Pro wrestlers frequently get updated nicknames, with our very own Chris Jericho having gone from “Le Champion” to “The Wizard” and now “The Nueve” during his time in AEW. And now eagle-eyed fans have noticed that WWE’s roster page has seen several tweaks, resulting in Seth Rollins dropping “Freakin” while Bronson Reed and Dominik Mysterio are no longer respectively “Big” and “Dirty,” respectively.
Whether this is simply WWE trying to standardize their webpage listings or a new approach regarding nicknames is unclear. However, it has caused a lot of conversation on social media, with some fans happy to see generic names like “Big” and “Dirty” go, while others feel they add to a gimmick.
Nicknames have always been a big part of a wrestler’s character in WWE, with Vince McMahon ensuring most of his biggest stars had notable alternative monikers, with some as famous as the wrestler’s actual ring name like “Latino Heat,” “The Rated R-Superstar,” “Big Daddy Cool,” “The Heartbreak Kid,” “Y2J” and “The Texas Rattlesnake.” Still, Triple H, himself known as “The Game” during his in-ring career, now has creative control, and it will be interesting to see whether, under his leadership, WWE begins to reduce the use of nicknames.
