Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Kacy Catanzaro On Her WWE Release, Katana Chance Name Change, Ninja Warrior, Rhea Ripley

Episode Date: June 5, 2025

https://cvvtix.com - Get your tickets for INSIGHT LIVE in LA and NYC with VIP Meet & Greet!Kacy Catanzaro (@KacyCatanzaro) is a professional wrestler best known for her time in WWE as Katana Chance. She sits down with Chris Van Vliet at West Coast Creative Studio in Los Angeles to discuss her WWE release and what's next, her rise in popularity after competing on American Ninja Warrior, having her first WWE matches against Raquel Rodriguez and Rhea Ripley, her viral Royal Rumble save, the back injury that nearly brought her pro wrestling career to an end, getting paired up with Kayden Carter, breaking her nose twice in the ring and more!Quote I'm thinking about: "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard." — Tim NotkePlease support our sponsors!   PURE PLANK: The future of core fitness! Use the code CVV to save 10% on Pure Plank designed by Adam Copeland & Christian: https://gopureplank.com/?ref=tibcloux  SEAT GEEK: Use my code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/CVV Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount   TIMELINE: Go to https://timeline.com/insightto get 10% off your order of Mitopure!   VUORI: Get 20% off your first purchase! Get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the planet at https://vuori.com/cvv   ROCKET MONEY: Join Rocket Money today and experience financial freedom: https://rocketmoney.com/cvv  HUEL: Get 15% off plus a FREE Gift for NEW customers with the code INSIGHT at https://huel.comMIRACLE MADE: Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to https://trymiracle.com/CVV and use the code CVV to claim your FREE 3 PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF   ZOCDOC: Instantly book a top-rated doctor today at https://zocdoc.com/insight   BONCHARGE: Use the code CVV to save 15% off your infrared sauna blanket at https://boncharge.com/cvv   BLUECHEW: Get your first month of BlueChew for free with the code CVV at https://bluechew.com   PLUNGE: Get $150 off your Plunge with the coupon code CVV150 at https://plunge.com   For more information about Chris and INSIGHT go to: https://podcast.chrisvanvliet.com If you have ever enjoyed any of these episodes, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast or Spotify? It takes less than a minute and makes a huge difference in helping to spread the word about the show and also to convince some hard-to-get guests.    Follow CVV on social media:  Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisVanVliet Twitter: twitter.com/ChrisVanVliet Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisVanVliet YouTube: youtube.com/ChrisVanVliet TikTok: tiktok.com/@Chris.VanVliet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Van Fleet. Welcome back, my friends, to another one here on Insight. I'm CVV, Chris Van Fleet. Hope you're doing well. Hope it's been a great week for you. Thank you for being with us on this one. And thank you for making Insight the number one wrestling podcast on the planet. Hit a leg drop on that follow button wherever you're listening.

And if it happens to be Spotify, can I ask you to rate the show? on there. If it's Apple, could you take a few seconds to leave a review? Both of those would help in such a huge way. I will see you guys tomorrow at Insight Live in Los Angeles with special guests, the NXT North American champion, Ethan Page. There are very, very few tickets left. So if you're in town for money in the bank, or if you live in Southern California, grab your tickets now. If they're still available, grab them because they will sell out. See them. CVVTix.com. CvvvvtiX.com. What a great chat today with Casey Katanzaro, who you also might know as Katana Chance from her time in WW. Well, I guess she wrestled under both names, but Katana Chance was what you most recently knew her as. But before signing with WWE in 2017, Casey was an absolute legend in American Ninja Warrior. She was the first woman ever to make it up the war. war and that clip of her doing it went viral with hundreds of millions of views. And I think that that's

the real thing that put her on WWE's radar. And even though she's only five feet tall, she is a beast and insanely athletic. I mean, you saw that from her matches in NXT and on the main roster. And with her tag team partner, Caden Carter, they won both the NXT women's tag team championships and the WWW Women's Tag Team Championships. But a little over a month ago on May 2nd, she was released from her WWE contract. We talk about that and we talk about what's next for her. Is it in wrestling? Is it in something else?

We dive into all that. So snap a screenshot and tag us. She's at Casey Katanzaro. I'm at Chris Van Fleet. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Casey Katanzaro. Great to see you. It's amazing to be here. Thank you.

You're just such a ball of energy. Really? Oh my gosh. It's like kind of early. Well, I guess for me to get here, it was early when I woke up. But you're just a, you've always been a ball of energy. Oh, thank you. It's amazing.

You make it easy. No, I'm just going to sit here and listen to you speak for a while. Do you feel like when you look at your career, you just lived like all of these lives? Because like, think about it, gymnastics, an American Ninja Warrior, WWE. and they're all completely different but similar in different ways. I honestly feel like they're not the same person. You know what I mean? Like it, which I guess kind of, I'm sure I was, you know,

I've grown and been a different kind of person in each of them. But like just recently somebody was talking about American Ninja Warrior to me. And as I was retelling stuff, I was like, wow, I remember that like I did that. But it doesn't feel like it was me because it was so, long ago and now like I've been on such a different journey for so long. Then I'm like, wow, I did do that stuff. That was really cool. That wasn't like fun, you know? And it just feels like so many different versions of me, you know, in such like really serious things. I did gymnastics for like 18 years. That was all I knew my whole life. Then American Ninja Warrior like for half

a decade. You know what I mean? And now wrestling for eight years. And it feels like, yeah, they've all just been such different journeys. But I guess that's good. You know, just on the same life. You never know. I think that number eight years is surprising to people. I don't know if people realize you were in WWE for eight years.

Yes, it's funny because I always say that there was something, I don't know that I'll be able to explain it well, but no matter how long I was in wrestling, I always felt like

no matter what, I was the newer person there. Like, because I had never wrestled before, like when I walked in, to the Performance Center, I'd never wrestled. And no matter how long I was at the PC or, you know, in the company, I always felt like wherever I was, like, oh, I'm the new, like, I'm still the newer person here, even though

it had been almost a decade that I worked there. You know what I mean? It's like a hard, I just could never shake that feeling. Is that you having a beginner's mentality of like, I just always want to learn? Or is you going, I was having trouble picking this up? I think in between, not so much trouble picking it up. as much as it was trouble feeling like I belonged there, I think. So, like, no matter how much work I put in or I felt like I'm doing what I'm supposed to,

I've been here, I'm putting the work in. In a room, I still always felt like, I don't know if I'm, like, supposed to be here. I just always felt a little bit out of place, I guess. That might be, like, a deeper thing to explain that maybe I'm not sure how to, but, yeah, I never fully felt like, okay, like, I belong here. Right. When you were doing gymnastics, I assume you identified as, I'm a gymnast. Yes.

When you were doing American Ninja Warrior, did you identify, I'm a ninja? I feel like maybe that's part of it as well where, like with American Ninja Warrior, for example, my big run was my second season. You know, so I had one season where I was the new person. Then my second season, I had my really big run. And so the three seasons after that, I felt like I belonged because I had done this really huge thing. So when I went somewhere, you know what I mean? People knew that I had done that and like, oh yeah, good. The girl who finished the course is here. You know what I mean? Maybe I've actually

never thought this deep about it. So I'm glad that now as I'm saying it, I feel like it's going to start making sense. But I never really had that in wrestling where, I mean, I've had my great moments and I've had an amazing time there. But I feel like early on it took a really long time for me to feel like I had done anything that people would know that I was there for, you know what I mean? Like, you were just like, that's surprising that you were there for that long. I feel like, I don't know if it's that I didn't like have that impact right away or it just from not having wrestled at all. It took me a little while to kind of get into TV to get into anything that it kind of gets lost in that translation. Like you didn't have the moment where you felt like

you arrived. Yes. A thousand percent. I would still, it would be hard. It would be hard. for me to say right now, what was that moment? You know what I mean? Yeah, well, you talk about going into the PC and not having any wrestling experience. That was pretty unique when you were in the PC. That's not how it is now, right? Yes, a million percent. Like, when I got to the performance center, like, eight years ago, it was very rare. Just to give you an example of who I started with, who was in my class, like, I walked in with, like, Candace Luray, which at that time, I think she had been wrestling for, like, over 10 years. Worried. was in my group. You know, people who their entire life for a decade, like, had already been

wrestling. And then it was me. And at the time, yes, there were, you know, obviously people who were homemade at the performance center, but it was very, very rare. So I felt very out of place and very much like, why is this person here? You know what I mean? Because it's also such a sacred thing, which I understand, where, like, when you know you want to be a wrestler your whole life and then you work really hard specifically at wrestling to get there. I understand why it's so sacred. You know what I mean? And my journey being different, I felt like really, really stuck out in that time of how it was compared to now. And to put it in perspective, your first match is against Raquel Ardre yes. Your second match is against Rear Ripley. Yeah. And both of them had had

experienced before and you're going in and this is your first and second match ever. Yeah. on the May Young Classic. Like, that was my first TV match was the May Young Classic. You know what I mean? So that's, that's wild. And actually, I talk a lot about my first matches with Raquel because she's,

has such a special place in my heart because she was my very first match on a live event as well. So, like, my first match outside of practice was with her. And then my first match on TV for the May Young Classic was with her. And so we always talk about, like, how important that was to me and how good she was to me, like she didn't have to be. And so that those matches always have like a very special place in my heart. And obviously, Ria as well. Do you still have people recognizing you from American Ninja Warrior? Yes. We would like, it's so funny because that's another thing with like

being with wrestling longer than it feels like is I would be somewhere and people would like, notice me from American Ninja Warrior not wrestling. Like they would be like, I'd be sitting with wrestlers, and they would be like, you know, if we weren't at a wrestling event, if we were at a normal place, they would be like, you're from American Ninja Warrior. And I'd be like, yeah. And like sitting with somebody way more, like, you know, bigger than me in wrestling. And I'd be like, that's so weird. Like, but if they don't know, they don't know.

So for me, it was more so that than wrestling, actually. Well, for people who haven't seen you in American Ninja Warrior, you're a legend. Like, you are a legend in American Ninja Warrior. Thank you. It's true. Thank you. Like with the stuff you did, you made history there. It was very cool.

I'm very, very grateful to have that. I feel like it's something very special to me to have done that. And sometimes I kind of forget about it. Like I feel like, you know, when I'm going through some rougher times and I really don't, like I said, it feels like different lives. So sometimes I forget about that and it's good to look back and be like, I put really hard work in and I made a difference. and I feel like that's my main goal, you know, to inspire people to make a difference, kind of that you can overcome anything. Like, you know, I'm a lot smaller than most people.

So that was a huge thing with American Ninja Warrior and in wrestling as well. So I feel like to have that little reminder sometimes is nice. Well, there's this concept of like if you can do hard things in life, it makes the kind of trivial things feel so much easier. Yes. So like if you're looking at, you know, a situation in your life that sucks, can you go, yeah, but I climbed the warped wall and no woman had ever done it before.

You know what? Now I will. Now I will do that. I don't think I've ever like used it that much in my normal life, but I think I need to remember that now. There is definitely an idea, though, behind doing hard things in life.

Yes. I know they say that, like, because I ice bath often, like we have an ice bath at our house. Me too. And, oh, okay. And I know that that's like a big thing that people say is like,

everyone's like, why do you do that? Why? And like you're trying to convince people all like the good things that come from it. But if you could only say one thing, they say like the fact that you can do something difficult, something that you don't want to do because you trust yourself, you believe yourself, you say you're going to do it and you do it anyway. Like how much that impacts you in a positive way is really incredible. And I didn't know that at first. At first I was just like, okay, I'm sore. It's good for my body, whatever. And then the more I, got deeper into it and more research on it. And I was like, yeah, wow, like, we can do hard things. It's like, you know, when you see those videos of parents doing affirmations with their kids,

and you're like, oh, this is cute, but you're not really realizing what's happening. And it's like, I feel like that. I'm like, you can do hard things. I feel like that's like an affirmation you would tell a child to say, but like it's the same for us. Sometimes we forget, you know? I don't know about you, but there is not a day that I want to get in the cold punch. Oh my gosh. Like, I'll get into my. my swim trunks and I'll stand outside of it and I'll be like, oh, I do need to respond to that email. Yeah. Oh, my God. Oh, I think I hear the dog. I, I thought I finally, no, what are you doing? Get in there. It's so true. But honestly, that's, it's, it like, the discipline of it is really

one of its biggest pluses. You know what I mean? But on the same way. I'm, I've gotten better at doing that less where I used to stand there and get like kind of worked up about it. And, like nervous even. And then now I'm like, okay, I like to say to like lean into it is easier. So when I would first start doing it, I would get in the ice bath. And I'm like thinking about how cold it is. I'm like, God, this sucks so bad. It's so cold. And now I'm shivering. Like my like teeth are chattering and I'm shivering. And then to learn how strong your mind is where when I stopped like fighting it almost, it still is going to suck no matter what. You can either be like, this sucks. I'm freezing or you can be like, this is gonna suck, so what? Like, just lean into it. So now when I step in,

I'm like, this is gonna suck, just let it suck. Just let it suck. Instead of like, being like, why does this suck? It's terrible. I'm like, just let it suck. And then I, it's, and then I don't shiver. And I'm like, that's crazy that my mind can, like, at first I be like, I can't help it. Like, I'm cold. I'm shivering. But really, you can. Like, I'm not saying my temperature is different. I'm not like, you know, a magician. But like, you can calm your body and your mind down enough that you can handle it differently. And I feel like for life, you know what I mean? It's the same thing. Embrace the suck. Yes. Let it suck. I've done it at DDP's house a bunch of times. And I'm okay with, I can go in for, you know, five minutes or whatever. His whole thing is like,

tell me a story. He'll just be like, tell me a story, bro. To make you talk. Right. So then you're talking, your mind is off the cold water and you're not thinking about how long you've been in there. Like, that is so smart. It's so much better. Or else you'd be sitting there thinking how colds it is. Yeah, you're like, how much, how long? Only 40 seconds. What are you talking about? That's one of those things where it's like, how long does a minute feel? Like if you're doing a playing, an ice bath is one of those. It's like, how long does a minute? Oh, my goodness. Yes. So, discipline's been at your core since the very beginning then. Yeah. I think that that's what has always kind of been consistent. Like you said earlier, all of the things I've done are so different. But I feel like

they always have that common theme of like it's something very challenging that takes the discipline that takes, you know, the commitment and something that almost feels impossible. You know what I mean? And to kind of overcome that, I've really always enjoyed that. How are you feeling now after finding out that you're not with WWE anymore? I keep saying, like, I think at first I thought that I was like in shock and not able to process it because even though there, I feel like when you work there, there is a joke of like, you could literally be fired at any time. Like, we're like nervous about it often. Not like, oh,

I'm sitting there upset every day, but like enough that someone will make a random joke every now and then like, oh, like something happened. Oh, well, what if we get fired? You know, it is in the back of your mind because it does happen and you know how the business works. But I actually was very surprised. I just, it wasn't on my radar. And then as I was telling like the story of kind of how it led up to it, at first I was like, yeah, I really like didn't have any notice, you know? And then as I told the story, I was like, oh, wait, maybe I could have taken some of those as signs that like something could have been coming, but also things change so often that like if every time something got pushed or every time like we didn't travel, I,

went into a spiral thinking that we were going to get fired. Like you, I wouldn't have enjoyed my time. You know what I mean? So I feel like I was surprised. It was like a shock. But I had been there for so many years that I think that that's normal. So now I'm just working on like really letting myself process it and kind of feel everything, figure out how I feel.

So I'm not really sure, you know? Like I'm bummed because I know that I have a lot more potential that I could have shown that I didn't get to. But if I think about it, like, I could really say that about anything I've done. There's really, like, there is no top.

You know what I mean? Like, there's always more you can do. And so I think I will come to terms with that. It's just kind of have to grieve it, you know, appreciate it, be grateful, be okay that it's sad, and then be, like, kind of excited for whatever's going to come next.

Do you still want to wrestle? I'm not sure. I'm going to say I'm not sure because... It could go either way. I feel like most people, they know right away, like the second it happens, they're like, okay, I'm doing this. I think part of it is because I didn't wrestle beforehand.

I never, like, got those experiences that people who did are like, okay, I'm going to go back to that. I know that I want to do that. And for me, I feel like I, my whole adult life, I've always really gone right from one challenge to the next. I, you know, did gymnastics for four years. I had a scholarship. I couldn't really like do anything else.

I was really locked in. Right after I graduated, I went to American Ninja Warrior for five years. I was in contracts with them each season, which WWE took me right from there. I didn't have any in between. I had to choose to leave to go there. And so eight years there. Now I'm like, I really have never not been in a contract and just thought like, what does Casey want to do?

And so I think that takes more than like a week or two. I'm hoping. I'm hoping it's not just me. Like, can't figure it out. But I think it's a really important question to ask myself and figure out. I know, like, the core of things that I'm passionate about. But I think just what direction that's going to take me is going to maybe take a little time. So have you been asking yourself since you got released? What does Casey want?

Yes. I've been trying. And it's a hard question. I think... A lot of times you want this fairy tale story of like, I was young and I knew I wanted to do something and then this is what I'm going to do for the rest of my life. For me, any of those dreams that I had, they weren't really attainable things as for the rest of my life. So, you know, growing up, I wanted to do gymnastics.

You know, I loved watching the Olympics. I love gymnastics. I thought they were incredible. I did gymnastics to the highest that I was capable. of doing, which was college. And once you're done, you're done. You know, you can't stay any longer, sadly. And so growing up, I loved watching American Ninja Warrior. Me and my dad used to watch, like, the Japanese version, loved it as I had seen it. Actually, I had just gotten surgery on my ankle when I graduated college and to kind of like fix everything up. And I was like laying on the

couch in my cast. And American Ninja Warrior was on. And it was saying like, no woman's ever done this. And that's kind of what made me want to try it. And so got into American Ninja Warrior, you know, had an amazing five years there. And then went right into wrestling because, you know, you can do it for however long, American Ninja Warrior. Five years was a good amount of time for me. I had done a lot. I felt like I was ready to move on with wrestling.

Same thing. Like all of my goals that I wanted to do and have accomplished, I don't know if they are like, things that you can do forever. So now I'm like, okay, is my next thing going to be something similar where it's one of the things that I already know I am passionate about, American Ninja Warrior wrestling, anything like that? Or am I going to transition into something that maybe I was passionate about and didn't get to explore that actually will last longer?

But I don't know. I guess all of my goals have been kind of, I've done them at some capacity. I know that I have more to give, I just don't know which direction it's going to take me. Well, now the possibilities are endless. I know. Which is, like, amazing and scary, but really, really exciting, honestly. And that's the great thing is being able to lean into the things that make you feel alive. Being able to lean into the things that really excite you.

I love that, yeah. So what does that look like for you? What really excites you? I mean, that's a good question. This is a, I'm glad we're doing this. Me too. I'm like, I feel like I needed like a week or two, you know, to think. And now I feel like we're really getting deep into it, which is good.

A big passion of mine has always been to make a difference. And that's been for me, like overcoming certain things. So for me, like being a woman, being smaller, things that I felt like people put on me as a restriction to be able to like break through that has always been a passion of mine. I love working with children. I went to, my degree was early childhood education. So like, I love working with children and inspiring kind of like the youth in that way. So I would love to do something that is making a difference, something maybe having to do with kids, maybe having to do with fitness.

I love fitness, obviously. But as I talk about this, right? Those things feel very like adult, like you're kind of done with everything and that's what I want to, like, as I say it, I still am like, I don't know that I'm done competing. I don't know if I'm done performing. I feel like I do have more to give. I'm just not sure where that is. You know what I mean? But as I'm saying it, like, those things sound really nice, but I'm like, I think I still need, I need more. I still have the itch to accomplish more. You have the competitive drive. Yeah. I'm like, I'm not ready to let that go. I just don't know which

direction it will be yet. Well, that's exciting. Yeah. Because there's a lot of different ways that could go. I know. It's crazy. I need to... I know I will figure it out, but I'm happy. I don't want to rush myself. You know, I have a couple months till I'm, you know, free to do anything. So I think that that's a good in-between of me to, like, give myself the grace to grieve this and then take the steps to move forward. Did it come as a surprise? It did in the moment. But then as I look back, like... So what were some of these...

Kind of clues along the way. Okay. So I didn't realize they were clues until I was explaining how the last few weeks went. And then I was like, okay, maybe. So we got moved from Raw to Smackdown in the switchups. So it wasn't like a draft, but people were getting moved around, you know? And I'm like, okay, well, you always kind of have to like take both sides. Everything that happens can feel like it's a bad thing.

And then I just won't survive that way. So then I always have to like try and make it positive, you know? So we got moved from Raw to SmackDown. And originally, you're like, oh, man, like, Raj's got moved to Netflix. That's really big. And now they're, like, taking us off of it. Is that bad? But then, you know, people are like, well, there's more time on SmackDown.

Like, we want more storylines for you guys. Cool. I'm like, okay, cool. That's believable. I love that. So we get to Smackdown. There's a big pay-per-view coming up. So, like, the stories are all kind of already happening for the pay-per-view for the next, like, two weeks.

So we're like, okay, we're not doing anything yet. Again, makes sense. You know what I mean? That's how things happen. totally makes sense. So then the pay-per-view passes, now it's another month or so. We're pitching stuff, you know, we're pitching all the angles, sending storylines in, trying to get in. We're trying to fit into what's already happening, trying to pitch off-the-wall stuff that could be cool and different, whatever. So as it gets closer, now we're getting to mania season. So now it's like

a month before WrestleMania. So we're like, okay, I know that if something that we're doing isn't in WrestleMania, anything can happen because everything has to lead up to that, you know, and times get changed and stories get, you know, need more time or get changed. So we were supposed to be doing, leading to this six-woman tag with like me, Lacey and Zalina against Chelsea, Piper, and Alba. And so we're like, okay, cool. Like it'll be like some tag stuff, some single stuff. You know, this will be great.

They start having their like singles matches, which is supposed to lead. to a tag, which is supposedly to this, whatever. Things keep changing where it just keeps getting pushed. So, like, they had a singles. The next week was supposed to be the six women. Then it didn't happen. And we were like, oh, well, will there be a backstage? But then it didn't happen.

And like, Zalina had something. And we're like, oh, are we going to be there with her? And they were like, no, no, no, we're just going to do this first. And then it was like the week of WrestleMania and it was supposed to happen. And then, like, the day before it got pushed. And we were like, okay, again, it's WrestleMania. weekend. Of course, something more important having to do with the show happen. Not very weird. Move on. Now we're post-Resslemania. And there was a charity event that I do often with someone

who has worked through with NXT, with WWE. It wasn't a WWE event. But it was like they would let us go there. We weren't signing anything. It was just like for a good cause. I've done it for years. And one of the NXT girls that was invited had messaged me and said, something to the effect of they said that I can't do it and they'll like let me know why soon. And I was like, well, it sounds weird, but like some people are weird, who knows, you know. My boyfriend says, I wonder if it's because they're going to do releases.

And I was like, but that wouldn't really make sense because it's not a WWE event. So they wouldn't care. It wasn't like being posted anywhere. It was just, you know, for a good cause. And I'm like, that's weird. Then the person doing the charity event messaged me and said, another wrestler was like, oh, I wonder if releases are happening.

And I'm like, okay, two people is weird, you know? Still, I wasn't like, I actually made a joke to my boyfriend when he said it. I was like, if I get released, will you still love me? You know how girls are crazy. And he was like, yes, of course. But I only made that joke because I didn't actually think that it was happening, you know? Then another joke is if you get a 203 number, because it's a Connecticut area code, like, you're in trouble. We didn't travel that week, another sign.

But I was like, okay, it's, we don't have a story yet, no big deal. I'm working out in my garage and I get a phone call. And it's not a 203 number. So I ignore it because I'm working out. Then it calls again. And you know how sometimes it's like might be this person? Yeah. It called a second time and I was like, okay.

And I look and it said might be so and so. And I was like, oh, no. I knew right away. And I picked up the phone and I was like, hello? And then I was like, oh, this is it. Like I've thought about that moment so many times that when it happened, it was just like, I felt like I, like, I felt like I wasn't in my body. Like, I was on the phone and answering.

And then when I hung up, I was like, I feel like I should have said more or like asked more questions. And I think I was just like, okay, okay, bye. It's, it's such a weird feeling. You know what I mean? So at the moment, I was like, I had no idea. And then as I retell the story, I'm like, oh, I was trying not to be like negative and nervous. But as I say it, I'm like, okay, these, these were probably signs. You know what I mean?

And so many of your friends, so many colleagues had been let go in previous years, especially during the pandemic era. Yes. Like huge cuts at that point in time and you survived. I know. And it's, it's funny actually. I don't think, I don't really ever talk about this, but there was a time back in 2019 where like I had started in 2018. I was about a year or so in, I had just done my first Royal Rumble in 2019, and I had a back injury from that. And I was struggling with this injury. It was kind of the most serious injury I had had since being there. And also the Performance Center was mentally very, very tough at that point for me.

And so there was a period where I was dealing with this injury and really like, can I come back from this? The injury wasn't that serious that I wouldn't be able to come back. But in my head being like, do I really want to do this? and kind of having this crisis about it. Like, is this something I'm going to continue to do? And I was open about that with, you know, with my job. And they were very supportive about it.

They were like, we want you to heal and we want you to come back and we want you to be here. You know, it's important to us. And so when the big releases were happening in COVID, I was like, they're going to let me go because I like wasn't sure if I could do it. You know what I mean? Like I didn't know if I didn't know if. I would be good enough or if I could survive or I was having these doubts.

So I really thought like they're going to let me go because like they're letting people go that wanted to be here and I didn't know if I could. And, you know, I'll be, I'll always be very grateful for that that they believed in me and they stuck with me even when I was having these struggles. So those big releases are always very, very scary. So when it comes down to it, like I'm so grateful to have survived so many of those. you know what I mean, to think about it in a weird way, that yes, you know, it's sad, but also, again, trying to spin things and not live in the negative. Like, yes, I wish I had done more.

I wish I had more, you know, be able to show things. But like, I was with WWE for eight years. That is like the dream. You know what I mean? That is a huge accomplishment, something that a very small percentage of the world gets to say that they're doing. And so whenever I start thinking about that, I try to lean more towards, I am just so grateful I was there and I did that.

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That's cash app. So when you were at that crossroads in 2019 and you were unsure if you were going to stop wrestling or keep wrestling, what was the moment that changed things? for you. It's a good question. I want to try to explain it correctly. I was struggling really mentally, really struggling at the performance center. Going back to what I said earlier, like really feeling out of place, which just imagine if eight years later I feel that, how much I felt it one year in and it being that different environment, you know? And so I really was struggling with that. And when I started to get physically better from this

injury and I really had to make this choice of like, I either need to be all in and do this or not, I decided that I needed to change my mentality in order to succeed there. So with feeling out of place or feeling like I didn't belong or I wasn't good enough because I didn't come from wrestling, I could either let that eat me up and essentially let me not accomplish this goal or I can let the feeling suck, you know, and feel that and not live in it and realize like, okay, I can have these insecurities and this might be a rough road to go through, but I want to accomplish this and I want to work hard enough to prove that I can do it, prove people wrong,

you know, prove myself wrong even, and go after it. And I feel like once I told myself, I was going to do this mental switch, I knew that if it didn't work out, I would be okay that it didn't work out because then that meant that I really gave everything and it would be okay if it wasn't for me. Was there a certain element of it where like stuff had come easy for you in the past? Like I imagine it got to a point as a gymnast where stuff was like second nature was so easy for you and being an American Ninja warrior for so many years, same thing. Like, yeah, that doesn't look that hard. I can figure it out. Wrestling maybe presented more of a challenge. A hundred percent. I would say, again,

and mentally definitely more of a challenge than anything I had done in the past. Also because anything I had done in the past, it was only like myself that I had to worry about. You know what I mean? So in gymnastics, it's me and the balance beam. It's me and the bars, me and the, whatever it was, it was me and that thing. And I had full control over it. And that was all I had to worry about. You know, same thing with American Ninja Warrior. It's me in the course. It's me in the wall. I can be in control of everything. I can make it happen. Whatever it is, I'm in control.

Coming to wrestling, obviously, it is incredibly difficult. You have to be so talented. And it also is so different like I had never been in any type of contact sport before. I had never been in any type of team sport before, really. You know what I mean? So I feel like navigating all of that with also it being such a difficult craft in itself. was really tough. And I will say as hard as it was physically,

I think my biggest hurdle was always that how, I said earlier, how sacred it is to people who had worked so hard to get there in wrestling, I don't feel like I was ever able to break through, like, showing people that I can be a wrestler. You know what I mean? Because my path was different, because everybody was used to a certain path. It's changed now. I just, yeah, it's very different.

And I'm grateful. Like, I'm very happy for those people. And I think it is going to be great for the business. But, yeah, I just don't think I could ever break through that feeling, really. WWE saw what you did an American Ninja Warrior. And they scouted you, right? So how did that conversation happen? And who was it?

So it's funny. So after my American Ninja Warrior run, I want to say it was, I don't know if I'm going to say this title correctly, but it was something like Sports Illustrated 50 fittest women athletes, something like that. And they do a list. And I was on that list after American Ninja Warrior and WWE, I guess, had seen it and called me and asked me to be on tough enough. What an accomplishment, by the way. Crazy. As I say this, I feel like that's my different life.

All the people in the world. I think it actually was funny because when it came out and, like, obviously, I was like, this is crazy. And I was, I feel like I was like maybe in the like 30 or something, you know, and I remember being like, oh, man, I'm like towards the bottom. And they were like, you're in the list. What do you mean? I was like, no, you're right. You're right.

I just, anyway. So that was a side note. But they had called me to be on tough enough. And so because of American Ninja Warrior, it was a reality show. And so it was tough enough. So with my like contract with American Ninja Warrior, I couldn't do tough enough. And they were like, okay, well, if anything ever changes, let us know, you know. So the next year happens and the list comes out again.

And they called me again. And they were like, has anything changed, you know, blah, blah, blah. And so at that time, I was like thriving in American Ninja Warrior. You know, I'd had my big run. Things were good. I was enjoying my time there. Then it got to a point where when WW came back, at first I was like, wait, like actual WWV? Like you want me?

Like I felt like all of the things. I was like, well, I'm really small and I'm really like, you know, I didn't know what it was like in real life. I only know what I had watched growing up, you know? And so I remember not really understanding it the first time that they, like I actually would be wrestling there. I was just like, okay, they just like want to know if we would do something, whatever. Then when they came back, I was kind of in the. this position with American Ninja Warrior where I had done it, you know, for so many years that I was like, okay, have I kind of, I kind of done what I'm going to do here? You know what I mean? Like I, there's

always more to accomplish, but am I ready to kind of transition? And so at that time, W.W.B. was doing the first May Young Classic. So they were like, we're having this all women's tournament. We think that you would love it, you know, based on everything that you're doing. And they brought me out to come watch and be like, you know, would you be interested in this? We want you to come. It doesn't, have to be tough enough, we can bring you to the performance center. And so that was kind of like that visit, got me into the world, got to meet some of the girls and see it actually in real life. I had only watched it when I was younger. I didn't like think about it. They just seemed like these like superheroes on TV. I didn't like realize they were real. If that is, I don't know if that's weird to say at first,

you know. And so being there in real life and seeing it and it being very similar to the stuff that I was passionate about, which is like, hey, we're making this evolution for the women. We're doing this all women's stuff. We're going out there. We're showing them. We can do these amazing things. And I was like, wow, this does sound like something that I would love to do. And so from the first time they called me to the time I actually set foot in the performance center was like over two years later. Like it took a long time because then I wanted to like finish up the season I was doing. And then when would we start there? So it was like actually a really long time in between actually going. Did some of the stuff come so easy to you with a gymnastics background? Like, for example,

if someone says, can you do a moonsault? You mean a backflip? Yeah. Could you do a 450? You mean a flip and a half? Like, of course. I would say this stuff that was not as important came very easy to me. So yes, I can flip, I can cart where I can handstand, you know, those things were, I had done them for at that point over 20 years of my life. You know what I mean? So, but I very quickly learned that. those are not the important things. You know what I mean? So it's like, it's almost a double-edged sword where it's like, this is what we want you to do because this is what you've,

this is what attracted us to you is that you can do these cool things. But then it was almost like, oh, but like the cool things aren't important. So it was almost like, this is what we want you to do, but that's not really what's important. So then I'm like. So what's important? The basics? Well.

Is that what you mean? Yes, the basics. But also like the stories, you know, how you. you make people feel, how whatever the story is, whatever to make the fans, the audience and, you know, also the basics and the structure and everything like that compared to, okay, someone could go out and do a flip because a lot of people can do that, especially now. You know what I mean? So I felt like it was this double-edged sword of, we want you to do these really amazing things.

And then when I would try and practice that and do it, it was like, oh, well, she can just like flip. That's it. You know what I mean? And I'm like, oh, man, I thought like, I thought you guys wanted me to flip. You know what I mean? So that was like a hard transition because it is such a special, unique thing. And that's why people love it so much and get, you know, so deep into it. But it's hard to create, you know, it's magic.

What was the Royal Rumble in 2019? What was that experience like for you? That was really, really cool. I had only been at the Performance Center for a year at that time. And there was about five or six of us from NXT that got to go and do the Royal Rumble. So that was my first, like, really huge thing. I really wasn't even, like, doing NXT TV at the time, honestly. Like, I didn't have much experience.

And so the Royal Rumble was, I remember, like, when my number got called and I walked out, I think I actually did a full spin. Like, when I walked out, I, like, looked around and then I was like, okay, you need to go. Like, like, I almost, like, forgot where I was. I was in such awe of the arena and, like, how many people were. there and the excitement and the energy. And I was like, oh my God, this is what people feel. Like, this is why people love this. I hadn't had any, like, really cool experiences yet. I was just, like, grinding at the PC, you know? And so I was like, oh my gosh, I get it. Like, this is incredible,

this feeling. Like, I get what this feeling is now. So I feel like that was my first really, like, understanding of how huge it could be. And it was really fun to be in it, you know, to be in there with all the women and, you know, people I looked up to and legends and stuff like that. So it was really cool. You had such a great Royal Rumble Save. I, you know what? I am so grateful for that moment because another thing that like so randomly people will bring up is that was literally what seven years ago? Something like that. And like, I don't know if that's a good or bad thing that like I haven't done anything that cool since or was it just that cool. But people still will be like, oh yeah, like your Rumble Save was so cool.

really grateful to at least have like some really cool staple moments that people can like kind of remember, you know. But walking on your hands for you is nothing, right? It's funny because yes and no, yes, in the fact that like right now, yeah, I'll walk on my hands. But like, will it take me one or two tries to like get it perfectly? Probably. Like I can do it. But you never know, like, you know, are you going to lean too much this way? So I remember when it happened, I had to have like a backup plan of if this doesn't go perfect, my. My. My feet can't touch. So, like, how do I save this if that happens?

So when I do it, I do, like, a back roll to get up to, like, kick up into a handstand. And I had always said, okay, if I'm walking and I fall, I just have to fall in, like, a roll where I land on my back and my feet still don't touch so that I can then from there, like, shimmy around to something else and do it. Because, I mean, you could do a hand. That's the other thing, too, about, like, being in front of a big crowd. I could have done one million good handstands in my whole life, and it does not make me not nervous to go out in front of thousands and thousands of people and do a handstand and not screw it up. Yeah, yeah.

But you nailed it. Thank you. That was, it's one of my favorite moments for sure. There's not a ton of Rumble saves. Like immediately people think about Kofi Kingston. Always. This was Kofi Kingston-esque. Yes.

That's what it was. Yes. And I've talked to him about that too where, like, you know, afterwards and when other Rumbles were coming up. We'd be like, oh, like, are you going to do anything cool? Like, what are you going to do? He's somebody that I always looked up to, too, too, you know, because his journey and also, you know, I love his moves at his style, but his journey was amazing to see. So, yeah, I'm very honored to be put in that same category for that moment. Money in the bank is this weekend. Who do you think's going to take down that briefcase on the men's side and who's going to do it on the women's

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Time's ticking. I think you can feel the intensity. All the guys are wanting to really take their claimant, and they want to be on that World Cup roster. There's no doubt about it. Hosting the World Cup on the home soil comes with its pressures, but we're just really excited just as the people are. The U.S. Soccer Podcast, presented by Henco.

Follow and listen on your favorite platform. How did you get paired up with Caden Carter? because on paper, you guys are completely different. Yes. But when you're together, you work so well together. It's crazy. We talk about, like, on paper and in real life, we are complete opposites. Like, so, like, as if they would be like, oh, opposites attract.

Like, that's us. We could not be more different. But when it comes to in the ring, it, like, immediately, we randomly just got put together on a live event because they were, you know, they just want more people to wrestle and get experience. And so like a random Florida live event, we got put together. And she had wrestled before that, you know, so she had more experience, more of that mindset. And she would basically be like, okay, like, I've seen you do this thing, this thing. I can like do this first and then you can do that.

And then we would try things. And then randomly we were like, this is kind of cool. Like, all right, what if we add this thing to it, you know? And it kind of just like flowed naturally. And then the beauty about us being so different is like, she. is more rebellious and I'm more like let's rain us in. And so it was the perfect combination of like some of the stuff that we have done. When she said it originally or had shown me originally, I would be like, I don't know if we can do that. You know, like, that's like crazy. And then she would be

like, okay, well, how can we make it work? And then I'd be like, okay. And, you know, do we change how I'm landing? Do we change where the person is? Do we change where this is? And like, it would be like, this amazing idea I wouldn't think we could do, but she would have the confidence, and then I would like be able to rein in it a little bit, and then it would become like what we're doing. And it was just perfect. Exactly. Yes, exactly like that. When we were talking about it, it was originally a different idea without the spin. It was like a handstand something, you know. And I remembered being like, can we do that? And also, I'm the one like, you know, up in the coming from the ceiling like you know am i going to lay like how am i going to land am i going to

get hurt am i going to hurt them like how can we have more control of this you know what i mean and then you know when we added the spin obviously it's like me landing forward on somebody felt a lot safer for me for them in a normal splash compared to like coming down on my back or you know blindly whatever it might be so all of these things that like i'm so grateful that she had that like confidence and that creative mind of like this huge amazing thing. And then, you know, being able to adjust it to make it actually work for us is just, it was amazing chemistry. For a move like that, you're way up there.

Yes. Yes. Like your head would be what, 10, 11 feet up? It's, I'm trying to think of the highest one. The keg stand is scary because I'm very high up and I'm upside down. But even like some of the other ones where we would like, she'd be sitting on the corner and we double stack someone on her shoulders to then do like a rana from there or like one where I was on her shoulders and she was on the corner and would stand up and like pop me off on

that was and I'm just like through the air like oh god please land on them please land and then be okay please be able to breathe after like so it was it was definitely not boring and I think you know I love the hardy boys growing up and like so we always talked about just how incredible they were the crazy things they did. And we always were like, we want to show that women can do these crazy, amazing things as a tag team as well. We were like very passionate about that, trying to be different, trying to be innovative and show people like each time we went out there that we can do something new. We can do something exciting. And I feel like we did that for a while. After being at WWE for years, why were you told you needed to change your name?

So it's funny because when I got to WWB, I almost thought like, cool, I'm gonna get like a character and I get to play this part and it's like different from myself. And then they were like, oh no,

we want you to be like have your name be yourself, which like I did love having my name, but it did kind of make it hard to figure out how to make a character because it was like, we want you to be you, but obviously like me isn't cool enough to like be a character.

You know what I mean? So it's like you have to be you but hyped up. But you can't be like, not what that brand character is. So for a while, it was really difficult to figure out, like, where I was going to go

and who my, like, character was going to turn into. And then it was, like, years in when they said, like, we have to change your name. And I was so bummed

because I'm like, man, I've been here for so long with that name, you know, that I don't, I wasn't told the exact reason. I know at that time it was happening to a lot of people

and they were kind of tightening up, like, making sure whatever they had to, I'm not going to pretend like I know what the, what they do. They want to own the name. I get it. But yes, they want to, I don't know why it changed, but whatever they had to, you know, kind of like lock in on that. And I had to change my name.

I remember being really bummed. But then it kind of created this thing where, you know, the negativity and the hate and stuff like that, it's tough. So when I was able to be, when I was myself and I was Casey and then, you know, you have the haters and they're like, oh, well, Casey sucks. I'm like, oh, my gosh, okay, everybody thinks I suck, which it's not. It's just, you're always going to have that. But then I feel like when I got my name, it was almost like I could have this alter ego of, okay, this is me at work. And now I can come home and I'm Casey.

And they're like, well, katana this and katana that. And I'm like, yeah, whatever, who cares? You know what I mean? So it kind of, it was nice to like create the separation. But at first I was definitely bummed. But I am very happy to have my name back now. You're Casey again. Yes.

That's actually, remember I said I hung up the phone really quick. And then I was like, I'm sure I'm going to have more questions. That was the second thing. The first thing I called back was my nose has been broken twice, and they were like, you know, if you don't want to fix it now when you're finishing, you can fix it. So that was my first question was like, hey, are we going to fix my nose? And then my second question was like, hey, I need my Instagram name back.

And they were like, yeah, we'll help you with everything. So that was like literally the second thing I thought about. But Katana Chance was to have the same initials, right? Yes. So I wanted to have still the same initials because my name is Casey. My initials are Casey. So I was like, okay, at least I'll still have something. And then also I felt like because people had known me as myself,

I wanted my name to not be like just a normal name. Like, you know, if I was like, I don't want to say a normal name and offend anybody. But like if I, you know what I mean? If I was just like Casey and then I was just like, I'll use my sister's name. And then I just came out and I was like, Jess. You know what I mean? It's like, oh, why is that her name? Why is it different?

So I was like, Katana, I felt like was a cool. name and it also was like kind of ninja-e. You know what I mean? And I felt like it kind of went with that. So I was like, okay, it's different. It's a K. You know, maybe we can make it work cool. And then you and your tag team partner. Also, you're both Casey. Yes, exactly. Yes. Yeah. She got to be Kate and Carter.

Katta Chan. So at least we were still like, we were Casey. We were like Casey squared. You know, that's what they would say. Did you break your nose in the ring both times? Yes. I remember one of them. Yes. So the first one was actually, when we got drag. crafted to raw. We were in NXT.

That was on a Monday, like, during the Raw draft. And then on Tuesday, we had our last NXT match ever, like our last tag team NXT match, and my nose got broken in that match. And then, actually, I was in a cover, and it got broken up. And I just got, like, I don't know if it was an elbow or a leg and the tumble, like, whatever happened. I remember feeling like a crack, like I heard a crack. But I just thought like, because it does hurt, but it's not like what you think.

You know what I mean? So like I heard a crack and I was like, oh man. And I'm like rolling over, you know, selling the breakup. And then as I start to move, I was like, man, yeah, that really hurt. All right. I'm shaking it. Oh, man, I'm bleeding. It wasn't bad.

I wasn't like gushing blood. But I was like, oh, man, okay. And then I remember Lacey being like, are you okay? And I was like, I think my nose is broken. Like I was like, I think my nose is broken, yeah. And she was like, are you okay? Because we still had a lot to do. We had to do like a Spanish fly after that.

We had to do like all this crazy stuff. And I remember being like, yeah, yeah, I'm fine. We finished. And that was a bummer because we had just gotten moved up. And so we were like, okay, luckily it was very quick. It was only like six weeks. I had a mask and they didn't have us in a storyline yet anyway, so it was fine. It's a pretty cool mask, too.

I bedazzled it myself, actually. The second one, I bedazzled it myself because I was like, okay, this is not cute. I need to like make this be cuter. That one was worse where that night, like the doctor actually like three times was trying to put my nose back in place. It was crazy. Yeah, it was literally like, I forget which way it was. But it was like when I was walking up, they were like, oh my God.

Like it was, I think I have a picture of it. Yeah, I'm sure I have a picture of it. But also that one I got cut on the outside. outside of my nose too. So there was like a lot more blood for that one. So yeah, that one was a lot worse. I was bleeding on the outside. They had to adjust it like actually Lacey's not good with like blood and stuff like that. So she was like trying to support me and be in like in the doctor's area with me. And then they went to like adjust my nose and I was like, you can go. You don't have to be here. Like I'm okay. You should leave because like she isn't good with blood and stuff like that. And so

they were just like moving my nose and I was just like okay so they got it back really well but it basically was like when you put it back sometimes the bones can be like next to each other instead of like right exactly where they're supposed to be so it looks good enough whenever I'd say my nose is broken people are like oh you can't tell I know I can tell but most people are like oh you can't tell so now I basically have to decide if I want to fix it or not, like, because it's, you know, it messes with your septum and your breathing and you're sleeping and stuff. So, well, if, I have to decide. If you're, if WWB is going to pay for it, you should probably get a fixed. I know. But then also, a lot of people have been like,

but if you're okay, I wouldn't touch it. Like, people who have had kind of like horror stories with getting things fixed. So. Can you breathe? I can. Well, that doesn't sound very encouraging. I can. But I, when the doctor did the test of like, they kind of like pull your like nostril to the side to open up the area where it's like crooked. And he like did it and was like, okay, breathe in. And I was like, oh my God, people breathe like this. So, so to me, I feel like I'm fine. But he was like, you know, does that make sense?

You ever worn those intake breathing strips? But they put the little magnets on your nose. Oh, and it opens your nose. Oh, it's incredible. That's what it sounds like. That's what, yeah. Well, maybe I'll just do that instead of getting surgery. I'll send you some.

So that's my next big decision actually is I have to go to this pre-op and, decide. I'm going to see what he, what he suggests and how much he thinks it will help me. And then I'm going to decide if it's worth it or not. Do you want to breathe well or not? It's up to you. I mean, like, I'm out here living. You know what I mean? I'm surviving. Clearly. But who knows. You are living. Yes. I'm living, breathing. That's what matters. Former two-time tag team champion. Yes. Which one of those means more to you, the NXT championship or the main roster one? Definitely, NXT. I think because our journey to win those titles,

it was just so much more difficult of a journey and more meaningful. And I felt like with the NXT crowd, like it's so much more intimate. They were there for like every step of us failing until we got there basically. We're like, this was, you know, four years in that we won the titles, I think. I'd have to remember the exact year. But it was like many years in of us being a tag team, being an NXT, the story, like, we were in a lot of stories, but the stories were never really about us. We never really had our moment. We never really got to be like that big star. And I'll never forget, it was like right before we won where we were really in this deep story with toxic attraction. And we were just, we were wrestling them so much. We had so many stories, so many things happening. And every time we would wrestle.

and we would find out that we were losing. You were like, man, again, like, I really thought we were getting close. I thought this was going to be it. And you could tell that the crowd felt that way too, like that as we would lose, it'd be like, man, like, are they ever going to do this, you know? And I remember someone backstage saying to me, like, we don't want you guys to win until they are like, we need them to win. Like, we want it to get so behind you and such a build that when it happens,

like, it's worth it. You know what I mean? and I'm so grateful for that because it really did feel that way. And I was, I was kind of not surprised, but, for example, like, there was a time where when new people would come into the performance center, you would be, like, given a mentor, kind of. And so I was mentoring a couple of the new girls coming in, just in the way of, like, showing things around and, you know, helping out in any way I could. And so one thing I had given them of advice when they would ask me things is I would say, don't let like the winning and the losing and all of that like get to you because it'll drive you crazy.

You know, if you're starting and you're like, I'm losing or on this and you really get like, that doesn't matter. You know what I mean? And I would use as an example like I have been here for four years. I have never won a title. I maybe never will. But I have a job here consistently because I do. my job. I do it well. I make other people look good. I show up and I do what I have to and I'm

still here. You know what I mean? I could have come in and, you know, won a title and then gotten released and I would rather do what I'm doing, you know? And I would say, I never won a title. I probably never will. Like, doesn't mean I'm not going to do whatever. And then no joke like, a month later, we won the tag team titles or something like that. And then I remember my girls being like, oh yeah, like you're never going to win a title. Like, and it was just, just, it goes to show like when you kind of let go of something, it will come. You know what I mean? So I had accepted like, I am going to do my job no matter what. And I might not be the top star and I might never get to be that, but I'm still going to be like damn good at what I'm doing. And I feel like

once I like gave that, you know, gave that to the universe, it happened. And it was, you know, a big laugh for us. I love that. And then the next one is against Chelsea Green and Piper Niven. Yes. who are both just crushing it. Oh, yes. So happy for them. They've always been very good to me as well. And so that one was really exciting because obviously we were on the main roster.

And so it feels, it feels bigger. It feels just different. You know what I mean? But again, for us, that was kind of, we were definitely more like, it was more of a transitional thing. You know, it wasn't like a huge title story. So I was happy we got to do that. And I'm glad that we have that, you know. under our belts, but the NXT one and really building to that and having that, that long

rain there definitely means the most to me. Yeah. You shared something on social media that I loved. I love quotes, by the way. You shared balance is not something you find. It's something you create. What does that mean to you? I had seen it. I had seen it online. And it's funny because because of the picture that I posted it with, I wanted to find something that was like about the photo, but also like obviously about what I'm going through. And I feel like it kind of goes back to what I was saying where if you basically like stay true to who you are

and you accept what you can control and kind of like let go of what you can't control, that you'll be more at peace. You know what I mean? So I feel like with the balance, it's like if you're constantly like trying to do all of these things and control things that you have no control over that you're never going to get to, it just can drive you crazy. You know what I mean? So for me, it's like finding the balance for me is like finding the like peace. That makes sense.

So I feel like that was a very big important thing to me right now, which is like, okay, I right now still need to find my balance and find. what that's going to be, but I'm very confident that I have put in the work, like, in myself, personally, professionally, physically, whatever it may be that I know that I will find it. I just need to give myself the time to. You could pop up anywhere doing anything now. I know. The world is your oyster. Yes, in a couple months.

In a couple months, the world is your oyster. Yes. And that's exciting, you know? It really is. When it comes down to it, the podcast. possibilities being endless are like, who doesn't live for that? You know what I mean? Well, you've been here in L.A. the last week. Yep. You know, there's a certain buzz, especially we're in Hollywood right now as we record this, a certain buzz around this area. Do you have the acting

bug at all? And it's okay to say no. It's hard to say because I, I don't like to talk about things in like a nonchalant way when they're obviously like a very serious thing. Like, I don't want to be like, oh, like, it's cool to be like an actor. And then people be like, no, I've worked my whole life to be an actor. So I don't want to talk about them like they're nonchalant. But I definitely love a lot of things in the industry. Like, you know, I love stunts. I love acting.

I love hosting. You would crush stunts. Yeah, things that, you know, I have some experience in that I never really got to, like, take off with. So, you know, stunts is really cool. I love acting. I love hosting. I love talking. I love talking.

You're excellent at talking. Yeah, I feel like all of those, they have similarities and they're very different paths. So I feel like they're definitely all on my radar of deciding which path to take. If someone who was about to do American Ninja Warrior for the very first time were to call you up and ask for advice, what would you tell them about climbing up the warped wall? I would say, okay, this is a good question. I would say make sure that you stretch first, stretch your Achilles, like really do not ever be like cold. I'm just going to run up the warp wall.

Make sure that you're stretched and warmed up. And then I would say, try not to run at it because because of the curve, you want to like get as much speed as you can. But like if you think that you're running at it, your angle is going to be off. And then like your feet are going to kind of slip down. You're not going to get as up. So you need to really think about like running. up even though it's scary because it curves upwards. You know what I mean? So like as you're running, if you have to go up, you're kind of like not backwards, but it feels almost like you're going

backwards. So I would say, yeah, don't run at it. Look up. Run up. Big jump. I love it. Do you want to try the warp wall? I would love to try it. I am up for anything. Wait, have you ever been to Tempest? No. I know what you're talking about though. Yeah, yeah. They have a few, a few gyms out here. Next time, we'll plan and we can go to Tempest because, yeah, they have some awesome stuff there. I would not be good at most of these things, but there might be like one or two I could do. They actually- But I don't back down from anything. I'll try anything. Okay. All right. Next time, we'll plan a Tempish trip. We'll film it. But yes, exactly. That would be so fun.

But it's actually an ongoing joke where at American Ninja Warrior, people are so, like, infatuated with the war ball that reporters or, like, people who would be coming to do something for American Ninja Warrior in the past, have been like, oh, like, we want to get on the warp wall. And, like, people have, like, almost gotten really hurt because they don't know what to do. And they're just, like, not with anyone they should be with. And they're just like, let me, like, step on the wall. And it's such a, such a harsh angle that, like, even if you're not full speed and you're, like, going to pretend the wall, it, like, really crunches your ankle. So it's like, you know, your Achilles, your ankle, stuff like that. So it became a thing where it was, like, nobody can get on the warp wall if they are not an athlete.

You know what I mean? Yeah. Because it is. It's just like, ooh, ah, you're looking at it. I want to do this. It looks impossible. Yes. We will go.

We'll stretch. Okay. We'll prepare. Okay. And, well, I think you could, yeah, you could, a few tries of just seeing the angle, I think you could do it. I feel like I could. I have faith in you.

I feel like I've put it out there now. Yeah. Well, now we have to. Oh my gosh. Before, before, it was like, oh, yeah, that'd be cool to try to thing. Now we, we have to. We will play. No pressure.

I'll start sending you things to do at home to prepare. Stretch out a lot. Well, thank you so much for coming by. You have mentioned. this word so many times during this conversation and it's such a huge part of my life gratitude. I end every conversation with this question. So Casey, what are three things you're grateful for as we sit here right now? Oh, wow. I love that. I am grateful for my health. I am grateful for the people in my life. And I am grateful for the, oh, let me see, what's the right word? I don't want to say

freedom. I am grateful for the open opportunities to come. Yeah. I think so. What about you? What are you grateful? Oh my gosh. Turning the tables here. I do this every morning and I also do it every night too.

I'm so grateful for my family. My wife is the best. A fellow New Jersey. I need to be my New Jersey girl. She's the best. And my kids, I just feel I'm the luckiest guy on earth. And I think about that all the time. I love that.

I'm so grateful for our health and the ability for us to do the things we're able to do. And I guess I'm borrowing all of your answers here. I'm sorry. They're common. They're very common. They're great things to be grateful for. I would have said opportunity because I often say opportunity. Oh, okay. I'm grateful for pro wrestling. I love that. I'm grateful that I'm able to talk to people like you who have been there and have done it. And I'm able to learn from your story. I'm super grateful for that. Well, I am very grateful to have had this conversation with you. It made me think deeper. Things that were maybe at the surface, I hadn't explored all the way. So I really appreciate that. Well, appreciate you coming by. Thank you. Thank you.

All right, my friends. Thank you for listening to this episode and for hitting that leg drop on the follow button. I appreciate that. And a big thank you to Casey for joining us in the studio for this. I just love her optimism for what's next and all of the opportunities that are in front of her. and I can't wait to see what she does next. Give her a follow on social media and also snap a screenshot of this episode and let her know that you listen to this. Tag her. She's at Casey Katanzaro.

I'm at Chris Van Fleet and we will end this one with a fantastic quote from Tim Nokey. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. I love that one. Be great and be grateful, my friends. We will see you on the next.

one for some more insight. It's Ask CVV number 86 tomorrow. If you're listening on Spotify, leave a comment with your question or email it CVV at chrisfanvely.com or send it in on social media using that hashtag Ask CVV. We'll see you here tomorrow to wrap up the week. Jim Rome takes on sports. Why? Because I have a job to do with rapid fire takes. So I don't want to hear from you lava pigs on this notion today. No idea what you're talking about. You're complaining more than you like to breathe air. It's like you get up in the morning only to complain and cry and moan on social media about things that you don't even understand. He's the spitfire of sports smack. Take advantage of it. Get up in here. The Jim Rome Show podcast. What's your beef? Follow and listen on

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