Beth Phoenix Talks Being A Commentator On NXT, Reason For Leaving WWE In 2012
Current NXT commentator Beth Phoenix recently appeared on Prime Time with Sean Mooney. During the interview with the former WWE Women's Champion, Phoenix revealed what its been like as a commentator on WWE NXT.
"It's been one of those things where I've had to just kind of commit myself, and give myself up to the process," Phoenix said. "I fail all the time, and I'm always making mistakes, but we learn each and every week, and I'm learning to find my voice, and my place in the team, because, being a color commentator, adding that analyst role, is really different than being play-by-play.
"They're two completely different animals. Driving traffic as a play-by-play guy, that is a big responsibility and a lot of work, and, as an analyst, my job is to take some of the burden off the play-by-play announcer, and try to add a little bit of credibility from somebody that has experience in what is going on in the ring.
"It was definitely not something I would have ever thought I would do. If you told me five years ago I was going to be sitting alongside Mauro [Ranallo] and Nigel McGuiness in NXT, I would have laughed at you. Here I find myself, and I'm just giving it my best."
"The Glamazon" as she was known during her time as an in-ring performer was a former WWE Women's Champion. However, after nearly 10 years with the company, Phoenix made the decision to leave in 2012 returning to accept a WWE Hall of Fame nomination in 2017.
When asked about why she left the WWE, Phoenix explained that she wasn't pleased with the direction of where women's wrestling in the company was and that years of travel had taken its toll.
"I was really frustrated with where the women were at from a company standpoint and the investment that was being made in us," Phoenix said. "I felt in my heart I had done my best, and I'd try really hard to change things but, at some point I just got really frustrated.
"Also, all the travel. I had been away from my family for a long time. We buried both my grandparents, my uncle passed away from cancer; I missed so many milestones in my families lives, that I just thought it was time to come home and be with them for a little bit and take a break from the road.
"And in that time, Adam's [Copeland] career as an actor was taking off, and I had just had the baby. I just took that supportive role at home, and I loved it. I loved being a stay-at-Home mom. I followed wrestling, but I had just kind of made peace with, like, that was my career. I'm now a mom, and I'm going to find other things to do with my life."
Phoenix, Mauro Ranallo and Nigel McGuinness will call NXT every week on the USA Network.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Prime Time with Sean Mooney with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.