WWE superstar Nattie Neidhart recently completed an unprecedented tour outside of the company, competing for several independent and national promotions over the last few months. On a recent episode of Busted Open After Dark, the veteran superstar detailed each of her major appearances and explained the deep personal and professional motivation behind her decision to step outside her comfort zone.
The Appearances
Neidhart’s tour saw her compete in a variety of promotions and match types, testing her skills against a new generation of talent. Her journey included:
- Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport: In April, Nattie competed at the highly respected, shoot-style event, facing off against Miyu Yamashita. She noted that she was passionate about doing this specific show because “Bloodsport is really that dungeon style.”
- National Wrestling Alliance (NWA): She then appeared for the NWA, which she called a “dream,” where she wrestled one of the top stars of their women’s division, Kenzie Paige.
- Reality of Wrestling (ROW): Most recently, Nattie main-evented Booker T’s “Heart and Soul” all-women’s show against his top prospect, Promise Braxton. “She pushed me to my limit,” Nattie said of her opponent.
The Motivation: “I Needed to Be Someone Else”
After 18 uninterrupted years signed to WWE, Nattie explained that she felt a deep need for a creative and personal change. “Bloodsport was my first show in 18 years outside of WWE,” she began. “I needed to do that because I didn’t need something else. I didn’t need a championship. I needed to fucking be someone else… I knew that I had to step outside my comfort zone to create something totally different.”
She confessed that a fear of becoming stagnant was a major driver. “I don’t sleep well at night,” she said. “I truly fear being mediocre, and that’s why I don’t sleep well at night.”
Support from WWE
Neidhart made it clear that this independent tour would not have been possible without the approval of WWE management. She revealed that both Paul “Triple H” Levesque and Nick Khan were very encouraging of her decision to take these outside bookings. “What I love is that Triple H understands, he understands what my vision is, and he understands that I need to build that to come back into the division,” she stated.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Busted Open Radio with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
