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very once in a while, a WWE Superstar freshens up their persona by turning babyface/heel or by changing their entire gimmick to portray a totally different character.
In 2018, for example, one of the biggest changes came late in the year when Daniel Bryan stopped being the crowd-pleasing “Leader of the Yes Movement” and became a villainous WWE Champion who preached about the environment and tried to make fans feel guilty for their daily actions.
In 2019, the WWE roster is stacked with more Superstars than at any time in the company’s history, so it is no surprise that the number of gimmick changes has also increased over the last seven months.
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Liv Morgan is the latest Superstar to tease a change to her character, having recently promised to “be real” the next time fans see her, but what chance does the former Riott Squad member have of succeeding with a new gimmick on the main roster?
In this article, let’s take a look at five WWE gimmick changes that have taken place in 2019 to find out whether these recent alterations have proven to be worth it.
#5 Rowan
What was Rowan’s previous WWE gimmick?
Formerly a member of The Wyatt Family, Rowan was repackaged in late 2017 as one-half of the destructive Bludgeon Brothers. He and Harper went on an undefeated streak and won the SmackDown Tag Team titles at WrestleMania 34.
What is Rowan’s new WWE gimmick?
In January 2019, Rowan returned from a bicep injury at the Royal Rumble. Much to everybody’s surprise, he helped Daniel Bryan retain the WWE Championship against AJ Styles and it was later revealed that Bray Wyatt’s former ally cares deeply about the environment and that Bryan considers him an “intellectual equal”.
Was the change worth it?
Absolutely! Granted, this eco-friendly storyline has been less about Rowan and more about Bryan, but “Big Red” still played a part in the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 35 and went on to become a SmackDown Tag Team Champion with Bryan, making him more relevant than he has been in years.
#4 Bray Wyatt
What was Bray Wyatt’s previous WWE gimmick?
From 2012-2018, Bray Wyatt portrayed a villainous cult leader who would often watch on as various members of his Wyatt Family – Luke Harper, Erick Rowan, Braun Strowman and Randy Orton – worked alongside him and carried out his orders.
What is Bray Wyatt’s new WWE gimmick?
After a short babyface run with Matt Hardy in 2018, Wyatt was absent from WWE television for eight months before returning in April 2019 as the host of ‘Firefly Fun House’. The former WWE Champion now has a split personality, which sees him appear as himself in the ‘Fun House’ and as “The Fiend” – a villain who wears a horror mask – in the ring.
Was the change worth it?
Not only has Wyatt been the most entertaining part of WWE programming over the last three months, but the first in-ring appearance from “The Fiend”, in which he attacked Finn Balor on Raw, surpassed expectations. Long-term, it will be interesting to see how often “The Fiend” competes. Right now, this gimmick change has definitely been worth it.
#3 Robert Roode
What was Robert Roode’s previous WWE gimmick?
Well, it was Bobby Roode! Despite boasting about how “glorious” he is, the former NXT Champion played a good guy on the main roster from the time of his call-up (August 2017) until his tag-team break-up from Chad Gable (April 2019).
What is Robert Roode’s new WWE gimmick?
After WrestleMania 35, Bobby Roode turned into Robert Roode and became a heel singles competitor on Raw. More importantly, perhaps, he ditched his usual bearded look and decided to sport a moustache.
Was the change worth it?
Sadly, no. Within six weeks, Roode grew back the beard and he disappeared from WWE’s main-roster programming, which is a shame because the moustache gimmick and name change definitely got the WWE Universe talking and it looked as though he could have been in line for a renewed push. Nowadays, most of his televised matches take place on Main Event.
#2 Cesaro
What was Cesaro’s previous WWE gimmick?
From September 2016 to April 2019, Cesaro teamed with Sheamus as part of The Bar. Although the five-time Tag Team Champions were a serious duo at the start, they were involved in lots of comedy matches and segments in 2018-2019, notably when they lost against Braun Strowman and 10-year-old Nicholas at WrestleMania 34.
What is Cesaro’s new WWE gimmick?
Cesaro is a singles competitor who appears to be more focused and determined than ever. With new music and attire, the comedy matches are over and “The Swiss Cyborg” has been given opportunities over the last few months to do what he does best, and that’s wrestle.
Was the change worth it?
The answer to this would have to be 50/50. Cesaro has featured prominently as a singles competitor recently, but it is worth remembering that he appeared on TV just as much as a tag-team competitor with Sheamus. The new ‘wrestler’ gimmick has resulted in better matches but, at this stage, it seems unlikely that it will push him any higher up the card.
#1 Kevin Owens
What was Kevin Owens’ previous WWE gimmick?
Kevin Owens turned heel during his first show on WWE television, NXT TakeOver: R Evolution (December 2014). From then on, he played various different roles, including “The Prizefighter” and “The Face of America”, with the one constant being that he was always the bad guy.
What is Kevin Owens’ new WWE gimmick?
Owens returned in February 2019 as a good guy who used the Stone Cold Stunner as his finisher and aspired to be the WWE Champion. The new gimmick was short-lived, however, as he turned heel again two months later. Now, in a surprising twist, the babyface character has been revived in recent weeks and Owens is involved in a rivalry with ultimate heel Shane McMahon.
Was the change worth it?
Definitely. Owens stagnated as a heel over the last two years and it was about time that he showed fans what he can do as a babyface. The manner of the stop-start face turn left a lot to be desired, but at least the future is looking bright for one of WWE’s best entertainers.
