Bianca Belair recently spoke with Channel Guide Magazine about a wide range of pro-wrestling related topics.
During the interview, she discussed WWE moving NXT to the USA Network starting this Wednesday and the current state of the women’s division in NXT. Here are the highlights:
How do you think the environment will be different on this bigger platform? You’re used to the live atmosphere of NXT TakeOver events, but this is regularly on a cable television.
“I don’t think there has been much that is different than before. Although NXT was known as a developmental brand. The main goal before was to get to Raw and SmackDown, so the whole point of getting to NXT was to prepare us. The call could come at any time. The term we used to use was “getting called up.” That phone call could have happened at any time. So, the whole point here was to always be ready. We’re ready. We’ve been preparing for this since day one. Now that NXT is the third brand and not the developmental brand, we are a brand that can stand on its own. We’re ready and will keep doing what we’ve always been doing.”
What’s the feeling right now with the women’s division? You have this fatal four-way match on the premiere episode where members of the audience are getting a first impression who you are and what the brand represents. Do you feel the added pressure?
I feel like there are so many women on this roster that deserve to be showcased. We all bring something to the table. We’re all unique. We all work within ourselves. I see this opportunity to be on USA Network live every week for us to show the world who we are and what we do. We have so many who can bring so much. I’m excited because we are going to get introduced to the world.
I’m going to show who Bianca Belair is. And I feel like I’m going to leave a pretty great impression. I want to be the one everyone tunes in to see. I think we’re so excited because we can show that we are a brand that can stand on its own. The fans have been demanding it. We have been showing up and showing out whenever we had TV tapings or a TakeOver. I think NXT is very special. I can’t wait for everyone to see it. I think we are going to be great and show that NXT is not a third brand, we are THE brand, and everyone is going to have to figure out how to deal with that.”