10 WWE Name Changes That IMMEDIATELY Backfired
4. Pete Dunne’s Bruising Time As Butch
The intro to this piece teased an entry that had already been examined when looking at gimmick changes that badly backfired on WWE. Take a bow, Butch, because you're getting to double dip. Pete Dunne's time as the scrappy lil' no-good 'Brawling Brute' Butch might've worked out had the company kept his 'Bruiserweight' stylings in tact. Sadly, creative fancied turning him into a street urchin Oliver Twist media would've turned its nose up at.
Dunne hit the main roster in March 2022 with a new look. He had a flat cap like his 'big brother' Sheamus, wore braces like someone had a fire sale on Peaky Blinders costumes, and Pete just generally looked totally uncomfortable in the role he was being asked to play. OK, so wrestlers don't always get to do everything they want (and Dunne just wanted to work lengthy and engaging back and forth matches), but this idea was too under-developed and cartoonish for someone with his skillset.
There was a disconnect in WWE's presentation of Butch too. He was stony faced and looked like he meant business, but even Sheamus laughed at how much of a scrap this lil' fella liked. It was jarring to hear about his violent exploits when he was walking around looking for all the world like someone who'd turned up at the wrong venue for his high school drama class.
To think, Dunne didn't return to his original name until January 2024. That means he spend almost 2 full years as Butch; and not even Bushwhacker Butch. Just plain ol' Butch. No wonder he looked glum all the time!