WWE reportedly enforcing name changes for WWE ID talent
WWE is reportedly making ID talent use their specific WWE-mandated names going forward. According to a new report from BodySlam, WWE ID talents will no longer be able to use their indie names on the circuit and will have to go by their WWE ID names for all upcoming appearances:
Sources have revealed to Bodyslam.net that Independent Wrestlers who have been signed by WWE for a WWE ID contract will no longer be able to use their indie names. Going forward they will have to use their WWE ID names for all upcoming appearances.
WWE ID Talent Name Changes
Current WWE ID talent and their WWE names (that they will reportedly have to be using going forward) are as follows:
- Aricia Demia going by Anya Rune
- Notorious Mimi going by Sloane Jacobs
- Starboy Charlie going by Chazz Starboy Hall
- Jariel Rivera going by Santi Rivera
- Jimmy House going by CJ Valor
- Mike Cunningham is now going by Max Abrams
We will try to get more on this today and over the weekend.
What is WWE ID?
WWE ID stands for WWE Independent Development, a developmental program WWE launched in October 2024 to scout and support promising independent wrestlers and give them a “clear” pathway toward a potential WWE contract.
It works in two ways. First, WWE designates a handful of prominent indie wrestling schools as official “WWE ID” schools, with the initial five being Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling (Houston), Cody Rhodes’ Nightmare Factory (Atlanta), Seth Rollins’ Black and Brave Academy (Davenport, Iowa), Elite Pro Wrestling Training Center (Concord, N.H.) and KnokX Pro Academy (Los Angeles). Second, individual wrestlers get tagged as “WWE ID Prospects,” which comes with financial opportunity and assisting with training, mentorship and development, including access to WWE facilities, ring training, athletic trainers and more.
Jake is an SEO-minded Football, Combat Sports, Gaming and Pro Wrestling writer, successful Editor in Chief, Sports SEO Coordinator for NationalWorld and SEO Writer for F4Wonline.com. He has more than ten years of experience covering mixed martial arts, pro wrestling, football and gaming across a number of publications, starting at SEScoops in 2012 under the name Jake Jeremy. His work has also been featured on Wrestling Headlines, Wrestlingnewsco, HotNewHipHop, The Hard Times and Sportskeeda.
Previously, he worked as the Editor in Chief of 24Wrestling, building the site profile with a view to selling the domain, which was accomplished in 2019. Jake was previously the Editor in Chief for FightFans, a combat sports and pro wrestling site that was launched in January 2021 and broke into millions of pageviews within the first two years. He previously worked for Snack Media and their GiveMeSport site, creating Evergreen and Trending content that would deliver pageviews via Google as the UFC and MMA SEO Lead. Jake managed to take an area of GiveMeSport that had zero traction on Organic and push it to audiences across the globe. Jake also has a record of long-term video and written interview content with the likes of the Professional Fighters League, ONE and Cage Warriors, working directly with the brands to promote bouts, fighters and special events.
He previously worked for the (then) biggest independent wrestling company in the UK, PROGRESS Wrestling, as PR Head and Head of Media across the social channels of the company.