RAW Women’s Champion Nia Jax recently spoke with the folks at Yahoo! Sports to promote her match against Ronda Rousey at this Sunday’s WWE Money In The Bank 2018 pay-per-view. Featured below are some of the highlights from the interview.
On the message she brings to WWE’s women’s division: “Nia Jax is bringing a whole different message to the ‘Women’s Evolution.’ Yes, we are athletic. Yes, we can go just as hard as the men, but women come in all different shapes and sizes. We all have a different story and a different look and everything should be celebrated.”
On facing off against Rousey this Sunday: “I know it sounds so cheesy, but I am honored I get this opportunity to step into the ring with a woman who has pioneered so much for women in sports. Ronda has gone out there and been unapologetically herself. She is who she is. I am so excited and nervous. I’m using those nerves to fuel me as well. It’s going to be such an amazing match and I can’t wait for people to see what Ronda Rousey is capable of and what we’re capable of doing together. It’s such a powerhouse match.”
On whether she’s a heel or a babyface: “It’s funny because everyone is asking ‘Oh my God, is she heel or is she face?’ Nia Jax is Nia Jax. That’s something that I have been trying to get across. I am who I am in the moment. I’m not a heel, I’m not a babyface, I’m Nia Jax. In this setting with Ronda, the competition is high. She’s coming into our house and everybody is already so in love with her, she’s so established. I worked hard too. It comes off as being heel and cocky, but at the end of the day I’m pretty darn good myself.”
On having her weight announced for her introductions unlike other female WWE Superstars: “It’s something [WWE senior producer] Johnny Ace [Laurinaitis] mentioned to me and we went to Vince [McMahon] and we talked about it. That’s something that’s tough for a woman, sharing their weight. Me sharing my weight and me being the person I am, Vince agreed with me on this, it’s embracing who you are. [Someone who is] 272 pounds is a very heavy person and it’s a lot of force that these women are taking. It incorporated not only the message that I’m sending about my body, but also a character thing. It was really cool because when we talked about it and I saw his vision behind it, I realized I would be the only one in this division where you’d be able to see this force.”
Check out the complete Nia Jax interview at Yahoo! Sports.