When Mike Bennett arrived in the WWE after runs with Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling, people were shocked as he skipped NXT to head to the main roster, in addition to the fact he had arrived with a new name.
Not completely shying away from real life, Bennett had arrived as Mike Kanellis. Taking his wife’s last name, she was viewed as the talker of the duo, but it did draw derision in addition to amusement. Bennett talked to Wrestling Epicenter about taking Maria’s last name in the WWE and while he felt it was a great way to get heel heat at first, he thinks someone may have done it as a jab at him in hindsight.
“At first, it didn’t really bother me. I looked at it like, “All right, this is going to be a way to draw heat or to get people upset with me.” Like, “Oh my God, if you take your wife’s last name, you’re less of a man!” But, I didn’t mind the name Kanellis at first. As I’ve gone past it, I would say it was done because there was a perception that I wasn’t man enough or I wasn’t tough enough because I was always tied to my wife. So, as I’ve gone past it, I’ve realized it probably was a jab at me. But, it didn’t really bother me. I’m a professional wrestler. I wear underwear for a living. (laughs) It is not going to bother me if you tell me my last name is Kanellis. I’ve done way worse!”
Bennett has not been shy about the positives and the negatives of his time in the WWE and he’s been open about his feelings about the company since then. Since his release during the pandemic, it’s clear he’s landed on his feet as he seems to be returning to Ring of Honor. You can listen to the interview below as he talks about this and other topics.
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