In her first-ever long-form podcast interview on “INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet,” WWE Superstar Ivy Nile shared the incredible and humbling story of her journey to the company, which began with a last-minute application to The Rock’s “Titan Games” competition series and included a “humble check” moment where she was watching herself on national television while cleaning toilets for a living. Scroll down to watch the entire interview.
From Small Town to a Big Opportunity
Nile, who grew up homeschooled in a small town in Tennessee, explained that she knew she had to leave to pursue her dreams. After a loss in her first and only MMA fight, her sister encouraged her to apply for The Rock’s then-new competition show, “The Titan Games.” “My sister was like, ‘you should, you should try to, like, try out for it,'” Nile recalled. “I was like, ‘No, that’s ridiculous.'” After initially abandoning the online application, she eventually finished it and received a call from Los Angeles less than a day later, an experience she thought was a prank.
Meeting The Rock
After making it through a combine, Nile was selected for the show, a life-changing experience for someone who had “barely been on a plane.” She described meeting Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for the first time, moments before her first event. “The Rock comes out, and then comes over, shakes my hand and says, ‘Good luck.’ I’m like, of course, he did it right now. I’m like, I had to pee myself,” she laughed. “After I lost in the semifinals, he he made sure that he talked to me… he just let me know that just because you lost doesn’t mean like… this is just the beginning for you.”
A “Humble Check”
After filming the show, which wouldn’t air for another six months, Nile returned to Tennessee with a big head but no job, as she had to leave her massage therapist position to be on the show. “Having that attitude, you know, I still needed a job. I couldn’t just do nothing,” she said. “The only job I had at the time was cleaning offices, cleaning toilets, mopping the floors… all hours of the night.” This led to a surreal and life-altering moment. “I was cleaning the cafeteria area… and I realized what night it was, like one of the episodes aired… turned it on. I was watching myself on TV [as I] was mopping the floor.”
“Remember Where You Came From”
Nile said the moment wasn’t humiliating, but a necessary “humble check.” “I think anybody else would have been upset, crying, like pitching a fit, but to me, I’m like, got it,” she reflected. “It’s almost like, remember where you came from, type thing… I’m not done like that. I’m just getting started.” This mindset led directly to her WWE tryout, as the company reached out after seeing her on the debut episode of “The Titan Games.”
Earning Her Spot
Nile described her WWE tryout as the “best days ever,” a chance to prove she belonged. “I was like, ‘I am not leaving this tryout without a job.’ Like, I made sure, I made damn sure that they knew that,” she stated. Her determination paid off, as she was one of only six people from a group of nearly 50 to earn a contract. “I wanted to change my life. I had to get out of Tennessee,” she concluded. “I knew that there was something meant for me.”
The full, in-depth interview can be heard on “INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Chris Van Vliet with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
