WWE Almost Gave Jeff Cobb a Throwback Name

Jeff Cobb made his WWE pay-per-view debut at Backlash 2025 under the name “Jeff Cobb,” but that wasn’t always the plan.

WWE has officially rebranded him as J.C. Mateo, but there was another name in serious discussion behind the scenes—one that would’ve been a callback to his early days in Lucha Underground.

According to Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE internally considered the name “J.C. Matanza”, which would have served as a nod to Cobb’s breakout character Matanza Cueto from Lucha Underground.

“J.C. Matanza was discussed internally as an insider reference since Cobb’s first major break was as Matanza Cueto in Lucha Underground.”

Advertising

Advertising

While the name might have appealed to longtime fans familiar with his past, there were legal complications tied to Lucha Underground’s intellectual property. Dave Meltzer explained that WWE couldn’t freely use the Matanza name—even after the recent acquisition of AAA.

“While AAA was an investor in Lucha Underground, they weren’t owners, and in purchasing AAA, that wasn’t a purchase of Lucha Underground tapes or intellectual property.”

On top of that, it seems Cobb himself wasn’t a fan of bringing that persona back—regardless of WWE’s branding goals.

“Cobb was said to not like that name.”

With “J.C. Matanza” off the table, WWE eventually landed on “J.C. Mateo” as his official name moving forward. The change allows WWE to retain full control of his branding while distancing the star from character baggage tied to a show they don’t own.

What do you think of the name J.C. Mateo? Should WWE have kept “Jeff Cobb,” or was a complete rebrand the right call? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.