Carmella has truly came up.
After being left behind so-to-speak by her former running mates Enzo and Big Cass, Carmella was left on her own in NXT with competitors who held championship gold in NXT and also went on to become multi-time Women's Champions on the main roster. Carmella was aware that in order to separate herself from those who had far more in-ring experience than her, she had to bring something different to the table.
While being interviewed by Inside The Ropes, the current SmackDown Live Women's Champion went on to discuss her journey from being just a manager for Enzo and Cass to now being the head honcho of SmackDown Live's women's division.
?For sure. So, I think my biggest hurdle was to be in NXT with girls like Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bayley. They all? I mean Charlotte of course she has wrestling in her blood and, the other girls they wrestled for years before they even came to WWE or NXT. So for me to be in there with such elite women I just thought, 'Well, I?m never going to be on their level as far as in-ring ability and with their experience', so I knew I had to bring something different to the table and I just wanted to be over the top with my character and be able to show that I have something to bring to the table even though I didn?t wrestle years before I came here." Carmella continued, "No I didn?t always grow up wanting to be here but I wanted to prove that I belonged and to be, you know, have my journey in NXT--I wouldn?t change it for anything.? She said. ?I was with the boys for? that was basically my entire career in NXT was being a manager for Cass and Enzo and I didn?t get that many opportunities to wrestle on television or, even on our live events--I didn?t get that much opportunity. So I just knew that when I was there I had to make any opportunity I had--make it worth it and really just work hard to get to where I wanted to be.?
Carmella mentioned Becky Lynch in her explanation and she will square off against Becky this upcoming Tuesday on SmackDown Live and if Becky wins then Carmella will know who she will be defending the SmackDown Live Women's Championship against at SummerSlam.
If you are going to use the quote above, please credit Inside The Ropes with an H/T to Fightful for the transcription.