5 WWE Superstars who need a change of character
When a WWE Superstar becomes stagnant, a character update or shift is usually the best move. Roman Reigns struggled to get over as the never-say-die babyface. However, he found much more success once he turned heel and adopted The Tribal Chief persona.
An "update" or character shift for a wrestler can happen in a few ways. The easiest is a face or heel turn. Becky Lynch is great at what she does, and the fans love her for it. Due to this, The Man persona returned following her SummerSlam loss to Bianca Belair.
Another way to freshen up a performer is to give them a new aspect of their character. It could be a new gear or new moves. The star could also adopt a different identity, as Bray Wyatt and Alexa Bliss did. While these are two extreme examples, Baron Corbin's change to Happy Corbin was milder.
Happy Corbin is in the driver's seat.
Can @KingRicochet fight back?
#SmackDown https://t.co/jBEPGlAUgC
He's excellent at being a heel, but he needed something different after losing his crown. There are always a handful of WWE stars that could use a change or an update to their character. Here are five current stars who would benefit from such a shift.
#5 Mustafa Ali could be reborn in NXT
Mustafa Ali has had a strange tenure in WWE. He was first a stalwart of 205 Live before joining SmackDown. But his smaller size reportedly held him back due to perceptions of what top stars should look like, according to those in charge.
He has displayed the charisma to be a face or a heel as the leader of Retribution. While that faction was doomed from the start due to unfavorable booking, Ali still tried hard to make it work.
The easiest change or update for Ali could be to have him go to NXT. Many younger stars like Axiom and Nathan Frazer could learn from him. He could lead his group or form a tag team like Mandy Rose. Ali will have a chance to show a smaller audience the nuances of why he's been misused in the past.
#4 Shotzi should go back to her face character from NXT
BRING BACK BABYFACE SHOTZI BLACKHEART @TripleH https://t.co/G9Q0MgrL5K
This could still change with Triple H now in charge of WWE creative. What made Shotzi so effective in NXT was that she was a beloved face. She rode a tank to the ring and wasn't afraid to take bumps.
Her fearlessness and willingness to take risks might be dangerous, but her attitude and moveset are better suited for a face. Unlike a heel, she's even smiling on the WWE.com Superstars' page.
While she can pull off being a heel, her look and style are a better fit for a good guy/anti-hero.
#3 Raquel Rodriguez should be a monster heel in WWE
Things are picking up between @RaquelWWE and #Shotzi! #SmackDown https://t.co/ivqQbDGoaZ
On the flip side of Shotzi, Raquel Rodriguez needs to switch to being a heel. It's how she had her success in NXT, winning the women's championship from Iyo Sky. Even when she turned face, she wasn't always smiling as she does now on the main roster.
Like Shotzi's bio on WWE.com, Rodriguez is the opposite of what her character portrays on SmackDown. She could randomly attack and bully the other women on the blue brand. The former NXT Women's Champ is bigger than everyone, so it would be easy to book.
Another thing that could be toned down is the obsession with the back pose. While adding something to her character is fine, those who didn't watch NXT are probably confused by that move. With these two tweaks, WWE could have a new monster heel in its women's division.
#2 Dominik Mysterio needs to break away from his father
Many of the children of pro wrestlers are booked similarly to their famous parents. Charlotte Flair has borrowed almost all of her character from her father's persona. Natalya has also been the same character for the duration of her career.
One legacy performer in WWE that drastically needs a character shift is Dominik Mysterio. He's still young but has mostly been presented as Rey's son. He has in-ring skills, but his character is still in the shadow of his famous father.
Dominik needs an edge to forge his own identity. A change could still happen if he joins Judgment Day. He might not be the best in promos yet but has enough charisma to make a heel/character turn work. Another change could be to wear a dark mask in contrast to his father.
#1 Charlotte Flair has played the same character since her debut
Some characters can work for a while, but when it's the only character they play, that star can get stagnant. The Undertaker played the Prince of Darkness for a long time. He did, however, adopt different personas like the American Badass and the leader of the Ministry of Darkness.
Flair has been The Queen throughout her main-roster tenure in WWE. She's used many of Ric Flair's quirks (theme song, robe, figure eight variant) in her persona but hasn't grown much as a character.
Instead of pushing her towards championships, WWE should have her go on a losing streak. Flair could learn from those losses and become more interesting. Becky Lynch recently did this, leading to a well-received face turn. It would add a much-needed layer to a performer who is mainly known for consistently winning.