5 WWE Superstars who rejected character changes
WWE Superstars are much like actors in Hollywood in that they play characters on television, which may or may not be consistent with their real-life personalities. The characters portrayed on television are often a product of the company's creative team, who pitch ideas for their talented stars.
Characters in wrestling parlance are commonly grouped into a binary of heels and babyfaces. Heels generate negative crowd reactions, and babyfaces generate positive responses.
However, there have been instances where WWE Superstars have rejected pitches from the creative team to change their on-screen character.
Here, we examine and take an in-depth look at 5 WWE stars who rejected a character change from the creative team.
#5. William Regal once rejected a character change.
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Former NXT General Manager William Regal recently started a podcast of his own, The Gentleman Villain. Regal revealed a surprising revelation in the first episode.
The former ECW champion revealed that he once turned down a creative pitch that would've changed his character. A creative team member had a perplexing idea of giving an "American" touch to the British superstar's on-screen character, which naturally involved changing his accent.
Regal thought that the character change was nonsensical, so he rejected the pitch. Although the angle never materialized, it would've been intriguing to see where WWE would've gone with an American William Regal.
#4/3. The Revival (Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson)
Most WWE, and hardcore NXT fans, might recall The Revival, the extremely talented duo of Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson that brought back fond memories of old-fashioned tag-team wrestling.
While they were booked strongly on NXT, Wilder and Dawson's main roster run was underwhelming. Although they won the tag team championship on multiple occasions, they were treated like a poorly, especially during their obnoxious program with The Usos on RAW.
Before their contract expired in June 2020, there were plans for the duo to turn into a comedy act. They revealed that Vince McMahon personally proposed the changes, which would've involved a complete makeover of their characters.
The pitch involved them dressing up as clowns, and we're glad that WWE never followed through.
#2. John Cena refused to turn heel
The Leader of the Cenation has been a perennial babyface, an honorable hero and fighting warrior that young children should emulate. He did have some heelish aspects as "The Doctor of Thuganomics," but never embraced the dark side upon the birth of the Cenation.
The wrestling world clamored for a character change for John Cena, and a former writer suggested that Vince McMahon once considered turning the poster-boy heel.
While speaking on the We Watch Wrestling podcast, the former WWE creative writer Matt McCarthy revealed that the former CEO considered a heel turn for the Champ, reminiscent of that of Bret Hart.
However, the sixteen-time World Champion rejected the pitch. He didn't want a "half-baked" heel turn that Vince had planned but felt that he should become a "full-blown" heel once the change occurred.
#1. The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns doesn't want to turn face.
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Arguably the biggest star in sports entertainment today, Roman Reigns has achieved tremendous success and unparalleled dominance as The Tribal Chief, a vicious villain obsessed with seeking everyone's acknowledgment.
Before he became The Tribal Chief, Reigns was rejected as a babyface. Wrestling fans clamored for a heel turn, and Vince McMahon eventually gave in to their demands in August 2020.
However, it has always been the company's goal to make Roman Reigns the heroic poster boy for their promotion on the level of John Cena and The Rock.
But, according to the latest reports, The Tribal Chief doesn't want a character change, nor does his Special Council, Paul Heyman. This could throw a potential swerve in WWE's long-term plans for Reigns.
Given the success and heat he has garnered, The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion's decision is understandable.