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John Morrison regrets having to change his name, and he even was sent two cease and desist orders for the same name early on in his career.
The former ECW Champion went through a number of names in his WWE career. He has been known as Johnny Nitro, John Morrison, Johnny Blaze and Johnny Spade, as well as a host of other names outside the company. Today, he’s known as Johnny TV in All Elite Wrestling.
John Morrison (aka John Hennigan) spoke with McKenzie Mitchell on her YouTube channel. He discussed how he debuted in WWE, and how he was given the name “Johnny Nitro.” Morrison then noted how he was called Johnny Blaze. However, legal action from Method Man and Ghost Rider ended that run.
“I didn’t expect to get called up to the main roster so quickly. Johnny Nitro was Eric Bishoff’s apprentice, right? And I didn’t really know what I was doing in the ring yet. I was just kind of there every week, learning from Eric and Bruce. I started off as Johnny Blaze and introduced myself to Stone Cold Steve Austin as Johnny Blaze. We quickly got a cease and desist from Method Man and Ghost Rider, because it’s copyrighted.
“Then it was Johnny Spade, which I hated because there was a Johnny Spade already in OVW. My God, back to Louisville that week, he was all upset. And then, I asked if I could please change my name to Johnny Nitro. To honor Eric Bischoff, which kind of made sense. And I still like Nitro. I still wish my name had never changed and just stayed Johnny Nitro.”
John Morrison: It Would Have Been Cool To Keep My Name
John Morrison continued. He noted that, while he would have evolved his look over time, it would have been cool to keep one name throughout his career.
However, he did say that “Johnny Nitro” was not a great character, and even came out to the WCW Monday Nitro theme music.
“I would’ve evolved my look, but I think it would’ve been cool to have one name my entire career instead of this confusing myriad of names. Johnny Nitro was really more of like a backstage lackey, and I ended up having only a few matches. I came out to the WCW Nitro theme song.”
If you use this transcription, credit the source, h/t WrestleZone and link to this post.
Johnny Valkyrie
All Elite Wrestling‘s Taya Valkyrie spoke with WrestleZone’s own Bill Pritchard about her husband’s multiple last names in wrestling, Taya said it changes non-stop and that she can’t keep track of it anymore, joking that it’s easier to just call him by his first name.
“Yeah, it’s always Johnny-something, right? Maybe? I’d have to look back and really think about it because the name changes perpetually non-stop,” Taya Valkyrie said. “So he’s just John, Johnny to me. That’s all that matters. Johnny husband, it works, whatever.”
It was suggested that she should try to get him to use “Johnny Valkyrie” on TV. Taya said she’s still holding out and hopes it happens at some point.
“I pitched it. I’m really hoping someday; maybe, I don’t know,” Taya Valkyrie said. “I told him, ‘I just think you should be Johnny Valkyrie. It just makes sense. We’ll just be the Valkyries; we sound cool. Come on.”
