3 WWE stars who found success after changing their name
WWE is a complicated promotion and pro wrestling is a unique industry. There is no other business, entertainment venture, or sport quite like professional wrestling, as it is a bizarre fusion of the three.
Still, the lifeblood of World Wrestling Entertainment, much like in entertainment and sports is the talent. Without the superstars that fans see each week, there would be no show. As such, it is always a company's priority to present these wrestlers in the best light possible.
One thing that can often hurt talent, which was a Vince McMahon staple, was renaming stars who were already established. For example, he made Pete Dunne "Butch" and Piper Niven "Doudrop," both of whom were damaged by the ridiculous names and gimmicks.
There are times when changing a name or persona works out, however. This article will take a look at three big name changes that took place and the superstar then having found far more success than they had previously. This includes a top world champion, one of the most popular acts on RAW, and a long-time veteran who carved out a niche for himself.
Below are three WWE stars who found success after changing their name.
#3. Gunther has gone on to extraordinary success
Gunther is one of the best wrestlers in the world. He first broke into the industry in 2005 and joined the Sports Entertainment juggernaut 14 years later. Just like on the Indies, he was then known as WALTER.
While other entries on this list were released by WWE or otherwise found themselves in tough spots, that was never actually the case for The Ring General. Even before his name change, he was the longest-reigning United Kingdom Champion.
Still, he was on NXT and NXT UK, which are smaller, less-viewed brands. With the name change came a call up to the main roster. Since then, he has become the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion ever.
If that wasn't enough, The Ring General is now the World Heavyweight Champion and has been since SummerSlam. He is a legitimate main eventer for the biggest shows in pro wrestling. While WALTER was certainly impressive, the time under that name pales in comparison to that of Gunther.
#2. R-Truth has had a long and impressive run with WWE
R-Truth is a long-time veteran of pro wrestling. He first broke into the business in 1997 and by 1999 he had signed on with WWE where he debuted on the main roster in 2000. Truth worked under the name K-Kwik and teamed up with Road Dogg Jesse James.
Unfortunately, his time with the company was short-lived and he didn't find much lasting success. He was released in 2001, but thankfully, that wasn't the end of his story.
R-Truth later returned to WWE in 2008. While his character was similar, he was now more matured and had the name fans know and love today. This time, he wasn't done in two years. Instead, R-Truth has remained part of the company and on the main roster for over 16 years now.
Not only has the likable superstar had a long-tenured role in the company, but he has also won numerous titles. Truth is a two-time United States Champion, a two-time tag team champion alongside Kofi Kingston and The Miz, and he's had an astounding 54 reigns with the now-defunct 24/7 Championship. Needless to say, the name change worked.
#1. Uncle Howdy has completely transformed Bo Dallas
Bo Dallas is another superstar who had ups and downs in WWE. He made his pro wrestling debut in 2008 as part of the company's development. He found some success there, even becoming a top star on NXT, but his main roster run was less of a win.
He debuted on the main roster in 2014 and despite a seven year run on RAW and SmackDown, he was almost only used as enhancement for others or as a comedic figure. He did win the RAW Tag Team Titles and the 24/7 Championship once each, but he was ultimately released after not being used for ages in 2021.
Thankfully, Bo Dallas returned under Triple H. While he is still referenced as being Bo at times, he is best known as the mysterious Uncle Howdy who leads The Wyatt Sicks. This stable is one of the most dangerous, but also beloved factions in all of WWE.
Not only is he in a popular group, but Bo is no longer treated as a joke. The Wyatt Sicks and Uncle Howdy have main evented Monday Night RAW on several occasions and are actually undefeated since forming. Needless to say, this is a dramatic shift from being a comedic enhancement talent.