WWE superstar and former NXT women’s champion Ember Moon recently spoke with Sports Illustrated to talk all things pro-wrestling. Highlights can be found below.
The inspiration for her NXT return:
When learned I was headed to NXT, the whole motorcycle package was an idea I had after watching an action movie called Hardcore Henry. The NXT creative team is absolutely amazing, and they got this massive set for me. I wanted elements of The Masked Singer so we could have clues to keep people guessing. And they were like, ‘Let’s do it!’ There is a video game I play, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, where there are these two dueling voices and you have to listen closely, and we did something similar for the surprise, which was absolutely amazing.
How she was nervous to return:
I was nervous and I wasn’t certain how I would be received. I didn’t even know Toni Storm was popping up on the monitor right before me. She’s stunning in the ring, and I want to wrestle her, too. My nerves kept building as I was walking out to the stage. All I could think was, ‘Crap, did I even shut the visor to the helmet?’ If you look quickly, I grab my helmet and checked. Then I took off the helmet, and it was an outstanding, memorable moment. I think it may have broke the internet for a hot minute. It reminded me that NXT is the place where I’m meant to be. I couldn’t ask for a better team to support me, and it was so amazing to be there on the first night of the Capitol Wrestling Center.
How 2019 was a bad year for her:
2019 was not my year. I ended up finding out I was hurt before the Rumble, and did immediate surgery after my elbow got locked into a 90-degree angle. I came back and got drafted to SmackDown, which was awesome because I always wanted to be on the blue brand, but couldn’t get my stride going. I finally felt good by SummerSlam. There was a Raw in San Francisco, and I had a match with Lacey Evans, which I felt great about. Then the injury happened. I remember going through the curtain behind Truth and Carmella, and he was dumping her down, and I just hit the brakes so hard. It felt like my foot went through the floor. I heard a pop. I thought I was fine, I had no pain, and then I went on my flight. The next day, I went to get some food, and I fell over. So I went to the doctor, and that’s how I found out I tore my Achilles.
Getting to spend time with her husband while she was off with her injury:
Realizing I was hurt and that I was forced to be away from what I loved, that was the hardest part. But the one good part was that I got to be home with my husband for the first time since we were married. So there was that upside
On the diversity of the NXT roster:
The NXT women’s division is so diverse, and we know the standard that was set by the women who were there before us. Now we’ll see how the new Ember Moon fits into the mix. I’ll be showing off myself in a new way for the first time, and I can’t wait for people to say, ‘Holy crap, I forgot how good Ember Moon is.’ The landscape has drastically changed in NXT since I was last here. There are going to be a lot of new matchups. Wrestling needs to be fun right now, not just for me but for everyone, and I’m going to bring that in NXT.
On being ecstatic for her NXT return:
I am so ecstatic in being back in NXT. NXT is where you prove your worth, and that’s what I am going to do again.
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