Former Champion Thinks She Was Set up to Fail in WWE

By Andrew Ravens‎

Contributing Sports Writer

ShareNewsweek is a Trust Project member

Former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Kayden Carter recently discussed her unexpected departure from the company. The star stated that she and her tag team partner, Katana Chance, were often put into positions where they were expected to fail. The dynamic duo was released by WWE in May of this year following a short main roster run.

Before their main roster call-up in 2023, the two had an accomplished career in NXT. They were previously the longest-reigning NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions in history. According to Carter, the reality of their main roster run was deeply frustrating and difficult for them to accept.

Carter opened up about the experience during an interview with Denise Salcedo (H/T to WrestlingNews.co). She recalled a specific moment when they returned to the SmackDown brand after a show in the United Kingdom.

Carter said: “Kacy and I, we had our ups and downs together, and thankfully, we had each other to be there for those moments.” She added, “I just remember her and I returning to SmackDown in the UK, it just felt like we were set up for such failure. We tried to do our best, to do whatever, and it just felt like we were set up just to fail, and it was the hardest thing.”

Carter believes that the team was constantly pressured to deliver high-quality performances in very short timeframes. She noted that despite their long history and strong chemistry, they often felt like they were constantly battling an uphill struggle.

More news: Nikki Bella Reunites With Ex-Boyfriend At WWE Raw

...

Carter continued, relaying a conversation she had with her partner: “She [Chance] said, ‘I just feel like we’re always set up to fail and we have to always work so hard to make something out of nothing. We have to go out there and kill it in three minutes or whatever situation they put us in,’.”

The frustration came from their mutual commitment to the team concept. She emphasized that this struggle was not to criticize anyone, but simply the reality of their position.

“We know in our hearts that we fought so hard to be such a good tag team. We’d been a tag team for our whole existence in WWE pretty much, and that’s why it was hard for us.” Carter explained that their ambition was far greater than their booking opportunities.

“It’s not any shade to anybody. It’s just that we worked so hard because we wanted so bad to be one of the best tag teams that ever existed. And that was a true goal of ours.” She added: “Not just two people stuck together or like when they didn’t know what to do with anyone and just put them in a tag team. We legitimately wanted to change the way that people looked at tag team wrestling. And so that’s why it was a frustrating journey for us,” Carter concluded.

Since their release from WWE in May, the two partners have taken distinctly different paths in the professional wrestling world. Kayden Carter is currently wrestling on the independent circuit and has appeared for both Ring of Honor and AEW under her previous name, Lacey Lane.

Lane recently competed in a championship match against Mercedes Mone for the AEW TBS Championship on AEW television on October 7, though she failed to capture the title. Lane is also scheduled for a match against Mina Shirakawa for the Interim ROH Women's World Television Championship. Katana Chance (formerly Kacy Catanzaro) has not remained active in professional wrestling since her exit from WWE and has expressed uncertainty about continuing her career in the ring.

More WWE News: