Perfecting a ring name can be something which can help to progress someone to the next level, as having a good ring name is very important in the overall presentation and potential to become a star for a professional wrestler. However, many of those in WWE haven’t always had the best ring names.
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Whether it be their own poor judgment or the ring names handed to them by WWE or other promotions, the following wrestlers want the fans (and likely their own minds) to forget all about these old ring names. This is due to a variety of reasons, varying from simply just a bad name or due to the name carrying a terrible gimmick – or both!
Pete Dunne’s Time As Butch Was A Poor Spell In His WWE Career
The Butch Character Was Absolutely Terrible
Ring Names |
Time Used |
---|---|
Pete Dunne |
2010-present |
Butch |
2022-2024 |
Tiger Kid |
2007-2010 |
During his time in NXT, Pete Dunne was a badass and violent force who was presented as a serious threat and cool competitor. However, his main roster call up saw him renamed to Butch – a Scrappy Doo type of character who needed to be held back by his bigger friends.
The name was abhorrent, taking away any credibility or legitimacy from him in WWE. Before his change back to Pete Dunne, he had zero potential to climb up the card as Butch. He would very much like to forget this stretch of his career, as it held him back in a big way.
Michin’s Time As Reckoning In Retribution Was One To Forget
Everything About This Faction Was Bad
Ring Names |
Time Used |
---|---|
Michin |
2023-present |
Mia Yim |
2009-2023 |
Reckoning |
2020-2021 |
Jade |
2015-2017 |
Michin has had a few different ring names in WWE, but the worst was when she competed as Reckoning. The names of the Retribution faction were all ones they wanted fans to forget about, including the likes of T-Bar, Slapjack, and MACE.
The name of Reckoning was goofy, lazy, and a name she would prefer that fans never bring up again.
Luke Gallows Would Prefer Everyone To Forget About Festus
This Was A Questionable Gimmick In His Earlier Career
Ring Names |
Time Used |
---|---|
Doc Gallows |
2013-2022 |
D.O.C. |
2012-2013 |
Isiah Cash |
2011-2012 |
Luke Gallows |
2009-present |
Festus |
2007-2009 |
‘Imposter’ Kane |
2006 |
The Freakin’ Deacon |
2005-2007 |
Drew Hankinson |
2005 |
Dorian Deville |
2005-2007 |
Luke Gallows has had a variety of roles during his WWE career, such as Imposter Kane, member of the Straight Edge Society, and more, but one of the worst was when he played Festus – portraying someone with psychological difficulties who turned into a monster once the bell rang.
This whole gimmick, the look, and the name is something Luke Gallows doesn’t want anyone to remember when it comes to his legacy in professional wrestling.
The Rock Started His Career As Flex Kavana
It Took Some Time Before He Got His Iconic Ring Name
Ring Names |
Time Used |
---|---|
The Rock |
1997-present |
Rocky Maivia |
1996-1997 |
Flex Kavana |
1996 |
Dwayne Johnson |
1996 |
The Rock is one of the most iconic ring names of all time, and it led the former Rocky Maivia to becoming one of the greatest in WWE history. He wasn’t always carrying this cool ring name though, as he started out as a rookie named Flex Kavana.
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This name felt like any typical jobber from the 1990s, and it was in now way going to lead him to stardom. When he arrived in WWE in 1996 he was renamed very quickly.
Piper Niven’s Old Name Of Doudrop Was Terrible
Her Main Roster Start Was Hampered By A Bad Name
Ring Names |
Time Used |
---|---|
Piper Niven |
2017-present |
Doudrop |
2021-2023 |
Viper |
2009-2019 |
When she first came to the main roster, Piper Niven was saddled with the name of Doudrop. The name was simply terrible, carrying questionable connotations.
She had very little credibility with this name, and she kept it for way too long. She was handed back the Piper Niven name under the Triple H creative era, and she would love it if fans forgot all about her run as Doudrop.
Johnny Gargano Wrestled One Match As Cedric Von Haussen
He Had The Most Jobber-Like Name Ever
Ring Names |
Time Used |
---|---|
Johnny Gargano |
2005-present |
Cedric Von Haussen |
2007 |
Before he was a renowned performer on the independents, Johnny Gargano had a brief cameo as a jobber on SmackDown, taking on MVP. He came out under the name of Cedric Von Haussen, matched with ridiculous attire for a silly name.
Surprisingly (not), this ring name did not stick for Johnny Gargano, and neither did the lederhosen attire.
Shorty G Was One Of The Worst Ring Names Of All Time
Chad Gable Was Renamed To Shorty G In One Of The Worst Name Changes Ever
Ring Names |
Time Used |
---|---|
Chad Gable |
2014-present |
Shorty G |
2019-2020 |
Chad Gable is a world class in ring performer and someone with great promo ability, but even he couldn’t pull off being called Shorty G. The reasoning behind his name was that he was short, and he was proud of that fact. This was not one of Vince McMahon’s better ideas.
Thankfully, WWE gave him back his name and Shorty G is a thing of the past. He would certainly like to keep it there and far away from the memory of fans.
In FCW, Jey Uso Was… Jules Uso
A Far Less Cooler Name
Ring Names |
Time Used |
---|---|
Jey Uso |
2010-present |
Jules Uso |
2010 |
Joshua Fatu |
2008-2009 |
Jey Uso is one of the most popular names in professional wrestling today, and his ring name is simple, easy, and effortlessly cool too. However, during his time in FCW, he competed under the much less cooler name of Jules Uso.
His tag team partner and brother Jimmy Uso had already found the correct fit, but it took Jey a little longer to find his name .
The Nikki A.S.H Name Was As Bad As The Gimmick
Nikki Cross Had A Questionable Run As A Superhero
Ring Names |
Time Used |
---|---|
Nikki Cross |
2016-present |
Abby The Witch |
2024-present |
Nikki ASH |
2021-2022 |
Nicola Glencross |
2016 |
Nikki Storm |
2008-2016 |
Nikki Cross was repackaged as a Hurricane-esque comedy superhero, rebranded as Nikki ‘Almost A Superhero’ or Nikki A.S.H. Her booking at this time was horrendous despite her winning Money in the Bank and the RAW Women’s Title, being booked as someone who should never have won that sort of prize.
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Cody Rhodes Wants To Forget All About The Stardust Gimmick
Stardust Nearly Ruined Cody Rhodes’ Career
Ring Names |
Time Used |
---|---|
Cody Rhodes |
2006-present |
Fuego II |
2021-2022 |
Cody |
2016-2020 |
Stardust |
2014-2016 |
Cody Runnels |
2006-2007 |
Cody Rhodes is a main event name in WWE as one of the biggest stars the company has in the present day, but back in the 2010s he was competing as the face-painted Stardust, which restrained him to the undercard of WWE.
Using a name inspired by Goldust, but just being a copy, was a bad way for WWE to use Rhodes. He had no path up the card, and he needed to walk away from WWE and shed this name to become a star. Rhodes can never return to the Stardust name, and he would prefer it if fans forgot all about it.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)