AJ Lee says an unexpected request at a WWE tryout helped unlock the character that would shape her career. Speaking with Cheryl Strayed on Mind Over Mountain, Lee recalled being asked to deliver a promo before she had prepared one.
Lee said she saved for two years to attend the paid tryout program, missing the first opportunity because she could not afford it. The audition included wrestling drills and a designated day for promos, but officials put her on the spot on the first day.
She remembered thinking that she had nothing ready, then instinctively shifting into a villainous persona.
“I went into like a bad guy character instantly.”
Lee said she was later told that performance convinced officials to give her a chance. She was still performing as Miss April at the time, before adopting the AJ Lee name.
Rather than matching what she felt was a sweet appearance, she deliberately played against that expectation. Lee said the edge that emerged in that audition remained part of her wrestling character throughout her career.
“Like she was born in that moment.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Mind Over Mountain with Cheryl Strayed, with a h/t to Wrestling Headlines for the transcription.
