When I was in NXT, I was still training every day. I was still in the ring every day and working every live event. And just because I wasn't on shows that were taped for NXT TV, I don't think people knew what skills I could do.
My character isn't supposed to be flashy and be over-the-top. I'm supposed to be dirty in the ring. I'm supposed to kick and punch, and I'm supposed to cheat and find ways to win at all costs.
I feel like it's harder to perform in front of a smaller crowd sometimes still than it is a larger crowd.
I wasn't featured in NXT. I never had a TakeOver match. I never held a title. I wasn't a featured athlete. I knew, going in to SmackDown Live, I had to kick down the door and take every opportunity for what it was, and sometimes in WWE - and in life - those opportunities don't come back.
My coach would push us off the balance beam and teach us how to fall. That helps with your body awareness, your air awareness, but even the training I had in cheerleading, gymnastics, bodybuilding, nothing prepares you for what you go through in the ring.
I feel like a lot of creative people are socially awkward.
I try to make the most of every opportunity. If you don't, especially in WWE, those opportunities won't come around again.
William Regal once told us he people-watched when he was in the ring. He would see things that people would do. And if they annoyed him, chances are they would annoy someone else. A lot of times I'll just people watch when I'm traveling or at the airport or living everyday life.
A lot of times, when we travel, a lot of people on the road have the Switch going. We will all connect on the Switch and play the games against each other. It's obviously the healthier alternative than partying, but it's great.
Obviously, at work, Alexa Bliss would never admit anything is wrong with her because nothing is wrong with Alexa Bliss. As a person, everything in daily life can affect us. I think it's great we can share that on social media and Nia preaches body positivity. I share the same sentiment.
It's nice to be able to show how we are like in person and give a peek behind the curtain with 'Total Divas.' That's been my biggest feedback is how different than I am behind the scenes than I am onstage.
I feel like you have to constantly evolve because if you're not changing, the audience gets bored.
You have to constantly change and evolve because people get bored. Look at The Undertaker: he's evolved so many times.
Everyone has a really short attention span nowadays with social media, our phones. Even me - I can't go without touching my phone every five minutes.
I don't really consider myself a celebrity.
It is kind of weird to walk into a Starbucks and have somebody know your name. But normal-day life really hasn't changed that much. There's just a lot more eyes on you on social media.
To portray something that you're really not, it's like a little escape, and I love to act and to be dramatic. I feel like the wrestling ring in WWE is the perfect platform to do that. It's totally acceptable.
When I was 7 or 8, I'd go to bodybuilding shows with my family because they had friends who were into it, and it became something I wanted to do one day. I wanted to look big and strong.
In the ring-wise, I've learned a lot from working with Bayley.
I remember, even when I started with WWE, it was a different ball game. There were all these restrictions and things we couldn't do, and now, it's really empowering to know we can do anything that we want and what the guys can do. It gives women the opportunity to show why we're more than divas and why we're WWE superstars.
