Ex-WWE star wanted to change his rude name but Stephanie McMahon said no
Stephanie McMahon was partly responsible for behind-the-scenes creative decisions in WWE in the 2000s. Tank Toland, a former WWE SmackDown Superstar between October 2005 and February 2006, recently recalled a conversation he had with McMahon about his unusual name.
Toland was known as James D*ck on the main roster. He joined forces with Chad Wicks, aka Chad D*ck, as a tag team called The D*cks. Following a short stint on SmackDown, the duo were let go by WWE after they got involved in a real-life fight with each other as part of a hazing incident.
In an interview on the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast, Toland said Stephanie McMahon refused to change the spelling of the tag team's name:
"I was like, 'Steph, can we at least spell it Dix?' and she's like, 'No, it's gotta be the correct spelling.' I was like, 'All right.' She's like, 'It's gonna be Chad D*ck and you're gonna be James D*ck.' I was like, 'All right, I guess I'm gonna be James D*ck.'" [18:54 – 19:13]
The D*cks' final televised WWE match ended in defeat against The Boogeyman in a two-on-one handicap encounter on February 24, 2006, episode of SmackDown.
Tank Toland wanted Stephanie McMahon to give him a different first name
Although he also wrestled as Tank Toland, the 49-year-old's real name is John Michael Toland. He was not allowed to be named John in WWE due to superstars like John Cena and John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL) having the same name.
FORGOTTEN WRESTLING CHARACTERS PART SIXTY SIX:
Name: The Dicks
Portrayed by: Tank Toland and Chad Wicks
Gimmick: Chippendale Dancers with a very subtle name. https://t.co/ojfBfzEC7V
Toland wanted to be known as Tank D*ck, but he was given the name James instead:
"It wasn't John D*ck, which is my real name, because there's already John Cena, John Bradshaw. My whole thing was why couldn't you have called me Tank D*ck? I just don't get it. Tank D*ck would have at least been cool, like Tank D*ck, you know? But yeah, so it is what it is." [19:14 – 19:36]
Veteran WWE Superstar R-Truth once revealed that Stephanie McMahon came up with his name when he returned to the company in 2008.
Do you have any memories of The D*cks in WWE? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.