Dusty Rhodes “Hated” WWE Star’s Original Name
A former WWE Superstar has recalled Dusty Rhodes’ full and frank assessment of their potential ring name, saying “I f*cking hate it.”
Summer Rae was part of WWE between 2011 and 2017, originally appearing for then-developmental territory FCW. Rae was part of NXT in its early years, teaming up with Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks to form The BFFs. Although she was known as Summer Rae for her run in the company, that wasn’t always going to be her name.
Speaking to Golden Ring Collectibles, Summer Rae recalled The American Dream’s candid reaction when finding out what WWE management wanted to call her:
“Mine came back and I said I wanted the name ‘Kyle,’ like a boy’s name. I didn’t say Summer and they just put ‘Kylie Summers’ as my name. And Dusty Rhodes said, ‘What the hell is a Kylie Summers?’ He’s like, ‘I f*cking hate it.’
“In front of everyone, he made me stand up in front of the class and was like, ‘Tell them what they named you, it’s bullsh*t.'”
Summer Rae also noted that Rhodes told her that her ring name would follow her for the rest of her life and gave an insight into his own ideas for naming talents:
“He wanted everything one or two syllables so when people chant your name it’s not anything crazy.”