Tatum Paxley knows there are wrestling fans who aren’t exactly thrilled about WWE signing athletes who never spent years grinding on the independent scene. But if anyone expects that criticism to bother her, Paxley says they’re wasting their time.
Speaking to Complex Graps, Paxley was asked about her unusual path into WWE. She didn’t arrive after years of wrestling on the indies or even as someone who had spent her entire life dreaming about becoming a wrestler, instead coming from a competitive powerlifting background.
That’s become increasingly common in NXT, where WWE has recruited athletes from a variety of sports and trained them from scratch. It has also led to criticism from some fans who believe those recruits haven’t “paid their dues” in the same way wrestlers who spent years on the independent circuit did.
Paxley understands that conversation exists, but she doesn’t walk around feeling like she has something to prove because of it. She believes anyone who doesn’t genuinely fall in love with professional wrestling probably isn’t going to make it very far anyway.
“Yeah. I wouldn’t say I have a chip on my shoulder. I understand why people—I don’t understand why they have it out for me, you know? Because, to me, you really only get far if you have a genuine love for the business, you know? Because you can tell if somebody’s not happy here, you know? And if you’re not happy here, then, you know, you’re welcome to go elsewhere.”
As far as Paxley is concerned, the success of WWE’s athlete recruits speaks for itself. She believes the people who stick around and start succeeding are doing so because they’ve developed a real passion for wrestling, regardless of what brought them through the door in the first place.
“So, when you see, you know, these Superstars getting the success that they’re getting, it’s because they found the love for the business. And I think if you love something, you want to share that love with other people.”
And when it comes to fans who are still angry that people like her didn’t come through the indies, Paxley isn’t losing any sleep over it. She’s happy with where she is and loves what she’s doing, which is ultimately all she cares about.
“So, I mean, people, you know, can get mad. It doesn’t really bother me that much. I’m happy. I love what I do, and that’s all that matters.”
Paxley isn’t arguing that everyone has to take the same road into wrestling. Her point is that how someone gets through the door matters a lot less than whether they actually fall in love with the business once they’re there.
What do you think about Tatum Paxley’s response to criticism of WWE signing athletes without independent wrestling experience? Let us know in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
