NXT Women's North American Champion, SolRuca, has enjoyed recent success in "NXT," but, according to the rising star during a sit down with Bully Ray on "Busted OpenAfter Dark," pro wrestling wasn't always her goal, even though she seems to have a bright future in WWE based on her current push in the promotion.
"Nope, not at all!" Ruca said when asked whether she grew up as a wrestling fan. "I have, like, zero pro wrestling background... I honestly like being here now? I wish I would've known about it sooner because I think I would've been like 'This is what I wanna do.'" She further claimed that she honestly had no idea that pro wrestling existed for most of her life, and when she found out about it, she thought it was an exclusive thing that she couldn't join.
Ruca then recounted how she was discovered by WWE. "At the time, I was living in Hawaii, I was doing social media full-time, with personal training," she recalled. "I was working with brands, I was like posting flips and tricks on the beach, that was kinda, like, my niche like little content that I would post and I would get sponsored by brands." Eventually, she claimed that she was spotted by a recruiter who ended up DM'ing her. "Got the DM, and I was like: I don't know about this... Is this like UFC? I thought it was, like, the same thing I don't know how to fight? I don't want to do that!"
While her initial reaction to pro wrestling was confusion and hesitation, Sol Ruca eventually researched the sport and industry and realized that it was something she found really appealing. "And I, like, Googled, like, 'former gymnast' like, someone who had the same background as me and saw Kacy Catanzaro- Katana Chance and I was like 'Okay! Like, this is sick! Like, I'll give it a try!'" she recalled. "It's a free trip to Florida, like, might as well do it! If I don't make it, it's a hell of a story to tell people!"
"Flew out here, and the first day was Promo Class," she added, noting that her class included people who were on the Indies and former athletes. "I was like: 'I don't even know what a promo is? What does that even mean?'" Ruca noted that they were all numbered and were called one by one to give their shot at a promo, and the person ahead of her had an entire persona and outfit, which she didn't have. "I go up there and it's probably the worst promo they've ever seen." Despite this, Bully Ray added that he believes that Ruca has the "It Factor" and assured the NXTWomen's North American Champion that this was why she was signed at the end of the day, even though she couldn't cut a promo at first.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open After Dark" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
