Cutting Superstars' names

[BRAT]

Many Superstars have their names cut. Now there is Big E instead of Big E Langston, Rusev instead of Alexander Rusev, Cesaro instead of Antonio Cesaro and the newest one is Neville.

I can't have a clear opinion on this. Some of them may have been helped with such changes but on the other side, I remember an episode on the WWE network "Monday night Wars" and I remember that when Razor Ramon and Diesel moved to WCW they came up with different names, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. As I was watching the episode I heard that what WCW wanted to achieve was to bring reality into Wrestling Entertainment and that is why all the NWO thing was such entertaining and the promotion was beating WWE in the ratings those days and I was wondering If this is what the WWE wanted to adopt,the reality element.

I want your opinion on this guys. Is it favorable or you are against it?

 

[InZayn]

Really it depends on the name and the superstar for example when they changed Antonio Cesaro to Cesaro it was a good change but when they changed Big E Langston to Big E it was the stupidest thing that ever happened, the Alexander Rusev was good as it is and also good as it is now. Truth is Name changes and name cuttings are not good or bad it all depends on the superstar and their name.

 

[whoopin' ass]

Vince likes it as he things the one-name names sound cooler. For me, it depends on the name but in most cases, I think it is dumb. It is like when 2 wresters face off in the ring - "John Cena, I hate you", "Well Randy Orton, that's too bad". Who talks like that? You call someone you know by their first and last names whenever you talk to them? Same with the names - who walks about calling themselves Smith or Jones?

 

[MartialHorror]

For some, it works. For others, it doesn't. I don't mind Cesaro, primarily because Antonio Cesaro isn't anymore catchy and doesn't add any drawing power. Adrian Neville...Not a big fan of the name Adrian for wrestling, but I think Neville on its own sounds kind of bland. They need something catchy to start it with. Even if it's just Flying Neville...okay, that does sound kinda stupid, but at least it's not generic.

Big E, in my opinion, got hurt the most by the removal of his last name. Big E Langston was kind of catchy and Big E seemed like a play on the nickname Biggie. However, on its own, I don't quite understand it. What does the E stand for? I don't need an answer to that question with Langston at the end.

Alexander Rusev didn't need to be changed either. Alexander sounds tougher than Antonio or Adrian, probably because of Alexander the Great. However, it's not a Russian name and I don't think Rusev was conceived as a pro-Russian character. So when they adopted that gimmick, the name only served as a distraction. If he turns face or drops the gimmick, maybe he can use it again.

I don't feel first or last names always have to be used. When someone addresses Randy Orton, they sometimes call him Orton, but he's usually referred to by his first name. Same with John Cena. But I don't remember anyone ever referring to Cesaro as Antonio. Or Rusev as Alexander. Or Neville as Adrian. I could be wrong, but it's possible that they just saw the first names as useless appendages. It's hard to do the same with last names, which might be why Big E stands out as awkward sounding. Even Langston would be a better name than Big E.

 

[Heartbreak_Kid_707]

I'm with you Guys....depends on the wrestler...my fav gu is Adrian Nevelle, so I hate the "Nevelle"..Cesaro was an awesome change.dropping Antonio was a good call. Rusev is a good call. Better without Alexander....

 

[SoulTrain4]

I don't give a damn honestly. It's ridiculous that they call Cena "John Cena" it's obnoxious to call people by their full name for no reason. That said quite a few places call employees by their last name or some shortened version.

When talking about Cesaro, nobody called him "Antonio" anyway. Nobody called Rusev "Alexander" so it's one of those petty things the internet dweebs hate for no reason. It's not like they called Neville "Adrian" and that's not how is depicted on TV either. He is introduced as Adrian Neville but the commentators rarely say his whole name so it makes no big deal.

I think it's okay personally. I'm already thinking Itami will just be Hideo Itami's main roster name. IIRC "Itami" means "pain" and that's cool as shit to just be a wrestler named "Pain". Finn Balor, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens should be interesting to see it Vince chops those names. I personally don't see him changing Kevin Owens.

 

[Prince Vee]

Really it depends on the name and the superstar for example when they changed Antonio Cesaro to Cesaro it was a good change but when they changed Big E Langston to Big E it was the stupidest thing that ever happened, the Alexander Rusev was good as it is and also good as it is now. Truth is Name changes and name cuttings are not good or bad it all depends on the superstar and their name.

I honestly corroborate with your point that it depends on the superstar's name. But I don't think Big E was a a stupid name. Michael Cole sold that name better than he did with Big E Langston.

Weren't you excited when he delivers a spear through the second rope and Michael Cole Yells BIG EEEE!! I really found that name exciting.

But I don't agree with all the name cuts and name changes that the WWE implements! Do you know Flying Peacock or something even more stupid is a name suggestion given to Bryan Danielson??

Cheers!!

 

[SJ5522]

It is like when 2 wresters face off in the ring - "John Cena, I hate you", "Well Randy Orton, that's too bad". Who talks like that? You call someone you know by their first and last names whenever you talk to them? Same with the names - who walks about calling themselves Smith or Jones?

i'd feel pretty silly delivering a message to somebody called Stone Cold or The Rock too, but....

 

[Mustang Sally]

M.... and I remember that when Razor Ramon and Diesel moved to WCW they came up with different names, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.

I wondered back then whether it was WCW's idea to go to the performer's real names, or whether Hall & Nash made the suggestion. In either case, I thought it was a good idea.....and note that when Johnny B Badd went from WCW to WWF, he started using his real name, Marc Mero. So yes, Vince must have gone for the "real name" concept.

As for the rest of it, it makes little difference whether Neville has "Adrian" removed from his ring name. (Maybe they figured a shorter performer would fit better with a shorter name?)

In Rusev's case, getting rid of his first name seemed a good idea, as the more abrupt usage of just his last name appeared consistent with his abrupt manner.

I'll add one more to the list. In WWE, John Heidenreich got his named shortened to Heidenreich. Apparently, it was more aesthetically pleasing when the guy went out looking for new friends.

 

[OYDK]

It really doesn't bother me. At first, when the cutting happens it takes some time to get used to but than... it just is. It's not as if cutting somebodies name really affects the performer all that much.

And as others have mentioned, people rarely called Rusev, Alexander or Cesaro, Antonio in the first place. Plus it's not as if the name completely disappears. Just like people would refer to Taker as "Mark" at times, I wouldn't be shocked to see Cena (or anybody) call Rusev, Alexander at some point.

 

[pipebomber]

I think name cutting hurts the product. How can you take someone with a single name seriously? who the heck do they think they are? Cher? What other athlete in the world goes by a single name? What would you think If Peyton Manning said "I want to be refered to simply as Manning"? Youd think this guy was a douche bag. Even Chad Johnson kept the name chad when he changed his last name to Ochocinco. Would Floyd Mayweather be more marketable if he dropped Floyd? I think it makes the product look less believable and it comes off as cheesey.

 

[Nick Vibe]

I think name cutting hurts the product. How can you take someone with a single name seriously? who the heck do they think they are? Cher? What other athlete in the world goes by a single name? What would you think If Peyton Manning said "I want to be refered to simply as Manning"? Youd think this guy was a douche bag. Even Chad Johnson kept the name chad when he changed his last name to Ochocinco. Would Floyd Mayweather be more marketable if he dropped Floyd? I think it makes the product look less believable and it comes off as cheesey.

I think that is the point they are trying to accomplish. Wrestlers being seen as larger than life figures, not just ordinary guys.

Although I agree with all of you guys on the name changes, maybe except Neville's, I have to say that I believe it is done for announcing purposes and not so much when they are mentioned in promos. Heck, most of the roster is not even featured in promos.

 

[pipebomber]

well In my mind they gain very little in the "larger than life aspect" and lose a significant amount in credibility.

 

[Navi]

well In my mind they gain very little in the "larger than life aspect" and lose a significant amount in credibility.

Really do you think so, I'm just surprised that anyone cares about this now. We've had wrestler's with only one name for years, Chyna, Kane, Undertaker, Sheamus, Edge, Christian, Yokozuma, Mabel, Rikishi, Animal, Hawk, Goldust, Sting, Rhyno the list goes on. I would love to know how anyone I just mentioned lost credibility because they were only known by one name.

This isn't anything new. Being known under just one name never anyone on the list above. The day having a lack of two names in the WWE is a reason for hurting you, or stopping your momentum is the day I stop watching. It's a stupid thing to nitpick over.

 

[pipebomber]

Really do you think so, I'm just surprised that anyone cares about this now. We've had wrestler's with only one name for years, Chyna, Kane, Undertaker, Sheamus, Edge, Christian, Yokozuma, Mabel, Rikishi, Animal, Hawk, Goldust, Sting, Rhyno the list goes on. I would love to know how anyone I just mentioned lost credibility because they were only known by one name.

This isn't anything new. Being known under just one name never anyone on the list above. The day having a lack of two names in the WWE is a reason for hurting you, or stopping your momentum is the day I stop watching. It's a stupid thing to nitpick over.

Who says I particularly care? Are people not allowed to discuss their opinion on something if they aren't extremely passionate about it. I just don't think it makes them seem larger than life. It just makes them seem cheesy to me.

back to the point...

There are exceptions no doubt. I guess I feel it hurts the legitimacy more when they are introduced with a full name and then just shorten it to 1 name. if they shortened it to a nickname that would make more since to me, that would usually involve some explanation in storyline. I don't think shortening Rocky Miavia to the rock was a bad move, but that was a change in character for him and a new persona. Edge, Chyna, Kane, Undertaker, Christian, Sheamus, Yokozuna, Mabel, Rikishi, Hawk, Animal, Goldust, Sting, Rhyno... and many others, were introduced with 1 name. They were a character and their names were part of that. When your gimmick is that you are a phenomenal athelete like Adrian Neville, what good is having 1 name? Do you think Chris Jericho would have been more popular if he was just called "Jericho" Do you think Ric Flair would have become a 16 time champion if he was just called Flair.

It would be different if it was their real names and WWE said that's not marketable enough, lets drop one. that's not the case. WWE gave Benjamin Satterly the name Adrian Neville. that was the marketable name they chose.

Rusevs name isn't alexander rusev it's Miroslav Barnyashev. Alexander was the marketable name they gave him. why drop it?

 

[Navi]

You have every right to your opinion, but it's not the first time we've seen wrestler's with only one name. And it doesn't hurt their credibility at all. And you do care otherwise you wouldn't have commented on the thread.

So what they shorten the name. In the grand scheme of things, it's what they do in the ring, how they connect with the audience that counts. Not whether we're going to call someone Adrian Neville, or just Neville. By the way which isn't his real name anyway, so they can pretty much do what they want.

 

[Vanilla Midget]

Single name wrestlers aren't a new thing, see Sheamus, Christian and others. Granted those are first names, but they're also mononyms. What about Sting, Edge, Vader, Mankind? What about Goldberg? Mononyms (single word names) aren't a new thing in wrestling. But here's the straight goods, a rose by any other name?

Would Sting have been as successful as Steve Borden? More than likely. Goldberg would have still gotten over if they insisted on using Bill. A wrestler's name isn't what gets them over. Michael Hickenbottom would be a multi-time world champion whether or not they decided to call him Shawn Michaels. Names are all part of the presentation. No one wants to chant or boo a guy named Dwayne, but the Rocky Maivia name evolving into The Rock is vital to the catchphrases, the character, and the presentation.

Neville and Big E don't roll off the tongue. They're both awkward. Big E should be using Langston, Big E Langston does. Neville evokes that Harry Potter character in the minds of casuals. "Hey there's this high flying wrestler you have to see, he's a real tough guy ... his name? ... Neville."

Neville sounds like a pansy name. How's he supposed create a catch phrase? Who wants to chant Neville? The should have called him Gravity for crying out loud and just went full superhero. I think he could have gotten that over, although Marvel has a superhero of the same name, so it may not be copyrightable. Neville needs a new name more than any of the men who recently lost their first.

Rusev has grown on me as a name. It sounds enough like a tough guy's name, it's short, rolls off the tongue which makes it chantable. Cesaro is ok as a name. I wasn't big on Antonio. Cesaro is fine, his in ring talent will shine through any name.

Mononyms help guys stand out from the pack, but the need to roll off the tongue and sound good. It's high time WWE tried some code names for guys again, something in the vein of The Rock, The Ultimate Warrior, or nicknames like Stone Cold or Cactus Jack. Shortening names won't get guys over, but occasionally it can improve the presentation like it did with Rusev. Big E should get his last name back, and Neville needs to take his nomenclature back to the drawing board.

Here's a thought: does the E in Big E stand for anything?

 

[The Kiz]

I've never been a fan of too many full names in wrestling, it doesn't make the character as exciting.
Just cutting off first/last names is alright, but I prefer when superstars have an actual gimmick name, such as Ryback or Stardust.
Full names just make them seem like a boxing match when hyping up a match.

 

[Michael J. Fox]

When it comes to promos, having shortened names adds to the overall intensity to the bout...somehow. Austin v. McMahon, Hogan v. Savage, hell even something like Mayweather v. Paquiao just adds this level to it. That's just how it works.

I think OP meant wrestlers who already had full names, which were then shortened. People are using Goldberg, Sting, Rikishi etc., yet they were already given one name. As of late many wrestlers have had their names shortened...

Wade Barrett - Barrett (Bad News)
Adrian Neville - Neville
Antonio Cesaro - Cesaro
Big E. Langston - Big E.

Can't think of any more off the top of the head, but it's the recent theme of cutting names that raises the question. I don't get it, but WWE seems to think something positive. Does it add intensity to the name, maybe.

 

[MizMark11]

Alexander sounds tougher than Antonio or Adrian, probably because of Alexander the Great. However, it's not a Russian name and I don't think Rusev was conceived as a pro-Russian character.

Actually, a lot of Russians have the name Alexander. You have Alexander I, Alexander II, athletes like Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Alexander Radulov, ect.. But anyway!

I, like others, think it depends on the name. Cesaro and Neville are fine to me. Even Rusev sounds fine to me. Big E sounds dumb. I just hope they don't start cutting names just for the hell of it.