WWE's real names obsession

[Guest Rob Edwards]

Can anyone explain how Brian Kendrick is in any way shape of form a more marketable name than Spanky? I was almost prepared to let Cena and Batista losing far superior names slide but I don't see why every guy with a superior monicker ends up changing it on their debut

 

I'm sure Vince feels it makes the product more realistic as his justification but this is wrestling not boxing and hell boxers usually have nicknames to spice their real names up a bit and sell some tickets

 

I know I'm being petty here but I think it affects the marketability of the product more than you'd expect

[Guest Respect The 'Taker]

Spanky never appeared like a marketable name to me..if only as a comedic wrestler.

 

However calling him by his real name and have Taker murder him doesn't help anyone, thus justifying reason # 34934934930843 why i hate Mark Callaway. Might as well just call him 'Bitch', cause that's all he is gonna be with his current direction.

 

...however I said that about Rocky Maivia, so by no means listen to me.

 

UYI - Really should THINK before posting

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Well, it's better than giving everyone retarded gimmicks and names. Especially Vocational ones. I'd much rather have someone named Dave Batista or Brian Kendrick, rather than T.L. Hopper, or Terra Rizin'.

[Guest saturnmark4life]

Yeah, but a name like prototype or Deacon Batista is pretty cool if we're talking about WRESTLING. I mean, if taker was called 'Mark Calloway' decent a name as it is, it just isn't the same is it? Wrestling needs to stick to some of it's carnival atmosphere. I think it's just a lack of creativity most of the time.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Take into consideration though, that he was The Undertaker back when the goofier gimmicks could get over, he's just stayed that way since, but shed the goofball deadman act. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing some of these newer guys adopt a sort of boxing nickname system, where they're say..."Iceman" Joe Blow, or John "Madman" Lee, or some shit. Same idea, only better names, obviously. It adds a little bit of originality, while still maintaining the "realistic" air about it.

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

I have no problem with Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas, but maybe because they're under the Team Angle name.

 

It used to piss me off when WCW brought in guys and left them as John Tenta or Ray Traylor. Of course Shark and Guardian Angel were even worse.

[Guest The Amazing Rando]

Would anyone else here have taken Cena a bit more seriously if he would have came in with his "Prototype" nickname?

 

I probably would have......though I think "Batista" is as cool as "Leviathan"...because they both sound "monster hoss"ish in thier delivery...

[Guest notJames]

Well, you can add Mike "Nova" Bucci to that list, as he wrestled a Velocity match against Jamie Noble.

 

Of course, since he's not set to officially debut until the spring, this might be a case of just getting the guy out there for some early exposure. It would be criminal of WW_ to try to get him over as Mike Bucci. Booooorrrrrrring.

 

And I think Cena should at least use the Prototype gimmick as an unofficial nickname. It's a cool image, that being a template from which future endeavors come, and there are lots of words that could be bastardized to rhyme with Prototype... hype, ripe, pipe, asswipe... the possibilities are endless!

[Guest Goodear]

Oh Jesus, Mike Bucci is a terrible name that makes him sound like a cast member of the Sopranos. At least Brian Kendrick sounds pretty okay... "Spanky" on the other hand is one of the worst wrestling names ever. I mean honestly, could see trying to promote matches with that name?

 

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. Spanky!

 

Yuck.

[Guest AndrewTS]

Austin reminds me--fake names that sound like real ones aren't bad either.

 

Imagine trying to make it when a much more famous wrestler has your same name.

 

Or worse, how about trying to get over as "Michael Hickenbottom?"

 

Still, it fit HBK's glam-rocker-esque gimmick.

 

Lief Cassidy though--eeeech.

[Guest Trivia247]

Undertaker....and walking around like a dead guy is still a bit more serious than being called....

 

SPANKY!

 

whats next? Nose picker?

[Guest El Satanico]

John Cena isn't a bad real name so i see no problem there. However DAVE Batista sucks as a name. Batista is ok but Dave just doesn't work.

 

They should try using realistic names but don't make it strictly birth names. If part of the real name sucks they should alter his name. The names should sound good when saying it. Dave just doesn't roll off the tongue. Deacon Batista had a good sound to it.

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

Spanky just reminds me of Buckwheat, Porky, Alfalfa......

[Guest AndrewTS]

Spanky just reminds me of Buckwheat, Porky, Alfalfa......

TELL ME YOU DID NOT JUST SAY--uh oh, get ready for Buckwheat T.

 

However, another example: Booker and Lane Huffman become Booker T and Stevie Ray. Hey, it works.

[Guest creativename]

I agree that minor modifications on poor name's is the way to go, e.g. Ric Fleihr-->Flair, or fake names sounding real like Austin and Michaels.

 

Still, Brian Kendrick is definitely superior to Spanky. Spanky is a god-awful name, and it would have been tough for him to do anything with it (though he's probably better off going with Spanky than Brian Kendrick after the travesty that was last week's SD!...at least if his name was Spanky, people would have some reason to remember the guy). Odds are they're never going to do anything with him anyway, unless HBK politics for him and AD.

 

And speaking of AD, that's another case where it makes no sense whatsoever for him to use his real name. Bryan Danielson? WTF? How is this better than American Dragon in any way, shape, or form?

[Guest Goodear]

It was kind of weird during the ROH Title 4-Way Ironman match having Low-Ki cutting this bad ass promo in this deep dramatic voice about how he was going to beat up Christopher Daniels, Doug Williams and Spanky. If there is something you cannot say and sound like an ass kicker... its Spanky.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

However DAVE Batista sucks as a name. Batista is ok but Dave just doesn't work.

I actually think Batista is hurt by fans knowing is name is Dave. He's supposed to be this unbeatable monster, somehow the name Dave doesn't seem terrifing.

[Guest AndrewTS]

However DAVE Batista sucks as a name. Batista is ok but Dave just doesn't work.

I actually think Batista is hurt by fans knowing is name is Dave. He's supposed to be this unbeatable monster, somehow the name Dave doesn't seem terrifing.

Davey Crocket was pretty badass.

 

Davey Boy Smith wasn't really mocked because of his name, and he was built much like Blatista.

 

Call him "Davey" then.

[Guest subliminal_animal]

Can anyone explain how Brian Kendrick is in any way shape of form a more marketable name than Spanky? I was almost prepared to let Cena and Batista losing far superior names slide but I don't see why every guy with a superior monicker ends up changing it on their debut

Spanky means he can never be anything. Brian Kendrick has twice the shot. Besides, as far as real names go, Brian Kendrick is pretty good.

 

Well, it's better than giving everyone retarded gimmicks and names. Especially Vocational ones. I'd much rather have someone named Dave Batista or Brian Kendrick, rather than T.L. Hopper, or Terra Rizin'.

So HHH's old job was terrorizing then, I assume? There's probably not much money in that.

 

Those names can be a little cool if they're not too obvious and lame, like "Justin Credible." Something better would be .... I dunno, "Gene Splicer." Although I doubt anyone could pull off a good genetic engineer gimmick.

 

Yeah, but a name like prototype or Deacon Batista is pretty cool if we're talking about WRESTLING. I mean, if taker was called 'Mark Calloway' decent a name as it is, it just isn't the same is it? Wrestling needs to stick to some of it's carnival atmosphere. I think it's just a lack of creativity most of the time.

Protot

 

Well, you can add Mike "Nova" Bucci to that list, as he wrestled a Velocity match against Jamie Noble.

 

Of course, since he's not set to officially debut until the spring, this might be a case of just getting the guy out there for some early exposure. It would be criminal of WW_ to try to get him over as Mike Bucci. Booooorrrrrrring.

Nova is a good name. He's had it for a while, let him keep it. I think they will, though. They kept Red Dog as is.

 

And I think Cena should at least use the Prototype gimmick as an unofficial nickname. It's a cool image, that being a template from which future endeavors come, and there are lots of words that could be bastardized to rhyme with Prototype... hype, ripe, pipe, asswipe... the possibilities are endless!

I dunno, "Prototype" sounds lame to me. I think the gimmick originally came about because he was supposed to be a cyborg.

 

Honest.

 

It sounds very silly to me, but "Mankind" sounded even stupider looking back on it. So I guess I'd get used to it.

 

Spanky is a god-awful name, and it would have been tough for him to do anything with it (though he's probably better off going with Spanky than Brian Kendrick after the travesty that was last week's SD!...at least if his name was Spanky, people would have some reason to remember the guy).  Odds are they're never going to do anything with him anyway, unless HBK politics for him and AD.

What was a travesty? I didn't see the show, but the only thing I heard was Undertaker hit him with the Last Ride.

 

And speaking of AD, that's another case where it makes no sense whatsoever for him to use his real name.  Bryan Danielson?  WTF?  How is this better than American Dragon in any way, shape, or form?

I dunno, American Dragon is an okay name, but it sounds a little too indy. It's not as bad as Wylde Payne or Johnny Hollywood, though.

 

But yeah, it's better than Bryan Danielson. AD should probably be an "unofficial" nickname for whatever halfway decent stage name he could come up with.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

They where always called Davey.If Batista was called Dave Batista...oh fuck it, he sucks no matter what his name is.

[King Cucaracha 0]

It's all about the kayfabe! Wrasslin's real damn it, it's real BAH GAWD! People really do fuck corpses and Al Wilson really IS dead. Thank you Vince...thank you.

[Guest Goodear]

I still think they dropped the wrong name when Batista left D-Von. To me, Deacon has a lot more punch to it then his real name and doesn't sound too freaky in a IRS kind of way.

[Guest notJames]

Yeah, but you still get the religions connotations from it. I mean, what else can you get from a name like "Deacon"?

 

Personally, they should have stuck with "Leviathan". That says monster right there.

[Guest Choken One]

I believe that by having REAL names it allows for them to try to protray them as REAL people.

 

Some times, You just might have the perfect real name I.E Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Bret Hart, however, It wouldn't hurt to try to make a better name...

 

Look at Rob Szatkotski, Can you imagine THAT getting over? No way, so he was smart enough to think of a creative yet realistic last name.

 

It's not the name itself, it's how that name is used and sold.

 

If you gave Bryon Norris to Terry Bollea, we've have Byronmania. It's all about how you sell the name.

[Guest Goodear]

Yeah, but you still get the religions connotations from it. I mean, what else can you get from a name like "Deacon"?

 

Personally, they should have stuck with "Leviathan". That says monster right there.

It would only be a slight connection to religion at that notJames. The lead villian in Blade was named Deacon Frost and had about zero connection to religion and no one batted an eye.

 

Leviathan conjures up too many memories of John Tenta for me... I know... I'm a ridiculous person but that's what it does.

[Guest Celtic Jobber]

Spanky's a horrible name unless it's used by a fat guy wearing a beanie and who hangs out with Buckwheat and Alfalfa.

[Guest converge241]

as bad as Big Show sounds ..remember when he first came in he was Paul Wight?

 

how stupid is that?

 

Vince should have just called him Titan

 

Mike Awesome is probably the worst name ever..no reflection on the guy but damn thats retarded

[Guest notJames]

Yeah, but you still get the religions connotations from it. I mean, what else can you get from a name like "Deacon"?

 

Personally, they should have stuck with "Leviathan". That says monster right there.

It would only be a slight connection to religion at that notJames. The lead villian in Blade was named Deacon Frost and had about zero connection to religion and no one batted an eye.

Sure, but when "Dave" debuted, it was with Reverend D-Von, an obvious religious reference. That connection will always be there.

[Guest Sakura]

Personally, they should have stuck with "Leviathan". That says monster right there.

Yeah.

 

Orton could change his name to Fat Chocobo, Flair could be Odin, HHH could be Bahamut and the stable could be called Knights of the Round.

[Guest TheArchiteck]

Cena sounds better than Prototype to me (just like others mentioned).

Billy Kidman's name still sounds bland to me.