[purewrestlingideas]

Why changes Joe Hennig to Michael McGillicuty. Mr Perfect was awesome why make his son not use his own last name Is it just incase in the future if we goes somewhere like TNA he an't use the name they have built up/ Same with Husky Harris - come on he could have a better name,

 

[BambiKiller]

McGillicutty is his mothers maiden name.

WWE can name people whatever the hell they like.

 

[Boss P]

To trademark the names. No other reason as far as I know.

 

[Derek]

They want to give them new names that they can trademark, so that if they end up going somewhere else if they get released they can't use that name in another company.

 

[randyorton24]

Like someone said, to trademark/own the names. They learn that out with they didn't rename Mickie James and now in TNA she is known as Mickie James.

 

[OctoberRaven]

Pretty much for trademark reasons as said above.

The reasoning behind it is they lose name recognition if they go elsewhere. The idea is casual fan might not care about watching TNA (or ROH, or any other wrestling show) if for example the name Glen Jacobs was on the marquee, but they would if the name Kane was.

Which of course is a flawed concept, but that's pretty much why they do it. They can probably get more money when using their name after they leave WWE too.

 

[Thumbinthebum]

To trademark the names. No other reason as far as I know.

This.

Why changes Joe Hennig to Michael McGillicuty. Mr Perfect was awesome why make his son not use his own last name Is it just incase in the future if we goes somewhere like TNA he an't use the name they have built up/ Same with Husky Harris - come on he could have a better name,

Joe Hennig was changed because it can't be trademarked, that doesn't excuse the last name though, they could've called him Mike Hennig which they'd still have owned. With Husky Harris it's especially stupid. His real name is Windham Rotunda, in FCW he was called Duke Rotundo so the name was already gimmicked, there was no need to give him that ridiculous name, especially when they're acknowledging who his father is. My hope is that at some point they'll make it clear that Harris is his first name and make Husky his nickname, as in 'Husky' Harris Rotundo

McGillicutty is his mothers maiden name.

WWE can name people whatever the hell they like.

Technically it's Leonard which is his mother's real maiden name Still, that's the keyfabe explaination which oddly enough I posted in the NXT section prior to WWE making the claim. Coincidental I'm sure.

 

[Annihilus]

If I were a wrestler i'd be more than a little offended by it, considering WWE still tries to pretend that wrestlers are "independent contractors" to rob them of health insurance and other benefits. In what other job in life would an independent contractor be required to change their identity in order to work for a company, just to make it harder for them to get a job somewhere else?

 

[Hiplop]

its so if a wrestler leaves, they have no star power in another company...

 

[JerseyCloverleaf]

I think the better question is "Why does WWE give ridiculous names to their talent?" Not just "new" names.

 

[Edgehead 26]

Im ok with different names, so long as they sound ok (e.g. Justin Gabriel, Daniel Bryan etc) but with names like McGillicuty and Husky Harris its just sooo bad. For guys who work within a multi-million dollar company you'd think they would be more creative

 

[Thumbinthebum]

I think the better question is "Why does WWE give ridiculous names to their talent?" Not just "new" names.

Another poster mentioned that if you say those ridiculous names in Dusty Rhodes' voice they make a lot more sense.

 

[x1988]

I never understood why WWE changes the referee's names. They don't say their names any more, so why bother?

 

[PhilThePain]

Another poster mentioned that if you say those ridiculous names in Dusty Rhodes' voice they make a lot more sense.

Dusty Rhodes- "Well I tell ya that boy Huskay Harris reminds me a lot of ma-self back when I was rollin' and tumblin' in the ring"

Michael Cole- "What was that, like 50 years ago?"

Holy crap it does sound better in Dusty's voice :shocked: