Real reason why AEW changed top stable's name; WWE link revealed

AEW recently made a sudden change with a prominent faction dropping its well-known name. This decision may have something to do with the WWE.

Earlier this year, Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, and Roderick Strong left the Undisputed Kingdom, and they are now known as the Paragon. The trio was part of the Undisputed Era during their time in WWE NXT and also formed the Undisputed Elite in AEW when Cole, O'Reilly, and Bobby Fish joined The Young Bucks. In late 2023, the Panama City Playboy formed the Undisputed Kingdom with Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, Wardlow, and Strong.

According to Fightful Select, AEW has renamed "Undisputed Kingdom" to "Paragon" due to internal creative plans and potential concerns over the name's similarities with WWE-owned trademarks. Sean Ross Sapp noted that when Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O'Reilly reunited, Tony Khan's promotion initially did not plan for the Kingdom's Matt Taven and Mike Bennett to join the group.

According to the report, the creative wanted to keep Taven and Bennett separate from the trio, and the renaming was done to substantiate that move.

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Moreover, it was noted that the company thought having the "Undisputed" in the faction's name was "a little too close to risk," as it would be too similar to past WWE-associated names, like "Undisputed Era."

It will be interesting to see how Tony Khan uses the Paragon in the coming weeks as we get closer to Double or Nothing.

FTR & Paragon's Kyle O'Reilly & Roderick Strong deliver a classic on AEW Collision

Last Saturday on Collision, FTR faced off against Paragon's Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong in their much-anticipated rubber match. The bout was received well by wrestling fans.

All Elite Wrestling is known for its stellar tag team wrestling, and it was on show once again, with fans lauding the chemistry between the two teams.

The turning point in the match came when Strong suffered a knee injury, leaving O'Reilly to battle on his own. Despite his valiant effort, FTR managed to capitalize on the injury and get the win with their trademark spike piledriver.

Moreover, Adam Cole's heated post-match interaction with FTR suggests that there's more to this rivalry.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

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Edited by Jeevak Ambalgi

Real reason why AEW changed top stable's name; WWE link revealed - Reports

FTR & Paragon's Kyle O'Reilly & Roderick Strong deliver a classic on AEW Collision