Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Nikki Cross: WWE Release, Wyatt Sicks, Nikki A.S.H., Women's Championship, PROGRESS Wrestling

Episode Date: August 11, 2026

See you at Insight LIVE on August 21 in Toronto with Trish Stratus! https://cvvtix.com Nikki Storm (@nikki.storm08) is a professional wrestler best known for her time in WWE as Nikki Cross. She sits down with Chris Van Vliet in Orlando, FL to discuss her journey from being an extra on WWE TV to signing with the company, her multiple personas including Nikki Cross, Nikki A.S.H. and Abby The Witch, winning the Women's Championship as Nikki A.S.H., where the inspiration came from for her superhero persona, being the final 24/7 Champion, purchasing PROGRESS Wrestling with her husband Big Damo, and more! Please support our sponsors: HELIX SLEEP: Flash sale! Go to https://helixsleep.com/cvv for 27% off sitewide! COZY EARTH: Go to https://cozyearth.com/CVV for up to 20% off! BEAM: Go to https://shopbeam.com/INSIGHT and use code INSIGHT for up to 40% off Beam’s Dream Powder DELETEME: Use the code INSIGHT to get 20% off your DeleteMe plan at https://joindeleteme.com/INSIGHT FACTOR: Get 50% off your first box, plus Free Breakfast for 1 Year with the code INSIGHT50OFF at https://factormeals.com/INSIGHT50OFF PURE PLANK: The future of core fitness! Use the code CVV to save 10% on Pure Plank designed by Adam Copeland & Christian: https://gopureplank.com/cvv SEAT GEEK: Use my code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/CVV Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount NORDVPN: Exclusive deal! https://nordvpn.com/cvv Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! PRIZEPICKS: Download the PrizePicks app today and use code INSIGHT to get $50 bonus credit in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! For more information about Chris and INSIGHT go to: https://chrisvanvliet.com If you have ever enjoyed any of these episodes, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast or Spotify? It takes less than a minute and makes a huge difference in helping to spread the word about the show and also to convince some hard-to-get guests. Follow CVV on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisVanVliet Twitter: twitter.com/ChrisVanVliet Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisVanVliet YouTube: youtube.com/ChrisVanVliet TikTok: tiktok.com/@Chris.VanVliet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are very pink here. Thank you for having me and my lovely pink outfit. Well, thank you for being here. I feel like you are the exact opposite of what people think Nikki Cross is going to be like. I get that a lot. I do hear that a lot. You're just like bursting with personality.

What's been fun about doing the Abigail character is that it was so opposite. it from me. So I really enjoyed being able to like show that different side of the personality because my family who know me in real life and my friends who know me in real life, like, they know that this is, you know, me very colorful and bubbly. So it was a really fun challenge being, you know, a little creepier, a little scarier. And it scared my mom. She couldn't even watch me on television because the Abby character scared her so much. You scared your mom with I scared my mom. I scared my mom. My nieces and my nephews weren't even allowed to watch me because it was too creepy and scary. So it was a departure from what I've done previously. So it was fun. I enjoyed it. It was a good challenge. Was it a good way to escape into that character? Because oftentimes they say in wrestling the best characters are you turned up to 11. You're saying this was the complete opposite. Like take what you have and then run in the opposite direction. So with my entire, you know, wrestling career, I've played so many different characters

and sometimes the characters have been more like me turned up. And then there's been other characters where you can disappear to and you can kind of go into that dark place or just that place where you want to be alone in your head. And that's kind of what I tried to adopt that mindset with Abbey. And that's what I've always enjoyed. Like I've always been very protective of each character I've played. I've always put a lot of love into them. I've put my soul into all the characters.

And it's about, for me, it's about finding a backstory for each character and also finding that part of me that resonates with that character. So there's a little Abbey in me, there's a little Nicky ASH in me, there's Nicky Cross in me, there's Nicky Storm in me. And I just really always want to, with these characters, give it my 100%, because that's what the characters deserve. So I've been very fortunate to be able to delve into every character and learn something about myself along the way.

So now I'm so interested. If there's a backstory for every character, what's the backstory for Abigail? So Abby, the witch, you know, she was Bray Wyatt's creation. She was Bray Wyatt's, you know, that there was the character of Abby was already kind of an image in the WWE audiences, mind. So for me, I had to take, okay, this was Bray's brainchild. So how do I take that? And how do I, you know, pay my respects to that? Pay homage. Homage? Homage? Homage? Homage?

Homage? Play homage to that. But also make it, make it my own. And do something that I wanted Bray to be proud of and I wanted his family to be proud of. And that's, with Abbey, the backstory I came up with was, you know, that little girl in Glasgow, Scotland that didn't always fit in, and she was always wanting to fit in. And then I took a little bit of what I had explored with the sanity, Nikki Cross character, and kind of tried to merge them. And that was what I wanted with Abbey, the Witch. It was like, pay respects to Bray Wyatt and the White 6th, but also put, my twist on it because I feel like that's what way would have wanted for me to become

Abbey, to be Abbey, and I'm so protective of Abbey and I would always carry the mask, ended up becoming almost like a comfort to me, like a comfort, like I would pretend almost like it was my Chihuahua who I was stroking, but it would be the Abbey, the Mask, and I would always be holding or whether I was valet and the live events or at the television and she became so much more than a prop to me, this was the goal that could get me through anything. You know, and I'm stroking it like I was holding the mask now, but I put so much, I just always want to pay the utmost respect

to any character that I'm given. The US Soccer Podcast. I'm your host Megan Klingerberg. And after interviewing so many dudes during this Men's World Cup, I'm so happy to be back with my, U.S. Women's Asht team players. I know the U.S. men's national team has changed

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The U.S. Soccer podcast, presented by Henkel. Follow and listen on your favorite platform. Was it hard to say goodbye to that character? Because I feel like all of the Wyatt 6 getting released was very unexpected. It was unexpected. It was unexpected.

And for every character I've played, whether it be sanity, whether it be Nikki ASH, even Nikki Storm when I said goodbye to her in 2016 before I joined WWE and Abbey the Witch, you always feel, for me, I always feel attached to the characters. So it's always difficult to say goodbye.

You know, with WWE, I was there for 10 years. I got to travel the world. I got to make amazing friends, make these incredible friendships with people like Sarah Shreiber, with people like Julia, and I get to take them forever, you know, and with WWI, I was there for 10 years.

So it's always hard to say goodbye to such a substantial, significant chapter in your life. And that being said, I'm so excited for my next chapter, and I'm so excited for what's next for myself. and I can't wait to go out to the world and go out to the galaxy, you know. So it's some, it was, it was unexpected and it's always hard to say goodbye to a character in people that you become, you know, so bonded with.

You know, myself and Dexter and Joe Gasey, Bo Dales and Eric Rowan. And like, we've shared something that I don't know if anyone will, you know, ever be able to relate to the five, of us sharing this experience. So it's always hard to say goodbye, but I think I don't want to ever look, I don't ever want to be stuck in the past. You know, it was a great 10 years, but I'm also excited for the next 10 years.

We've got a lot going on. Yes. So the news just came out that you and your husband bought Progress Wrestling. So congratulations. Thank you so much. And I feel like you are in, you're one of very few women who own a pro wrestling company? Yes. It's been

a crazy couple of months, Chris. It's been insane the last couple of months. It was just perfect timing. I don't know if it would have still happened if I was still with WWE. So it just felt like perfect timing, the right place, the right time, the right circumstances with the progress wrestling. Damien, Big Daymore. Damien, Big Daymore, and I, my husband and I, whatever.

What do you call them? Demo and I, you know, our goal is to make progress wrestling the number one independent promotion in the world. And we're along, we've got long ways to go, but that's the mission, that's the goal, that's our aim. We want to take young talent and give them opportunities and push them and give them a platform.

In Europe right now, it's a hotbed. So the talent is there in, just waiting to be tapped into, and that's what we want to do with Progress Wrestling. We want the style to be aggressive and intense, but we also want the three-ring circus. So we want our stories to be involved. We have such funny, wonderful characters, funny wrestlers at Progress, so we want there to still be space for them. But we really want that three-ring circus and really push that aggressive, intense,

ring style and become the number one company. And even with the women's wrestling, it's such a hotbed right now in Britain. And not only I get to, I'm going to get to work with these girls in the ring, I also can't wait to work with them for progress and make it a hotbed. Because it is a hotbed in progress wrestling,

we want to be at the forefront of that. And we want to work with all the companies we can. We want to cross-promote. We want good relationships. ships worldwide. You know, whether that be in Japan, America, Canada, Europe, other places in England and Scotland and Ireland, like, we want it all covered and we can do it, you know, and we're excited for these, this next step. Is that going to be the home for Nikki Storm or are you planning to wrestle all over the Indies? I'm planning to, you know, I am called the best in the

galaxy Nicky Storm. And for me, that's a mindset. That's a way of life. That's, That's how to be. So I want to wrestle everywhere. I want to wrestle all over the world. I want to wrestle all over planet Earth. I don't want to travel into space, though. I don't want to go up. You wouldn't want to wrestle in space?

I don't know. I'm a little scared of that journey. I know Katie Perry did it. You know, I know people did it. But I don't know about going up on a space shuttle. I think I'll keep the solar system in my head. But I am very, very excited. for being on the dependents scene because, you know, for the last 10 years, I've kept my eye on everything,

everything that's been going on in Japan and in Europe and other companies and other promotions. And I just can't wait to go out there and, you know, wrestle these amazing women. Are you going to be still, you have a house here in Florida? Are you still going to me based here in Florida? Yes. Or are you going back and forth? I think there will be a lot of back and forth. We also have our home in Scotland.

so we will be going there'll be a lot of flights, a lot of miles racked up and I couldn't be happier I've been so fortunate in life and I'm just excited to kind of see the world like I already feel like

I saw so much of the world before even joining WWE and then I was lucky enough to be in WWE and travel the world I got to go to Australia for the first time earlier this year 2026, maybe 2025. And I was able to like, lucky enough to travel with some of my best friends.

And now I get to see the world through a completely different lens. You know, this isn't the same 23-year-old girl traveling the world. Not quite knowing what's going on. Now I get to be, you know, older and wiser and get to see places which I never thought I would. And it's all because of professional wrestling, you know, and I just, I'm so grateful. I love how excited you are. I love how optimistic you are about all of this. You've had about three months to process everything.

How are you feeling? Every day has been something different. I feel like every day I've learned something new about myself. And when one door closes, so many can open. And that's what I've been experiencing. And it's been a really exciting journey. and I'm so grateful for the life I've had and I've been so fortunate

and I've got nothing but gratitude but I also, you know, it's also the start of something new and it's the start of something where I don't really know what to expect and I think there's something really beautiful in that and, you know, before, you know, years ago I was always, I always like,

to be in control, you know, and I would get very anxious if, you know, I couldn't quite control something. And I feel like if I've learned anything in the last few years, it's been to let go and enjoy the process and see what happens next. And that's, that's kind of where I'm at, you know. Being present. Being present. And, you know, I've been looking through, you know, obviously sorting out my wardrobe because now Nicky Storm is here and the best thing. and the galaxy is here, so the wardrobe's going to change, and I'm looking through my old Nicky Ash outfits,

I'm looking through my Nikki Cross outfits, I'm looking through Abbey the Witch outfits. And, you know, there's just joy overseeing these costumes and these outfits, because, like, I know what I achieved, and I'm so proud of the career I've had. And it's better, it's sad, because, you know, there's some people, you know, you're not going to see as much.

But it's just gratitude. And I think the next 10 years of my life are going to be some of the best yet. And it's, it's, I'm just stunned that, you know, I started watching wrestling when I was 10 years old. And I always wanted to be a wrestler. And I was in Glasgow, Scotland. And now I'm here, you know. And after being in WWW for 10 years, being on. independence for eight years before that.

So I've been able to live my dream and the exciting thing is the dream isn't over. The dream is morphed into something else. And it's just to keep growing and evolving and developing is the best gift anyone can ask for, I think. And I've been given that. And I just always want to take, make the most of every day. And the last three months, every single day,

I've just learned something new. Whether it be in education, you know, I'm working on my PhD, I'm writing my thesis, I've actually got a chapter do for annual review in the next couple of weeks. So whether it be, or whether it be business, you know, learning things about promoting, learning things about advertising, learning things about marketing, everything that I can do that's going to make progress wrestling

as successful as it can be as successful as Daymo and I want it to be, that's what the last three months has been. It's just been learning a new thing every day, whether it be, you know, figuring out a different way to write something in my thesis or something with progress wrestling or my own self in fulfillment in what can I do to make myself better?

What can I do to be better? What new skill can I learn? The last three months has been such a world one and I feel like this is the first time someone's actually asked me, how's the last three months been? Because it's been a crazy roller coaster. I'm sure it's been everything. Is it?

Yeah. Up, downs and everything in between. Yeah. But it's just, I just can't wait for what's next. And I'm really the last three months and you kind of get to, the last three months, you kind of get to sit and figure out the next steps. And the next step was buying a wrestling company. What a sentence.

When you were that little 10-year-old girl growing up in Scotland, did you see a path to be a pro wrestler? Or did it just seem like a crazy dream? It was a crazy dream, but it always felt that it was going to happen. If that makes any sort of sense. It always felt like I never told anyone. I never told anyone my dream was to be a professional wrestler. because at that time growing up in Scotland,

you know, you're at that awkward teenager age and getting picked on or getting bullied, like, you know, so many people can relate to. So you kind of keep a lot to yourself. And so when I eventually was 18 years old, I was at the University of Glasgow getting my bachelor's degree. And, you know, maybe it was moving away from home. Maybe it was being at university.

But I finally was like, the time is now. to do it, you know, so I was in the library studying, supposed to be studying. And I googled Scottish wrestling schools, and there just happened to be one that it was only like two buses away. It was a bus into Glasgow City Centre and then a bus to Linwood, Paisley, just outside Glasgow. And I hid it from my family for like a year. I had it for a year. and they would come across my knee pads and I think they just thought, I don't even know what I thought,

I don't even know what they thought it was. Maybe they just thought I was like going in and just watching or just training. I don't think they quite knew what it was going to be. And they kind of freaked out. They were like, oh my God, please like don't get hurt. You know, I think they were very concerned about me getting injured. But my dad, he was actually a boxer in his younger days.

So he kind of, I thought he was, I think he thought it was really cool. Like he thought it was fun. When I went to wrestle in Japan, my mom was, you know, really annoyed at me. She was like, she didn't want me to go. She was too far away. She was very overprotective. And my dad was the one that said to my mom, like, let her go. She's telling you she has the opportunity to wrestle in Japan.

Let her go. and it was such a powerful statement and, you know, she let me go. You know, there wasn't really a choice in the matter. I was going to go regardless, but it was definitely nicer to have a hug goodbye, you know. So they were, they're so supportive, but at first they were really scared I would get hurt.

Was your appearance as a rosebud what got your foot in the door with WWE? Yes, it was. You were a cavewoman. I was a cavewoman. Yes. That was a sexy gay woman. And yeah, it was, I had done TNA British Book Camp

and that was 2014. So I had done TNA British Book Camp and that was such an incredible opportunity because I was able to cut a one-minute promo on Gail Kim for British Book Camp, and at that point, like, I knew that the wrestling is so important but the character and the promos

is what really can make you stand out on the independent scene and you're trying to get in the door, you're trying to get seen. So I knew promo, I knew a promo and a new good character work would solidify and make me a more well-rounded, more versatile wrestler.

So I was constantly working on promos. I was always on YouTube, promoting matches before the shows. When I was in Japan, that first time I was in Japan, that's when I really got into YouTube because I was like, oh, I can film myself on YouTube, I can practice.

And I just started practicing because in Japan that first time in 2013, there was so much, there was downtime when I wasn't training and when I wasn't at the shows. And I didn't really know anyone, and I wasn't there with anyone who I knew and the goals who I, you know, lived with in Japan were amazing. But it could be lonely at times.

So I just threw myself into promos and working on characters and I would be, I would practice being baby face, being villain, being good guy, being bad guy, being funny. Like I tried all of these different things. And with the opportunity with British Book Camp, I had the chance to cut a 60 second promo, which is to me, and it still is, I've never changed my opinion about this.

A one-minute promo is gold. You know, if you can sell yourself in a one-year-old, one-minute promo on national television because it erred on British television. It was the greatest advertisement that I could ask for for myself in 2014. So cut the promo went really well and I had such a blast working with Gail, had such a great time working with, you know, Samojo and Al Snow at T&A for the British Book Camp. And then about a couple of months later, I got an email from John Cohn at WWE being like, hey, do you want to come to the Liverpool, the Echo Arena, and the Echo Arena in Liverpool.

We have a show there on Monday Night Raw to be an extra. And I was working in the, I was working part-time at a gym in Glasgow. And I was like, I had to scramble to get someone to like cover my shift. I was like messaging the manager who luckily was a wrestling fan. So he got the biggest kick out of me wrestling. So he was like, all right, I understand this is an amazing opportunity. If you can get it covered, please. And I was like, all right.

And I got it covered. I mean, I would have probably just phoned in sick otherwise. But I got cover and got down to Liverpool and was an extra and got to be a rosebud. So I put on my caveman, cave girl, cavewoman, cavewoman outfit. We also got to do matches. and then we also got to do promos. No. No, no, let me back.

We didn't get to do matches, but we got to do a promo. And the promo was what, I did the promo in front of William Wigo, and that was when they said, okay, come back in April, come to the O2 Arena in London, and you've got your tryout. Wow. And that was like, at that point, I'd just been working so hard to just get. the tryout, you know, do the drills, you know, Robbie Brookside had started working with us

and coming up to Scotland and he was working for NXT at that time as a coach. So we kind of knew what, you know, we kind of knew what the tryouts, what was involved because it's such intense cardio in the training and then you're, the promos, you don't know what they're going to throw at you. So we were, it was like book camp like four months leading up to that tryout. I was, it It was Christmas Day, and I would, you know, we had, Dameau had his own wrestling school in Glasgow, Scotland. And I remember Christmas Day, my family were like, Nikki, like, you need to get over here for Christmas dinner.

But my tryout was four months away. So I was like, I'll get there for Christmas dinner, but I need to be at the wrestling school. And I was just doing all the cardio drills just by myself on Christmas morning. Wow. Because I just knew, I was like, this is my, in my head, I was like, this is my one chance. This is my only chance.

So did the rosebud in November, and that led to the tryout in April. And, yeah. What were these faces you were making as a cavewoman in the rosebuds? You know, I've always just been very, like, into the action. And so I would be, like, and that's why I always loved about being, you know, valet and at ringside, too, because I would be like, I would get so involved in the action. So I would get super into it. And I think to me, I'm like, I'm on television.

I don't want to be there and look, you know, like I'm, you know, waiting for the girl in ASTA or, you know, Walmart to ring me up. You know, I want to look invested, you know, for me it was like, I'm, you know, as a rosebud, she's, they're going to react. They're going to react to, you know, supporting their boy, Adam Rose, you know. So, like, in my head, I was like, I'm the biggest cheerleader. I'm the biggest cheerleader for Adam Rose. I'm the rosebud.

I'm the party animal. So I was always going to go there and be present and be in the moment. And I just am a very expressive person. And I think that came through. And it didn't seem to hurt my chances or anything. I want to fast forward a little bit here. I think people know you best most recently for the work you did with the White Six. Yes.

How did that come about for you? How did you get selected for it? So I was playing the Nicky almost a superhero character and we had, you know, she had been turned villain, she had turned heel on Rea Ripley, she was a heel and then at that point the creative had changed and Triple H had wanted the, you know, he loved the Nicky Cross, the sanity character

because that's who, you know, when I started at the NXT in 2016 and was Triple H, like sanity was his brainchild, So he always loved Nikki Cross as that little crazy, little gremlin, mischievous, like wild Tasmanian devil. So we made the switch to that. And I don't know when, but I think at that point, Triple H has started, you know, he had wanted, started to think about me being in the YAT 6.

So I think that's how we kind of got from Nicky ASH to Abbey the Witch. Like it was, you know, we went back to Nicky Cross and then it was something was happening, you know, and that was when you saw me staring off into the distance because I think at that point we're, I think in the creative's mind, they were like, we want to start to tell this story, we're not there yet

because we've not, you know, we've not debuted the White Six yet. So we'll have people know that something is going on in our head. You know, I'm a little crazy anyway, so it wasn't a big, wide stretch. So it was, you know, being in the trans, something is going on there in kind of Easter eggs and the slow term storytelling

which I think the creative likes is that kind of longer that kind of style how did you never break when you were standing on the ring apron just staring off it was it was difficult

but I think there was so much riding on it you know like I had I felt like I didn't know what was coming. I didn't know the white six was coming. I knew something was coming. I didn't know what.

So I just felt like it was sink or swim. So I was just like, I just always put myself in that scenario of like, if you laugh, you're going to ruin the entire thing. And the pressure I would put on myself would be enough to like stop me from laughing. But there was times where like, you know, Wade Barrett, we would go on commercial break.

and Wade knew we were on commercial break and he would do something it would be like he would just like you can't see like he would just it would be so difficult to not break but I would just I would always have that mindset like don't ruin it don't ruin it

don't mess it up don't you know it sounds like a weird pressure to put on myself but it works every time how did it eventually get presented to you that this thing was going to be basically tribute to Bray Wyatt the White Six. Yeah, it was someone in Creative

sat me down and told me this is the plan for you. And I was so blown away. I was honored. I was honored, but it also made sense to me. Because I was like,

no matter what, I know I can do any character that they ask of me. I can do any character or anyone places in front of me because that's the way I've trained, you know, So I knew, I understood why I was selected

because they know that no matter what, WWE, the company, they know no matter what, I'm going to take anything you give me and I'm going to put my heart and my soul into it. I'm going to put a thousand percent. So I understood why I was selected. And because of the Nikki Cross sanity, that was quite a, it was a dark character,

you know, even though she ended up becoming a beloved baby face in NXT and that kind of crazy kind of frenetic energy, there was still a darkness, especially in the very beginning of sanity, 2016 NXT. She was a very dark character. So I understood why I was selected

and it was such an honour to be selected and I knew that I was going to take the ball and run with it. So I was told the news and then I just stayed very like evenly balanced about it because everything can change in wrestling. Anything can change. It can change on a daily basis. It can change on a weekly basis.

Change things so fast in this industry. So I also was very much like a way to kind of protect myself and I've always been like this ever since I was, you know, I'm already really short. Since I was very young, I've just always tried to stay evenly balanced because I'm scared to get my hopes up about it and then it falls through and you're left disappointed. I don't like that feeling.

So I stayed very balanced. I was very excited. And, you know, the debut happened. The debut was massive. The debut was special. And that's going to live forever. You know, I think that's going to live forever on people's minds. That's going to, it was such a perfect debut.

And to be a part of it, I was the first one to crawl out. And I remember that day in rehearsals, it's the same pressure. It's the same pressure. I put on myself like, do not ruin this. Do not ruin this crawl. Don't ruin the crawl. And I was like thinking everything, like how I want to move my elbows

and my arms and my hands. And, you know, but you also can't overthink. You also have to kind of let go and follow your instincts. And at this point, I trust my instincts better than I trust anything else. So I was, it was such a mixture of get this right, but enjoy the moment.

What had been teased for so long. Yes. The group had been teased for so long. And then when the debut happened, it delivered on everybody's expectations. Maybe it exceeded everybody's expectations. Like, do you remember the crowd chanting? I just got goosebumps and I just got complete chills. And I just thought to myself, I was like, we've got them.

You know, when I heard them chanting, I was like, we got them. They're chanting, holy shit for you guys to stand there. Amazing. And I got to share it with these four amazing people. and we came to the back that night and we stood in a circle and Jason was there too, Jason Baker, Mandy Baker. They made all of our costumes,

they made all of our masks. Jason worked incredibly closely with Bray. So, you know, they came up with the Firefly Fun House with them and Nick, and there was so much rising on it. And I think once we had that moment and that special moment, And Jason was there, Mandy was there, the five of us. And we always called it the White Sixth,

white six, and the sixth person for us, at that time, for me, the sixth person was Bray. So it really felt like the six of us, Jason and Mandy, were there, and we just got to toast and we just got to say to Bray and to Brody. And it was such a, even now, thinking about that moment, if I think too hard about it,

I'm going to, like, well up inside and get the throat, the lump in my throat. But that was, that night couldn't have went any more perfectly. Like, that was, I'm so proud of that moment and getting to share that with those five people, you know, hopefully we made Bray proud. And I think the five of us did.

I hope we did. I'm sure you did. How well did you know Bray? So Bray, he was so, He, one of the first times I came up to the main roster, so I was on NXT, and they would call me up to do live events for Ron Smackdown, when it was that kind of strange period for me, when I was like an NXT, but maybe the call-up was going to happen soon, so they were kind of prepping me,

and I was working with the girls on live events, and Ray would be at the live events, and he would always be like, hey, sister, let me know if you need anything. And it was like, oh, thank you. And like he, you know, he went out of his way and he did this with so many of the guys. He did this with D-MOTU. He went out of his way to be like, hey, how you doing?

If you need anything, let me know. And he would, he didn't, no one was asking him to do that. He would do that and no one was watching. No one was around. But he, he was almost like he understood what it was like to be, you know. On the other side.

Yeah, and he had such great empathy. I remember one time I was, it was just the two of us in the gym. and there was this kid and his dad it was somewhere in Europe, maybe in England somewhere and he was getting his, you know, doing his bicep calls, he was doing his pomp on and I was, you know, stretching or whatever I was, you know, working out.

And there was this kid that was just waiting outside the gym. They were just waiting for Bray to come out so that he could get an autograph. And I remember watching Bray just literally bring the kid in and made the kid feel like it was Christmas morning. And I just watched that. And I was like, that's how I always want to be. You know, and it was such a great example he set.

And again, it wasn't like there was a lot of us in the gym, you know, like. That's just who he was. That's just who he was. And, man, I wish he was. Yeah. You were the first person in the wide six to get physical, right? So it's you coming off the top rope with the cross body. Yeah.

On to Chad Gable. Oh, my. kind of setting the tone for all this. It was, again, it was that same, don't ruin it, don't ruin it, don't ruin it, don't fall off the top rope. And there would be times during rehearsal, I would just stand on the top rope and just, just, and it was such a, I don't know if it's a Mr. Miyagi thing or karate kid,

I don't know, but it would just be my way of being like, you've got this, sent it yourself, you're not going to fall off the top rope. You've done this a thousand times. And I remember once I was standing up there, like standing, for ages. And I think a Triple H walked past me and he was like, you can be up there all day, you're fine. And I was like, it's just, it's just my process.

You know, it's just my way of like getting into it and be like, you got this girl. Because, you know, you're setting the tone for everything. And I think that that's one of the greatest lessons I was able to get from the last 10 years is the ability to not only work under pressure but to excel under pressure. And I think that's one of the greatest skills

that, you know, WB's taught me is, you know, really thriving under pressure. And, you know, whatever my process is, however I get into that mindset, you know, I just tell myself, don't ruin the moment, don't ruin this huge moment, and it works. You guys had so much momentum.

When do you feel like the momentum started to maybe go away a little bit? So we debuted in the June and then, you know, we were active for around two years. And there was a lot in those two years that was beyond our control. We still got to work with, like, awesome, like, acts. You know, getting to work with MFTs was so fun. Like, we did the entire European look with them at the start of 2026.

And that was, like, every night working with those guys. And I had so much fun with those guys. because I just felt like I was working with my big brothers every night. You know, I had the Wyatts and I had MFTs, and they were all just so fun to work with. Like, I loved working with solo. And he's so, like, so intelligent with how he plans things and puts things together. So, and we got to work with Carrey and Cross and Scarlett,

who, again, like, they're such great characters. So getting to, in Ivy Nile, you know, we worked with her, I worked with her with the Alpha Academy. and that was kind of the big first big story we had. So I really got to enjoy working with Ivy. And so it was, you know, there was just a lot of things that went on on the last two years that just was kind of beyond our control.

So we, I do what I always do. I do my best. I'll do my job and I do my best. You know, and we would pitch different ideas and, you know, we were always very active and with our characters and we really, we believed you know, we believed in the White 6th,

we believed in Bray, we believed in what we could all do as individuals and so we were always very active with our characters and pitching different ideas and working, you know, different stories, what could we go in this direction, this direction? So it was, yeah, there was a lot of stuff

over the last two years that was just, it was just beyond our control. The US Soccer Podcast. I'm your host, Megan Klingeberg. And after interviewing so many dudes during this men's World Cup, I'm so happy to be back with my U.S. Women's National Team players.

I know the U.S. men's national team has changed how I think about myself, how I think about being an American, how I think about being on a team. It's one year out from that World Cup, and we're going to talk about the brightest prospects in U.S. soccer. You ready? I'm ready.

Let's do it. The U.S. Soccer podcast, presented by Henkel. Follow and listen on your favorite platform. You've got the freedom now to do a lot more wrestling than you were doing the last few years. Like you were very much in this valet role for the last two-ish years. You're going to be in the ring a lot more now. Yes. And I love valet because I started my, so when I first started wrestling training, I actually began as a valet because my wrestling teacher at the wrestling school, you know, I picked things up pretty quickly with the wrestling.

because I always loved sports and being an athlete. So I picked up the wrestling pretty quickly. So then they had the confidence to be like, and I trained like every day. Like after university, like I concentrated more on my wrestling training than I did my bachelor's degree, which is why one of the reasons why I went back to do my master's because I wanted a redo over my education.

But when I started at 18 years old, I was going to wrestling training every day after university. and then after wrestling training, I would go, I worked on McDonald's. So I was doing overnight shifts in McDonald's. What were you doing there? I worked on McDonald's. Oh, you do everything when you work at McDonald's?

I worked the till. I didn't work in the kitchen, but I was front-facing. Okay. So, yeah, I was university, wrestling training and McDonald's, and that was my life. All the four years I was at university

and then at weekends, go to the wrestling shows and compete. So I picked up the wrestling side pretty quickly. And then the coaches put me in to be a valet. And I end up valet in demo, my husband and our best friend, Scott Ewenick. So I was getting to valet those boys and learning from them.

And the good thing about being a valet is that you end up picking up so much psychology and lessons. And that's why I've always loved being able to valet. you know, obviously I love being in the ring, I love being the centre of attention. But being a valet is, it's such a great learning experience. And so when I started out, I was able to learn so much about putting matches together because I would listen to the guys putting together their matches. And so then, obviously throughout the independence and wrestling for shimmer,

wrestling for stardom, the emphasis was kind of all on me, you know, and Best in the Galaxy was born. and then going to WWE, I actually started, I was doing a lot of valetting as well with sanity. So I got to pick the brain of like Eric Young, who is this, one of the best, currently, one of the best minds I've ever seen, one of the best character wrestlers I've ever seen.

So I was able to learn so much from E.Y. Alexander Wilf, he's one of my best friends. I got to work with him. I got to work with my husband, you know. And it's, I got to pick up so much. And what I loved about valetian is like, you know, when you're valet and then you do that one spot of physicality, it's almost like less as more. So the crowds, I would get some of the best reactions coming in and doing one physical spot. And then so with, even with like ASH, I would valet via Ripley when she would do singles matches or I would valet piper niv and do drop.

you know, so the valine was always really fun for me and then same with why it sucks and I feel like I could come in, jump off the top rope and do a big crossbody onto Jeff Cobb or hit Jeff Cobb with a stunner on the live event. So I was like, so I'm still getting to learn a lot and I'm still getting to be on television, I'm still getting to be this character.

And so I still saw it as like me being, you know, it was as integral part of my job. as competing in the ring in a, say, a singles match or a tag match. But yeah, going forward for the independence, it's all me again. And, you know, that's why I brought back Nicky Storm the best in the galaxy because she was who I was for eight years before I played these characters in WWE. And I always felt with Nicky Storm, you know, I always knew I was going to end up going back to that character.

I always knew I was going to become her again. I knew I was going to be the best in the galaxy again. And as soon as the, you know, the W.W.E journey ended, I, you know, went out and got Nicky Storm and I got Best in the Galaxy trademarked because I knew this is my next step. So for all the unknowns that are going to be out there now, I knew I was going to be Nicky Storm the Best in the Galaxy again.

And I knew that the valetting was going to take less of a role for me now, and I know it's going to be more about being the in-ring competitor again. And, you know, I was always training. And that's, you know, before SmackDown, before rehearsals began, every live event, I was always in the ring training. Whether I was by myself or whether, you know, it was the motor-sitting machine guns, you know, we would always be at Smackdown before rehearsals. And we were always, like, training.

And I never stopped bumping. I never stopped taking bumps. I never stopped running the ropes. and never stopped that cardio because I've always got it in my head you never know what's going to happen. You never know are WWB going to turn around to me and say, hey, you're in a 30-minute Iron Woman match

and I've not wrestled a match on television. But I made sure I was always wrestling, training, and practice at wrestling school rehearsals. You can never stop training because you just, that's just not my personality. Like you probably know this fine. out already about me. Like, I just, that's not my personality.

Like, I'm not going to rest on my laurels. You know, so I was, I'm very grateful I did that. So, you know, it doesn't feel like, you know, I was never going to be that person that was like, oh, I haven't wrestled in two years. No, you guys didn't see it. But I was wrestling before, before rehearsals even began. Did you come up with the idea for Nikki ASH or was it presented to you? So that was, that was my, that was my brain.

child. So with what I wanted to do. So the the Nicky Cross and Alexa Bliss tag team was, you know, she was kind of doing more stuff with Bray Wyatt. So I knew that that was going to, that was kind of coming to an end. And, you know, that was kind of it for me a while, you know, there was some time where I was, you know, there wasn't anything for me in the storylines. So I, so I, so I was like, all right, I need something. You know, I need something. So the idea of the superhero, I was always the biggest fan of Hurricane Helms, and I was always a huge fan of Mighty Molly. And I loved superheroes.

Like, I loved the X-Men cartoon when I was grown up, the 1990s, like, da-na-na-na-da. Is that why your Nikki Storm? Yeah. So originally I was thinking of something like Nikki Rogue, because Rogue was my favorite superhero character. So, like, 16 years ago, when I was... I'm at SWA and Glasgow, I'm thinking of superhero names. I'm thinking of Storm from the X-Men. I'm thinking of Rogue. And I ended up going.

And it was one idea was Nicky Star. And then another one was Nicky something. Maybe it was Nicky Sparkle. I don't know. I'm glad we didn't settle on that. And then it ended up being, you know, I went with Nicky Storm because X-Men was my favorite superhero superheroes. And then I've always loved like Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Captain

Marvel. Like, there was Batman, like, there was just, I've always been into that genre movies and television shows. Like, right now I'm watching The Flash. Oh, yeah. You know, the, I think it's on Netflix. I don't know.

My husband puts it on and then I've sat and watched it. You were inspired by Hurricane originally? Yeah, so I was, I was always always loved superheroes. I needed something different, you know, and I there was a gap. There was a gap there was a gap there on the roster.

We didn't have anything like that. We hadn't had anything like that in a really long time. You know, Hurricane Helms, Nighty Molly. You know, so there was a gap. And I was like, and at this point, superheroes were that genre, like the Avengers,

you had the Batgirl, Batgirl, Wonder Woman had just came out. So there was like the box office numbers were talking you know, people like, like, love superheroes. So I ended up, came up with this entire pitch. I had like a portfolio, like a binder. And I did the market research for it.

Okay, what is, what were the box office numbers for Wonder Woman? The, like, the figures of, like, what they grossed. And then went with Captain Marvel and Avengers. Like, all the big major superhero movies and the television shows and what was available on streaming, put it together, put together possible names. I didn't have, the name hadn't been, I had certain ideas for the names

that weren't Nicky ASH because that came a little bit later. And I actually got an artist, I commissioned a Scottish artist to do a mock-up of me and it was the original, and maybe send you the picture that you can maybe put up.

Sure. Put it right there. Because it was there. Yeah. So it was, you know, it was blue tights. It was a blue kind of litre. It was a cape and there was the mask and there was the yellow cross to stick with the cross, Nicky Cross. And there was lightning bolts on there because I wanted to stay true to the,

because the lightning bolt was always the symbol for Nicky Storm. So I was bringing in Nicky Storm into it. And I was going to, I wanted, I wanted, I wanted, I wanted, I wanted, I wanted, I wanted, blue, gold, because it was X-Men colors. And I tried green as well, because I was like, well, just in case the man in charge wants to see something else. So I gave a couple of different colors.

Cyclops. Or green. Yeah. So I had together this big presentation. Was waited outside Vince, Vince's office for about a few hours. Went in. Monday night, Rosa.

You know, it's not that far away from starting. you know, and I didn't have a lot of time. So I just basically gave it to Vince and was like, hey, I've got an idea, this will make you money. You know, I just went in and gave him like an elevator pitch, you know, this will make you money, this is why, here's the proof, here's my pitch, here's my idea.

I didn't hear anything for a couple of weeks. And then I got a text on Mother's Day. I got a text on Mother's Day from him saying, I think your idea is genius. And hearing this from him, I was like, whoa, he's literally saying this idea is genius. And I knew it was a good idea. I don't know if I would have used the word genius

because I'm a little more humble than that, but I was like, and he was like, tell creative to get started on it. And I literally texted every creative member who I knew, and I had their number for it and, you know, just said some guys, gave this idea. He really likes it. Let's get going with it. And then he wanted Nicky almost a superhero because his, he ended up making the character more relatable because my original vision was like, you know, Captain Marvel, you know, like very intricate, very intricate gear.

and I like, his idea was make this more relatable. Make it more like Spider-Man. You know, I don't know if you, like, the early Spider-Man was like he made his own costume. Don't get me wrong, I did not make this costume. My girl did it for me and she's incredible. But he wanted it a lot more relatable. And so he wanted it to be Nikki almost a superhero

because almost, it's like, she's not quite a superhero. She's like a superhero in training, but not what they've seen before, you know, when, because the Currican already, you know, they did that story. And so we wanted it to be, Vince wanted it to be a bit more, something like Little Gals could relate to. Like if they wanted to make themselves a Nikki, ASH costume, they could.

And almost a superhero, you know, I don't, mentally she doesn't think, like, she knows that she doesn't have superpowers. But her mindset is that she's a superhero and can take on the world. and that's how I approached it. You know, so when I understood his vision for it and what he wanted to do, the Nicki superhero character merged with his vision. And, you know, it's his television show.

And so I understood that. And I really liked the idea of being relatable. And I loved that idea of a little girl in the audience can look up to me. And I think, you know, when I first got the call from the company and I posted something on my Instagram and Twitter, the first photo I used was a little girl holding my hand and I'm Mickey ASH and I'm holding the Royal Women's Championship in my hand.

And that was what I wanted to do with the superhero character. And I just wanted something that like when I was that age, I had someone to look up to and relate to. And that photo like is framed in my office because I will never forget that little girl's face. and, you know, I don't know if she'll ever see this, but thank you for giving me that moment. And that moment was, I understood,

in that very moment, I understood why make the superhero relatable. And it was, it was the, to me it was, that moment was so special that, like, it was, I understood the call. And what I love about it is, like, all the ideas that I had that didn't come to fruition on WWE, no matter of the character,

like all the characters, all these ideas that, you know, didn't come me fruition, and I can use them, you know? And so I'm excited for, you know, people in what they get to see next from me because there was, there's ideas that I've been holding on to

for the last 15 years, the last 10 years, the last 12 years. Yeah. Like there's, there's, it's so important for me to always relate it to something within me or something that's happened in my past. And, you know, going forward, I've got so many ideas now that I can bring forward, you know. Did you talk to Hurricane about what your vision was for this? 100%. Like, I wanted to, I wanted to make sure he was okay with it, you know.

And I think they spoke to him as well, and he was so supportive. And I always call him, I always call him, I always call him, Papa. I'm always like, hey Papa. You know, but I never, you know, like, he was always very supportive. And he, his advice was actually, he said to me, no matter what your mask has to stay on, because you cannot do a superhero character

and then you've got a wardrobe malfunction with the mask coming off. So we, Jason Baker, who made the Wyatt's, he made all the Wyatt stuff. He also did the Nicky ASH. So I went up to, I flew up to Pittsburgh, and he did like a face cast for me. And I've got the video and like you're completely like, it's almost, some people describe it's suffocating. But I actually thought very serene.

It was very calming because you can't talk. You're just in this cast and its form and then you have a mask. You know, so it was good because I didn't have to do it twice. They were able just to use the same face for the Abbey mask. So the, what was the question? Talking a hurricane about it. So he was like, the mask has to stay on no matter what or what. So we went through about four different versions of the mask, and it had to be so tight.

And I had like three different straps, like all around my head to make sure it stayed on. And it never came off. So I'm actually pretty happy that that was, that was like the most important advice he could have gave me. Because if that mask had came off, it would have been game over. Like from the first get-go, it would have been game over. Well, because think about it, right? That's the way that actual superheroes work. If Batman's in the middle of a fight, his mask can't fall off.

Everyone goes, Bruce, what are you doing here? 100%. So it was like, it was so important. And it would give me headaches. Wow. I would cut, as soon as I got to the back in guerrilla, I would take the mask off. And I would have, like, a dent in my nose. And that was nothing, there was nothing Jason could have done.

It was, his masks were amazing. Like, he, he works with, like, some of the biggest movies and the biggest movie studios. It was just, it had to be so tight because of the in-ring action. The US. Soccer podcast. I'm your host Megan Klingeberg. And after interviewing so many dudes during this men's World Cup, I'm so happy to be back with my U.S. women's national team players.

I know the U.S. men's national team has changed how I think about myself, how I think about being an American, how I think about being on a team. It's one year out from that World Cup. And we're going to talk about the brightest prospects in U.S. soccer. You ready? I'm ready. Let's do it. The U.S. Soccer Podcast, presented by Henko.

Follow and listen on your favorite platform. Did you know Nikki ASH had the potential to be a main event character? Because you win money in the bank, the next night, you cash in, and now you're the raw women's champion. It was what I'd built my career towards. You know, I always, I always wanted to be that person for the company. I wanted to be the top goal. And after winning money in the bank and after cashing in, you know, leading up to SummerSlam and I did the triple threat with Charlotte and Ria,

I was so blessed because that time leading up to SummerSlam, I was doing all the press interviews, I was doing all the media interviews, and it was great preparation. Like I look at everything like a learning experience. So that month you've got me doing all the interviews and doing all the major newspapers in Britain.

And first of all, I thought, what a compliment. The one month before the company's biggest, one of the big four, right, WrestleMania SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, Survivor Series. 50, 60,000 people in that arena at SummerSlam. So what a compliment that the company saw something in me to give me that ball and trust me to present the company

as the top woman, you know? And that's something I always wanted and I worked towards and getting to do that, carry out those responsibilities. And I feel like I did myself proud. I did the company proud. And I made my family proud. And to me, that's the most important thing. As long as I'm making myself proud and my family proud, that's key.

Do you remember being told you're going to win money in the bank? And you know what this means? You're going to cash in. So I didn't know I was wanting money in the bank until we get to the rehearsal. And even then, like, I don't know. And it wasn't until the producer. was like, okay, Nicky's going to win this.

And I was like, and you just, you don't want to have a big reaction in that moment because you're so happy, but you also realize that there's five other goals that aren't getting that.

So you want to be very respectful of your peers and your co-workers and your colleagues. Like, but I also want, I want people to know, hey, I'm really happy about this, you know, but again, like,

don't rub it in people's faces. You know, I always want to be, try and be empathetic and respectful. And everyone was happy for me. you know, and we do the match and I'm like, all right, maybe I'm going to I just thought, you know, maybe I'm going to have a bit of a run with it, they're going to have me do fun stuff

as a superhero with the briefcase. I get there to raw the next day and I don't know, you know, I don't think anything's happening. Nothing's in the script, you know, so I'm like, oh, maybe I'm just doing something on social media. Maybe I'll just film something for digital. Maybe I'm just doing a quick interview, you know, and then all of a sudden a writer comes up to me

and they're like, okay, Vince wants to see you in his office. And I'm like, no. I'm like, no, no way. The nugget, the seed starts to form. It's like, no way, they're going to do a cash in the next night. No way. Okay, let's just see how it goes. Let's just see what happens.

Again, there, Ria's in there, Charlott's and their Vince is in there. And he tells us the plan. And again, it's like, again, you almost, I don't know if censors the right word, but you're like, okay, professional environment, be a businesswoman, okay, and then you're like, thank you so much for this opportunity, I'm going to kill it, you know? And I will never, that night,

and I'm in Gorilla, Rhea and Charlotte are having their match, and I'm like, don't fall, do not trip and fall. And like, I've always loved running, as you've probably seen with some of my entrances. You know, I've always been a runner. Like I did the Disney Marathon last year. Like I love running. So I was like, do not, don't trip, don't fall, don't trip, don't fall, don't trip.

And again, it was one of those. If you're tripping fall, it's game over. Don't ruin this. And it was right, you know, the show was almost out of time. And I have never ran so fast in my life. And ran up, did the top rope crossbody, one, two, three. and I was one day, you know, women's champion. And I got to celebrate into the crowd.

And that's something I had always wanted to do that. So I love being able just to jump into the crowd because no matter what, the fans, we don't have a show without the fans. The fans are so, so critical to what we do. So, and they've got me to where I am. There's been, there was so many days, so many, there was so many days we're preparing for a tryout.

Christmas Day, you're doing, you know, meant to be at Christmas dinner and I'm at the wrestling school by myself running these drills. Every moment, every time when it got really hard, it's always the buzz from the crowd, it's always the reaction of the fans, it's the support from the kids in the audience, the goals in the audience, the, everyone.

So it was super important to get that moment in. So yeah, I maybe could have stayed in the ring longer. But I was like, nah, like, go be with the people. I'm a woman of the people, you know. So I was super grateful that we got that moment. And then it was just there it was. It was just. Yeah.

And then with the next Monday Night Raw, I got to like do the introduction, like, welcome to Monday Night Raw. And again, you're telling the 10-year-old girl, hey, look what you got to do. But at the same time, like, you know, I always knew I had that talent and that ability because that's what I trained for.

That was always my mindset. So being at the top of the mountain and getting to enjoy that moment was, it was incredible. Did you know that was going to be the character to get you there? With all the characters you played over 10 years in WWA?

No, no. Like, it was just the right timing and it was maybe what, you know, the, we just came, that weekend, where I won money in the bank, that was the first weekend. We had welcomed people back after COVID. in the pandemic era.

And so I don't know if that's what we needed at that time was just this really inspirational, joyful, superhero, almost a superhero. Maybe that's just what the world needed at that time was just something joyful. Yeah. As Nikki A.S.H, you absolutely decked Mighty Molly. Like, just floored her.

So I absolutely love Nora, Molly Hawley. She was one of my favourite wrestlers grown up. So I started, my first time watching it was 2000. And I went back and watched everything from the 90s. But my first time I ever watched wrestling, it was Lita and the Hardy Boys versus Trish Stratis, Test and Albert. And it was the six-person tag match

that opened up fully loaded 2000. And it was like women wrestling. I was like, oh my goodness. What is it? And it was my sister that introduced me to wrestling. And it was the mixed tag match. And then that, those first few years, you had Trish, Leita, you had Mighty Motley, Molly Holly, Jocelyn, Ivory, Victoria.

I'm really trying my hardest, not to miss anyone out. Jazz, Gail Kim, Mickey, James, Beth, Phoenix, Natalia. like the Bella twins. Like, and I'm, I'm just named like a whole, like, 10 years there. Yeah. But those women were just, I've looked up to them so much. And they were the women that were, I knew, they inspired me to do this. So getting to work with Molly Hawley as Mighty Molly.

And the fact that Molly put the cape on again, I was like, because, like, you know, she's a producer right now. And she is, you know, her. her focus is, you know, is on the talent. And so her being willing to put me over like that, no one, like she didn't, no one forced her to do that, do you know what I mean? Like if she had said no, that would have been the end,

you know what I mean? But the fact that she agreed to it and then she really let me, you know, go harm on her. And just, and then being able to get to know Nora outside of the wrestling and just seeing what an amazing person she is, she is an example of how to conduct yourself and how to carry yourself in this industry. And I'm just so lucky that I got to work with her.

And that was one of the coolest moments. I think I grabbed her and was like, there can only be one. There can only be one. You know, so that was fun. You were the last 24-7 champion. Yes. You go to throw the title into the track. can and you miss it.

Yeah, you know, I, yeah, I missed up. I missed it. So we did a take right before it, right? And it was perfect. Nailed it, landed inside the trash can. A rehearsal. Yes, but we also, yes, yes, a rehearsal. But they also had taped it.

Oh. So I was like, oh, let's use this one. Yeah. But we, for whatever, there was a reason. That wasn't live? It was live. We had to go live. But I don't know what it was.

I think there was an audio. There was something that meant we couldn't, we couldn't use that tape, that take, right? So we had to go live. And then in the moment, I'm thinking, okay, like, really, I was so into the character. I was, like, looking at the ceiling. I was envisioning, like, emptiness and nothingness. And I was just, I was so focused on, you know, being in the day. you know, and like I was just so into it that I just threw it.

I just threw it and it missed the trash can. And I was like, and I did it, you know, I just kept going with it, right? Because in those scenarios, there is nothing you can do. You cannot, unless you're actually a superhero, like Dr. Strange, or like, you cannot, you know, you can't change time. You know, I didn't have a timestone on me. So I couldn't change time. So I was like, right, I know I've missed this.

Do not, whatever you do, do not break character. You know, the cardinal sin. You know, I think, if anything, I just think everything, I truly believe everything happens for a reason. Truly. So I honestly think the reason I missed that was to leave the door open down the line for someone else to be the 24-7 challenge.

So I, you know, everyone, you know, it was a funny moment. It was still the idea of like, you know, that character, was just about the chaos and the championship. You know, in that moment, her focus was the chaos. So she didn't really mind what happened to the championship, right? That's how I can twist it in my head. But also, I do think that everything happens for a reason.

And at the end of the day, maybe it just wasn't meant to be. You know, we've had a moment in wrestling history where there's been a title thrown in a trash can. So this is the new moment. The trash, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the title being almost in the trash can for almost a superhero. So to me, we've left the door open for someone else to be the 24-7 champion. Because what I do want to say about the 24-7 championship is, you know,

people like Artreuth, Tzawa, Dana Brooke, Tamina, Reggie, they've really, you know, we had the 24-7 wedding, had the blue fascinator, you know. people worked really hard on making the 24-7 championship the most entertaining thing it could be on television. Well, you guys salvaged it. Because I don't know if people remember when that debuted, Mick Foley pulls it out of the bag and everyone boos.

And then like the whole conversation online is like how people didn't like the championship and what would this mean? You guys took it and ran with it. And I wasn't, you know, I was only a small part of that story, you know, like to me, the big players were, you know. The 54-time champion. Yeah, you know, our truth. Our truth.

And Dana and, you know, it's Tamina and Tazawa, like, they really, in Reggie, like I said, that storyline with the wedding and they made, they, they worked their butts off. And I just have so much respect for those people and for that championship. And I know it was, you know, I'm aware of the charter online about it, but I just, to me, like, I just want people to know the performers were putting their heart and soul into it, you know, like, truly. They, they all, that really meant a lot to them. And so, you know, I think I felt a little bit guilty about throwing the trash can, throwing the title in the trash can.

So again, everything happens for a reason. So it keeps the door open. What was, what were you told was the reasoning? You're throwing it away? It was they wanted, I think they wanted to move away from that championship. So this was their way of doing it. And then that's it. Well, like you said, the door's open.

It didn't land in the trash can. Maybe the door is open. Truth, go get you a baby. How close are you to being Dr. Nikki and getting your PhD? Two and a half years away. Okay. Pretty much at the midway point. I decided to be a part-time store.

student, there was the choice to be full-time, but with the schedule with WWE, and it's just time management skills. And it was actually my supervisor, my lecturer. He ended up, so he supervised my master's. And this is in history, right? This is in history. So this is at the University of Edinburgh. And my professor who supervised my master's thesis, he's also now supervising my PhD thesis. And it was his advice that he was like, I really think you should do this part-time because you just have such a crazy schedule and you're flying all over the world and you need to be present for your job, you know, you know, because I need to keep a roof over my head and food on the table. So I chose to be part-time and a couple of people I think now that I've left

WWE thought maybe is she going to be full-time now, but we're just going to stick to part-time because with progress wrestling, with my own career on independence, I think part-time is the best way forward. And so, yeah, two and a half years, we're at the halfway point. What period of history fascinates you the most? So right now, my thesis has been on women's wrestling. So women in sports history, women, popular culture history, those are in my fields.

So popular culture history and sports history, and the emphasis with both my studies with the master's dissertation and the PhD thesis has been women in wrestling and I've focused on America in the last 40 years. So that's my speciality

but I love, I mean, I just love, especially American history. We went to, my family are in town visiting from Scotland and we went to we're at the Magic Kingdom and we were waiting for for the fireworks to begin. And we went into the Hall of President's show

and we thought it was like, my family was so fascinated by it. And we've just always, we just love history. We've always, like, my dad was, he always, like, had different history books and things like that. So it's just always been like a passion of mine

and it turned out I was good at it. But yeah, American history and popular culture history, You know, I'm a millennial. So I like a lot of film and television history as well. In international relations, like political history as well, I've started to, I've had to delve more into the economic side of it, especially with sports history.

So I've had to become a lot more comfortable with numbers and economics, which wasn't always my forte. It was always, like I said, the cultural side. So it's been fun. Like, again, you know, it's all kind of tying in together. studying more about the economy of sports history and now tying it in with being, you know, an owner of a wrestling company. So it's, again, everything always seems to tie in pretty well together. Do you feel like since living here in the US, your accent has changed?

I think it's softened a little bit. Like when you talk to your friends or family back home, do they say, oh, that's a little different? Yeah, I mean, my brother-in-law, I remember saying a sidewalk once at the house, and obviously in Scotland, it's, pavement. So I said sidewalk and I think I said vacation and obviously we say holiday or we say pavement or we say you know, oh like put that in the bin. You know, but I think I said garbage or I said trash and my brother-in-law. I thought I was going to be like excommunicated from the house. Luckily I'm allowed in their house again. But yeah, so there's, I think my and I obviously being from Glasgow, we tend to talk a lot. So I've had to again,

soften the accent, try and slow down a little bit, just so I can be understood a little bit better. But the funny thing is when I spend a week or two with my family, or if I'm in Scotland for a week, I come back and the accent is like, I have to like start all over again. And remember, slow down, slow down. I feel like Drew McIntyre's accent is very Americanized now. Softened, perhaps. Same with Joe Hendries. Like, I feel like theirs are different. Yes. Yours sounds very authentic still. Oh, thank you.

It doesn't get me out of tickets, though. It doesn't? No. I always thought it would get me of like a parking ticket or, yeah, it doesn't. Oh, where are you from, ma'am? Yeah, like, no, it doesn't get me out of tickets. You ever had to repeat yourself when you're, like, trying to order something or... So at drive-thrues, I order with an American accent.

If I go through, like a drive-thru, Starbucks or a drive-thrued Dunkin' Donuts, I don't know. I just... Welcome to Starbucks. What would you like? like to order. Hi there, can I please, hi there, can I please have a venty almond milk latte? You know, I don't know.

It just, sometimes I don't want to go to Valley Girl with it, so I try and, like, be just very respectful because I love living here. I've lived here for like 10 years, and I just always want to be super respectful. So I don't want to do like, oh my God, shut up, stop for

embarrassing me. You know, I don't want to sound like that. I just want to, you know, sound like I'm trying to fit in with y'all. How is that? It's good. We can cut that out if we want. No, that's wonderful. What about if you go to a restaurant and order one of these?

Can I please have some water? I have to sound really like, can I please have some water? How would you normally? Water? Give me a water. You all give me a cup of coffee. I do actually want coffee. We'll find some for you.

I'm so excited for what's next for you. And I said it at the start of this, but I'm, congrats. You own progress wrestling. You and your husband owner. That's amazing. Thank you so much. Thank you. And I'm just excited for my next chapter. And like I said, I'm just, I'm very fortunate and grateful for my last 18 years in this industry. And I'm excited for my next, hopefully 18. Thank you for coming in here. Thank you for bringing all of this energy, this pinkness. I love that you just said the word gratitude because that's, it's my favorite thing. Like, being, grateful, having gratitude is, I think it's a superpower.

I asked, oh, I didn't even mean to do that. So at the end of every interview, I ask people this question because gratitude's so big for me. What are three things you're grateful for right now? My loved ones, my family and friends, like, I have a really good support system with my husband and my chihuahuas, you know, Mac and Sabrina. Mac and Sabrina are your chihuahua? Mac is the Chihuahua and Sabrina is the rat terrier mix with chihu. So he's the chihueney and she's the ratcha.

We have a chihueney too. Luna. They are. But I don't know what I would do without my friends, my family, my husband, my dogs. Like, I am so grateful for my loved ones and they've kept me so grounded and, you know, kept my feet on the ground, but my head and the stars. So, you know. It's like, that's Casey Kaysim, isn't it? Was what?

Casey Kaysen, the radio host, keep your feet on the ground and your head in the sky. Yes, I like that. I think so. And then second thing I'm grateful for is the fans. Like, without the fans support, I wouldn't be Nikki Storm Best in the Galaxy. I wouldn't have been Nikki Cross,

Nikki Ash, Abbey the Witch. I wouldn't have, without the fans, I'm so indebted to the fans. Yeah. And then the third thing I'm grateful for, the opportunity to be in this industry. Because of this industry, I have been able to, without this,

I wouldn't have met my husband if it wasn't for wrestling. I wouldn't know a couple of my amazing friends if it wasn't for wrestling. I've got to see the world because of wrestling. I've been able to build this amazing life for myself and my family because of wrestling. So without this industry, like, you know, I would be in a very different place, you know, and I'm just, this industry has

given me so much and I'm excited to now give back to this industry and, you know, and do this with my husband, you know, and just see the world again, but through a different, as a different person, because you grow so much and you evolve and you're constantly learning and I've learned so many different lessons over the last 18 years. And, you know, I'm going back on independence as a completely different person than I was, you know, when I was 18 years old. So I'm just beyond excited. And I know I keep repeating myself.

I think I speak for everybody. We're excited to see it. Yeah. We're excited to see what this looks like. And, you know, I think I'll change out of the pink outfit, though, for my in-ring competition. Okay. Well, thank you so much. Thank you so much for having me.

and give Lundas and Bailey Robs for me. I will. The Dan Bonjino show. Folks, it's not my job to sit here and try to stir you up for clicks. I think I've been very level-headed. I've had to tell people a lot of things they didn't want to hear. So let me tie together into a bullet point storyline.

This information warfare against your mind is very real. Be careful where you're getting your information. Do not gaff this off. I'm telling you, like, this is why I've been so passionate. This stuff is real. Now does it make sense? The Dan Von Gino Show. Follow and listen on your favorite platform.