According to Saraya, bad guys have more fun.
Saraya wanted to come into AEW as a heel, but with the unfolding of her massive comeback story, creative plans called for her to serve as a babyface in the early months of her current run. In January, though, fans began seeing a shift in Saraya’s character. As she and Toni Storm officially turned heel, they started a new faction, known as The Outcasts.
During a recent appearance on The Corner, “The Glampire” spoke about how her heel turn raised her level of comfort on the microphone. She also explained why her initial return idea didn’t come to fruition until a few months later.
“It’s easier to get people to hate you than love you. People always want to find a reason to talk some shit on you, you know? And now you’re going to give it to them, and then you’re not going to be offended because you’re like, ‘Hey, I’m playing a character. I’m supposed to be an a**hole,'” Saraya began.
“So, with the being the heel, I wanted to do it straight out of the gate, but Tony [Khan] and everyone were saying, ‘You can’t, because you’re now coming back [from] a career-ending injury. You’re finally back in the ring again, so people are going to cheer you.’ But at the same time, with these promos with Britt [Baker]. Britt was saying some things that were really accurate and you can’t help but be on her side. She was just like, ‘I am the pillar.’ She was, she was the first ever signing. ‘I am the one that created this women’s division.’ She was the one who built the women’s division. She was there when they had to do like all the COVID shows and stuff like that.”
“She was running the ship, she was killing it. So, everything she’s saying, you can’t disagree with her. And then you have me coming in from a different company being like, ‘You don’t know what it’s like to be a star. Everyone should be cheering for me,’ and I look like the a**hole.”
After seeing some of the reactions to her early promos, Saraya’s desire to be a heel intensified.
“Let me tell you as well, AEW fans love their homegrown talents. They do not take too kindly to some people coming in. You know what I mean? People are harsh, people are really harsh. So, I’m just like, ‘Well, why don’t we just make this a thing? I don’t care, I would love to be heel, I love being heel.’ I feel like I thrive when I’m in my heel role. I can be more creative, I love to talk sh**. You can see on social media [that] I love to talk sh**. I get a little too carried away.”
After four months of performing as a babyface, Tony Khan granted Saraya’s wish on the January 18 edition of AEW Dynamite. After Toni Storm defeated Willow Nightingale with a roll-up, Storm and Saraya attacked Nightingale from behind. This act, of course, laid out the foundation for the formation of The Outcasts.
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