Ring of Honor women’s champion Rok-C recently appeared on the Battleground Podcast to discuss her huge triumph at the Death Before Dishonor pay per view, and comments on how at 19 she has already turned her dreams into a reality. Highlights from the interview can be found below.
On making history as ROH’s first women’s champion at the age of 19:
“There’s like so many emotions that go into this. Just the fact that I’ve been dreaming of becoming a professional wrestler since I was like 10 years old and I didn’t expect to accomplish as many things as I have accomplished by now, at 19. I always knew I would turn my dreams into reality, but I didn’t think that along the way, I’d be like, like making history in so many different ways, and being the first Ring of Honor Women’s World Champion, and then being the youngest champion in their history. It’s like, my mind is blown.”
How many people didn’t take her seriously due to her age:
“Since I broke into the business, I always had that problem of people not really taking me seriously, or people kind of underestimating me just because of my age. But I think that is complete BS because I feel like, regardless of how old you are, or what you look like, or whatever the case may be, I think that has nothing to do with how much heart and dedication someone has. That’s exactly how I got to the point of where I am right now in my career is that every time someone told me, ‘No,’ or every time someone says, ‘She’ll grow out of it,’ I was like, ‘No.’ Any kind of little fire me to just kind of, not really not so much [to] prove people wrong, but kind of prove myself right.”
Calls former WWE Divas champion Paige an inspiration to her:
“I looked up to Paige so much, just because she kind of had the same story and she’s kind of who inspired me to kind of like, kickstart my wrestling career. She started when she was 14 or 15 and she did so much and accomplished so much. I was like, ‘Oh, I can totally do it.’ To this day, it was kind of hard, I guess it is a disadvantage, but also an advantage because, I think having all these people kind of tell me that I couldn’t do it, especially being so young, kind of messes with your mind a little bit. It was hard to believe in myself, but I think things that I’ve accomplished along the way have kind of make me stop and think, like ‘Wait, like look at what you’re doing. You’re doing it and regardless of anything that anyone ever had to say.’ I’m holding the Ring of Honor Women’s World Championship.”
Says she’s ready to take on all challengers:
“I think right now, I know that holding that championship means that I have like, a giant target on my back. I’m aware. But I think I’ve been underestimated for so long and now holding that championship also means that it’s okay to say like, I’m one of the best. I don’t want people to underestimate me anymore. I hope that having this championship as proof [and] kind of shows people okay, I’m not gonna underestimate this girl, and I want to see who like wants to step up. So yeah, it’s an open challenge. Like, whoever wants a shot at this title [can have one].”
(H/T and transcribed by Fightful)