When I graduated from Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, I made my way back to San Diego, which is where I was born. And I saw WWE Divas on television, and I thought to myself, 'Oh my goodness, that is our calling.'
As far as the experience level of some of the WWE divas, there are girls who get rushed along in the process. They're beautiful and we want to get them on TV as soon as possible. Sometimes that doesn't leave for a lot of time for wrestling training.
With WWE, I got this audition and thought there was no way that I was going to actually get the job. They were doing the WWE Diva Search at the time, and I didn't think I would get the job because I wasn't a wrestler.
I think any time you get the chance to represent the title and to earn the title, you learn how to represent it in the best way. You learn how to wear it with honor, fight for it with honor and really become the face of WWE for the Divas.
2014 was a really big year for me because I was able to go into a storyline with Stephanie McMahon, and the WWE Divas championship wasn't part of that, but for me, it was the biggest story I've ever been a part of in my whole entire career.
The one thing that I always encourage women who want to be WWE Divas to do is have something you are passionate about. For me it was Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts. For some people it's soccer. Whatever it is, it gives you confidence and that will translate.
Impact has always had a focus on their Knockouts. Back when WWE was not so focused on their Divas, Impact was still focused on their Knockouts. They were actually the stronger women's division for a long time, and that was the place to watch a match more than a couple of minutes.
WWE wants women who are confident and can handle everything that being a WWE Diva comes with like lots of travel and being tough.
I know that at 'NXT TakeOver' and the fatal four-way, we'll definitely have people saying, 'Oh my God, those were not Divas; those were superstars right there.'
I think because of 'Total Divas,' people have gotten to know who we are and kind of see more of the personality of the divas.
I think the success of 'Total Divas' has opened people's eyes to women in wrestling and to WWE divas.
