Matt Riddle, The Dark Order and 6 WWE and AEW Stars in Need of a Reboot

In many ways, pro wrestling is the most unique form of entertainment on the planet. It combines comedy, drama, action, tragedy and even music into one big colorful show.

One of the other ways this business is unique is that it allows wrestlers to change their character when things get old. Sometimes it's a minor change, like the design of their gear or a new entrance song, but people have also undergone complete character overhauls.

One of the most famous character reboots in wrestling history is that of Kane. Before he was The Big Red Monster, he was a demented dentist working as an ally of Jerry Lawler. Needless to say, becoming The Undertaker's brother was a massive upgrade.

Right now, several people in both WWE and All Elite Wrestling would benefit from being able to make anything from a minor change to a complete overhaul of their gimmick.

Let's take a look at who needs their character to be refreshed in 2023.

Matt Riddle

Matt Riddle is one of the most divisive people on the WWE roster. A lot of people like him, but those who don't are very vocal about their feelings.

His stoner humor can often be sophomoric, but when he allows himself to take a feud seriously, he is much easier to handle.

Riddle is somebody who needs to make some tweaks to his overall personality if he hopes to be a top star in WWE. He might be popular with some fans, but it's unlikely he will ever win a world title while making 420 jokes. You have to be RVD to get away with that.

Having him continue to be a fun-loving guy while dropping most of the marijuana references from his character would be all he'd need to do to earn some new supporters.

Oh, and he needs to get rid of that weird snake graphic, too. Unless he is teaming up with Randy Orton, it makes no sense.

Angelico

When AEW first launched, one of the duos that helped make up the tag team division was The Hybrid2 with Angelico and Jack Evans.

Evans is no longer part of the company, so Angelico has been all but forgotten about until he recently formed a new trio with Serpentico and Luther.

His lack of success in AEW is not indicative of his skill. In fact, Angelico is one of the best technical wrestlers on the roster. At the least, he should be used to make other people on TV look good, not relegated to Dark and Elevation.

A complete repackage might be the best thing for him at this point. New gear, a new look and new music would give him a fresh start and give him a better chance to succeed as a singles star.

While teaming with Luther and Serpentico will give him something to do, it's not going to get him a title because Chaos Project has never been a priority to feature on television.

If AEW put some effort behind his push and gave him a few matches against other technical wizards like Bryan Danielson or Daniel Garcia, the former AAA tag team champion could become very valuable.

Tommaso Ciampa

Tommaso Ciampa is sidelined with an injury, but when he returns, he needs to ditch what he was doing before.

In NXT, he was one of the most beloved Superstars in the locker room. On the main roster, he ended up playing The Miz's lackey. It was so confusing to see him playing second fiddle to the kind of guy he would have hated in NXT.

The good news is Ciampa doesn't need to change much. As long as he drops the neon-green gear and returns to being the same badass he was a couple of years ago, he will be just fine.

A lot of people would be excited to see a DIY reunion with Johnny Gargano on the main roster, and with the tag team division needing some fresh blood, it might be the best thing WWE could do for both him and Johnny Wrestling.

Lee Moriarty

Lee Moriarty might be one of the best young prospects in all of pro wrestling, but something about his current run in AEW just isn't working.

It might have something to do with him being part of The Firm, which is more dedicated to the Ethan Page and Matt Hardy storyline than anything else.

Having Stokely Hathaway as a manager is great, but it's only going to help if Moriarty is given something to do. Other than a few matches with Big Bill Morrissey as his partner, it feels like he hasn't done much in the past few months.

Jumping ship from The Firm to The Blackpool Combat Club is probably the best possible thing that could happen for the 28-year-old.

Not only would he benefit from being associated with Jon Moxley and Danielson, but he could also form a tag team with Wheeler Yuta or a trio with him and Claudio Castagnoli.

Moriarty is someone who could be a major player in AEW in a couple of years if he is allowed to shine.

Dana Brooke

Few people in WWE need a fresh start more than Dana Brooke. The problem is figuring out what that would look like.

Brooke has been with the company for several years and has only ever found success in the now-defunct 24/7 Championship. After she lost the title to Nikki Cross, it was thrown in the trash and hasn't been seen since.

For some reason, WWE has never portrayed her as a powerhouse despite her history as a bodybuilder. That might be the key to making her character work.

Brooke has never had much character development from the creative team. With a bit of work and the right gimmick, the former Arnold Classic competitor could be much more valuable than she is right now.

Finding a tag team partner to pursue the titles held by Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky of Damage CTRL would be a good start.

The Dark Order

The Dark Order have been with AEW since the start and have undergone many changes. The group has seen members come and go, but the three who have been the most consistent are Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds and John Silver.

While the stable had a good run with Brodie Lee as its leader, it has since fallen to the wayside. We usually only see the group on Dark or Elevation most weeks, if at all.

Those three men should be in contention for the trios titles right now. If AEW put some effort behind The Dark Order again, Silver could become a breakout success.

It's hard to say what needs to change about the group to give them a fresh start, but something needs to be done because their current path obviously isn't taking them in the right direction.

Robert Roode

Robert Roode has been out of action with an injury for some time, but when he returns, he needs to make some changes to his presentation.

His time with Dolph Ziggler as The Dirty Dawgs didn't lead to much success, but his skills were still being displayed on a regular basis.

The best change he could make at this point would be to return to the Glorious Bobby Roode character he was in NXT and when he first arrived on the main roster.

His theme song was epic, his robes always looked great, and he seemed to be more comfortable playing that kind of cocky heel.

Even as a babyface, The Glorious One would work. If Triple H wants to push him the way he did in NXT, then Roode needs to return to his roots and embrace what made him popular with the WWE Universe in the first place.

Brian Pillman Jr.

Being a multi-generational star in this business always comes with added pressure. Having that connection will open some doors, but it also sets unfair expectations sometimes, especially if that person comes from a legendary family.

A lot of people end up emulating their parents, and it's even more common if they were big names in the industry. Charlotte uses Ric Flair's signature robes and catchphrases, Bron Breakker channels the Steiner brothers through his gear and in-ring style, and Brian Pillman Jr. has tried to capture his father's look and technique.

While it makes sense to use their parents' popularity to their advantage, sometimes it ends up being better if somebody tries to differentiate themselves from their predecessors.

Randy Orton isn't a cowboy like his father, and he ended up becoming a 14-time world champion, so there's something to be said for trying to be your own person.

Pillman hasn't done much in AEW since Julia Hart left him and Griff Garrison for The House of Black. It might be time for him to try something new. He should ditch the mullet, get some new gear and do his best to create his own legacy. He has skills, but he needs to find his niche.

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Everyone on this list deserves a chance to succeed, but they need a fresh start. Who else could use a new coat of paint in WWE and AEW?