WWE Talent Can Now Retain Their Names Post-Departure from the Company

When WWE signs a well-known talent from another promotion, the issue of their ring name often arises. WWE typically prefers to create new names for wrestlers to own the intellectual property and retain rights if the wrestler leaves the company. Similarly, when a WWE star departs from the company, there’s speculation about whether they can retain their WWE name. This practice allows WWE to maintain control over their brand and intellectual properties.

In the past, WWE had strict policies where talent couldn’t retain their wrestling names if they left the company unless it was their legal name or a name they used before joining WWE

While speaking on Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez stated that this policy has evolved under the TKO era. Alvarez explained that with the new TKO deals, when wrestlers sign with WWE, the company trademarks their ring names. For instance, Ethan Page’s name was trademarked when he joined WWE.

Interestingly, the policy now allows wrestlers to retain their ring names once they leave WWE. Alvarez noted that this practice is similar in AEW, where wrestlers like Stephanie Vaquer can depart and keep their ring names.

“I was told that these new TKO deals are such that when you go to WWE, they are going to trademark everything. For example, Ethan Page went and they trademarked Ethan Page. This is from someone in the company, when you leave they hand everything over to you now.

Apparently when you leave WWE, and it’s kind of the same thing I think with AEW, it’s like she [Vaquer] can leave and take her name. Ethan Page can leave and take his name. While you’re there, they own the rights to everything for pro wrestling. But that is a very big change from back in the day when they owned you into perpetuity. She very much wanted to keep her name and apparently, they’re allowing her to keep the name in WWE. They’re gonna trademark it while she’s there…”

Alvarez and Mike Sempervive noted that Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik were able to retain their ring names after departing from WWE. This departure from WWE’s usual practice of renaming wrestlers shows the growing trend where talents can maintain their established identities when transitioning to other promotions, so it’s certainly a great initiative taken by WWE now.

What do you think of WWE now allowing talent to keep their names after leaving the company? Let us know in the comments section below!