Total Divas stars Cameron and Naomi recently spoke to Color Magazine, promoting their upcoming show and shedding some light on how they got started in the wrestling business.
Cameron’s story may surprise some. She reveals that, prior to joining the latest season of Tough Enough, she first won a Diva Search.
She explained, “Most people probably don’t know that I originally was a Diva Search winner in 2011 and then I did the reality show “Tough Enough” and unfortunately I was eliminated. BUT, I conquered all the odds and soon became one half of the Funkadactyls. My first time in the ring, I was a bit nervous because I had never been a dancer. I had to learn how to catch on fairly quickly. You either sink or swim in this business. I am driven and ambitious, so anything I do, I am going to make sure I give it a 110 percent. We debuted January 9th, 2012 and I will never forget it. So many people dream to make it on Monday night Raw and I did. Not to sound cliché, but it was one of the best days of my life!”
Did the WWE scout out Divas to take part in Tough Enough? It’s not that far fetched of an idea.
Naomi, meanwhile, got her start thanks to her experience in dancing. She said, “I got my start when I heard that WWE was looking for dancers. I went to the show when they were in Florida, met with the WWE team and soon after was offered a tryout. I went after this opportunity, because I knew this would be something I would be good at, I’m a dancer and can perform. As long as I could get my foot in the door, I knew I’d be able to do it. I really believed in myself. The first time I was in ring, I had no hesitation at all, I was so ready! My first match was exciting. I couldn’t wait to get in the ring, to get in front of the crowd!”
Cameron claims the dancing part of being a Funkadactyl is less stressful than the wrestling part, saying, “I really enjoy dancing, and coming up with our own (Funkadactyls) choreography. It’s less stressful and I can truly express myself through dancing. With wrestling, it’s a challenge, I’m nervous because I’m so new. I take it very seriously, so I want to do well. But, both wrestling and dancing gives me a chance to be in front of the fans, to entertain them and to make the audience happy, and that what makes me happy.”
Naomi is more confident about her in-ring skills but admits that it takes more focus than dancing. She explained, “Dancing and wrestling are very similar because they both require training and practice. Dancing is second nature to me; it’s fun and I’m relaxed when I do it. I can dance with fans, entertain them and it’s not as much pressure. Wrestling is different from dancing in that it requires more focus. When I wrestle I want to do my best, so there’s more pressure, I feel like I have more to prove. There’s no room for error.”
On the pressures of filming Total Divas and exposing their personal lives, Naomi found it to be uncomfortable, while Cameron felt it was exciting, saying, “The best part about this whole adventure is that the fans really get to see me and my life, and that’s exciting for me.”
You can read the full interview by clicking here.
