Alexa Bliss On A Possible Advantage Against Ronda Rousey, Being An "Underwhelming" Draft Pick
WWE kicked off a campaign for a 2018 Emmy Awards nomination with their inaugural "For Your Consideration" (FYC) Emmy event at the Saban Media Center in North Hollywood, California on Wednesday. "FYC" events are directed towards members of awards voting groups in the entertainment industry, including the groups that vote on the Academy Awards and the Emmys.
On the red carpet, Alexa Bliss spoke with Red Carper Report about coming into the main roster with low expectations from the fans and making the most of what WWE gave her.
"I didn't expect it, I knew when I was drafted to SmackDown Live I was one of the more underwhelming draft picks," Bliss admitted. "I wasn't featured in NXT, I never had a TakeOver match, I never held a title. I wasn't a featured athlete. I knew going in to SmackDown Live, I had to kick down the door and take every opportunity for what it was and sometimes in WWE – and in life – those opportunities don't come back.
Before heading to WWE, Bliss had a background in gymnastics. She was asked if that helped with her wrestling training, in some ways it did, but ultimately her learning came from NXT.
"I would say so, it definitely helped me with the fundamentals, when I was in gymnastics the first things we learned was how to fall," Bliss said. "My coach would push us off the balance beam and teach us how to fall. That helps with your body awareness, your air awareness, but even the training I had in cheerleading, gymnastics, bodybuilding, nothing prepares you for what you go through in the ring. It is such an unnatural movement and a high-risk movement and that's where the training came into play at NXT. I would say it helped with my body and air awareness, but NXT is where I got my ring ability."
Bliss is double-jointed and has used a trick in previous matches where she would make opponents think she's hurt badly and then attacked them. Bliss was asked if any of this would benefit her in a match against Ronda Rousey, who's known to finish opponents off with an armbar.
"I think it might. I don't want to test that theory just yet," Bliss laughed. "Who knows? It might. Everyone has that breaking point, mine goes just a little bit further, let's just keep our fingers crossed."
You can check out her full interview in the video above.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Red Carpet Report with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.