With The Last Outfit undergoing a name change after Collision, this is far from the first time an AEW or WWE creative change has been made.
Although it hasn’t been officially confirmed, The Last Outfit name may have been changed after fans were left baffled on social media.
WWE and AEW have both changed aspects of their presentation in the wake of fan feedback in the past, although that’s not to say that all the reactions lead to change:
The Last Outfit became The Cut
Now known as The Cut, Jay White reintroduced the faction in a video that was shared on social media, taking nothing away from the original reveal when it comes to the faction’s reason for being.
With some on social media noting the mixed reaction to “The Last Outfit”, others would be left confused by the new name and how they should refer to White’s faction.
Others would note that “Last Outfit” was suitable as it was synonymous with funeral attire, while others would draw comparisons with Al Capone’s Chicago Outfit during Prohibition-era America.
At the time of writing, it hasn’t been confirmed whether the name change was made following fan feedback, but Tony Khan has used that as a barometer previously.
Mid-show AEW theme change
In May 2025, following fan reaction on social media to Mina Shirakawa’s new AEW entrance theme, the star would win her match only for her old music to be played.
Tony Khan would be the man behind the decision to change the music back on the same show in which the new theme debuted, demonstrating his ability to respond in what many business leaders would consider an agile way.
WWE bows to corporate pressure
WrestleMania 34 in 2018 saw the announcement of a women’s counterpart to the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale, yet the match wouldn’t take place under its originally planned name.
Announced as The Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal, fans would be incensed by the use of the late star’s name after serious allegations over her treatment of female wrestlers. With Mars as a sponsor of the PLE, the company would issue a statement that would later see WWE rename the match to the “WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royale”.
#GiveDivasAChance
In early 2015, a hashtag was born that signalled change in WWE, particularly for its women’s division.
#GiveDivasAChance caught on after The Bellas vs. Paige & Emma ended in around 30 seconds, with WWE bringing about the “women’s revolution” and retiring the Divas Championship in its aftermath.
Later that year, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks were called up to the main roster, leading to further change that saw WrestleMania 35 main evented by Lynch defeating Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair in a Winner Takes All match.
The Yes to the Yeah Movement
For Daniel Bryan and LA Knight, their stardom rose due to fan reaction as opposed to a concerted push by WWE creative.
The Yes movement was solidified after the World Heavyweight Champion suffered a loss to Sheamus at WrestleMania 28 in a match that barely made 20 seconds, with fans doubling down on their efforts to elevate the star. Such was the reaction among the fans after the squash, that the star would go on to become WWE World Champion in a victory over John Cena at SummerSlam the following year.
A similar route would be established for LA Knight more recently, with his push not yet securing a world title win, but being largely organic following fan reaction, leading to the star being elevated towards championship contention.
The Viking Experience
Known as War Raiders in NXT, Erik and Ivar were called up to the main roster with a name change, debuting as The Viking Experience.
A name that was roundly mocked on social media, with memes leaning into the theme park vibe, they would be repackaged as The Viking Raiders, with a return in 2024 seeing them revert to the War Raiders name.
The fan voice matters
Whether it’s positive or negative, there is an argument to be made that the fan voice matters; after all, they are the ones watching the show, whether it’s AEW, WWE or any other company.
That’s not to say that every criticism should be taken on board. As in real life, feedback should be tempered through a lens of intent and credibility, but reality should also play its part. Speaking during his retirement year, John Cena stated there were “tons of pivots“, reflecting on the adaptability of storytelling in WWE.
Sometimes changes happen because fans have reacted. Sometimes change happens simply because what came before doesn’t work for the people involved. Past history and assumptions may play a part, but the only way to test something is to put it out in front of a live audience and see how they react.
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