Before he was Seth “Freakin” Rollins, the architect of The Shield and a multi-time World Champion, he was known on the independent circuit as Tyler Black. A standout in Ring of Honor, he built a significant following under that moniker. However, when he signed with WWE in 2010, the landscape regarding intellectual property was vastly different than it is today. In a new interview, Rollins revealed that he fought to keep his original ring name, but the company shut him down immediately.
Seth Rollins On Why “Tyler Black” Was Rejected By WWE
Speaking with Nick Viall on the Going Deep podcast, Rollins detailed the rigid policies that existed 15 years ago. “When I got signed, Colby was not an option,” Rollins said, referring to his real name. “I couldn’t use a different spelling of Colby, I couldn’t be Kobe, I couldn’t do anything that was close to it.” The company was obsessed with owning every aspect of the talent’s presentation.
“They were so anal about, ‘We need to own this character and you can’t take any of it with you.’ That’s just how it was back then,” he explained. Despite having already trademarked the name Tyler Black himself, WWE refused to license it or use it. “Even Tyler Black, I tried to sell them Tyler Black because I wanted to keep it. I had made a name off of Tyler Black. They wouldn’t. They wouldn’t buy it.”
Rollins noted that the philosophy has shifted in recent years, with stars like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, and Jade Cargill keeping their names. “It’s different now,” he admitted. “15 years ago, the people in charge were like, ‘No, we need to own every facet of this character in perpetuity. You can’t have any of it.’” While “Tyler Black” is a fond memory for hardcore fans, the transformation into Seth Rollins ultimately worked out quite well for all parties involved.
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