Eva Marie Explains Why She Went Back to NXT During First WWE Run

Eva Marie shocked fans when she popped back up in NXT in 2015—but that move wasn’t punishment, it was her idea. The former WWE star now admits that while she was already riding the main roster wave, she personally requested to return to NXT so she could actually get better at wrestling.

In her interview on Unwrapped with Daria Berenato (Sonya Deville) and Toni Cassano, Eva revealed that looking back, it’s wild she even made that call—but at the time, it felt right.

“2015? I was up on the main roster. I was just about to ask to go back down to NXT, which is so crazy looking back — that I even did that.”

Why give up the spotlight of RAW and SmackDown? Simple. Eva says it wasn’t about exposure—it was about excellence.

“Why did I do it? Yes, I wanted to compete, for sure. I think for me, it’s just innate in me. If I want to do something, I want to do it to my best ability. And I really didn’t have the opportunity, because when you’re on the road, you’re on the road.”

She added that regular training was nearly impossible on the main roster, where the pace is brutal and the resources limited. While stars like Natalya helped when they could, Eva didn’t want to keep leaning on others to cover her inexperience.

“Who’s really getting into the ring with you that often before shows? It’s difficult, you know. Like Nattie, of course, but I can’t put so much on somebody. And the producers are cool too, like Fit Finlay would roll and stuff like that, but it’s not the same.”

Eva described NXT as a place where talent can drill the basics and actually learn how to wrestle—not just perform.

“You don’t get the same experience. Plus, people are tired, you know, and it’s not the immersive experience at NXT. No. People aren’t there trying to say, ‘Okay, this is how you do a forward roll,’ and ‘This is how to take a proper back bump.’”

Her decision to take a step back from TV time in order to invest in her skillset says a lot. In a business that’s all about staying visible, Eva Marie chose long-term growth over short-term fame—and that’s not something most superstars would risk.

Eva’s return to NXT wasn’t a demotion—it was a reset. And it’s proof she didn’t just want the gear and glamor. She wanted to earn her spot.

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