In a recent interview with Robbie and Carly, WWE superstars Aleister Black and Zelina Vega offered insights into their life in and out of the ring, discussing everything from the grueling travel schedule to the mentors who have shaped their careers.
The married couple touched on how they manage their professional and personal lives, explaining that for them, the two are inextricably linked. “I think in order to be successful in any discipline, you have to be like completely absorbed in it,” Black stated. “Our training center is attached to our house, so we are always busy with wrestling”. He added, “I absolutely love the wrestling business. There’s nothing I would rather do in my life”. Vega shared just how absorbed they can be, joking, “Usually, sometimes at three in the morning, he’s like, ‘Hey, can I try this thing on you?'”.
Reflecting on the retirement tour of wrestling icon John Cena, Black acknowledged the significance of the moment. “I think that you know someone as John Cena, who’s meant so much to the wrestling business… it doesn’t feel real stepping away from all of this,” he said. He believes the true weight of Cena’s departure will be felt in hindsight. “I personally think a lot of times after the fact, you’ll look back and go, ‘Wow, I was a part of that'”. Black also praised Cena’s character, calling him a “very down to earth human being” who “will be sorely missed”.
Vega opened up about a pivotal moment in her own career when she was on the verge of quitting. After her eighth unsuccessful tryout, she felt she had reached her limit. “It was always, ‘you’re too small,’ or ‘you’re too this, you’re not enough of this,'” she recalled. “By the time I had that conversation with him, I was like, ‘I think this is it? Like, I think I’m done'”. A conversation with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson changed everything. He told her, “Just give me, like, three days. I’m working on something”. That led to a life-altering phone call where he told her, “I want you to be my Divas Champion… you’re not just the brown girl. He’s like, You’re the girl”. Vega described it as “the craziest call I’ve ever had”.
Both superstars credited several industry veterans for guiding them. Black listed, “Terry Taylor, William Regal, Robbie Brookside, you know, Hunter himself,” and noted that The Undertaker “graciously took, you know, time to, like, you know, sit me down and talk to me about a bunch of stuff”. He also mentioned that Paul Heyman “was always a big proponent to me, and still is”. For her part, Vega spoke about the thrill of working with one of her childhood idols. “I’ve had so much fun every time I’ve gotten in the ring with her stratus, that’s insane to say,” she said.
Finally, Vega shared her excitement for the continued growth of women’s wrestling. As the winner of the first-ever Queen’s Crown tournament, she noted, “I didn’t think there was many firsts left at that point… but I feel like they find ways to continue making first ever”. She looks forward to the future, describing the division as a “cool melting pot of all these beautiful… Cultures and people and backgrounds”.
