Thanks to Graham Caygill of The National for sending this in:
Graham Caygill from The National newspaper in Abu Dhabi here again.
Haven't been in touch for a while but was in New York last weekend for Evolution and caught up with Shayna Baszler, who was a lot of fun and fascinating to listen to.
I've included some snippets below on being in the WWE, her on-screen persona and of course a possible match with Ronda.
The NXT Women's champion discusses how she has adapted to life in the company from her MMA background, and how she used to book her TV with her housemates to ensure she watched WWE
On her onscreen persona
"My coaches before I signed were Josh Barnett and Billy Robinson and they are very old school. If it was up to them I would walk into every locker room and say 'who wants to fight tonight’ and do it back there and assert my leadership over the locker room that way and it is not that way in this day and age, but it was when Billy was coming up. It was in the back of my mind when I signed that I would have to juggle this kind of lineage that I came up with and the way wrestling is now. So it has been very important to me that I stay true to that, while fitting in to what the wrestling scene is today."
On what is next for the women's division after Evolution
"I think there will be more in-depth stories then just the one focusing around the title. I think we are already seeing more time given for matches. We are seeing an all women’s pay per view and to your point on where the future is going, I don’t think we’d have thought we’d be in the situation we are in now three years ago so it is an exciting time to be in.”
On facing Ronda Rousey some day on WWE programming
"I always say if a linebacker in the NFL has a quarterback friend on the other team he is going to try and hit him even harder. I don’t think it will be any different if her and I do meet up, out of respect for each other, and it would be gnarly."
On becoming a role model for youngsters
"You do not realise the effect on change you can have by just being you and I think if there is anyone listening to this out there that matters to you can change the world simply by being you. Be authentically you. It is not something I went out of my way to do. I am just me. I love rock and roll and loved getting on wrestling mats since I was six and I have never been ashamed of it."
To read the full interview, click HERE.
