Former WWE Superstar legally changes name to Ryback
Ryan Allen Reeves has gone the extra mile to preserve the rights to a character he feels he helped build in World Wrestling Entertainment, and one he wants to continue using now that he's no longer with the company.
Better known to wrasslin' fans as former Intercontinental Champion Ryback, "The Big Guy" has legally changed his name to that of his in-ring persona.
"It's not uncharted territory, but it kind of is too in a way. I legally went and changed my name to Ryback, for many reasons, one of which it was one thing that I did not own, and I created, and I used before my time with WWE," Reeves said during his recent "Conversation with the Big Guy" podcast on Monday.
"It is something that is associated with my brand and who I am that I am very proud of. So, I went through the proper steps in Clark County in Las Vegas. And it cost a little bit of money, and I go in front of a judge Sept. 1. But when this airs, you know, hopefully everything is approved and I would be known as Ryback Alan Reeves moving forward."
Ryback parted ways with the sports entertainment promotion back in August, wishing WWE the best in their future endeavors on Instagram. He later cited his lack of push on the main roster and the unequal pay among performers as reasons for wanting to leave.
Related: Ryback speaks out against pay structure: 'Feed me more'
He becomes the second major star to ever go to extreme lengths to acquire the rights to their wrestling name. The late Jim Hellwig (The Ultimate Warrior) legally changed his name to Warrior in 1993 so that WWE wouldn't hold the intellectual property.
- With h/t to NoDQ and F4W Online