This is the first Top 10 list I'm going to do and it's on a subject that I think not many people would do. Many focus on the best and worst matches/shows/gimmicks etc however I don't think people look at wrestlers who evolve and change. Now before I start I'd like to point out that evolution counts in several ways change in look, attitude, gimmick and move set. With that said lets get started.
10: Kane
Now Glen Jacobs has had many gimmicks before Kane including a dentist and Fake Diesel however it's the Kane character that's made the most impact in the business. Now when Kane debuted he wore a outfit that covered his entire body and wore mask that covered his entire face. We were told that Kane was Undertakers brother who was badly burnt in a fire as a child, hence why he covered himself up. Kane also couldn't talk which is why he was put with Paul Bearer. This worked until the Bearer character was put on the back burner and Kane was left by himself which resulted in him doing stuff and us getting no explanation. The first evolution in the character came when teaming with X-Pac, Pac trying to make Kane more human convinced him to talk which he did and then slowly he became more understandable. Soon he was talking normally and he would change his look a bit going with a tank top version of his original outfit and having some see through section which showed no burns whatsoever. The Kane character became more human except for keeping the absorbing pain thing which Taker has as well and the 'special' powers things which is pretty stupid. Soon Kane was just another part of the roster and changed his look a bit more getting a much better mask and ring gear. However this would all change when he was unmasked and was shown to be pretty normal, they explained that this was due to the fact that he imaged the fire. Kane then became crazy and focused on destroying everything and everyone, this was forgotten about when put in rivalries with mid-card guys though. Kane would switch back and forth between crazy maniac and normal guy and that's been the story through out his run, that's the main reason he's at No.10. He's changed his look a bit over the years each seeming drastic however the actual character hasn't changed all that much just back and fourth.
9: AJ Styles
AJ began in TNA as your typical high flying guy who just loved the fans, also had a bit of a generic look however he had an amazing arrange of moves. When he was put with a manager he became the cocky heel which he was really good, it added something to his character. TNA were so impressed that they put him with Vince Russo and made him World champ. This would continue until his lost the title and switched back to a face for no other reason then Jarrett wanted to be a heel champion. AJ would alter his look over the years from short to long tights and his entrance vest with big hood is a trademark. While AJ was a face he was back to his old typical character. Now AJ would grow as a character when he was a heel and put with Christian Cage, AJ would add humour to his character from time to time and would play a great heel. His current look, ripping off the Flair robe but adding a hood was a great addition and because of Flair's craziness on the mic it's forced AJ to step up his game when it comes to mic work. AJ now has a great character and a look of a true champion in this business.
8: Raven
Scott Levy is another guy who had been given a lot of gimmicks many of which have been forgotten. He first made an impression as Johnny Polo as a manager to the Quebecers, wearing odd outfits and being goofy. So image the shock when he made his debut in ECW as Raven, a very serious character who seemed to have serious peoples in his life. Raven would become a cult leader and get many followers to his group, he would also have a bit of a relaxed look as he would wrestle in jeans and a sleeveless t-shirt. The only additions Raven made during his ECW run is showing that he was really smart and cunning as well. Pretty much the exact same character went over to WCW and he was given his own group to get over the cult leader character however they added the twist that he was actually rich and was doing this because he hated having money. Raven would also become a face during his run teaming with Saturn who understood what he was going through. Near the end of his run in WCW he was put with the Dark Carnival and didn't add much to it to be honest. A more relaxed version was put into WWE, he wasn't given a group or much to do to be honest. He would change his look adding a skirt of all things and removing his t-shirt. He was removed off TV for a while and when he returned you hardly recognised him, wrestling in just black trunks, covered with a range of new tattoos and had blond hair. He would go back to the skirt when he appeared in TNA and from there he had many different additions to his look, a variety of ring jacket including a straight jacket, a range of hair colours and styles and he sometimes goes back to his old style. The character has not changed all that much but his look seems to always change these days from one appearance to another.
7: Austin Aries
Aries was just another indy guy when he appeared in ROH for the first time and he would remain just that really even until he would win the World title. There was nothing special about him that much except he was an amazing worker. He would evolve into a wrestler who wanted to prove that he was the best and when him & Roderick Strong won the Tag titles they would start wearing matching trunks when they worked. Aries would become Austin Starr when he was signed to TNA, changing his look in a major way and covering himself in stars on his now full length tights. He would also become completely self absorbed with was a great addition to the character which Austin pulled off perfectly. When he returned to ROH as Austin Aries he went back to a version of his old look, the tights has more on them and looked better, he had ever changing facial hair from a full beard to a goatee and everything in between, he would also change his hair length a lot it seemed that he was always changing his look in a small way. Aries also started adding moves to his arsenal, adding a brianbuster, a solid kick to the head when his opponent is down and the Last Chancery submission hold. Now he's changed to what fans called the 'Pornstar' look with a moustache, really colourful tights and very furry ring jackets. He would also go back to his self absorbed character which was great for him, he just got better and better in all aspects. Will be interesting to see how he changes now he's on the indies.
6: Chris Jericho
When Jericho debuted in ECW he was Lion Heart Chris Jericho, a rather plan look and a vest with a Lion on it however it wasn't about looks then and his work was more important. He would add some character and colour in WCW, he was a great heel a cocky arrogant cry baby who was obsessed with championships. He also had some of the best tights in wrestling, very unique and colourful. Jericho would continue this in WWE he just moved the look and attitude from one company to another. He would go face and add comedy, coming up with some truly hilarious insults and would also be honourable in his attitude which was a major change from his old self. This would continue into 2001 when he would become self obsessed again, it was also this time that he would add to his move set before then he would use the Lionsault and the Walls of Jericho submission but he added the Breakdown a facebuster move which was better although it was rarely used. Jericho would become more constant in ring gear when the highlight reel debuted and he had a logo to put on his tights. He would also switch back from his face self to his heel self. Jericho would also be the master of a 1000 beards have lots of different beards during his runs in WCW and WWE. He would eventually take a break from wrestling and had a whole new look when he came back, having shorter hair and focusing on breaking a code in his gear, although it was same old Jericho as a character. That would change when he would become heel, become more hateful towards the fans and putting himself over he would also wear trunks which would have the phrase save us on the back. Jericho has had many different looks over the years.
5: Undertaker
When the Undertaker debuted he had a very good look, wearing all black and having grey gloves and 'boots' he was very intimidating. He didn't speak much as had Paul Bearer to do that. He looked great however he did very little mostly choke, clothesline, performed his tight walk and Tombstone. The character would remain the same for years until the first rebirth in 94 where he changed from grey to purple and added more tattoos. He also added a chokeslam then (I believe anyways), he would also talk a bit more but it was his typical talk of his opponent being put to rest. Takers 2nd rebirth would happen in 96, going all black and having a more Gothic look in general he also lost Paul Bearer and was his own talker, again it was his usual type of promo each time. However this change had a major effect on his ring work, more wrestling holds we're put in and he could mat wrestle now. He also became a bit more human in character but not by much. The next change would not be that drastic, a slight deference in ring gear and a new robe which included a hood I think he was going with a cult leader look as it was during the Dark Ministry days. He would disappear for a while and when he came back it was a major change, it would be his American Bad Ass look. Riding on a motor bike and looking like a biker he was also a lot more human in general which was a must in my view. He would also add the Last Rites powerbomb finisher which looked devastating. Taker would then just make slight changes in ring gear and hair length, he also added MMA gloves and was a heavy striker this would remain until his final rebirth that being the mix of gimmicks. In 2004 he was the 'dead biker' having a version of his American bad ass look mixed with the dead man gimmick, mainly in his promo type and supernatural powers aspect. Taker would also add more MMA moves including his Hells Gates submission move. Taker has since just changed his ring entrance gear and not much else. Now many would believe he should be number one however his character hasn't changed that much in my view over the years to be number one but he has stayed relevant through his run.
4: Sting
Sting started in the NWA with the 'surfer' look, blond hair face paint and colourful tights matching his face paint. Sting would be the NWA's Hulk Hogan in a way, mostly character wise as he was a beefed up guy who would eventually ignore pain later on in the match. He would also be the cool guy that everyone loved and that would be his character for a long time. His 1st change was just a slight change, growing his hair out and letting it be it's natural colour was just about it. Although it wasn't a major change it was still seen as a big thing change to fans. The big change would be next, he would be away from TV and would take the crow look. Going all black and wearing black & white face paint that cover his entire face, he would also not speak and showed no emotions. This was a huge change from the original Sting we knew. This character would continue until the NWO Wolfpac was formed and he took red & black and then became a cool guy again not much of a transition but hey that was WCW, the look was awful by the way. He went back to white & black after leaving the NWO and he would also have his first true heel run with him only caring about himself and doing whatever he had to do to get and keep the world title. Sting would then be his typical self even when he started in TNA, he would change his look to a hybrid of all his looks when he won the World title for the first time in TNA but the look didn't last long. His run in the main event mafia made gave him a longer heel run where he was out for himself and didn't care about the young guys, he played it well and cut great promos. And his latest run was a bit confusing as he was talking about deception but it was a new aspect of his character, he was a guy who could see something evil was gonna happen but no one would listen. Stings changes have been legendary and he has shown a great scope of characters over the years.
3: Brian Pillman
Pillman would begin his run in the NWA as Flying Brian, a young rookie who loved wrestling and was doing high flying moves before they were popular. This in itself was a great gimmick as hardly any one else in America was doing it. Brian would change when he was put with Steve Austin to form the legendary Hollywood Blondes, he became arrogant and cocky but also was very unique when it came to look it revolved around Hollywood. He would also remove many of his high flying moves and focus more on mat wrestling. This would continue until he would leave the team and then join the 4 Horsemen, this began the transformation to the Loose Cannon. He was off the wall he did things that you really didn't see coming and people still ask if it was a work or not. This would be the character he would portray until his untimely death and boy what a character, no one has come close to copying it and no one will. Pillman was a once in a life time performer and the changes he went through showed that.
2: Jimmy Jacobs
Jacobs started his run in IWA MS with a very unique look for a guy of his size, he wore furry boots trunks that said 'HUSS' and would try to climb over the top rope every time he entered for a match. He would yell out Huss during his matches, would was the guy who thought he was bigger then he was and was also very strange in behaviour. He would have to change in order to be taken seriously and get more bookings elsewhere so he did, becoming more serious removing the huss, furry boots and having more serious ring gear. This would evolve into a cocky heel which would endlessly cheat in his matches to retain the World title, he would also wear a big fur coat to show of how important he was. He would leave IWA after losing the title and his next transformation would happen in ROH, this was his 'I Love Lacey' look which was long tights which were pink and some pink dye in his hair he would also sway back and fourth in his entrance and would show his love for Lacey through out, this would lead to some awesome moments when she started dating Colt Cabana. He then got injured and left to recovered, when he returned he would start his goth Age of the Fall look. Becoming more of a preacher for the misfits of the world and having a very dark look, he would also change his hair and facial hair a lot, he would have bits of red, to a mohawk and everything in between, he would also been clean shaven and then have a full beard. His ring gear was especially good in this stage, some of my favourites including his tights that look like he has several layers (kind of hard to explain). Jacobs also added the End Time submission to go with his back senton and Contra Code. Since the end of the Fall he's kept a similar look in ring gear but has changed physically including going blond and keeping it at one length. Jacobs has had one dramatic change after another in both look and character, we can only image how he may change in the future.
1: Chris Hero
Hero started in IWA as a chubby guy who wore lose jeans and t-shirts for his matches, however the matches were great and he was a great worker. Not much character wise but back then it didn't really matter that much unless you were in one company for a long time. As he got in better shape he would wear actual wrestling gear, proper wrestling tights and a sleeveless shirt. This was his first true character he began using the kravate hold a lot and using it in a variety of ways, this was done in one of 2 ways as a heel the fans would be him as he would use them a lot and as a face the fans would cheer for him locking it on. It was great he also showed 2 different characters as a heel he was cocky and claimed to be the best in the world and as a face he wanted to prove that he was one of the best in the world. When he finished that saga the next character would come out, that being the over confidance show boater. During his matches he would include unnecessary flips to almost everything he did (check out his U Don't Know music video on Youtube) and would waste time in matches just doing training drills instead of wrestling. This would continue for a while but soon we would see his latest and maybe his greatest form, he became that Young Knockout Kid'. He started wearing just normal trunks with a little style on it and started throwing a lot more strikes which all sound nasty and could end a match in a second. Again you got 2 versions of this, as a heel he would throw so many the fans would get annoyed and as a face he would only throw one or two and that would end the match. Hero has added so much to his arsenal that it would take forever to list it, he still wants to prove that he's one of the best in the world and in my view he is. He has also promo skills and is an amazing worker. Now people may stay he over uses the strike and if you think that then check out his work in PWG where he hardly throw them that's how good he is. In my view he is the best evolver in wrestling today.
So there you have it, this may be long but if you've read it then thanks for reading it. And let me know what you think.
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