Ahead of her high-stakes showdown with WWE’s Natalya at the NWA Crockett Cup, Kenzie Paige spoke with Sean Ross Sapp to reflect on her journey and what drives her.
Kenzie Paige may not be a veteran in the same vein as Natalya, but in the NWA locker room, she is viewed as a veteran and knows that Natalya is coming into her house to challenge for her championship on May 17. Speaking about her status in the NWA locker room, Paige would say that it's crazy that she's viewed as a veteran at 23 years old, but her time in the locker room for the National Wrestling Alliance has shaped her as a person and performer.
"I'm 23 years old and I'm one of the vets of the NWA. But it's really shaped me. Obviously, when I started, I looked way different than I do now. I was 185 pounds, 19 years old. A lot of people would argue that I had no business being there, right? So it kind of put me in this position where I had to grow up. I had to become a superstar, get my shit together, if you will—sorry for cussing—but get my stuff together, if you will, but it's really made me grow up. It's made me grow a lot in life and in professional wrestling. So it's changed my life, changed my family's life. So all positive for the NWA," she said.
The rivalry between NWA Women’s World Champion Kenzie Paige and WWE Superstar Natalya has intensified in the month leading up to the match, starting with a brawl at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport during WrestleMania week and escalating further when Paige attacked the former WWE Divas Champion at her own training facility, the Dungeon. As for her match with Natalya for the NWA World Women's Championship, Paige says she's not going out there to have a good match. Instead, she's going out there to earn the respect of the former WWE Women's Champion; retaining her own title will just be an added bonus.
She also added that she tries to be a helping hand to others in the NWA. In that spirit, she once believed Natalya was a leader, but now, she views things differently.
"I'm not doing this match to have the best NWA Women's Championship match. I'm not doing this match to even to an extent retain the [Burke.] I'm doing this to gain your respect because I deserve your respect. I deserve respect from everyone for everything that I've done for not only the National Wrestling Alliance, but anyone I come in contact with. I try to be a lending hand, and I really thought that's what Natty was, but maybe she's not," she said.
Fans can get Natalya's thoughts on the upcoming match and her issues with Kenzie at this link.
Check out the full interview with Kenzie in the video embedded above.
