It seems like every week, there’s something that pops up in professional wrestling that causes an uproar. This week, it seems like there’s a large contingent of fans who are concerned about Mariah May’s name change in WWE NXT. It was revealed she’ll go by the name Blake Monroe from here forward. But as seen in several examples throughout the years, this name change should not have an impact on whether or not the performer formerly known as Mariah May will rise to the occasion.
When Mariah May was initially introduced to NXT, WWE made it clear not to mention her by name. It wouldn’t be until the June 10 episode in which her name would be revealed during a teaser of her character. Now, at first glance, is Blake Monroe as good as a name like Mariah May? No, especially not after all the great work that she did building that name in STARDOM and All Elite Wrestling. But it is an earth-shattering move that’s going to ruin her star power? Absolutely not.
There are several examples of name changes to debunk this point. Ricky Starks becoming Ricky Saints is such an example. Saints is still establishing himself in NXT, but fans love the performer, nonetheless. Will he reach the levels everyone wants? That’s a question that remains to be answered. Perhaps one of the most egregious name changes was WALTER becoming GUNTHER. It was odd because not only was Walter his established name throughout his run on the independent scene, but it was also his name for an extended period while in WWE. The name change was as pointless as they come.
Keeping a performer’s name the same across promotions does bring a sense of value to that individual. It makes them feel more important, especially after decades of this unnecessary tactic. Performing under the same name is almost a sign that the individual’s legacy is bound to follow them from wherever they came, which is a big deal in professional wrestling. CM Punk, Guilia, Cody Rhodes, and several others stand out as recent examples. WWE doesn’t need to change a wrestler’s name, but after years of doing it there is no reason to be up in arms with Blake Monroe.
Blake Monroe is going to be just fine in WWE
Sure, there are reasons to have apprehension when any performer makes the move from another company to WWE. There are so many examples of major names from other companies coming to WWE and getting less than stellar booking. Especially in the women’s division, where several “home-grown” WWE names take up most of the oxygen.
Fans can still expect Monroe to eventually take the NXT Women’s Championship and move up to the main roster. Just like some of the recent call-ups, she should not remain on the Tuesday night brand for too long. She has the talent and is main roster ready right now. Take 3-6 months to get her ingrained in the WWE style and then get her on the main roster, perhaps early in 2026. The women’s division is packed, especially on the main roster. So, it will be interesting to see how Monroe fits into the group. But after what she achieved alongside Toni Storm, there’s hope that she can separate herself in positive ways in WWE.