Two-time NXT Champion Roxanne Perez joins former Stardom and Marigold star Japan as the brand's weekly show moves to The CW (Tuesdays, 8 p.m.) at Chicago's Allstate Arena. Before defending his title against Julia Starr, he took time for a Q&A with The Post's Joseph Staszewski. .
(Edited for clarity and length)
Q How do you and Locker Room view this opportunity to be on The CW, appear on broadcast television, appear in more homes, and hopefully bring more attention to your product?
A: I think this is really great. Because we will definitely be reaching more young viewers. And I think the great thing about it is that we're all so diverse, not just the women's division or the men's division. That being said, given that the audience is going to be younger, I think every little boy or little girl has representation that they should see on TV.
Q: What does it mean to you to beat Julia and put her in her place making her first appearance in NXT?
A: I think it will put a stamp on my reign. I think everyone thinks that Julia is going to come all the way here from Japan and take away my championship and take away my position that I have worked hard for for almost three years. I have been using this brand, NXT 2.0, since the beginning. I've helped build it and I'm not just going to have someone come in and destroy it all, I've definitely been ignored because people are so excited about Julia. Ta. She's definitely one of the best female wrestlers in the world, so I think it would be great to pair her with her. But the ending will be the same.
Q: Does it feel like NXT is moving into a different era when it comes to the future of the roster with this move to The CW and the build-up to it? Performance Center, now with Julia, Stefani Vachel There's Ethan Page. This brand has already attracted some famous people.
A: It's definitely a whole new era and I'm excited to be leading it. I'm from the indies. I think it's been really, really great that we've been hiring athletes[from other sports]. And they pick it up so quickly and they're so into it and they're so talented and they come. We have people from all these different college sports, and I think that's what makes our division so unique and different. But I also think it's great to be able to bring in independent wrestlers, two of the best female wrestlers in the world.
Q: The next two shows will take place outside the Performance Center. Do you want to get to the point where NXT travels for television frequently or even weekly?
A: That makes me happy. I think that's definitely what everyone is aiming for. That's the dream, right? I travel around the world every Tuesday. Well, if possible. That's amazing. But I also love the NXT crowd, it's very intimate, it's usually the same people, and they love it, they're so into it.
Q: Obviously being on the main roster is a long-term goal, but what does it mean for you, especially as a young performer, to be handed the ball here in a position to face Jordynne Grace when her partnership with TNA begins? Does it mean? And you're obviously the first one that Julia comes in and Stephanie lurks.
A: This definitely shows that all the effort I've put in so far has been so worth it. Because I started training when I was 13 years old. Because obviously you don't get a lot of chances in wrestling. When I was 13 years old. I knew I had four or five years left, and it was definitely a little difficult because I knew that I wasn't going to get the chance on my own, even though everyone around me was getting the chance.
But I also know that if I put in the 10,000 hours I trained and spent working when no one was watching what I was doing, I would definitely be good enough to be a brand leader one day. I also knew it would happen. You know, I'm going to be running the brand. I could be the champion. I'm going to play in these games, these big games, and I'm going to get results. Well, it feels really good to be 22 years old.
Q: What was the transition from being a true babyface to a heel like for you? It happened gradually in front of the camera, and when it happened, it felt like everything was there and clicked.
A: I had never been a heel, never been a heel in the indie scene, so it was uncharted territory. Maybe once or twice, but I've always been a babyface. It felt very natural to me. And when we tried to make this change, it was definitely difficult. But I love challenges, especially in wrestling, I love learning new things and trying new things. I think that's part of the magic of wrestling, trying new things and seeing if it works. And I feel like this definitely worked for me.
I feel like I've taken the nickname “prodigy” to a whole new level. I called myself a child prodigy, but did I believe it? Did he really, really believe it? I feel like that wasn't the case until my second reign, but now everyone else around me believes it.
Q: Where did you find what you wanted to be as a heel?
A: I've been watching wrestling all my life and studying the greats. Shawn Michaels was a great heel, CM Punk, AJ Lee, The Rock. Learn from them, watch, study, take bits and pieces and just create and make it your own.
Q: When Cora Jade got injured, did they have to go in that direction with you?
A: I don't know exactly how everything will go, but I was ready. I was ready whether I was the first choice or not. And now, several months later, I'm here as the NXT World Champion, putting on some of the best matches the women's division has had in a long time.
Q: How did it feel to get in the ring with CM Punk last week and do that corner with him?
A: It was like, oh my gosh, I think the in-ring promo was the best promo ever, it was so crazy. It was definitely a pinch-me moment. But I think the fact that I was able to build a friendship with him and sit under his learning tree for months on end definitely made me so comfortable in being able to build that relationship. Masu.
I remember really feeling it when I got in the ring and started saying my lines. I'm standing in the ring with someone I've admired all my life. Part of my mind was like, “Well, I can't believe this,” but another part of my mind was like, “Wait, this is believable, this is all I've ever worked for.” ” I thought. I felt that I firmly stood my ground. I gave him a little bit of the attitude that I would have given him a few years ago.
Q: What kind of resource is he for you and other performers?
A: When I first got here, promotion wasn't necessarily my forte. But he helped me a lot with that and, you know, speaking and finding my voice. He's such a great guy and I think he just gave me advice on how the business works and how to keep my mind sane.
I'm really grateful to him and all the help he's given to all of us at NXT. Because he doesn't need to come to the pay-per-view and watch us and watch every match and give us advice after every match. . He doesn't have to, but he does it because he's worried about the future. I think that's pretty cool to see.
Q: Do you feel like you're at a point in your career where you're like, “I've worked for this, so this should come as no surprise”? Maybe years ago, you were like, “I don't know.” , or maybe it was “still thinking about it”?
A: I definitely feel like I put a lot of effort into this. And I think that's what gives me the confidence I have now. This is to know that I've been doing all of this and not just for 10 years. As a one-year-old, I just kept dreaming that one day I would make this dream come true, but it's also for future generations, people, young people, little girls, boys who are watching me on TV right now and thinking. , “Oh, I hope I can do that someday. I don't know if I can do it, but I hope I can.'' And I show them that yes, yes, you can, if you keep going, you can just keep going. I hope it helps you express yourself, so please continue.
Q: You are already one of the few two-time NXT Women's Champions and have competed in the Royal Rumble twice, what do you hope your legacy in NXT will be? ?
A: I would like to be remembered as the greatest NXT Women's Champion of all time, and I definitely think I'm on my way to that. All I wanted to do was inspire the next generation and put on some of the best matches, not just for the women's division but for the brand as a whole.
