WWE Raw Star Reveals Scrapped Ring Name

WWE

A WWE star has revealed how they came up with their in-ring name, including a scrapped suggestion and how it related to AEW’s MVP.

Signed to a WWE contract since November 2023, Je’Von Evans would head to NXT before being called up to the main roster in January of this year.

With an independent wrestling career dating back to 2018, Evans would be known as Jay Malachi and revealed how he came up with his WWE name during an appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, saying:

“So Je’Von literally happened before I did my Level Up match, I think the day before, or maybe two days before. One of the writers was like, ‘Hey, we’re gonna put you on TV, so we need you to give you a name.’ I was like, all right, cool. They were like, ‘Send me 10 names.’”

Evans debuted on the February 16, 2024, episode of WWE NXT Level Up, losing to Brooks Jensen.

Asked about his independent wrestling name, the star would touch upon how he landed on Evans and nearly went with Porter, revealing:

“Well, you know, it was kind of back and forth. It was Jay Malachi, but because some people think me and my twin brother we’re (the same). So we would get mixed up. We would both be called Jay Malachi. If you look into it, you’ll see the resemblance, I guess. But basically, I looked up 10 black people names, and then I just did 10 first names, and then like one of them was Je’Von and 10 last names, one of them was Evans.

“I sent it to them, and they’re like, ‘Hey, we like Je’Von Evans, we like Je’Von Porter,’ and then something else. I wanted Je’Von Porter because there hasn’t been a Porter in WWE.”

Van Vliet noted that MVP had been a star in WWE, with that name being shortened from Montel Vontavious Porter, a topic Evans would address, stating:

“So this is actually good. Okay, because I was like, I’m gonna be the first Porter, Je’Von Porter. I’ll be the first one, but they had MVP.

“But yeah, they picked Je’Von Evans, and I was like, that’s cool, I guess. Then Shawn comes up, and he says, ‘You cool with Je’Von? Because that’s going to be your name for the rest of your life.’ Yeah, it’s ok, I promise. I guess it’s Je’Von Evans now.”

Now a member of the Raw roster, Evans had his first WrestleMania moment this year, competing in the six-man ladder match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, with Penta retaining the title.

The Young OG Brings High Energy

At the time of writing, Je’Von Evans is 22 years of age and started his wrestling journey at the age of 14, with his in-ring debut taking place in early 2018.

Recognized for his ‘high energy’ persona, the star has admitted that keeping that up for every television appearance is “very difficult“, but acknowledged that the support from the fans plays its part in hyping him up.

Being one of the youngest stars on the main roster, Evans has confidence in what he brings to WWE and shared a belief that he can break records. That confidence would see him state he wants to be in the same conversations as some of the greatest of all time, including The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and John Cena.

Evans clearly has all the potential to succeed, with high caliber performances puncuating a career that is yet to see a championship win either in NXT or the main roster. Currently the target of the recently returned Big Cass, a title opportunity may be a way off for the star, but the journey will be one worth watching.

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