[Blog] The NXT Extra That Never Was (Patreon)

Earlier this month I posted the above photo for a throwback! So here's the story behind it.

Top, Left to right: Madison Eagles, AK, Puente, Sarah Logan, Peyton Royce, Dakota Kai

Bottom, Left to right: Kay Lee Ray, Billie Kay, Rhia O'Rheilly, Bayley, Kelly Skater, Shazza McKenzie

This is from October 2015, the month after my WWE tryout, and they had asked me to come down to Full Sail to do extra work for NXT. William Regal in particular asked me.

I didn't get to have a match at my tryout like most people do. I was the only experienced female wrestler at my tryout. The next person with the most experience at the time was Katie Forbes, but she was still very green. Lacey Evans was also in my tryout and she had started training, but very recently. So, I couldn't have a match to show them what I could do.  The guys had the same situation. I remember going up to Regal and asking him if I could wrestle one of the experienced men, just so I could show that I could work. I recall there being a luchador there, but I can't remember his name. Regal didn't think they would go for an intergender match. Even in a TRAINING setting, but it is what it is...

But, Regal did seem to like me, and we emailed a little after my tryout. That's when he asked me to come down and do extra work the following month, so that I could show that I could work. I was scheduled to be there for two days.

When I got to Full Sail on Day One, the first thing I remember is seeing Sara Del Rey in the makeup room. She looked happy to see me, but couldn't really move because she was getting her hair done. She told me I would be wrestling Bayley the following night. She seemed excited. I was excited. Bayley was excited. FUCK YES.

I remember very little from these two days, including even taking the above photo, but I do remember meeting Brandi Rhodes for the first time there, in the locker room. I remember her being very nice.

I also remember never really getting a chance to go speak to Triple H, even though my friend was trying to push me to go talk to him. He was busy! He was literally directing Nia Jax on how to come down the ramp during her entrance. He made her redo it so many times. (That was the weekend she made her debut) I was not about to interrupt him. 😂

The next day, I get to Full Sail, and Regal comes out of their meeting looking glum. He has a fairly stoic demeanor, but I could tell he didn't have good news for me. He told me that they had scrapped my match with Bayley. The night prior, she had that epic 30-min Iron Man Match with Sasha at Takeover. They wanted her to rest/sell. 😅

I understood. I wasn't mad, but it sure did suck for me. I knew Bayley was bummed too. She had been pushing for me. She was texting me all throughout my tryout the month before, and very well was the reason I even got that extra match in the first place.

Some have said it was meant to be, that I didn't just end up "jobbing" on NXT. But who knows what it could have led to had they actually seen me work. 🤷‍♀️

My strongest selling points are my promos and my in-ring work. My selling, my personality. I don't really stand out on a sheet of paper in the tryouts next to gymnasts, cheerleaders, olympians... 😅

However, this led me down another path that has left me happy and fulfilled as well. I signed with Impact, worked with some of my best friends, made new best friends - Impact is actually where Marti and I got so close! - I even got to lead that division for a while... Got to hop back to WWE for the MYC, signed with NWA. This is in no way a sad post! It's been such an amazing ride and sometimes it feels like it's just getting started!

Here's to more "other doors" opening! 🖤

AK