WWE Diva Eva Marie answers her critics, talks future plans

[LionDen]

Seeing red: Eva Marie speaks on her return to the ring

This week on NXT, Eva Marie made her highly anticipated return to the ring. A common target of both praise and criticism from the WWE Universe, the red-haired Diva claims she will do whatever it takes to ascend to the top of WWE. On the heels of her return, Eva speaks on her passion for sports-entertainment, addresses the words of her critics and explains why she plans on being one of the greatest Divas in WWE history.

WWE.COM: Eva, how did it feel to finally make your return to the ring?

EVA MARIE: It felt amazing! The crowd was awesome. The NXT fans are highly passionate and highly vocal. They let you know exactly how they feel about your performance. When I first came out, it was to a roar of boos, “you can’t wrestle” chants and a few cheers. However, as my match progressed, the crowd began to cheer for me and eventually the cheers were drowning out the boos. That was such a surreal moment for me. The crowd made my return an absolutely incredible experience and one I will always remember.

WWE.COM: Why did you take time away to re-train and work on your craft?

EVA: What most people forget is that I originally tried out to be a WWE Diva. I wanted to wrestle so that’s why I joined WWE. However, I was placed on “Total Divas” immediately after I signed my NXT contract and while that was incredible and a huge blessing, the filming and travel schedule all but eradicated my ability to train in wrestling. That never sat well with me because wrestling was why I joined WWE. But I was new and given an incredible opportunity with being on “Total Divas.” I didn't want to seem like I was complaining or taking it for granted. When my health issues occurred, I promised myself that after my surgery I was going to make the time to work on my craft no matter what. I asked Triple H and Vince if they would be OK with me spending the next few months after my surgery training full-time and they supported me 100 percent. So with their support, I stepped away from TV (RAW, SmackDown), scaled back on filming "Total Divas" and made the decision to train full-time in Los Angeles and at the WWE Performance Center.

WWE.COM: Let’s backtrack for a minute. Why did you decide to attempt to become a WWE Diva in the first place?

EVA: I grew up watching WWF/WWE and have always been a fan of wrestling.

When the opportunity to enter the WWE Diva Search was presented to me, I jumped at the chance! “Total Divas” wasn't on my radar or even anything that I had heard of. Immediately after my tryout with the WWE Developmental system, I was asked to interview for a WWE project but I had no idea what it was for. I interviewed on a Friday, got a call on that Saturday saying I got the project. Next thing you know, I was on a plane to WrestleMania in New York and would begin filming that Monday.

WWE.COM: You mentioned growing up a WWE fan. Who were some of your favorites as a child?

EVA: I am the youngest of three older brothers, so I grew up not only watching WWE, but also jumping off the top of my bunk bed to crossbody my brothers while we pretended to be our favorite wrestlers. I was a huge Ultimate Warrior fan as well as Razor Ramon.

WWE.COM: Fast-forward two years after you first came to WWE and your mere presence seems to incite an incredible amount of passionate opinions, both positive and negative. How do you feel about that?

EVA: I absolutely love it! As long as people are talking about me, it’s a good thing. The moment people stop caring enough about you to discuss you, you are dead in this industry. I came here to make a statement and the amount of discourse surrounding me is proof positive that I am accomplishing my goal.

WWE.COM: What goes through your mind when you hear some of the negative comments, especially those which have been downright scathing?

EVA: At the end of the day, as long as you are giving 100 percent in all aspects of your life, you aren't going to take it to heart when people are negative toward you because you know you are giving your all. Knowing you are doing all you can do gives you a sense of confidence that is hard to describe. In life, all you have to do is your best and then let God handle the rest. It’s that simple. When the fans make negative comments about my wrestling ability, I listen to it and respect it. The opinions help drive my desire to train and get better so I can perform at my very best for them. When I hear the girls speaking negatively about me on TV, it makes me smile huge because let’s be honest, it means that I'm on their minds.

WWE.COM: You've said in the past that you plan to be one of the greatest Divas Champions of all time. Do you honestly believe you can accomplish that feat?

EVA: Yes, I will accomplish this goal. Everyone who achieves greatness began with the dream to be great. That dream permeates into every aspect of their life and becomes a part of them. Being a great Diva doesn't just mean being great in the ring, it means having a positive impact on the lives of others and being active in the community. My dream is to be one of the greatest Divas of all time, both inside and outside of the ring, and I will accomplish this.

WWE.COM: In your own words, how can we best describe you?

EVA: Confident. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman who is confident and comfortable in her own skin. That is the beauty of beauty and it comes in all forms of age, shape, height, color and culture. Confidence radiates from within and then manifests on the outside and it transcends any myopic, cookie-cutter definitions of physical beauty set by media or culture. Every single woman is beautiful and the more confident they are in themselves, the more their beauty is reflected outwardly to those they encounter. The goal of Eva Marie is to help empower women to be confident in who they are and radiate that confidence to all aspects of their life.

WWE.COM: Before we let you go, do you have a final message for the WWE Universe?

EVA: I will always give it 100 percent. I respect the fact that they are spending their hard-earned money to come and see us perform. Every time I step in the ring, my No. 1 priority is to give them an awesome performance and show. I may not be the fastest, I may not be the strongest, but I promise I will always be working my hardest. It’s about to get a whole lot hotter up in this Universe so get ready. #AllRedEverything #RedStormRising

Follow Eva Marie on Twitter [MENTION=69646]nat[/MENTION]alieEvaMarie

wwe.com

[4033]

nice, ty

[Miami01]

Thanks.