Hiromu Takahashi to leave NJPW

[Jacob Fox]

I doubt WWE view him that way, even KENTA got a new name Seems the bar is pretty high to get to keep your name outright

yeah, you're right. he's just one of my faves so I view him in a different light, you know.

I'll give it a chance since I have no other choice lol

 

[R-Troop]

There is probably a level of leverage the talent had too. They could potentially say that they are keeping their name and leverage that in the deal.

While using non-WWE names in WWE slowed it is still happening, Matt Cardona came back in 2026 using his non WWE name (his government name no less).

But as part of that I believe they do sign over the rights while under contract, so WWE can use and market it.

 

[Jacob Fox]

There is probably a level of leverage the talent had too. They could potentially say that they are keeping their name and leverage that in the deal.

While using non-WWE names in WWE slowed it is still happening, Matt Cardona came back in 2026 using his non WWE name (his government name no less).

But as part of that I believe they do sign over the rights while under contract, so WWE can use and market it.

True about the leverage. I wasn't thinking about that.

I think most wrestlers wouldn't sign over the rights to their real name or a name they own though even for the time they are under contract. they would sign what is called an Intellectual Property Licensing Agreement, which allows WWE to market and profit from their name as long as they remain under contract or for another period of time, but they don't really own the rights, they just can make money off of them.

 

[R-Troop]

True about the leverage. I wasn't thinking about that.

I think most wrestlers wouldn't sign over the rights to their real name or a name they own though even for the time they are under contract. they would sign what is called an Intellectual Property Licensing Agreement, which allows WWE to market and profit from their name as long as they remain under contract or for another period of time, but they don't really own the rights, they just can make money off of them.

that's probably what it is. You are just using the proper terminology.

But yeah part of the WWE deals for those people involve the rights to use the name. Like Cody Rhodes did. I assume AJ Styles and Samoa Joe did the same thing. Shinsuke Nakamura and Matt Cardona probably have a similar thing except it's their government names not a stage name.