Wrestling world reacts to WWE changing LA Knight's name on SmackDown
It seems like LA Knight wasn't safe regarding WWE's recent barrage of name changes.
During his time in the indie, he went by Eli Drake, even using his real name Shaun Ricker at some point in his career. Following his signing with WWE in 2021, that was changed to LA Knight.
During this week's episode of SmackDown, Knight appeared during a backstage segment. However, he now bears the new name 'Max Dupri' as the CEO of Maximum Male Models.
Following the segment and announcement of his new name, fans started reacting on social media. Check out some of the tweets here:
Max Dupri could be called Balthazar McQueen and it’ll still work. #Smackdown
Max Dupri…
https://t.co/xFrcev6s6F
RIP LA Knight.
Yeahhhhh...
#MaxDupri #WWE #Smackdown #FoxNews
@LAKnightWWE
that is... certainly a name twitter.com/WWE/status/152…
I’m sorry but it could have been ALOT worse! I’m not that bothered by this name change twitter.com/wwe/status/152…
I… actually like this name more than LA Knight AND Eli Drake… twitter.com/wwe/status/152…
Why did they change LA Knight's name to Max Dupri? And how did they get a worse name? JUST LEAVE THE NAME!! IT'S A NAME YOU OWN!! #WWE #SmackDown
@SlickThePanda @WWE I didn't mind the name. It's not my favorite, I liked Eli Drake more, but I didn't hate it. Even if I did, Max Dupri is 10x worse. Still makes no sense. They own LA Knight. Zero reason.
Max Dupri, now that’s a great name change!!!!
#SmackDown
Max Dupri?! Don’t know why you would change his name, but whatever I guess….. hey at least LA Knight finally got called up, so that’s good #SmackDown
Not watching smackdown but I heard LA Knight is now Max Dupri
Max Dupri is a name that someone who's working in a restaurant would be named as, But LA Knight is talented enough that he would get the name over
#SmackDown
#wwesmackdownWho hears the name “LA Knight” and says “how about MAX DUPRI”?!!!!! 😂 #wwesmackdown https://t.co/7MWtWmkH1n
#SmackDownLA Knight is now Max Dupri… 🤦🏻♂️ 😑 #SmackDown
Guys, there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for Max DuPRI. He is Los Angeles Knight’s younger brother.
#SmackDown
@WWE @ScrapDaddyAP I bet if he was named Max Dupri in NXT and went to the main roster renamed to LA Knight people would still hate it
This isn't the first time WWE has arranged a name change for their talents. Some examples are Butch (FKA Pete Dunne), Gunther (WALTER), Ludwig Kaiser (Marcel Barthel), among others. Most recently, Austin Theory and Tommaso Ciampa dropped their first names only to be known as Theory and Ciampa.
What was LA Knight up to before becoming Max Dupri?
Though the former IMPACT star debuted on NXT in February 2021 as a heel, Dupri initially appeared in WWE back in 2013 but was released in the following year.
His second coming in NXT has proven to be more fruitful. Max found himself in a feud with the likes of Cameron Grimes, Joe Gacy, Drake Maverick, Johnny Gargano, and Dolph Ziggler. He also challenged for the NXT North American Championship but was lost.
Dupri's efforts haven't gone to waste since he captured the Million Dollar Championship in a ladder match during NXT Takeover: In Your House. His last match in the developmental brand was against Gunther in March 2022.
Say hello to Max Dupri!
#SmackDown https://t.co/Epy0PFiDjJ
His first introduction to the main roster was in a backstage segment, where he appeared with Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode as a member of The Dirty Dawgs. Dupri then made his official debut on SmackDown in a dark segment as a villainous manager for Knight Model Management.
With the changed name and persona, it will be interesting to see how LA Knight's new character will go forth in the show.