‘Sasha Banks’ porn star name is WWE big idea – See reaction from Banks’ mom

There is a lot of fun with the names WWE gives (and takes away) from their performers. And we know we’re not the only wrestling fans low-key obsessed with them either.

One I never heard anyone have a problem with is the moniker Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado took on. Maybe it’s because, after the last decade of amazing moments and history making matches, “Sasha Banks” is just embedded in our minds.

That’s how it was for Sasha’s mother. Banks told Kelley O’Hara on the Just Women’s Sports podcast how she got her kayfabe handle, and that her mom was initially not a fan:

“The name came really just randomly. They asked me to put a long list of names, and I always remember putting Sasha with a different last name and Banks with a different first name.

And I remember just debuting at a house show for WWE and I needed a name. I was kind of just Mercedes KV. Finally Sara Del Rey came into the room and said ‘we got you a name.’ I go ‘oh what is it?’ She goes ‘it’s Sasha Banks.’ I’m like ‘oh! I love it. That sounds really really good!’

“I texted my mom. I said ‘hey mom, I got a WWE name. It’s Sasha Banks.’ She ended up calling me and goes ‘That’s a porn star name! Tell them to change it!’ I go, ‘Mom I can’t tell WWE to change the name.’ That’s how my mom is.”

Don’t worry, though. Like all of us, mom is now a fan:

“She’s come around to the name. She’s like Mama Banks now.”