As we’ve seen in the past (e.g. Bron Breakker not having Steiner to his name despite keeping all the other trappings of his dad and uncle’s Hall of Fame gimmick) , even wrestling royalty aren’t exempt from WWE’s policy of giving nearly everyone on their roster a trademarkable name.
But maybe you thought Simone Johnson – daughter of Dwayne, granddaughter of Rocky, fourth-generation member of the legendary Samoan dynasty – would get a pass? No.
Meet Ava Raine.
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Raine commented on the change on Twitterand in particular the criticism of not making a connection with dad Rock, saying:
“I probably sound like a broken record and hope this is the last time I mention it, but I don’t understand why people described as individuals separate from their family names are such a hot topic.
“A name does not discredit any of a family’s past accomplishments.
“I could build my whole career around my dad and people would still hit me anyway.”
She also thanked the people who supported her.
Does that mean an on-screen debut is imminent for the 20-year-old, who officially signed two years ago? And as long as WWE embraces its legacy in other ways like they did with Breakker, is the name really that big of a deal?
Let us know what you think*, Cagesiders.
* It doesn’t matter what you think.