Favourite Name Change

[Impeccable]

What is your favourite name change for a wrestler (not gimmick change, because WWE, WCW, et al would have us believe that the same person playing two different gimmicks are in fact two different people. Take Jamal and Umaga for example. Nobody has ever acknowledged that Umaga is played by the same person as Jamal was).

What I mean is the same person, yet he announces his name has changed. Some are more subtle and change over time, like hunter Hearst Helmsley changed to Triple H. Some are more in your face and obvious.

Heyman (To Lesnar): And with this best...with this A-Train on your side...

Albert: What did you say?

Heyman: I'm sorry, did you not like it?

Albert: I like it. From now on...I'm A-Train (thumps chest).

So, give some examples. What did you like, or what made you laugh?

And yes, before you ask, I am bored. bored so badly that I make a thread like this.

[Con man]

Rocky Maivia slowly becoming simply "The Rock".

[ttetf]

The Ringmaster becoming Stone Cold Steve Austin

Also liked it how Kama Mustapha became the Godfather

[Pardeep 619]

Heyman (To Lesnar): And with this best...with this A-Train on your side...

Albert: What did you say?

Heyman: I'm sorry, did you not like it?

Albert: I like it. From now on...I'm A-Train (thumps chest).

I actually remember the promo where the A-Train name came about. It was Heyman, Big Show and Albert in the locker room being prepared for their single matches that night. Heyman was talking to Big Show telling hime how he's 7 ft tall and 500 lbs, then Heyman starts talking to Albert and says something like ' you are like a train... aaaaa trrraaaiiinn'. Then Albert goes ' Yeah, I am A-TRAIN'. Heyman tells Big Show who he'll be facing that night, and turns round to Albert and refers to him as A-Train and tells him who he is wrestling.

[Pardeep 619]

To answer the question, I always liked how Fatu changed to become Rikishi

[Team Sheep]

Chavo - Kerwin White.

:shifty:

[Xero]

WCW to WWE to TNA.

:shifty:

[Avenger]

The Ringmaster becoming Stone Cold Steve Austin

Also liked it how Kama Mustapha became the GodfatherPapa Shango?

[Disturbed316]

Rey Mysterio Jr to Rey Mysterio.

:shifty:

[Con man]

Papa Shango?
He was Papa Shango but that was a different gimmick. When he came back as Kama Mustafa and joined The Nation, he slowly became simply known as The Godfather.

[Jeritron]

Issac Yankem to Kane

Hunter Hearst Helmsley to Triple H

The Roadie to Road Dogg

[Impeccable]

Issac Yankem to Kane

Kane has never been referred to as being another character before.

[Impeccable]

I remember Chaz from the headbangers "breaking character" when he was supposed to be that pervy schoolboy. This was back in 1999/very early 2000!

[Goulet]

I remember Chaz from the headbangers "breaking character" when he was supposed to be that pervy schoolboy. This was back in 1999/very early 2000!
Beaver Cleavage!

:lol:

[Impeccable]

Beaver Cleavage!

:lol:

THAT's HIM!

[FourFifty]

Beaver Cleavage!

:lol:

I :heart: Beaver

[Stickman]

Rey Mysterio Jr to Rey Mysterio.

:

My first choice.

What about Rhino to Rhyno to Rhino
Or Bubba Ray Dudley to Brother Ray and Devon to whatever his name is now?

[Impeccable]

Ooooh....I've got one.

I remember watching TNA, after Swinger and Diamond has split up (this was back in the days of their 4 sided ring) Simon Diamond had a backstage interview with Borash (?) and said he's changing his name to reflect his irish roots. "Irish" Pat Kenney

Oh, and Kip James!!!

[Con man]

I forgot The Godfather to The Goodfather as well when he joined RTC.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Marquis Cor Von

[Gone Mad]

Akio to Jimmy Wang Yang

[Road Warrior]

Kane and Kole to Booker T and Stevie Ray

[Destor]

Alundra Blaze to SHannon Moore

[The Genius]

Marquis Cor Von
marquis cor von to marcus cor von has to be about the worst. not even sure what sense that made to change it.

[Jeritron]

Vince probably mispronounced it, and since he's infallable the name was subsequently changed.

[The Show Off]

Alundra Blaze to SHannon Moore

Wait so Alundra Blaze had a sex change and became a woman?

[KayfabeMan]

Reckless Youth to "Technician" Tom Carter, though thankfully some promotions refer to him as "Reckless Youth" Tom Carter, which is much better sounding.

Also, Vince McMahon to Cocksmoker III

[St. Jimmy]

Paul Wight to Big Show.

[KayfabeMan]

Let's not forget Virgil to Vincent.

Or Vincent to Shane :shifty:

[KayfabeMan]

Must suck to spend your whole career being named after one promoter or another, or his son.

[CYCLOPTERSAURUS]

Bradshaw -> JBL seemed to work really well.

[aaaaa]

Referee Mickey Jay -> Mickie Henson

ECW -> "The New" ECW [WWEcw] :(

Armando Alejandro Estrada -> Armando Estrada :wtf:

"Sugar" Shane Helms -> The Hurricane -> Gregory Helms

[addy2hotty]

Who was that Max Moon guy who's name changed every week? I swear he got called Chris Comet at one point.

[Legend Killer]

Meat- Shawn Stasiak

[Legend Killer]

or Blue Blazer- Owen Hart

[Jeritron]

123 kid to Xpac

[NeanderCarl]

Who was that Max Moon guy who's name changed every week? I swear he got called Chris Comet at one point.

Yeah, I remember a match where he was called "Maximillion Moves" by the ring announcer, yet the onscreen graphics read "Maximus Moon". Ah, the WWF of 1992. Great stuff.

[Mr. Nerfect]

These are a little predictable from me, but I'm going to mention them:

Val Venis to Sean Morley to Chief Morley: I never appreciated him at the time as I do now, but it was really a stroke of genius to have Venis renounce his porn star ways and go by his birthname when he wanted to become serious. If I remember, Sean Morley was actually a babyface (I think his first night as Chief of Staff teased a little tension between him and Bischoff), but then he became "Chief", like Booker became "King", and started to abuse his power. Good times.

Doug Basham to Machine to "The Machine" Doug Basham: When he first appeared in OVW, Doug Basham was one of Jim Cornette and Danny Davis' top faces. He then disappeared, and a masked figure showed up. Machine was vicious, and became one of the the biggest heels OVW ever had. He was then revealed to be Doug Basham, but I believe he kept "The Machine" moniker whilst he remained a heel, just to keep his heat flowing.

Steven Regal to William Regal: I know a lot of people didn't like this when it happened, but I was introduced to William first, so I favour his second name. It just sounds more British than "Steven".

[NeanderCarl]

They changed it to William because they had Steve Austin, Steve Blackman and Steven Richards all working there at the time.

Same thing with Lance Cade becoming Garrison Cade due to Lance Storm being around and Mickie Jay becoming Mick Henson to avoid confusion with Mickie James.

I'm surprised that Chris Masters was given that name, considering the fact that Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit and Christian were all on the roster at the time.

[parkmania]

Roadie to Road Dogg

Big Van Vader to Vader

Taz to Tazz

Dutch Mantell to Texas Dirt

Farooq Asaad (in shiny The Warrior garb and managed by Sunny) to Farooq in the Nation of Domination, to Farooq in the APA, to Ron "Damn" Simmons

Deacon Batista to Dave Batista to Batista

Brian Christopher to Grandmaster Sexay

Chris Jericho to Y2J and back

Charles Robinson to Little Naitch and back

[FourFifty]

Dusty Rohdes to The Midnight Rider
Hulk Hogan to Mr. America
The born again Dustin Rhodes back to Goldust

[Jeritron]

Stephanie McMahon to Stephanie McMahon-Levesque :shifty: