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When superstars sign with WWE, they usually have to change the ring name that they previously used. While there have been several instances in which the company relaxed this rule, they still prefer owning the trademark to most ring names.
This is why several superstars who made their name outside of WWE have to change it once they join the promotion. While some names are good, some had to have a bit of a downgrade to take the next career step. Here are five current superstars who used to have better names outside of WWE:
#5. Apollo Crews - Uhaa Nation outside of WWE
The case of Apollo Crews in WWE is an interesting one. He signed with the company right at the end of 2014 and made his NXT debut in the summer of 2015. Even before he first stepped inside a WWE ring, there was a lot of hype surrounding this fresh, young prospect.
He didn't even need to spend much time on the Black and Gold brand before he was fast-tracked to the main roster well before he was ready. Many of us know the story of how Apollo Crews went from being one of WWE's most underutilized stars to a thriving one in 2020-2021, but what happened in the years before that?
Crews made his wrestling debut at the age of 21 and a couple of years in, the young man known as Uhaa Nation signed with Dragon Gate USA - the promotion that ended up giving him his big break.
Uhaa Nation worked for Dragon Gate USA and that was the entry door for him to wrestle in Japan - something that would prove valuable to his experience and style of wrestling. It wasn't just Dragon Gate that he wrestled for, as he also competed in other promotions such as EVOLVE and Full Impact Pro.
His time before WWE was where he made some of his biggest friendships outside the ring, including the likes of Ricochet and Akira Tozawa - both of whom are in WWE today.
While Apollo Crews is a solid name for a superstar like him, Uhaa Nation has a better ring to it. Looking at his current Nigerian-inspired heel character, Uhaa Nation would have been a better name.
#4. Gran Metalik - Mascara Dorada outside of WWE
Gran Metalik is another WWE Superstar who has been considered highly underutilized. He made his name in the famous Mexican wrestling promotion CMLL, and his first step into WWE was through the Cruiserweight Classic in 2016.
Metalik stated that the only reason he was lured by the CWC was because of then-NXT superstar Finn Balor. He made it all the way to the finals of the Cruiserweight Classic before losing to TJ Perkins - who became the first Cruiserweight Champion in the brand new lineage.
However, Metalik, formerly known as Mascara Dorada (Golden Mask) was underutilized from the start. It didn't help that he made a botch in his WWE main roster debut, but the company did virtually nothing with a man that was considered one of the best high-flyers on earth.
In hindsight, WWE's mishandling of Mexican superstars should have been seen from this point, but it wasn't. Metalik has been with The Lucha House Party since 2018, and there hasn't been much of note from him on the main roster, even after Kalisto's departure.
Mascara Dorada was by far a better name, but it's understandable as to why WWE went for Gran Metalik.
#3. T-BAR - Donovan Dijak outside of WWE
T-BAR was known as Dominik Dijakovic in WWE (NXT) and Donovan Dijak outside of it. The former RETRIBUTION member was touted as one of the most exciting big men to join the company in recent times, but his run with the faction was an underwhelming way to debut on the main roster.
Thankfully, WWE has ditched the RETRIBUTION direction and made Dijakovic team up with Mace, but not much has been done yet. He made his entry into professional wrestling in 2013 at the age of 26, which some might consider a bit late.
That didn't matter too much, and within a year, he made his debut with a prominent promotion, where he was first truly noticed by WWE. From then, Donovan Dijak was a target for the company. A contract issue prevented him from signing with WWE in early 2017, and he had to wait until later in the year for his previous contract to finish before he could sign with Vince McMahon's promotion.
Donovan Dijak is a cooler name than T-BAR, although Dominik Dijakovic isn't bad either.
#2. Nikki Cross - Nikki Storm outside of WWE
Nikki Cross has been in WWE for over five years now. It's almost as long as she has spent on the independent circuit, which was an impressive seven years. Long before her WWE signing, she made her wrestling debut at the age of 19.
She would become a household name on the British independent scene, making her name with the likes of Insane Championship Wrestling (ICW). A world-traveled veteran, Cross even competed in Japan as well as American all-women's wrestling promotion Shimmer Women Athletes - a platform where several of the current WWE female stars were noticed.
Nikki Cross' entry into NXT was a bit underwhelming, as she was used in a random match, dressed in odd gear, and went by the name Nikki Glencross. When she debuted with SAnitY in 2016, it was changed to Nikki Cross and she fit the role perfectly.
However, the WWE main roster handling of SAnitY was disastrous to put it lightly, and Cross is the only member who remains on the main roster, while her husband Killian Dain is with the company on NXT. Former members Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe, and Sawyer Fulton aren't with WWE anymore.
Nikki Storm was a better name to use, but Nikki Cross isn't a bad alternative.
#1. Xavier Woods - Consequences Creed outside of WWE
Xavier Woods had two names outside of WWE that are arguably better than his current one - Austin Creed and Consequences Creed. The name Austin Creed was what he first used when he entered wrestling in 2005, taking inspiration from the Apollo Creed character.
Xavier Woods has had a Hall of Fame-worthy career in WWE, accumulating a whopping 11 reigns with the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team titles (accounting for the Freebird rule, of course). He spent a respectable three years with TNA/IMPACT Wrestling, where his sole championship was the TNA World Tag Team titles when he teamed up with Jay Lethal.
The Lethal Consequences pair-up was likely his biggest highlight with the company, as the duo dethroned TNA-greats Beer Money, Inc (Robert/Bobby Roode and James Storm) to become Tag Team Champions.
While Xavier Woods has obviously had a more storied career in WWE with The New Day, there's no doubt that Consequences Creed is a far cooler name than his current persona. The Austin Creed name is something he still uses as his brand outside of WWE - an extremely smart move in hindsight seeing the success of his channel UpUpDownDown.
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