Most Character Changes in Wrestling?

[FromGlasgow]

Which wrestler has played the most varied characters or gimmicks.
Ones I can think of are...

The Godfather/ The Goodfather/ Kama Mustafa/ The Soulataker/ Papa Shango

Brutus Beefcake has had the most actual name changes that I can think of playing The Barber/ The Butcher/ The Zodiac/ The man with no name/ The Disciple/ The Bootyman with loads of others.

Barry Darsow/ Krusher Khruschev/ Repo Man/ The Blacktop Bully/ Smash

In my opinion Eric Young has played the most varied playing the anti american with team canada, The don't fire Eric, Then a superhero Super Eric, Then Leader of World elite to leader of the new wolfpac type group, Then playing Insane, Then playing Gay, Then playing a knockout winning female tag titles, Then Being a more straight character to win world title and now turning heel again, The name didn't change but he had such varied gimmicks and has played them all well.

I know others like Mick Foley, Kane and Crush have had a few, Anyone else have more changes than the ones I have mentioned?

 

[Wrestlingaholic]

Glen Jacobs is an interesting one. Never really found his niche until Kane.

Started out (I think) as the Unabomber in USWA or Smoky Mountain, then changed to someone else, then called up to the main ranks as Isaac Yankem, then fake Diesel, and finally Kane.

From there, the Kane character hasn't so much been developed as downright changed - a scarred fire victim with damaged vocal chords, first he learns to speak perfectly without strain, then he unmasks to show absolutely no sign of scarring, later he becomes Corporate Kane, all the while only a storyline away from being the masked demon again...

Also Kevin Nash: Oz, a Master Blaster, Vinnie Vegas, Diesel and finally simply Kevin Nash

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Surely Matt Bloom has gone through more changes than most of his peers?

Prince Albert
Albert
Albert The Hip Hop Hippo
A-Train
Lord Tensai
Tensai
Sweet T
Jason Albert

To be fair to the guy, he's had some terrible gimmicks dumped on him over the years! From a piercing-obsessed weirdo (named after a genital piercing!) to a character who was over due to having a hairy back (SHAVE YOUR BACK!) to playing a fake japanese character as well as 2 seperate white-guy dancer style personas, I think he's played most of them well.

To be NXT Head Trainer shows how WWE respect the guys talent. I most enjoyed his work as A-Train, when he was more of a serious ass-kicker, but his time as plain old Albert in T&A and X-Factor was pretty good too.

 

[TheICChampion]

What about 'Taker?

The Punisher
Mean Mark Callous
Cain The Undertaker
The Undertaker

Quite a few character changes, no? Plus there may be more that I could be missing.

 

[Goldie]

Fred Ottman had quite a few:

Typhoon/ Tugboat/ Tugboat Thomas/Tugboat Tyler/ Big Bubba/ Bubba the Belt Collector/US Steel/Big Steel Man/The Shockmaster/ Super Shockmaster

 

[enviousdominous]

Hey everyone LOOK! It's the US EXPRESS!!

Spoiler

They're on their way to the ring to take on the NWA Tag Team Champions, THE VARSITY CLUB!! Captain Mike looks ready as ever for this challenge!

Spoiler

For this contest our special guest referee will be another captain, except he's the captain of a BOAT! Captain Mike Rotunda!

Spoiler

Folks we have to take a quick commercial break! And now a word from our sponser, Michael Wallstreet.

Spoiler

He would like to inform you that Wallstreet inc. has recently merged with Money Inc.

Spoiler

 

[enviousdominous]

And now, for a commercial break.

Badstreet, from the stable called Badstreet is here to tell us not to litter. Give a hoot! The more you know!

Spoiler

Hey kids, tune in this Saturday morning for the season premier of ARACHNAMAN!!

Spoiler

Watch as he teams up with his trusty sidekick, B.A.

Spoiler

To thwart the evil plans of the nefarious Buzzkill

Spoiler

 

[enviousdominous]

My GOD! This is absolute chaos! There is a rabid Leprechaun on the loose people!

Spoiler

Quick! Get on your ham radio and send out an sos to the state patrol!

Spoiler

Oh no! The leprechaun ate the state patrol, and the entire state along with them! Call in the National Guard!

Spoiler

Crap, they're drunk. I did not like this apocalypse at all!

 

[FromGlasgow]

Thanks for all the suggestions and a few mentioned that I had forgotten about having so many characters, I had no idea Sarge previously wrestled as a leprechaun.

 

[TDFG]

Dennis Knight started his career as Leather-Face.

He quickly became Tex Slazenger & partnered Shanghai Pearce in WCW as The Texans (???).

After a horrible stint there he became a hog-farmer known as Phineas Godwinn, who partnered Henry Godwinn (Shanghai Pearce).

They then went on to become Southern Justice before Canterbury retired.

Knight then went on to become Mideon and join the Undertakers Ministry.

His last stint in WWE was as Naked Mideon.

 

[TDFG]

Kevin Nash.

As a child I remember Nash debuting as one half of the Master Blasters in WCW, this big bad tag-team was being built as the threats to the likes of Doom, Steiner Bros etc. But they failed....horribly.

Nash then became Oz, no idea what the heck was going on there but again this failed horribly and then some wise guy decided to create Vinnie Vegas, he ended up in a group with DDP and Scott Hall.

He left WCW and became Diesel in WWE, tag-champ with HBK and of course went on to win the World Title in record time against Bob Backlund.

After the MSG incident he went back to WCW under his real name and was part of the famous NWO.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Kevin Nash.

As a child I remember Nash debuting as one half of the Master Blasters in WCW, this big bad tag-team was being built as the threats to the likes of Doom, Steiner Bros etc. But they failed....horribly.

Nash then became Oz, no idea what the heck was going on there but again this failed horribly and then some wise guy decided to create Vinnie Vegas, he ended up in a group with DDP and Scott Hall.

He left WCW and became Diesel in WWE, tag-champ with HBK and of course went on to win the World Title in record time against Bob Backlund.

After the MSG incident he went back to WCW under his real name and was part of the famous NWO.

Nash is a very good pick. Is there any other wrestler who was stuck with as many terrible gimmicks before going on to become such a big star? Off the top of my head I can't think of any?

It shows just how much a REALLY bad gimmick can hold back a performer. Yes, it's true that talent can shine through no matter what (on occasion), but without being able to show his true self through the "Diesel" persona and being regular "Kevin Nash", would we have seen him at the top of the card? I doubt it! Oz as WCW World Champion?? Naaaaaahhhh