News

Butch Discusses Feeling Anxious About Recent Name Change

butch sheamus ridge holland wwe

Butch underwent a name change in WWE earlier in 2022, so the “Brawling Brute” has explained how he was a bit anxious after it happened.

When the wrestler formerly known as Pete Dunne made his Smackdown debut on March 11th, he did not have that name. Instead, he was known as Butch. At the time, it was a common practice in WWE for wrestlers to experience name changes after they moved from NXT to the main roster.

Since WWE fans knew this newly named Butch for many years as Pete Dunne in NXT, many of them didn’t like it. However, Butch fit in well along with Sheamus and Ridge Holland to form a group known as The Brawling Brutes. The trio were heels earlier in the year but recently have won over the fans as faces.

During an interview on Out of Character with Ryan Satin, Butch spoke about going through the name change earlier in 2022.

“It was very casual, to be honest. I had flights come through for that ‘SmackDown,’ where I debuted, and then when I was just about to board the plane I got a call [telling me] the new name, and the basic rundown of the vision. Then I spent … the whole flight thinking to myself, ‘How is this going to be received?’ [while] knowing how it was going to be received, for the most part.”

Butch went on to say that he was a bit anxious about the change due to what the fans might think.

“To be honest, the main source of … anxiety or anxiousness with it was the way it was going to be received.”

The talented former NXT UK Champion also explained that he’s always confident whenever he gets time to show what he can do in the ring.

“If you give me that time in the ring, I’m going to connect to the crowd. I’m going to put on a show, right? I back myself to do that every time.”

This Saturday, November 5th at WWE Crown Jewel, Butch & Holland will get a shot at the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos, who look to continue their dominant run as the champions.

H/T WrestlingInc