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Post by karl100589 on Sept 19, 2021 13:17:45 GMT -5
Bradshaw to JBL. Wasn't watching when the transition happened, and when I was made aware that some new guy called JBL was champion, I'd no idea it was actually f***ing Bradshaw from the APA for the longest time. There was a brief period where short haired blonde Bradshaw was in the APA but hadn't fully yet become JBL, so it wasn't as jarring for regular viewers.
Making him an immediate main event heel was the jarring element of his transition.
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Post by ThankGodForSidJustice on Sept 19, 2021 13:35:49 GMT -5
Dustin Rhodes when he became Goldust. Granted I was only six at the time but even if was older I don't know if would've recognized him. It was such a completely different character and he even sounded different on interviews. I remember being shocked when my Dad told me who he was. Papa Shango and Kama was another one he clued me in on that I didn't recognized. Looking back it's kind of obvious with both having their arms covered with tattoos which wasn't common place at all back then. However I guess having hair and no face pain threw me off.
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Post by Main Eventer on Sept 19, 2021 13:41:21 GMT -5
Garrison Cade to Lance Cade
I was a kinda dumb kid...
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2021 13:45:04 GMT -5
Dustin Rhodes when he became Goldust. Granted I was only six at the time but even if was older I don't know if would've recognized him. It was such a completely different character and he even sounded different on interviews. I remember being shocked when my Dad told me who he was. Papa Shango and Kama was another one he clued me in on that I didn't recognized. Looking back it's kind of obvious with both having their arms covered with tattoos which wasn't common place at all back then. However I guess having hair and no face pain threw me off. I thought Golddust was Phantasmo with a different gimmick. Both were tall with face paint, that used theatrics.
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Post by CeilingFan on Sept 19, 2021 13:46:13 GMT -5
I actually thought the Diamond Studd was a new wrestler. Scott Hall did a tremendous makeover!
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Post by Viking Hall on Sept 19, 2021 14:09:48 GMT -5
It'll never not blow my mind that the guy in the first photo is the same person who's on the left in the second.
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Post by David-Arquette was in WCW 2000 on Sept 19, 2021 15:14:28 GMT -5
The weird thing about the Steiner change, is was that it was more gradual than people realized. Scott was getting extremely jacked starting around '96. He had even cut the mullet and grown the goatee while being managed by Ted DiBiase. Still...you put a 1990 pic of Scott next to the 2000 Scott ... Yes, the match at Superbrawl where he turned on Rick, he was massive. Scott said in an interview he was actually heavier and bigger around 97-early 98, but he cleaned up his diet (and no doubt upped his gear) and lowered his body fat. However, still a massive transformation. Not unlike Sting's, combining both a change in look and personality.
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Post by James Fabiano on Sept 19, 2021 15:23:41 GMT -5
Scott Steiner is probably the gold standard.
As for my pick, look at my avatar.
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Post by sungod2020 on Sept 19, 2021 16:37:11 GMT -5
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Post by Can you afford to pay me, Gah on Sept 19, 2021 18:18:27 GMT -5
Wasn't in the internet back then due to being a kid, but I was shocked to learned that Golga was Earthquake. He lost a lot of weight since his earlier days, though I think he was losing some towards the end of his WCW run but with him being off TV for a while I didn't see it. But I thought Golga was easy simply because he did the sit down splash. Also he had a black wrap on his left arm which I assumed was to hide his tattoo if it became exposed. I figured it out quickly because his moveset didn't change. I agree if I didn't watch wrestling for a period of time I would thought that about Sting but I was hardcore into wrestling.
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Post by jason1980s on Sept 19, 2021 19:21:54 GMT -5
If it wasn't for the all mighty internet, I would've never guessed Kevin Thorn previously wrestled as Mordechai I had no idea who Mordecai was when he debuted but he wasn't a former WWF wrestler. Some guy on a message board kept asking "is Mordecai 'Gangrael?'" and it used to annoy me so greatly. He kept up the gimmick of asking for quite some time.
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Post by BorneAgain on Sept 19, 2021 19:40:06 GMT -5
Not exactly a case of gimmick, but Hogan in the Assault on Devil's Island film just feels like a different guy:
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Post by Tiger Millionaire on Sept 19, 2021 19:41:56 GMT -5
Superstar Graham to Karate Guy Graham.
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Post by "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik on Sept 19, 2021 20:03:25 GMT -5
I had no idea Johnny Stamboli was Rellik (that's Killer spelled backwards) until years later.
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Post by Hypnosis on Sept 19, 2021 20:07:00 GMT -5
Not exactly a case of gimmick, but Hogan in the Assault on Devil's Island film just feels like a different guy: "I was gonna be Nicolas Cage's stunt double in Con Air, brother!"
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Post by glorious83 on Sept 19, 2021 20:11:01 GMT -5
Honestly, Goldust. I hadn't been seeing a lot of WCW around that time but I did see him wrestle on TV a few time so I knew who he was, but it just didn't 'click' when I first saw Goldust. I had seen WCW a lot in the early 90s and still didn’t pick up that Golddust was Dustin until a good amount into his WWF run.
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Post by Psicofreak667 on Sept 19, 2021 20:30:51 GMT -5
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Timeless Hayterade
Dennis Stamp
Rhea's the Tribal Chief now. ACKNOWLEDGE MAMI!
Posts: 4,667
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Post by Timeless Hayterade on Sept 19, 2021 20:31:36 GMT -5
On the ladies side, when Daffney went from gothic Scream Queen to her portrayal of Sarah Palin. I had no idea it was her at first.
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Cranjis McBasketball
Crow T. Robot
Knew what the hell that thing was supposed to be
Peace Love and Nothing But
Posts: 41,868
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Post by Cranjis McBasketball on Sept 19, 2021 20:36:26 GMT -5
I didn't recognize a lot of guys, but a few of these are bordering on "I had no idea Alexander Rusev and Rusev were the same guy!"
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Post by Some Baritone guy IS REDEEMED! on Sept 19, 2021 20:42:26 GMT -5
Luke Gallows from being Festus. It was weird because I was just thinking about "You know, I wonder what ever happened to Festus" and then they literally announce "This guy used to be Festus." and I'm like... "Well that was spooky as f***ing shit".
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