Roxanne Perez talks winning NXT title, Mandy Rose, more

[Chris]

Roxanne Perez says Mandy Rose has always been "so sweet" to her ever since she got to NXT.

The new NXT Women's Champion was speaking with BT Sport when she referred to Rose as "one of the best and sweetest humans" she's ever known.


Perez said:

"Mandy is so amazing. She honestly is one of the best and sweetest humans I've ever met. Since the moment I stepped into NXT, it's nerve-wracking to be surrounded by people that you've been inspired by and one of my first few matches was against her for the NXT Women's Championship. She's always been so sweet to me, she's always given me the best advice. Before and after the match, she gave me a big hug and we were both crying together. It was cool because she was really happy that she was able to pass it down to me. I've gotten so close to her within the last few months. No matter what, she's going to be amazing, she's going to do amazing things."

Perez also appeared on an episode of After the Bell with Corey Graves released Friday. During the discussion, she was asked about having defeated Rose to win the NXT Women's Championship.

Perez said:

"I'm sure as everybody saw, as soon as that bell rang, I just burst into tears and they were real tears. I think all the trials and tribulations and everything that I went through since I was 13 years old to get to this moment started replaying in my head and I just thought that all of those moments, even the super bad moments, they were so worth it."

She was also asked about having won the Ring of Honor Women's Championship and how it compared to winning the title in NXT.

"Winning the Ring of Honor Championship, that was so surreal just because of the fact that it made me realize that all of my dreams could truly be possible. Obviously, my biggest dream was becoming a WWE Champion but becoming the first ever Ring of Honor Champion at 19 years old, it just clicked and I realized all of my wildest dreams are still possible and it honestly just kind of lit a bigger fire in me to just keep going so I can get to that end goal. I still have so many other goals here in the WWE but just accomplishing that one is amazing."

Perez also spoke about having struggled with her mental health previously.

"I have struggled with mental health. I struggle with anxiety almost on a daily basis. I've struggled with depression before. The cool thing about it is that my family has always been very open about going to therapy and just talking about your feelings. I'm so grateful to have grown up with that. I've seen my parents struggle with it as well and completely become so much better after therapy and journaling and talking. So, I think it's really important especially now, especially after the pandemic. I think that's when a lot of people were really, really struggling, cause I know I was. For me, wrestling was completely taken away from me and that's all I knew literally my whole life. To just be stuck home having that taken away, it was pretty hard because it was like, 'Who actually am I without wrestling?' That was a little self-reflecting journey that I had to go through during the pandemic."

She was also asked about the influence Booker T has had on her career.

"I've always been such a little mark so the first time I met Booker I was like, 'oh my gosh, this is so crazy.' Just being able to learn from him and pick his brain and before and after all my matches, I'd go up to him and be like, 'Hey, do you have any advice for me? What can I do better?' And he'd always be so open to just help me with anything he could. I'm so grateful for him, he honestly is like a dad."

NXT’s Roxanne Perez on Mandy Rose: ‘One of the best and sweetest humans I’ve ever met’

The NXT Women's Champion spoke to BT Sport and appeared on After the Bell recently.

www.f4wonline.com

 

[Dale]

Didn't get to see it but good on her, hopefully she knocks it out of the park. Will be nice to see someone different with the belt moving forward.

 

[Deezy]

She puts some respect on Mandy's name.