I remember looking up wrestling schools at the age of 10, and I emailed so many people. The responses were that I had to be 16 or 18 to train, and that was a bummer.
From my mom telling me 'no' to now telling everyone I'm the champion, and she's so proud of me, and to prove to a lot of people - who didn't believe in me, who didn't think I was going to be here - that I'm here, and I did it. It's been a roller coaster of emotions; it's amazing.
When I was 12, I was living in Iowa, and I emailed so many wrestling schools, and one of them was actually in Boston. I joined it at 18 - the New England Pro Wrestling Academy. They were doing a fantasy camp. I was 17 about to turn 18. I told my mom, 'I'm 18 now. I just signed these papers by myself, and I'm going to do this.'
I definitely would like to work with Nia Jax; she's something different that I haven't had yet. I didn't have someone like her to work with in NXT, so I think I would like to work with her next. I think that would be a great feud.
I didn't want to walk into WWE and be someone who just does bikini matches and played second fiddle to the guys. I wanted to stand out, make people excited to see women's wrestling, and show them we can be better than the men.
After a pay per view, I know there is TV the next day. But after Raw, I like to eat bad. I can have some pizza, French fries, a burger, live it up, a glass of wine - red, of course.
When I was in the indies, the guys would be like, 'Ugh, a women's match. I'm not gonna watch that.' And to come back here, at every single Live Event to have a guy come up to you and say, 'That was amazing,' I feel so accomplished.
The Divas Revolution didn't have the great start that I wanted it to have, but through time, it has got to where I want it to be, starting with the Triple Threat Match at Wrestle Mania. Our faces were in the middle of the stadium, which proves we are getting equal opportunities.
Eddie Guerrero is my number one. He is the reason I am in the WWE - I wanted to be the female version of him.
I've always known that I wanted to be different. I wanted to stand out, so my gear is very elaborate, very blingy, very loud, because I want people to notice me, want to look like me. The Boss necklace, the ring. I want everything big.
I always try to outdo the guys. It doesn't matter who you are. Even Sami Zayn - I want to have a better match than Sami Zayn, and he is absolutely incredible. I knew at a very young age that I wanted to change the definition of what it is to be a Diva and what it is to be a woman's wrestler.
Patience is key. You can't get selfish, and that's the number one thing I've learned at WWE. The world continues to go round, and I just knew - given the right opportunity and the right moment - that the world would know I was good, but now the world knows that I'm great.
I used to work at a hotel. I was the order-taker for room service. My mom worked at the hotel as an accountant.
First-ever woman to have an iron-man match. It's been such a long time, to be the second woman ever to main event a Raw.
I know that at 'NXT TakeOver' and the fatal four-way, we'll definitely have people saying, 'Oh my God, those were not Divas; those were superstars right there.'
