On June 1, 2025, the man formerly known as R-Truth announced that he had been released from WWE, ending a tenure marked by many amazing moments. The news left everyone in shock, with many wrestlers commenting on what an amazing locker room presence he was. Fans started chanting “We want Truth!” on TV, desperately wanting his return.

At Money in the Bank, he returned by attacking John Cena. On June 9, 2025, an episode of Monday Night Raw, he stood on the announcer’s desk and cut a promo. During it, he cut his dreadlocks off and said he was Ron Killings. It seems that by cutting his hair, he transformed from silly to serious. This is just one instance of a wrestler’s appearance change being a catalyst for a new character. Something as simple as a hairstyle change or a new outfit can transform a wrestler for the better.

A New Hairstyle Can Signify a Character Change

When it was announced late Saturday night that the former R-Truth would be called by his real name, Ron Killings, many people wondered how he would be presented. Would he look the same and act serious?

Could he dress differently or do something more drastic? On Monday, he answered those questions. Killings felt that his dreadlocks embodied R-Truth, who was the jokester that always made people laugh. By cutting them off, he abandoned that funny nature, fully embracing his serious side.

Other wrestlers have done that to signify character shifts. When Baron Corbin had his terrible streak of luck in 2021, he let his hair grow out, indicating an unkempt nature. Karrion Kross has talked about his NXT character, saying that he felt he needed to be portrayed as bald. A change of hairstyle can definitely bring a wrestler’s character to life in a big way.

Outfits Can Show Huge Character Differentiation

Many wrestlers have had gimmicks throughout their WWE careers. In most of those cases, they also had a specific outfit they had to wear when they were portraying that character. Corbin not only allowed his balding hair to grow out, but he also underwent a drastic change in his clothes. He dressed in a wrinkled white shirt with a stain on it, which further exacerbated his financial troubles at the time.

Similarly, Andre Chase had a wrinkled white shirt when he lost to Chase University. That signifies a character who has fallen on hard times, clearly noted by their apparel. Others show a dark side to a light-hearted character.

Bray Wyatt’s The Fiend and Finn Balor’s The Demon illustrated a sinister side that showed no mercy when unleashed. A clothing change can help a wrestler show how their character is feeling or what they’re going through without an obvious explanation.

These Changes Show a Difference Without Explanation

A popular critique in every form of writing is to show your audience something instead of telling them. The same thing can be applied to WWE. Ron Killings didn’t announce he was cutting off his dreadlocks. Finn Balor never told anyone when The Demon was showing up. They never announced those changes to anyone. Instead, by changing their appearances, they showed everyone that they were a different person moving forward for that period.

Announcing things like that would ruin the hype and surprise for everyone, making the new character’s reveal less impactful. Everyone loves surprises because they illustrate the unpredictability of the wrestling business.

There’s always an uncertainty of a new character’s prospects, but also an excitement that something new is happening. Changing a wrestler’s appearance can showcase a new side of them while transforming their career trajectory in WWE if done correctly.