WWE Hall of Famer Lita recently spoke with Jim Varsallone at Florida Supercon in Fort Lauderdale to discuss various topics including getting started with the WWE, her reaction to the Mae Young Classic and which NXT Superstar stood out to her in the tournament. Highlights of the interview below.
Starting her pro wrestling journey: “So when I was starting my pro wrestling journey, I was playing in bands and taking martial arts. When I saw wrestling I was like ‘Man, it’s like the best of both worlds. You’re a rock star and an athlete in one gig.’ I never looked back and think it worked out okay.”
When she first realized her career was taking off: “I feel like I wasn’t really supposed to be the girl that was supposed to fall into the hearts of everybody in their living rooms. It kind of just caught on. While we [Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy] might have just been on [Sunday Night] Heat or getting lower on the card to shows, that ‘Lita’ chant, you guys started making that happen, and getting that momentum to the next level. I think when I knew things were really taking off had to have been when The Rock was the special guest referee against my match with the boss’ daughter Stephanie McMahon. That’s when you kind of realize things are happening.”
Reaction to the Mae Young Classic: “Each of these moments I feel like it sets up a little bit more of watching the women take our ball that we tried really hard to keep up there and throw it as high as they can. Watching that, I get really emotional thinking about it. Watching the success, the determination the passion and really varied backgrounds of all these women from all over the world, different avenues of life, drawing a connection to this business that I loved for so much. Seeing their interpretation and taking the perception of women in the business that much further is really special. It really touched my heart. As much as I have a lot of the women come up to me and say that I inspired them to maybe start their journey, their own story is very inspiring.”
Bianca Belair standing out at the Mae Young Classic: “I was at the tryout for Bianca Belair. She had never wrestled at all and she delivered in that Mae Young Classic. That’s all I’m going to say, I don’t want to give it away. I want you to watch but she’d never even run the ropes and now she’s owning that ring in her match with a multiple year veteran. It was cool to see.”
Lita also discusses first being paired with Essa Rios, working commentary with Jim Ross and her musical background.
You can listen to the full interview below:
What did you think of the interview?
