Katana Chance Explains Why Changing Her WWE Name Was an Emotional Struggle

Kacy Catanzaro didn’t expect her WWE name change to hit as hard as it did. After years of performing under her real name, the switch to “Katana Chance” forced her to confront something much deeper — the emotional toll of having her identity critiqued on national TV.

While speaking with Joe Vulpis on the Lightweights Podcast, Catanzaro opened up about how tough it was to let go of her actual name, especially after she had become comfortable using it in the ring. Early in her career, she actually wanted to be given a character to protect herself from fan judgment.

“That was actually really hard for me because when I came in, I almost was kind of like excited to like come in and get like a character… because I feel like… there’s eyes on you and, like, negativity and stuff like that. I was kind of like, okay, cool — well, if I’m this character, whatever people are thinking about this character, it’s easier to be like, well, that’s not me. It’s not real. I’m playing this character on TV.”

She explained that criticism felt too personal when fans used her real name.

“There’s separation, where when it’s you, that felt a little bit like too close to home. That, like, if you’re like, you know, my name is Casey on TV, and then the people are like, ‘Oh yeah, this new Casey, she sucks,’ like whatever — and you’re like, oh no, like they’re talking about me.”

Despite wanting a character at the beginning, WWE chose to keep her real name for years. When the company finally floated the idea of changing it, she was caught off guard.

“Then I got so used to having my name… it was like three years in, maybe more… and they had talked about a name change. And I was like, oh man, like now I’ve already had this. It was hard for me to get behind.”

Even though it was difficult, she appreciated being given a say in the decision. She worked to create a name that still reflected who she was.

“It was really hard for me… I was kind of excited to come in and get a character. If people said ‘she sucks,’ I could separate it — like, that’s not me.”

Ultimately, becoming Katana Chance gave her the space to separate her personal identity from the character fans saw on screen. But it didn’t happen overnight.

Wrestlers often speak about injuries and backstage politics — but identity changes can hit just as hard. For Kacy Catanzaro, the shift wasn’t just about branding. It was about self-preservation.

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