WWE
We’re keeping track of every WWE name change of 2022 right here, because we all know WWE loves a good name change. Or a bad one.
This page will be updated every time WWE changes someone’s name.
Just to be clear – new names given to debuting talent don’t count. To qualify for this page, a wrestler has to have already wrestled for WWE under a different name before having it changed.
1. Gunther
Previous name: WALTER
Date of change: January 18
Reason for change: WWE wanted something it could own the rights to, having trademarked Gunther Stark a few days earlier, before it surfaced that Gunther Stark was the name of someone who had ties to Nazi Germany in World War 2. Off to a fantastic start.
2. Sanga
Previous name: Saurav
Date of change: January 26
Reason for change: Repackaged as Grayson Waller’s “insurance policy” – was previously in the Indus-Sher tag team with Veer Mahaan/Rinku
3. Butch
Previous name: Pete Dunne
Date of change: March 11
Reason for change: Called up to SmackDown and aligned with Sheamus and Ridge Holland
4. Kiana James
Previous name: Kayla Inlay
Date of change: March 22
Reason for change: Her real name is Kayla Inlay Klink
5. Xavier Woods
Previous name: King Woods
Date of change: March 29
Reason for change: Returned on March 25 after being out since early January. Still had ‘king’ gimmick but was referred to as Xavier Woods rather than King Woods, and the change was made official on WWE.com on March 29.
6. Ezekiel
Previous name: Elias
Date of change: April 4
Reason for change: Returned to WWE TV for the first time since August, claimed to be Elias’ younger brother
7. Elton Prince & Kit Wilson
Previous name: Sam Stoker (Elton Prince) & Lewis Howley (Kit Wilson)
Date of change: April 5
Reason for change: Renamed upon being moved from NXT UK to NXT 2.0, kept Pretty Deadly tag team name
8. Ludwig Kaiser
Previous name: Marcel Barthel
Date of change: April 8
Reason for change: Marcel Barthel is his real name
9. Raquel Rodriguez
Previous name: Raquel Gonzalez
Date of change: April 8
Reason for change: Gonzalez is her real surname so WWE didn’t want her using it
10. Theory
Previous name: Austin Theory
Date of change: April 11
Reason for change: His real name is Austin White, so WWE didn’t want him using the same first name. Storyline reason was because Vince McMahon didn’t want him to be called Austin because of Steve Austin
11. Cruz Del Toro
Previous name: Raul Mendoza
Date of change: April 13
Reason for change: Raul Mendoza is his real name
12. Alba Fyre
Previous name: Kay Lee Ray
Date of change: April 16
Reason for change: Her real name is Kayleigh Rae, which WWE evidently decided was too close to Kay Lee Ray
13. Katana Chance
Previous name: Kacy Catanzaro
Date of change: April 16
Reason for change: Kacy Catanzaro is her real name
14. Ciampa
Previous name: Tommaso Ciampa
Date of change: April 25
Reason for change: Tommaso is his real first name
15. MR STONE
Previous name: Robert Stone
Date of change: April 26
Reason for change: Robert is his real first name
16. Channing Lorenzo
Previous name: Channing Lauren
Date of change: April 26
Reason for change: Debuted on NXT 2.0 as an ally of Tony D’Angelo after previously only appearing on NXT Level Up under his previous name
17. Max Dupri
Previous name: LA Knight
Date of change: May 20
Reason for change: Called up to SmackDown seemingly as a manager
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