10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (May 17)

10. What Bill Watts Wanted To Call Ahmed Johnson

Jim Ross said on his 'Grilling JR' podcast that Ahmed Johnson was Vince McMahon's attempt to create a black superstar who'd rise up to World Title status. To then-creative team member Bill Watts (a good pal of JR's), that meant comparing him to The Junkyard Dog and finding a name that'd get people talking.

His suggestion? Buff Johnson.

McMahon was appalled, and stared a hole through Ross in the meeting. Afterwards, he asked JR to take care of Bill's pitch and make sure he didn't do anything like that again. Jim, who hadn't hired Watts and agreed the name sucked, said it was Vince's responsibility. He was just another creative mind who had nothing to do with his friend's proposition.

There was no way Vince was going to green light 'Buff Johnson', and we can see why. That name sounds more like a cheesy porn star than a pro wrestling great, and it didn't exactly sell Ahmed as anything other than a mid card act.