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Aside from promo skills and in-ring prowess, a WWE Superstar's overall look is one of the most integral aspects of establishing a character.
The legendary Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair's hairstyles were a major part of their on-screen personas. While many trends in the wrestling entertainment industry have faded over the years, the importance of hairdos is not forgotten to this day.
For instance, WWE SmackDown Women's Champion Bianca Belair's iconic braid defines her character and makes her stand out from the rest of the roster. Viewers often get accustomed to seeing popular superstars with their unique hairstyles. As a result, it can be quite surprising to come across old photos and clips of performers donning different hairdos.
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With that in mind, here are five such WWE Superstars who look almost unrecognizable with different hairstyles:
Corey Graves deleted his Tweet! More details HERE.
#5 WWE RAW Superstar Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy's tattooed-up, long-haired appearance paired with a unique facepaint has become an iconic look throughout his decades-long career. However, he didn't always portray The Charismatic Enigma.
The risk-taking daredevil had short, blonde hair at one point in time. Check out how different Hardy looked in his rare high school prom photo:
It's also worth noting that Jeff Hardy sported relatively short hair for some time back during his TNA stint. But his high school prom picture stands out the most compared to his current look.
At the moment, The Charismatic Enigma isn't involved in a top feud on WWE RAW, yet his fan following remains significant. As a 43-year-old veteran, Jeff Hardy still performs frequently inside the squared circle.
While he has already accomplished a lot in WWE, fans wouldn't mind if Hardy embarked on one last world title run before retirement.
#4 WWE RAW Women's Champion Rhea Ripley
Australian WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley is currently at the top of the mountain on Monday Night RAW. She won the RAW Women's Championship at this year's WrestleMania event and is slated to defend the title against Charlotte Flair at Money in the Bank.
Known for her punk and goth-inspired look, Ripley wasn't always "The Nightmare" in WWE. Back when she competed in the inaugural Mae Young Classic, she looked like a traditional babyface. She had long hair at the time, but the former NXT Women's Champion's appearance gradually changed to suit her aggressive persona.
Check out a side-by-side comparison between the current Rhea Ripley and her photo from several years ago:
Fans who have solely followed Ripley's main roster run may find her almost unrecognizable in the picture on the right.
Despite the drastic change in appearance, she is only 24 years of age at the moment. This makes Rhea Ripley one of the youngest women's champions in WWE history.
#3 WWE RAW Superstar Kofi Kingston
Kofi Kingston signed with WWE way back in 2006, but his career has only picked up major steam in the last few years. He won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35 in a top-tier underdog moment.
Right now, Kingston is preparing to face Bobby Lashley at this year's Money in the Bank pay-per-view, where he will have another shot at the prestigious WWE title.
Before joining Vince McMahon's company, he made his official pro wrestling debut for the Chaotic Wrestling promotion in 2006. You can watch one of his rare promos from Chaotic Wrestling in the YouTube video posted above.
Kingston didn't sport blonde dreadlocks back then. Check out how different he looked in 2006 compared to today:
Most fans view Kofi Kingston as one of the most relatable heroes in WWE, thanks to his affiliation with The New Day.
Interestingly, he portrayed a villainous character in Chaotic Wrestling, which proves that there is enough potential to turn him heel in the future.
#2 WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns is currently a top antagonist in WWE. Since August 30, 2020, his Universal Championship run has attracted a lot of attention. Having recently completed 300 days as the Universal Champion, Reigns now looks forward to retaining the title against Edge at July's Money in the Bank event.
Roman Reigns has sported a long-haired look throughout his WWE career. While there are old pictures of Reigns (real name — Leati Joseph Anoa'i) with short hair, he looks almost unrecognizable in his high school yearbook photo:
In 2021, he looks as though he has been through several wars, which is why it's quite bizarre to see the above comparison.
Many WWE fans have heard Reigns' real name being mentioned on television in the past. The man himself addressed the WWE Universe as Joe Anoa'i back in October 2018, publicly revealing his battle with leukemia.
It's been amazing to witness how far he has come since then, both on and off the screen.
#1 WWE RAW Superstar Asuka
Aside from the Four Horsewomen (Bayley, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Sasha Banks), Asuka has been a major female player on WWE's main roster in recent years.
Before signing with the company in 2015, she wrestled around the Japanese and American independent circuits under the name — Kana.
The former women's champion has always had a vibrant hairstyle. Several years ago, she sported a ponytail inside the squared circle:
As you can see above, the 39-year-old star has undergone a drastic change in appearance over time.
Interestingly, Asuka owns a hair salon in Japan called "Another Heaven," which is located in the city of Yokohama. Her expertise in this department explains why the WWE Superstar has sported a few bold hairdos throughout her career.
Asuka had a lengthy RAW Women's Championship reign during the pandemic, which eventually ended on the second night of WrestleMania 37.
She is currently preparing for the Women's Money in the Bank ladder match in hopes of entering the top title picture once again.
