The world of wrestling has provided us with some fascinating characters and even more gripping storylines over the years. Today, we’re going to look at the top five character transformations in WWE history. There’s certainly a lot to choose from, so let’s not waste any more time and get right into our first selection.
Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar is the first wrestler we are going to focus on. Now, this transformation works differently from the others we’re going to have a look at. The reason is that Brock went on to fight in the UFC and became a professional MMA fighter who operated at the highest level. Perhaps when he announced this move, people were sceptical, with MMA odds makers placing him as a ranked outsider to reach the upper echelons of the sport.
He proved the naysayers wrong though, going on to become UFC heavyweight champion in 2010. Despite only having a handful of fights, he was propelled into World Title fights due to his ability and the notoriety he gained from wrestling. Both UFC fans and wrestling fans were eager to tune in to see how he fared in professional combat, and suffice to say, he didn’t disappoint.
Stone Cold Steve Austin
The second character transformation we’ll look at is Steve Austin, famed for his signature move, The Stone Cold Stunner. Many wrestling fanatics and casual fans identify him as a bald, beer-drinking, truck-driving entertainer. However, what many people don’t realize is that this was part of a bigger transformation. Earlier on in his career, he was known as The Ringmaster. With a long, blonde mullet and high-waisted pants, Steve Austin sure did transform throughout his career.
His Ringmaster character is unknown to a lot of casual viewers and forgotten by others, after he replaced it with the iconic Stone Cold Steve Austin character. The transformation went on to do huge things for him, with Stone Cold becoming synonymous with WWE, competing in the biggest and most lucrative events. This included a huge showdown with The Rock at WrestleMania, which drew one of the highest PPV gates of all time.
John Cena
Now we’re going to take a look at another superstar who has cemented his legendary status, much like Stone Cold Steve Austin. John Cena experienced a meteoric rise in the WWE and has been the face of multiple huge PPV events. This may be partially down to the transformation he undertook a few years into his career in the WWE. Cena went from his rapping alter-ego, which did bring success and notoriety in equal measure, to a military personality.
This character propelled Cena into even more fame and popularity, and coupled with his celebrity status, it set him on a career trajectory that few wrestlers have been able to match. His crossover appeal continues to grow, and except for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Cena has gone on to have one of the most successful post-wrestling careers in the movie industry, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down any time soon.
On top of his successful post-wrestling career, he is also known for his philanthropy. Responding to more requests with the Make-A-Wish Foundation than any other celebrity, he has attended to over 650 requests and is lauded for his charity work.
Triple H
The penultimate transformation we are going to explore is that of Hunter Hearst Helmsley, better known to most as Triple H, his title after his transformation. Much like the last two wrestlers we discussed, Triple H is one of the most legendary WWE wrestlers of all time. He has been involved in the WWE for over two decades and is one of the business faces of the organization.
He now creates big storylines for future stars and steers the overall direction of the organization. In his transition from Hunter Hearst Helmsley to the iconic Triple H, he became one of the greatest villains the WWE has ever seen – arguably, the greatest villain of them all, according to some fans.
Kane
The final transformation we have for you is that of Kane. When casual fans or viewers think of Kane, they immediately associate him with a mask-wearing, vest-flaunting villain. However, apart from the fanatics, not many people will know that Kane started his successful wrestling career as Isaac Yankem DDS. During his earlier years in the WWE, he adopted the style of a plain white T-shirt and glasses, which is a far cry from the iconic look we came to associate him with at the turn of the 21st century.