NXT's Jakara Jackson Says First Week Of Bumping Hurt Worse Than Her Car Accidents

Debuting not even a year ago, Jakara Jackson of "NXT" is one of the many young, upcoming talents of WWE's developmental third brand. And being so new to the business, she has fresh memories of her early days of training and how physically grueling they can be while getting acclimated.

In an interview with "Dr. Beau Hightower," Jackson revealed that she wasn't entirely prepared for how hard the wrestling ring would be, initially believing it would be springy. Instead, she would learn quickly from putting together a ring just how hard it was.

"You see people falling, bumping on them, and what not and you're like 'Okay, it's got to be trampolines,'" Jackson said. "No! To my surprise, in the developmental and what not, we get experience with building rings and what not. They're made out of steel and wood. When we're bumping, that's what we're bumping on."

Jackson further went on to describe the center of the ring as the softest point, while off-center would be more likely to take a toll on a performer while bumping. That does not include hitting the ropes, which Jackson also found jarring, and ultimately she compared her early days of wrestling training to being similar to three car accidents she was involved in.

"When I first started hitting the ropes, you're just not used to it," Jackson said. "That was a little painful. I feel when your body is getting introduced to anything, in the first stages of anything you're learning, it's gonna hurt. Honestly, the very first week after bumping, they tell you 'You're going to feel like you're in a car accident.' I truly felt like I went through something traumatic ... If I had to describe it, I guess, it's worse than any car accident I've been in."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Dr. Beau Hightower" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription