WWE Star Reveals NBA Inspiration Behind Ring Name

Published: Jun 24, 2024 by SP3 | Last Updated: Jun 24, 2024 by SP3

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WWE Star Reveals NBA Inspiration Behind Ring Name

WWE NXT star Karmen Petrovic has revealed the NBA inspiration behind her ring name with the company.

Upon their arrivals to the WWE Performance Center, new recruits often have to come up with a new name to fit their WWE on-screen characters. When Monica Klisara signs, she chose the ring name of Karmen Petrovic.

Speaking with The Wrestling Classic Casual Conversations, Petrovic revealed the NBA inspiration behind her ring name. She said:

“I came up with Karmen, I really liked the name Karmen, but I didn’t want it to be Carmen with a C, I wanted it to be Karmen with a K because Monika is spelled with a K and I wanted my parents to be able to pronounce it.”

“I really liked Karmen with a K. I had a few other names, but Karmen felt like the most me. The writing team loved it a lot as well.”

“They give us full creative freedom and then they pick and choose what they think is right or what they want to run with.”

“I originally didn’t know if they would allow me to have an ethnic last name. I am a white girl with blonde hair.”

“I understood coming into WWE how the fanbase works in that it needs to be digestible and understandable. People need to be able to say it. Some people have one name.”

“I suggested just being Karmen and I didn’t need a last name, but I said, ‘If I do have a last name, I would love to keep my roots.'”

On wanting to keep her Eastern European background, Petrovic said:

“I wanted to keep my Eastern European background because I know I’m one of the only people in WWE that is Eastern European.”

“I also want to represent Canada, which I do as much as I can, because I am billed from Toronto, people don’t know I have an Eastern European background.”

“I wanted to keep it in my last name. Petrovic, I came up with because there was a popular and legendary basketball player, Dražen Petrović, who was a national hero in Yugoslavia and someone who everyone had good things to say.”

“It was something I thought American fans have heard of and announcers have said before. I wanted to try to follow his footing,”

Karmen Petrovic recently suffered an injury at a WWE live event and appeared on crutches during an episode of NXT.

However, Petrovic was recently cleared for an in-ring return, which you can read at this link.

Transcription via Fightful

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