WWE performer Nattie Neidhart, known professionally as Nattie, has addressed comparisons between her current wrestling character and that of former WWE star and MMA fighter Ronda Rousey, asserting they are distinct.
Neidhart is preparing for a fatal four-way match at AAA’s Triplemania 34 Night 1, where she will compete for the No. 1 contender spot for the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship. In an interview with OutKick Dropkick, she was asked about the possibility of participating in a mixed martial arts match, especially with major combat sports events taking place in Las Vegas.
"It’s funny because this headline that’s been going around all day. It says, ‘Natalya’s character is nothing like Ronda Rousey,’ and I was laughing about that because somebody had compared me to Ronda – first of all, I love Ronda," Neidhart said. "We’re very good friends. We’re very good friends to this day so I do want this to get out there. I love her to death but my character is a derivative of coming from The Dungeon. It was something I created after I wrote my book and I realized, man, what I was doing from my very first year of wrestling, it was like Bloodsport before there was ever Bloodsport because I was the only woman trained in the dungeon where I was wrestling men. We were shoot fighting with each other. My grandfather was an amateur wrestling champion of Canada so that was the kind of training in The Dungeon that they went through and there was no ropes. It was just a mat – a mat and some walls."
She further elaborated on her character's roots, stating, "I always say that I’m Stu Hart’s granddaughter from The Dungeon and I respect the hell out of Ronda. She’s no doubt one of the greatest women to ever compete in MMA. She’s the first person to bring attention and eyes to women in that sport. I loved my matches against her but for me, this is something that is totally different. But the thing is, because I trained with a lot of men, I would never rule out doing an MMA match. I think it would be fun. I would love to beat the s--- out of someone."
Neidhart described her enjoyment of the physical aspects of her performance, including delivering and receiving punishment. "And here’s the thing about my character, which is kind of an extension of me in real life is that I really love the taste of blood in my mouth and bruises underneath my clothes," she told OutKick Dropkick. "I love it. It excites me. I just did this rivalry and this storyline with Jaida Parker at NXT and I love that she hit me hard and I love that I hit her hard."
She recalled coming home from matches bruised and injured, citing a knocked-loose tooth as an example of the intensity she embraces. "I love that I would come home and I would be like, you know, I’d be scratched up and clawed up and bruised. I mean I had a tooth that was knocked loose and I was like, this is great s---. Jaida said the other day, ‘Nattie really brought out the dog in me.’ And that’s the thing, win or lose, let’s f---ing go. Let me bring out the dog in you because there’s a f---ing dog in me and it’s not a chihuahua."
This intensity is what opponents Roxanne Perez, Faby Apache, and La Hiedra can anticipate at Triplemania on Friday night. The event will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, with the winner of the match securing a championship opportunity at Worlds Collide later this month.
