Another week, another wacky name change for a talent promoted to WWE’s main roster. From Doudrop to Gunther, the former WWF has never been shy at springing an unlikely new name on us all.
Pete Dunne was the latest recipient of the Stamford, Connecticut moniker-makeover. He debuted on last week’s episode of SmackDown as the somewhat underwhelming “Butch.”
People were quick to voice their opinions of the change following Dunne’s main roster debut. Speculation emerged that some backstage thought the unexpected name to be a rib of sorts.
Dunne is now associated with Ridge Holland – real name Luke Menzies – on-screen. With a Butch and a Luke together, could we actually have characters named in honour of the Bushwhackers in 2022?
There are plenty of occasions when a wrestler’s name really has been an in-joke based on someone else, and here are eight examples.
8. VK Wallstreet
At the height of the ‘Monday Night Wars,’ the WWF and WCW were obsessed with each other. From Billionaire Ted skits on one side to Eric Bischoff giving away results on another, it was a memorable time.
Many of those bigger moments have gone down in wrestling history, but there were others too. More than once, WCW took a not-so-subtle shot at the Federation through its naming of certain wrestlers.
Mike Rotunda returned to WCW in September 1995 after four and a half years away from the company. During that time he’d enjoyed a successful spell as IRS, the wrestling tax man.
Making his comeback on the second episode of Monday Nitro, Rotunda debuted the character of VK Wallstreet. This was a combination of his previous money-grabbing Michael Wallstreet persona and, of course, Vincent Kennedy (VK) McMahon.
7. Syxx
Sly references to other wrestlers within a name are not uncommon. One such case involving Sean Waltman was somewhat unique though.
When Waltman jumped to WCW in 1996, he immediately became part of the red-hot New World Order angle. Like NWO founders and best friends Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, he represented an invader from up north.
Like his buddies he could no longer use the name that fans knew him by in the WWF – The 1-2-3 Kid. Unlike Hall and Nash however, Waltman decided against going by his real name.
Instead, the former Lightning Kid was christened ‘Syxx’ by Bischoff. Presumably because 1 plus 2 plus 3 equals 6, so that makes it a good idea?
6. Virgil, Vincent, Shane
This column would not be complete without one man. Mike Jones, or Virgil in the WWF, made a career out of wrestling under other people’s names.
Joining Titan Sports in 1987, Jones was rechristened Virgil, in the role of Ted DiBiase’s manservant. While some have denied it, it is generally accepted this was a jab at Dusty Rhodes. Born Virgil Runnels, Rhodes was a big character in the industry and ripe for mockery in the eyes of some.
Virgil became Vincent when Jones joined WCW in late 1996. This was the second character inside a year named in honour of the boss of the opposition. The homages kept coming. Jones’ WCW run also saw him christened Shane as a rib on Shane McMahon, and Curly Bill – possibly a knock on Bill Watts.
5. Freddie Joe Floyd
Tracy Smothers signed with the WWF in the summer of 1996 as one of a group of under-carders. A star in Smoky Mountain and ECW at different points, he probably did not expect a main event run while in the Federation.
What he did get was even less impressive. Smothers debuted on WWF television at the same time as Tony Anthony, Bill Irwin, Tom Brandi, Alex Porteau, and a masked Jim Neidhart.
The recruitment was part of a drive to have capable, in-house enhancement talent to put over bigger stars. All except Porteau were saddled with a new name and, in some cases, a silly gimmick.
Smothers avoided anything too embarrassing, but his new name was an inside joke. The moniker was a tribute of sorts to retired greats Jack (Freddie Joe) Brisco and brother Gerry (Floyd).
4. Oklahoma
The WWF and WCW plumbed the depths of good taste in the late 1990s. This was a time when it seemed nothing was too depraved or tasteless for TV if it hooked viewers. The number of times both companies did so could fill several of their own lists.
Oklahoma debuted in WCW in late 1999 and was a parody of Jim Ross, then the WWF’s head of talent relations and lead commentator. Needless to say, it was not a very subtle or respectful parody either. Oklahoma was portrayed by WCW writer Ed Ferrara, who had jumped to the company from the WWF with Vince Russo.
Ferrara appeared in the role for several months, mocking his former WWF colleague in a misguided attempt at humour. Along with the knocks on Ross’ beloved home state, Ferrara notoriously mimicked Ross’ speech and facial expressions. As many know, Ross has battled Bell’s Palsy for years.
Both Russo and Ferrara have apologised to Ross in recent years for the ridicule. Ross, for his part, has spoken about how hurtful the gimmick was at the time.
3. Akeem “The African Dream”
First and foremost, Akeem was a racially insensitive and deeply offensive idea for a gimmick. You might be tempted to file this as one of those things that they would never attempt nowadays. Although this being wrestling, you never can be fully sure.
Akeem started life in the WWF as the One Man Gang, a mohawked brute who made a name for himself in various territories. After a year in that role, without warning, his manager Slick announced a “transformation” was afoot.
What followed was a bizarre segment in which Gang emerged as Akeem – “The African Dream,” ‘jive’ talking and awkwardly dancing. Now billed from “Deepest, Darkest Africa,” native Carolinian George Gray had apparently ‘found his roots.’
All of this was another attempt by Vince McMahon and friends to mock Dusty Rhodes. “The American Dream” employed a passionate speaking style modelled after Muhammad Ali. Presumably one of Vince’s cronies saw Eddie Murphy’s Coming To America that summer and a plan was hatched.
2. Buzzkill
Brad Armstrong is generally considered the best in-ring worker of all of his siblings. Along with Steve, Scott and Brian, each brother followed their father “The Bullet” Bob Armstrong into the squared circle. Many would go as far to say Brad was one of the most underappreciated workers of his area.
What Brad Armstrong possessed in technical ability though he lacked in charisma. The eldest of the Armstrong brothers, he enjoyed a stellar career while never becoming a main event talent. As such, bookers would often saddle Armstrong with gimmicks in an attempt to make him more ‘marketable.’
During his WCW career, Armstrong worked as a Spider-Man rip-off, a Fabulous Freebird, the Candyman, even a No Limit Soldier. Naturally, when Vince Russo arrived, another gimmick was incoming.
Armstrong became ‘Buzzkill,’ an imitation of youngest brother Brian – aka Road Dogg in the WWF. Road Dogg had found massive success as part of D-X and The New Age Outlaws, and WCW wasn’t particularly creative at this point. Brad braided his hair, wore a tie-dye shirt and got some copycat music to little effect.
1. Asya
Once last entry from the horror show that was the final years of World Championship Wrestling. This one involved Christi Wolf, a bodybuilder and model, who was signed by the company in early 1999.
Wolf briefly had a role as a nurse for Ric Flair after his stay in a mental institution (don’t ask). She then disappeared for months without explanation. When she re-emerged in October of that year, it was with a familiar sounding name.
At Halloween Havoc, Wolf debuted as Asya and aligned herself with The Revolution, Shane Douglas’ heel stable. This was of course a reference to Chyna, the WWF’s ground-breaking female wrestler who achieved genuine stardom during the Attitude Era.
The ‘Asya’ name was not subtle, right down to the replacement of ‘i’ with ‘y’ in the spelling. There was also the unsubtle joke that Asia is bigger than China, so fans might somehow think Asya was superior to Chyna. Obviously, it didn’t work.
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