Wrestling's Greatest Gimmick Changes
Some wrestlers latch onto the perfect gimmick early in their careers, while many more switch it up on their quest to find the one persona that wins fans over. Here's our take on the most shocking, impactful and all-around best gimmick changes in wrestling history.
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By Aubrey Sitterson June 9, 2010 |
Goldust
With his long blond wig, face paint and strange attire, it’s no wonder that Goldust is known as "The Bizarre One." But the flamboyant transvestite actually began his career as Dustin Rhodes, utilizing the ring-name of his father, the legendary Dusty Rhodes.
After leaving WCW, Rhodes was repackaged in the WWE as the villainous Goldust, whose inappropriate sexual contact with other wrestlers was enough to give even the most lenient HR representative a conniption fit. This new gimmick of a movie-obsessed, cross-dressing competitor slithered its way into the hearts of wrestling fans, as Goldust fought his way to numerous title runs.
Though he would revert back to his more realistic "Dustin Rhodes" persona numerous times over the course of his career, it was the shocking appearance and boundary-pushing behavior of Goldust that brought him the most fame and success. So much so that when wrestling for TNA, he adopted a darker, more twisted version of the gimmick, going by the name of "Black Reign."
