5 Strange WWE gimmicks that actually worked 

#3. John Cena

John Cena is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, but his WWE career was in jeopardy towards the end of his first year on the main roster. Cena hadn't really connected with the fans, but showed his potential whilst rapping on a tour bus and impressing Stephanie McMahon.

Stephanie wanted Cena to incorporate his lyrical abilities into his character. It was a long shot, but somehow Cena managed to make it work. Cena would come to the ring wearing a padlock necklace and rap about his opponents ahead of their matches.

Cena had little to lose, as his run on SmackDown prior to the gimmick had been forgettable at best. It has even been suggested that Cena was on the verge of being fired by WWE had the rap gimmick not come along. That being said, Cena excelled in his new role, starring as one of the most entertaining parts of the show on a weekly basis. Of course, Cena has since become one of the biggest names in the history of WWE.

Cena has evolved his character over the years since his "Doctor of Thugonomics" character . Cena moved on to become the leader of the Cenation which seems to be much closer to his real-life self.