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AEW allows their wrestlers sufficient freedom to choose their names, and that has led to several wrestlers working under their real names in the company.
A wrestler's name is often their first impression and goes a long way in defining fan perception. Names like Kane or The Undertaker immediately pop an image in one's head even if they might not know the wrestler. Same with names like The Big Show and The Great Khali which give an impression of a wrestler's possible look.
At times, original names don't go with the wrestler's personality. Imagine Kane debuting as Glenn Jacobs instead or The Great Khali showing up as Dalit Singh Rana. It's clear to see the difference kayfabe names make to add gravitas to the characters.
However, sometimes a wrestler's birth name is good enough to be carried forward, as seen in multiple cases in AEW. In this article, let us explore 6 wrestlers in AEW who use their original names.
#6. Bryan Lloyd Danielson (AEW Name: Bryan Danielson)
The biggest entry on this list and AEW's latest big-name signing, Bryan Danielson, is finally wrestling under the name that made him famous in the first place.
There's no denying that Danielson rose to superstardom in WWE under the ring-name of Daniel Bryan, so much so that many perhaps forgot that his real name wasn't that. But before his stint with WWE, he wrestled as Bryan Danielson in various promotions.
The YES man also wrestled as the American Dragon for a short while, and the name became his gimmick during his indie days. During AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam, we saw Bryan Danielson unleashed from the shackles imposed by WWE and, hopefully, we get to see him create magic in AEW many, many times.
#5. Jade Cargill (AEW Name: Jade Cargill)
Jade Cargill is a fitness model turned pro-wrestler who holds a master's degree in child psychology. She made her pro-wrestling debut in AEW under her original name.
Jade Cargill, although still green from an in-ring perspective, is unbeaten in AEW and has all the tools to become a top star in the women's division. She's among the top five ranked women in the company, and we could be seeing her challenge for the AEW Women's Championship soon.
#4. Mark Jerrold Henry (AEW Name: Mark Henry)
Mark Henry has used his name throughout his career, which spans multiple decades, so it was no surprise to see him retain the same in AEW.
He was a part of WWF/E and enjoyed multiple runs with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. His gimmick as the World's Strongest Man suited him considering his powerlifting background. Mark Henry's move to AEW was a surprise as he seemed to be a WWE lifer.
Now 50, we are unlikely to see him in the ring anytime soon in AEW, but he's done a good job as an interviewer on AEW Rampage as well as being a prominent figure in AEW's community outreach programs.
#3. Hikaru Shida (AEW Name: Hikaru Shida)
Hikaru Shida, the longest-reigning women's champion in All Elite Wrestling history, has used her original name throughout her stint with Tony Khan's company. She's one of the best female wrestlers in the company and has used her real name for the majority of her wrestling career.
Hikaru Shida is one of the stalwarts of the women's division, and carried the title through tough circumstances during the pandemic for which she was rewarded with a 277-day title reign before dropping the title to Britt Baker at Double or Nothing earlier this year.
#2. Anthony Osejua Ojo Ogogo (AEW Name: Anthony Ogogo)
Anthony Ogogo signed with AEW back in October 2019, featuring on Cody's Nightmare Family YouTube series before that. He trained under the American Nightmare and QT Marshall before making his official debut in March 2021.
Anthony Ogogo was already a decorated star as a professional boxer, winning a bronze medal in the middleweight division at the 2012 London Olympics. Blindness in his left eye caused him to retire from boxing, but he's a solid prospect for AEW.
Although he lost in his debut match to Cody Rhodes at Double or Nothing 2021, he has a lot of desirable traits for a pro-wrestler and should be fine in the long term.
#1. Leyla Hirsch (AEW Name: Leyla Hirsch)
Leyla Hirsch was officially signed to AEW in March this year, but she made her debut months back on AEW Dark. Although she lost to Hikaru Shida, her impressive performances in CZW, Stardom and future Dark episodes earned her an AEW contract.
She recently lost an NWA Women's Championship match to Kamille after knocking off The Bunny at the Homecoming edition of Dynamite and has been feuding with Jade Cargill. The two fought on a recent episode of Dynamite, with Cargill coming out on top in a competitive match.
