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Complete Character Overhaul - Johnny Polo to Raven


Dirty Eddie

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The One Man Gang becomes Akeem.

 

Scott Hall's a good call too. Though there are strong similarities between the Diamond Stud and Razor Ramon, the initial changes from "Big" Scott Hall and "Texas Scott" to the Diamond Stud were immense visually, to such a degree that I doubt most observers would have known that they were the same person.

 

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OK, goes this one count? The rules on inclusion in this thread seem very specific,I don't know if he came up with the gimmick himself but it's a big change.

 

From doing a Little Richard gay gimmick in WCW

 

Johnny B Badd

 

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To being reinvented as a Wild Man in WWF

 

Wildman Marc Mero

 

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Thats what was great about Crush. He was always the same bloke. He was Earthquake and suddenly Golga, with no mention, for example. He was always the same bloke, just with different looks. He was Demolition Crush, went to Hawaii and came back as Kona Crush. Who THEN went to Mr. Fuji's house for curry, rice and chips and came out hating the world as Facepainted Japanese Crush. When he returned he came back as Tattoo Headed Crush, who had been out of action due to gun charges. Crush then became a biker after being kicked out of the Nation. Even when he returned as Brian Adams with Kronik, the commentators mentioned he'd previously wrestled in the WWF.

 

If they want a new WWE Film, the Life and Times of Crush would be brilliant. What a life the man led.

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He went from Vinnie Vegas to Diesel. Which may be considered a step down considering how great Double V was.

Vinnie's entrance theme was especially tremendous.

 

At first I thought this thread was supposed to be about guys who left the WWF/stepped down a level and changed gimmicks off their own backs, but if it is just about any major gimmick change then Big Josh to Doink is about as drastic as it comes. I don't think I would ever have guessed if I hadn't read it. Doink looked a lot smaller too.

 

Looks wise there obviously wasn't so much difference, but I would also argue that Shawn Michaels character overhaul at the start of 92 was pretty spectacular too.

 

There's also Dan Spivey to Waylon Mercy, Quebecer Pierre to Jean Pierre Lafitte, Fabulous One Steve Keirn to Skinner, and The Warlord to Goldberg.

 

 

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At first I thought this thread was supposed to be about guys who left the WWF/stepped down a level and changed gimmicks off their own backs, but if it is just about any major gimmick change then Big Josh to Doink is about as drastic as it comes.

 

 

That was sort of the idea, but any discussion is fine. :thumbsup:

 

I just always though it was both a genius and ballsy move on Johnny Polo's part to drop the act he'd been doing on RAW most weeks (and not try and cash in on his WWF TV time on the smaller wrestling circuits) and re-brand himself as Raven. If the gimmick had flopped on it's arse he might have had a tough time getting back into the Big Two if he was stuck doing some generic "wise ass" gimmick like he had been, while getting more injuries and drug addictions.

 

I just wish that a few of the more talented guys that WWE have dropped over the last few years were a bit more creative. I guess making money on those ex-WWE Stars tours and working smaller shows (where you clean up at the autograph booth) is a safer bet.

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I just always though it was both a genius and ballsy move on Johnny Polo's part to drop the act he'd been doing on RAW most weeks (and not try and cash in on his WWF TV time on the smaller wrestling circuits) and re-brand himself as Raven. If the gimmick had flopped on it's arse he might have had a tough time getting back into the Big Two if he was stuck doing some generic "wise ass" gimmick like he had been, while getting more injuries and drug addictions.

 

I just wish that a few of the more talented guys that WWE have dropped over the last few years were a bit more creative. I guess making money on those ex-WWE Stars tours and working smaller shows (where you clean up at the autograph booth) is a safer bet.

I agree, but it takes a lot of ability as well as a bit of 'don't give a fuck' attitude to make something like that work. Most guys don't have what it takes to convincingly reinvent themselves like that, but Raven was an extremely clever, imaginative and charismatic guy. Really, he was too good for ECW.

 

For what you were originally asking, Raven's by far the perfect example, but that's not to say he was no good under previous gimmicks. Johnny Polo was one of my favourite characters at the time, and he added so much to the whole Quebecers act. In a similar way to Alberto with Ricardo today, he's a significant part of why I loved the Quebecers so much. Similarly, even when he was pretty green as Scotty Flamingo, he could still put on good matches, like vs Pillman at Beach Blast for example, and he was a great laugh with all his shenanigans as part of the Diamond mine. That COTC boxing match with Johnny B Badd cracks me up, he was great. :)

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