"They were messing with me" – Female former WWE star explains why she asked to leave
Karlee Perez recently opened up about why she requested her release from WWE in 2012.
Perez performed as Maxine during her time in WWE's Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) and NXT developmental systems between 2009 and 2012. Fans might also remember the 37-year-old for her work as Catrina in Lucha Underground.
In an interview on The Hannibal TV, Perez said she asked to leave due to backstage politics and a lack of opportunities:
"From what I remember, I was just getting very frustrated. They were messing with me. They were trying to change my look. They were trying to change my gear because somebody didn't like it or politically somebody didn't like it. There was just always something. They wanted me to go back to FCW after I already spent years there. There was no reason for me to go back. It was just this game." [0:30 – 0:57]
Perez left WWE on June 28, 2012. She later appeared in IMPACT Wrestling before becoming a prominent figure on Lucha Underground as Mil Muertes' on-screen girlfriend and valet.
Karlee Perez on WWE pushing others ahead of her
While some developmental stars are called up to the main roster relatively quickly, others have to wait several years for a chance on RAW and SmackDown.
Never forget the OG Maxine in WWE. #SmackDown https://t.co/B2eBdUqdGn
Karlee Perez added that she had little choice but to leave based on how she was booked compared to her co-workers:
"Eventually, I was like, well, you know, how long am I gonna play the game and where is this game gonna lead? Am I gonna play the game and just do what they say? I was watching other people who were there way less and had way less experience get paid way more or get their pushes for, once again, political reasons or someone they may have been dating or something they'd done, and I just ended up wanting to remove myself from the situation." [0:58 – 1:33]
Perez previously revealed that she wanted to seduce former SmackDown general manager Teddy Long as part of a storyline. Although she came up with the idea, the role was given to Aksana instead.
Do you have any favorite memories of Karlee Perez as Catrina or Maxine? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit The Hannibal TV and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.