Serena Deeb On AEW, NWA, & Her Time As A Trainer With WWE

Serena Deeb defeated Riho in a well-reviewed match from the Double or Nothing Kickoff show this weekend. She’ll look to defend her NWA Women’s Championship against Kamille on an NWA PPV this weekend. She spoke to Jim Varsallone from the Miami Herald recently about her time in the AEW, NWA, and what working as a trainer for WWE taught her about wrestling.

Deeb also mentioned that the Double or Nothing crowd she performed in front of this weekend was the most special of her career.

“This was the most special crowd I’ve ever been in front of in my entire career,” Deeb said. “I truly feel that way. The people were just clearly so happy to be there and so happy that we made it through, things are starting to resume normalcy a little bit, and it was amazing.”

Deeb was with WWE as a trainer from 2017-2020. She spoke during the interview about how she feels this experience made her a better wrestler.

“The time that I was coaching, it really opened my mind up in different ways to wrestling,” she said.

“Because when you’re coaching you have to not only tell people what to do and how to do it and all these things but you have to tell them why, why they’re doing it. There’s a lot of whys in wrestling and if you don’t understand why you’re doing something at the time you’re doing it, there’s a little bit of a disconnect. So now I think I’m putting the pieces of the puzzle together a little bit better, a little bit more sharply.”

She was asked about why she decided to take the coaching position with WWE in 2017. Deeb noted that she had been out of wrestling for about 2 years at that point. She got very immersed in yoga and began teaching. WWE approached her about being in the Mae Young Classic and offered her a coaching position after. She said that at the time, it just seemed like the right next step for her.

Deeb was released from the position in April of 2020. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise for her, however. She now says she’s having the most fun of her career.

“When I took the coaching job I did feel a little bit torn,” Deeb continued. “I felt a little bit conflicted. I didn’t feel like I was completely done wrestling. There was a little piece of me that still felt I had something to contribute in the ring. So, the way that the cards were dealt with everything in the past year it’s been such a blessing in disguise because I was able to get back in the ring.”

“Right now, I feel that I’m doing the best work of my career and having the most fun in my career and I’m really thankful the way everything’s turned out,” Deeb continued.

Now with AEW and NWA, Deeb says she’s watching and studying more wrestling than ever before.

“Right now, I’m watching more wrestling than I’ve ever watched in my life, I’m studying more wrestling than I’ve ever studied.”

She continued to say that she’s watching a lot of Bret Hart and Eddie Guerrero matches. Dean Malenko and Lance Storm were also mentioned. She likes the technicians.

Deeb will defend her NWA Women’s Championship this weekend on PPV. She’ll face Kamille on the NWA: When Our Shadow Falls PPV on Sunday.