In a surprise move that has not gone well, WWE changes a Superstar’s name…and fans are not happy.
WWE Changes Superstar’s Name
In a stunning (or perhaps, not so stunning) move, WWE changes a Superstar’s name…and it has not gone smoothly.
Actually, saying that out loud…that is basically par for the course for WWE of late.
On the January 19th edition of NXT, WALTER made his official, full-time, NXT 2.0 debut.
While the Superstar had made appearances before, he was still calling NXT UK home.
That run ended recently, and the Superstar is now, finally, based in America.
By the end of the show, however…WALTER was no more.
Following his defeat of Roderick Strong, and before he and Imperium attacked the loser, WALTER grabbed the mic to make an announcement.
source: custom, WWE Italy twitter screenshot
He simply informed the crowd that the winner of the match was…Gunther.
It was made so abruptly that some may have missed it…but the reaction has not been good at all.
For starters, it had been reported not long before Tuesday, that WWE had filed a trademark for Gunther Stark.
When WALTER declared his change, he left out Stark. Seems that some outside of WWE Creative have the Internet, and a quick search for that full name does not yield great results.
So, WWE may have pivoted and gone with just the first name…which we’ve seen all too often.
Riddle and other Superstars saw an existing name cut in half, so that move isn’t stunning.
And, while WALTER was an established name and Superstar, working for WWE for a decent amount of time before the change? Also nothing new.
Just ask the Viking Raiders. Or Keith “Bearcat” Lee.
Reactions have not been good…
Given social media response, it’s going to be very interesting to see how WWE spins changing this Superstar’s name…or if it really manages to stick.
HBK: Bruce, I don’t think a name change is needed
Bruce: WALTER doesn’t sound MAIN EVENT enough PAL! We need something MORE!
HBK: We got it right for 3 years…
Bruce: How about a NAZI U-Boat Commander named GUNTHER. IT LITERALLY PRINTS MONEY…
HBK: Bruce…
Bruce: pic.twitter.com/fHvwTfAsCZ
— JDfromNY (@JDfromNY206) January 19, 2022
Need I remind everyone Vince saw me as the partying dancing guy. Gunther is too much of a stretch all of a sudden?
— Lance Storm (@LanceStorm) January 19, 2022
Man….if what I’m hearing is real….
Poor Walter.
— Selective Lee (@RealKeithLee) January 19, 2022
Vince looking at WALTER like:#WWE #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/JzRQnRziQG
— Sennnn igger (@IggerSennnn) January 19, 2022
???
They gonna make WALTER a Nazi!??
A Nazi named Gunther Stark!?
Is this what we’re doing now, WWE!?
More Anti-American BS? pic.twitter.com/OffBDLWRbn
— Just Alyx (@JustAlyxCentral) January 19, 2022
source: custom, Just Alyx twitter screenshot
And then there is this humorous take, which totally fits given what Waller was up to on this week’s show…
Just so everyone knows, Walter was just too close to Waller, so I spoke to my lawyers, and they are GOOD at what they do. You’re welcome
— Grayson Waller (@GraysonWWE) January 19, 2022
One last point, looking at the episode. WALTER’S name change was not the only change that isn’t going over well.
In one night WWE
1. Changed WALTER’s name to a Nazi commander’s name.
2. Did this to Sareee: pic.twitter.com/2xdZBxYMAh— Ashutosh is in Pain? (@AshLikesPuro) January 19, 2022
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