NXT women’s champion Charlotte Flair recently spoke to Pro Wrestling Sheet to discuss all things pro wrestling. Highlights are below.
Thoughts on Io Shirai:
Not necessarily storyline-wise, but on a personal note. Not that I’m comparing Io to Trish Stratus, but I have that same kind of feeling. When Trish came back out of retirement and wanted to have the match with me, I was just so nervous about am I gonna be as good as she thinks I am? Or as competitive as I am? She wants to come back and be in the ring with me, I hope I live up to that hyper expectation. And I’ve been told by a few people, and I’ve heard in interviews, that Io has said I’m her dream opponent. I just go, “Oh man, I hope I’m every bit as good as she thinks I am” or she sees me in that light. I hope I bring that best Charlotte to the ring that day for her. So that’s how I feel on a personal note, but storyline-wise, I couldn’t pick a better number one contender, or first title match for the NXT title, with it being Io.
Being more vocal during empty arena matches:
When you go back in history, and I always go back … I know, its my dad … but I always go back to my dad and Shawn [Michaels] in Orlando when Shawn goes, “I’m sorry. I love you.” By no means am I comparing any of my matches to that, but I’m going why, when you think about that match, that’s the only thing people talk about. Right? So I go, how do I bring that to every match? So I remember when I dropped the title to Sasha for the first time. This was the first time I tried it to see if it really worked. I looked at her before I lost and I said, “you’re never gonna beat me.” And that’s continued to replay and replay and replay and replay in all the packages. And that’s what I remember from that match. So, going back to that, I tried to find little things. Then you forget about it and picking it up again now without an audience by coming back to that. I just hope that something sticks that I’m saying that’s remembered.
How much she’s changed since the last time she held the NXT women’s title:
Oh my gosh. Well … now, I feel ready. I literally showed up in 2012 and was like, “Here I am! I have no experience.” But I never stopped learning. That’s the one thing. If I could go back to when I debuted in 2015 – man, I wish I was the performer then that I am now – and redo so many storylines. I’d do it all over again. If I could redo me and Sasha, oh man. Or redo me and Paige. Have that match again with Nikki Bella. I know so much more now. Then I was thinking … how do I hold my head in my entrance? How do I wrestle? How do I hit the ropes? How do I go left foot, right foot while woo’ing? I was just trying to take in so much to keep up with everyone that was in my class. Because they already had the wrestling experience, so they were trying to figure out their character. Whereas I had no wrestling experience. Yeah, I had a last name. But as you can see, I still struggle with do I woo or do I not woo?!? Now it’s just … ok, I know how to wrestle. It’s just how do you stand out and how do you make yourself a star? I wish I thought about that in 2015.
What she’s been doing to pass time during quarantine:
Well I did just watch “Money Heist.” It’s excellent. [Andrade] and I just built a gym in the garage, so that’s been a lot of fun. Just a lot of sleep and cooking. I’ve never known my way around a kitchen, so I just made lasagna and brownies. I’m gonna come out of quarantine with people saying, “Whew! Charlotte’s really put on a lot of muscle!” But just enjoying the time with him and right now I’m at the beach with my dad and [Andrade]. It’s like a five-hour drive from our place. I’m here for three days, which I probably wouldn’t have done. But I will say it’s nice being in Orlando, especially having to work Raw and NXT. Because I can’t imagine NOT living in Orlando and having that. So it’s like a perfect time to be NXT Women’s Champion.
Full interview here.