5 Names WWE Superstars used to have that were better

When superstars sign with WWE, they usually have to change the ring name that they previously used. While there have been several instances in which the company relaxed this rule, they still prefer owning the trademark to most ring names.

This is why several superstars who made their name outside of WWE have to change it once they join the promotion. While some names are good, some had to have a bit of a downgrade to take the next career step. Here are five current superstars who used to have better names outside of WWE:

#5. Apollo Crews - Uhaa Nation outside of WWE

Apollo Crews' current character is inspired by his Nigerian heritage

The case of Apollo Crews in WWE is an interesting one. He signed with the company right at the end of 2014 and made his NXT debut in the summer of 2015. Even before he first stepped inside a WWE ring, there was a lot of hype surrounding this fresh, young prospect.

He didn't even need to spend much time on the Black and Gold brand before he was fast-tracked to the main roster well before he was ready. Many of us know the story of how Apollo Crews went from being one of WWE's most underutilized stars to a thriving one in 2020-2021, but what happened in the years before that?

Crews made his wrestling debut at the age of 21 and a couple of years in, the young man known as Uhaa Nation signed with Dragon Gate USA - the promotion that ended up giving him his big break.

Uhaa Nation worked for Dragon Gate USA and that was the entry door for him to wrestle in Japan - something that would prove valuable to his experience and style of wrestling. It wasn't just Dragon Gate that he wrestled for, as he also competed in other promotions such as EVOLVE and Full Impact Pro.

His time before WWE was where he made some of his biggest friendships outside the ring, including the likes of Ricochet and Akira Tozawa - both of whom are in WWE today.

While Apollo Crews is a solid name for a superstar like him, Uhaa Nation has a better ring to it. Looking at his current Nigerian-inspired heel character, Uhaa Nation would have been a better name.