Earlier this year, Blake Monroe, then known as Mariah May, departed AEW and signed with WWE, debuting on their NXT brand shortly afterwards. At the time, many fans were taken aback by the name change, as she’d already established her real name on television and, therefore, rebranding herself was seen as a step backward. However, during a new interview with Busted Open, the British star has confirmed that she was happy to change her name, noting that she wished she’d never used her real name.
Additionally, Monroe would acknowledge that the change was “a little controversial,” likely in reference to the fact that Blake Monroe is also the name of a retired adult film actress. At the time of the discovery, some suspected that, given WWE’s family-friendly product, her name would need to be changed. However, that obviously didn’t happen, suggesting the company is no longer concerned about Google searches.
27-year-old Monroe began her pro wrestling career as a ring announcer in the UK back in 2018, and soon thereafter, she commenced her in-ring training. Subsequently, she attended a tryout for NXT UK, but WWE opted not to sign her, which was likely a devastating blow for her at the time, given that it’s known she grew up as a fan. Still, she wouldn’t give up on her dream, and after working for Japan’s Stardom promotion, Tony Khan would bring her to AEW, having recognized her star potential.
