20 True Stories Behind Famous Wrestling Names

Back in the 1990s, the World Wrestling Federation was sued by the World Wildlife Fund over the similarity in their initials.

The World Wildlife Fund argued that, as a charitable cause, global recognition was more important to them and to the world at large than it was to an American professional wrestling promotion. Years earlier, Vince McMahon had agreed, completely voluntarily, to keep the use of the disputed initials ‘WWF’ to a minimum in overseas markets where the panda was better established. This gentleman’s agreement matters out of court for nearly a decade, until the Attitude Era saw WWF’s presence worldwide expanding.

Because it’s Vince McMahon, he ignored the gentleman’s agreement and publicised the WWF brand overseas. The next thing he knew, the panda had suplexed the WWF right into court, obtaining a ruling that the wrestling promotion had to abide by the previous agreement. McMahon, realising now how much that would hamper his World Wrestling Federation, and not being one for half measures, decided instead to dramatically change the name of the company and completely rebrand the business… hence the company now being known as WWE.