10 WWE Moves That Had To Be Renamed
Sometimes the WWE just can't help switching things up...
It’s no secret that the WWE likes to maintain a certain degree of control over its talent—and in more ways than one.
Perhaps the most obvious example of this is the company’s obsession with renaming new recruits, no matter how much value their existing aliases may hold. Of course, this is done for legal purposes, so that the WWE owns the rights to that name.
But we’ve also seen this compulsion extend beyond the confines of mere naming rights. Superstars are increasingly being micromanaged right down to the most idiosyncratic of details—just ask the now-baby-blue-eyed Roman “suffering succotash” Reigns.
Another facet of its performers’ gimmicks that we’ve seen WWE clamp down on is the names of their actual moves themselves. Sometimes this is done for the right reasons—other times it’s simply pedantic. And sometimes, it’s not even the idea of the WWE themselves, with external pressures prompting such change.
Whatever the variety of reasons though, there have been plenty of cases of moves being renamed over the years in the WWE. This article counts down ten of the most notable instances, digging into exactly why such measures were taken and whether they were really necessarily.
10. Back Cracker
We kick of the list with a move that had its name changed for a fairly logical reason—in accordance with the development of its user’s character.
When Carlito started utilising a reverse lung blower to finish his off opponents, Joey Styles and Jim Ross began referring to it as the aptly-named Back Cracker. However, after a series of betrayals—with a list of victims including Torrie Wilson, Ric Flair, Chris Masters and his brother Primo—Carlito earned himself a reputation for being something of a turncoat.
In reference to this deception, JR altered the name of Carlito’s finisher from the Back Cracker to the Backstabber—and it stuck with him for the rest of his days in the WWE. That slight lexical change was as subtle as it was smart, and a good example of how something as simple as renaming a move can help to tell a story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BeOA8B5c3U
Sasha Banks has since adopted the move for herself, aiding her in establishing herself as the top heel in the NXT Women’s Division.