎉

Jericho???

Big dog to Tribal Chief

JBL

John Cena

I really like Sam but Jesus, stop the inflections

Undertakers fake brother. Good joke

Hollywood hogan 02-03 Cena

Bray wyatt first gimmick was taken from another wrestler and his heart attack was the best thing to happen to wrestling so we no longer have to watch him stink up the ring it's obvious he didn't inherit his father talent

John Cena is on the list I just can't see him

Roman?

@exilhamburger4802

21 күн бұрын

Well he did a heel turn and leaned more into his samoan heritage, but the gimmick wasn't completely different, was it!?

"Deacon" is a title related to church leaders, Batista wasn't named Deacon, that was his title

Too Bad, Lethal is a complete afterthought and joke in AEW now. Also had to laugh when you started by mentioning a Plumber, and you have the ACE Plumber of AEW, Moxley one of the biggest embarrassments in the business. One that could be added to this list in the future is Drew's transformation, his current persona has completely elevated to new levels. He's deranged, unhinged, and cutting the best promos of his career.

@stlfatman

21 күн бұрын

So AEW lives in your head rent free. Got it.

@matthewhostetter8974

21 күн бұрын

@@stlfatman Wrong snowflake but thanks for playing. Now scurry back to the basement. You need to keep hate-watching RAW.

So a quick KZread search shows that WhatCulture has done this exact topic 3 times now. Even more if you include the opposite "Worst gimmick changes" Running out of things to make lists about eh?

@stlfatman

21 күн бұрын

Cry me a river.

nah hardy boyz suck without each other. team extreme or f off

Gotta disagree on timeless toni storm, it's hammy and cringy. Totally outdated, would've been great in '95 wwf

@stlfatman

21 күн бұрын

It's one of the most over acts in wrestling today. Deal with it.

Kane is overrated

Triple H is the best heel of all time

Haven’t they done this topic already?