Meltzer on reason for recent WWE name changes

[Chris]

Source: f4wonline.com

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer explained the reasoning for WWE recently changing the names of multiple wrestlers.

Marcel Barthel (now known as Ludwig Kaiser) and Raquel Gonzalez (Raquel Rodriguez) had their names changed when they were called up to SmackDown last week. Raw's Austin Theory (now just going by the name Theory) and NXT's Raul Mendoza (Cruz Del Toro) have also been given new names.


Meltzer wrote that Vince McMahon decreed in a memo that he doesn't want anyone new using their real names anymore, nor using names that they already had on the indies. Meltzer noted that the memo only applies to people who are newer and who WWE has decided it applies to:

"The actual story behind this is all the talent got a memo and Vince McMahon decreed he doesn’t want anyone new using their real names anymore, nor names they’ve used before on the indie scene. Walter became Gunther because Walter was both his real name and a name he used on the independent scene. Raquel Gonzalez kept Raquel (not her real name) but had to drop Gonzalez (her real name). Many thought Austin Theory dropped the Austin because of Steve Austin, but it’s actually because his real name is Austin White. Raul Mendoza is a WWE name, except Raul really is his first name so he had to ditch it. As is always the case, the memo only applies to people who are newer and who they decided it applies to. Randy Orton isn’t going to change to Frank Trevino and Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey don’t have this applied to them. It would be nutty if Riddle has to change his name because Riddle really is his last name, but it looks like this applies mostly to people just coming to the main roster and this doesn’t apply to Cody Rhodes," Meltzer wrote.

"But from this point forward, they don’t want anyone new using former names from elsewhere or real first or last names. Except if you’re Gable Steveson. And this will change soon enough like it always does."

 

[Comrade Khan]

Vince is fucking weird

 

[Rosie]

If this is true, then it is inconsistent at best. Like a fair bit of WWE guys have names they either built elsewhere or their real names. Like "Don't use your real name unless we can profit off it!"

 

[Cwalker]

If this is true, then it is inconsistent at best. Like a fair bit of WWE guys have names they either built elsewhere or their real names. Like "Don't use your real name unless we can profit off it!"

This is essentially what it is. Like if Keith Lee or Adam Cole were still there, their names probably would’ve stayed the same(maybe not Adam Cole) but it seems like they just wanna own the trademark for everyone. Which I get but is also stupid.

Like you didn’t need to change Big Mami Cool’s last name

 

[Deezy]

What exactly is any different than what they've always done with peoples names?

So now we gotta go back to acting like signings on AJ Styles levels is a big deal agin because they didn't change his name?

 

[Comrade Khan]

If u read the article they changing names they own too

 

[Deezy]

Can't wait until they change AJ Styles name to Allen Jones......and becomes a hairstylist like he's Brutus Beefcake.

 

[Spitfire]

this is your new name - sounds like indentured servitude

 

[Colt Magnum]

Idm Cruz Del Toro name tbh

 

[Deezy]

Indentured servitude

Hyperbolic much?

 

[Swerve]

I thought Austin Theory changed because of Stone Cold. Theory has been the golden boy for so long that I thought his real name was Austin Theory.

 

[Switchblake]

I get what they’re trying to do. You can’t own someone’s real name as much Vince would like to so he doesn’t want you building your own name up and then taking it elsewhere.

 

[Dale]

They should have totally used the Mania angle to drop the name though.

 

[Lethal]

Katana Chance is a fire name for sure.

Got me thinking of the real names....we have Shinsuke Nakamura, we have Chad Gable (?), we have AJ Styles, and yeah there's Cena too.

 

[Comrade Khan]

Katana Chance is a fire name for sure.

Got me thinking of the real names....we have Shinsuke Nakamura, we have Chad Gable (?), we have AJ Styles, and yeah there's Cena too.

Aj nak for sure. Im not 100% on cena because he was in that valley feeder like orton .