During Royal Rumble weekend, WWE’s Natalya made headlines by issuing a bold challenge to TNA Knockouts World Champion Masha Slamovich, setting the stage for a potential inter-promotional clash. Speaking with Contralona at the WWE 2K2 event, she declared,
“Masha, I’m coming for your championship,” signaling her interest in stepping into the TNA ring.
This challenge comes as WWE’s NXT and TNA Wrestling continue their growing partnership, which has already seen crossover appearances by top talent. Natalya spoke highly of this collaboration, calling it “amazing” and emphasizing how it provides wrestlers from both promotions with new career-defining opportunities.
“The fact that they’re collaborating and working together is amazing because you look at so many talented men and women that are going to get the chance to work in WWE and have that platform,” she said.
She also acknowledged TNA’s resurgence, noting its consistently sold-out events and strong roster.
“I saw Tommy Dreamer the other day, and I was like, ‘I’m watching, I’m looking at TNA; all their shows are sold out, the crowds look amazing, and they have a stacked roster like Masha Slamovich.’”
With increasing crossover between the two brands, Natalya’s challenge could be the latest sign of bigger inter-promotional matches to come. Whether this leads to an official showdown between her and Slamovich remains to be seen, but fans of both WWE and TNA will be watching closely to see how this rivalry unfolds.
The WWE-TNA partnership has promised years of crossover between the two promotions, with strides already being made with NXT stars appearing on TNA shows, now, one of WWE’s longest-tenured talents, Natalya, is coming for Masha Slamovich and the TNA Knockouts title.
In an interview with Contralona, Natalya made it clear she has her sights set on Slamovich and invited the champion to train in her Hart Family dungeon.
“Masha, I’m coming for your championship. That’s the cool thing about challenging you right now, Masha. I think you’re so talented. Listen, Masha, if you want to come down to the dungeon, this is an official invite for you to train. I’ll try not to kick your ass too much—but yes, that’s an invite.”
Natalya, a former Divas Champion, SmackDown Women’s Champion, and Tag Team Champion, isn’t the only WWE name with an eye on Slamovich. Cora Jade has also targeted Slamovich and has been making appearances on TNA iMPACT! While a title match has yet to be announced, fans can expect the former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion in the ring with Masha soon enough.
With the TNA Knockouts division gaining increased attention, a match between Masha Slamovich and Natalya could mark a significant moment for the careers of both women. Fans will have to wait and see if this highly anticipated showdown becomes a reality.
WWE’s charismatic star Natalia has set her sights on converting fellow wrestling figures into cat lovers. After her success with Bailey, Natalia is now targeting none other than Stephanie McMahon.
“I changed Bailey’s mind, I converted Bailey from being a dog person into a mega cat lover. All it takes is one cat and you will turn into a cat lover.”
The Royal Rumble
Beyond her feline advocacy, Natalia reminisced about her favorite moments competing in the Royal Rumble. One of her proudest achievements was the year she stood as the “Royal Rumble Iron Woman.”
“One of my proudest moments in the women’s Royal Rumble was the year that I was the iron woman… I was in there for over 55 minutes,” she recalled.
The Women’s Royal Rumble has become a symbol of female empowerment within WWE. As anticipation builds for future Royal Rumbles, Natalia hinted at exciting possibilities,
“I’ve been hearing rumblings of women from the past coming back… I would love to see L cool and Mickey James and Melina and the Bellas.”
Stay tuned to SEScoops all weekend for our coverage of the 2025 WWE Royal Rumble.
Posted February 1st, 2025 in WWE. Tagged: Natalya.
The women of WWE have wasted no time in laying claim to the United States Women’s Title after the title was announced during this week’s SmackDown. Nick Aldis revealed the new gold during the show and said that the inaugural champion will earn the gold, rather than it be awarded.
Chelsea Green has proven to be a thorn in the side of ‘Sir Nicholas The Nasty’ and despite Aldis’ claim, is ready to be handed the new title.
Green’s tag team partner Piper Niven would likely love for her friend to hold gold, but she also has her eyes on becoming the first Women’s United States Champion.
Natalya, who inked a new contract with WWE this year, is ready to hold her first singles title since 2017, when she held the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
A new title for women in @wwe, I’m beyond excited for this. It’s been 7 years since I’ve won a singles title and I’ve never stopped working towards winning a championship again. I truly believe hard work always pays off. LFG!
While WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque is pleased that the title will showcase the continued effort of the women of the promotion.
The women of WWE continue to show that they are the very best in the business. The Women’s United States Championship will showcase their continued effort.
There have been calls for years for WWE to introduce a mid-card title to its roster, with the likes of Drew McIntyre, Bayley, Tiffany Stratton, and even The Undertaker, being on board. WWE introduced its first Women’s mid-card title earlier this year with the NXT Women’s North American Gold, but now the women of the main roster will have a new opportunity to showcase their talent.
WWE ID is becoming a cherished new aspect in the pro wrestling industry and everyone in the business is taking notice, including CM Punk and MJF.
WWE ID went on an announcement spree revealing a bevvy of independent wrestling names who have been approved by the program. Names like Jack Cartwheel, Cappuccino Jones and Zayda Steel were all initial announcments and eyes were certainly on the WWE ID X account.
CM Punk was sure to give shout-outs to all the names being revealed, and even tagged all of them on his Instagram stories. The former WWE Champion even shared an interview with Steel noting that Punk’s wife, AJ Mendez, was a major influence to her as a kid.
WWE ID even kicked down the “forbidden door” as AEW’s MJF was sure to tip the cap to Bryce Donovan, who came from the very school he and Max Caster did, Brian Myers’ Create-A-Pro. Donovan was the blue-chip prospect of Create-A-Pro and MJF made sure to let fans know on his Instagram stories to “Be shook.”
Another name of note who is keeping eyes on WWE ID is the wrestling extraordinaire Natalya. Nattie was sure to wish Steel a congratulations on being inked to the program.
Cartweel had a “cup of coffee” in All Elite Wrestling, but never signed with the company. Before the announcement, Steel did make a few appearances for Major League Wrestling as she became a contender for the Featherweight Championship as a heel under WTF, the World Titan Federation.
Since her debut on WWE’s main roster in 2008, Natalya has been a consistent performer in WWE’s women’s division, with singles and tag title reigns to her name. Now, the Hart Dungeon graduate has revealed that she spent much of her career legally blind in one eye, and how she overcame this disability.
Natalya was born with astigmatism and was legally blind in her left eye. The Canadian even discussed the issue during a 2015 taping of Total Divas, though her reveal was cut from the show’s broadcast. For years, Natalya tried to do what she could to correct her left eye, but to no avail.
“They didn’t have the technology to fix it,” she tells SI. “Didn’t qualify for LASIK because of how my eye was shaped. At that time, the procedure that they had for [a] lens implant, because of the shape of my eye, I didn’t qualify for it.”
The use of a contact lens in her eye left the veteran “see double” and she ultimately decided to take it out and “let my right eye do all the work.” This would be the case for years until this past summer when hope for her condition finally came about.
“I had a little time off this summer in between my contract re-signing. And I was like, if I had this time off, I’m going to ask WWE if I can get this fixed because I went and found an eye doctor.”
Natalya visited Newsom Eye in Tampa, which had cutting-edge technology that hadn’t been available previously. The procedure included an implant surgery which proved to be perfect for her damaged vision.
“They even strengthened my right eye. I had surgery in my right eye to get (it) even stronger so that my right eye (and) my left eye are totally in sync with each other.”
Three months after her previous match, Natalya returned to action on the September 9, Raw, fittingly in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. While the future remains unclear for the Queen of Harts, who has wrestled just twice since her emotional comeback, it’s a future that Natalya will see coming with perfect vision.
Posted October 24th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: Natalya.
On the January 4, 2010, edition of WWE Raw, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels reconciled in the ring, over a dozen years after the events of Survivor Series 1997. The pair had been at odds both before, and long after the events of that fateful November night in Montreal, and TJ Wilson played a role in the reconciliation, according to WWE veteran Natalya.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Natalya shared that it was Wilson who helped bridge the gap between Michaels and Hart years after the Montreal Screwjob.
“TJ had said something to Bret like, ‘I had a really great talk with Shawn and he was awesome and he was so nice to me and he was so nice to Nattie and he was just such a cool guy. He was giving me advice and being really helpful.”
Shawn disclosed that he felt “so bad” about his past issues with Bret, Natalya added, and that it was Wilson who “opened up the conversation” between the two WWE legends.
“We can all thank TJ for being the person that opened up that door because TJ is somebody that Bret really respects, and (he) trusts his word.”
During the interview, Natalya spoke about Michaels in his current role as WWE SVP of Talent Development and head of NXT. The Showstopper has been praised by many for his work with the silver brand and the former Divas Champion is no exception.
“Shawn is so encouraging to everyone. He makes you feel so good after you get back, so happy and so good about yourself. I honestly just had the best experience at NXT. And I’m always excited about the opportunity of going back.”
As for Hart, he appeared on Monday Night Raw last month in his native Calgary, where he unsurprisingly got a hero’s welcome from the Canadian crowd. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest from Bret and Shawn as the two icons of the ring have been able to put their differences aside and move forward with their lives.
Veteran wrestler Natalya is excited as NXT ushers in a new era with its move to the CW. Last night’s edition of the show marked the last time it aired on USA Network. NXT will premiere on The CW on October 1st after being on the USA Network for more than five years.
Several legendary wrestlers have competed on NXT over the years, and many of them reflected on the end of an era. ‘The Queen of Harts’ recently wrote on social media that some of her greatest memories were created at NXT. The former Women’s Champion stated that it was a magical place for a wrestler to perform and truly feel like a star.
Natalya has, “so much love for the brand and for USA Network family”. The veteran star also said that she was excited to see the brand continue to shine following its move to The CW.
Natalya had competed at the first NXT TakeOver in 2014. Since then she has made a handful of appearances over the years. Earlier this year, she recently had a run on the brand and even faced Lola Vice in an NXT Underground match.
After being away for months, ‘The Queen of Harts’ returned on the September 9th edition of WWE Raw which was the season premiere of WWE’s flagship show. She had a triumphant return as her team comprising Lyra Valkyria and Zelina Vega defeated the Pure Fusion Collective trio of Zoey Stark, Shayna Baszler, & Sonya Deville. The following week she defeated Zoey Stark in a singles match. Natalya recently spoke in detail about her absence from the company.
Natalya recently revealed that she had been busy with different projects which led to her absence from WWE for several months. “The Queen of Harts” returned on the latest edition of WWE Raw. This marked the season premiere of WWE’s flagship show, where she was revealed as the mystery partner of Lyra Valkyria and Zelina Vega.
Neidhart had a triumphant return as her team defeated the Pure Fusion Collective trio of Zoey Stark, Shayna Baszler, & Sonya Deville. Making an appearance on Growing Up Von Erichs, she reflected on her return to her hometown, Calagary, Alberta, Canada. She then revealed that she had been working on a couple of projects which kept her away from the programming:
“Yesterday, Monday Night Raw, I made my return back to the ring. I took the summer off, I was working on a couple of projects. We were back in Calgary, and that’s where my family started. It was so cool to make my re-debut in WWE back in Calgary. My whole family was there, Bret (Hart) was on Raw. I was able to win my match for my team. It was cool. It’s always nice to be back home.”
She also revealed that she underwent eye surgery and how WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H granted her the time off.
“I took a little time off this summer and the company was so great about it. They were like, ‘Take as much time as you need.’ It’s really changing so much in the best way and the culture is so different now. Our boss, Triple H, he is such a cool boss. I just recently got eye surgery to correct astigmatism in my eye and I needed a little bit more time off to get that done. He’s like, ‘Go get your eyes fixed.’ He’s like, ‘Don’t even worry about it.’ He’s like, ‘Take care of yourself’ and it was like, it’s just so cool to have a boss that’s human.”
‘Mental reset’
During the conversation Natalya revealed that she took time off for her mental health as well. This marked Natalya’s first match since the June 4th edition of NXT where she faced Izzi Dame. Nattie explained that she wanted a little break to refocus as mental health is as important as physical health. She said:
Even for me, just taking this break from WWE… I had my last match in June, so it was like, not even three months but, I took a little break because I was like, ‘I need a little mental reset.’ Or I just need some time to regroup, recalibrate, refocus… Again, it’s for my mental health because it’s one thing to be healthy and fit, like on a treadmill or you look great or you got abs but, if you’re not right up here, if your head isn’t right, you can’t do any of the fun stuff… And I always try to take the experiences that I’ve gone through and try to be there for the other girls in the locker room that may need guidance or help because life, whether you’re wrestling in WWE or you’re a mom or you’re a teacher or whatever it is that you’re doing, it’s hard. It’s day-to-day. Everything for me is just day-to-day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrt5jip3mpw
The former WWE Women’s Champion’s return on Raw was quite emotional and a ‘full circle moment’ for her. This week’s Raw emanated from the Scotiabank Saddledome in her hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and it also featured an appearance by her uncle and WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart.
It’s worth noting that the venue was where Natalya first stepped inside a WWE ring when she joined the celebration of The Hart Foundation’s victory at 1997’s In Your House: Canadian Stampede.
My very first time in a @wwe ring was in 1997 at the IN YOUR HOUSE Canadian Stampede PPV in Calgary. It was the last time my whole family was together. Last night was a full circle moment, being back in that same building, with @BretHart, The Hart family and my @wwe family.… pic.twitter.com/NheGt6W4rj
During her absence, there has been speculation that the third-generation wrestler might be jumping ship to AEW when her contract expires. However, she is not leaving WWE anytime soon. It has been reported that Natalya re-signed with WWE. She received a new deal from WWE in late June and it is reportedly a multi-year deal.
Natalya has been with WWE for more than a decade and she holds a key place on the high-talented Women’s division. The veteran is in the later stages of her pro wrestling career and also exploring different avenues.
After great speculation that Natalya could be heading to AEW once her contract expired, it appears as if the ‘BOAT’ will be sticking around WWE.
PWInisder first reported that Natalya re-signed with WWE and Fightful Select later confirmed that news. Her new deal has reportedly been in place since late June but contract negotiations seemed to begin back in May. The new contract is reportedly a multi-year deal.
Natalya had interest from companies outside of WWE and it’s understandably so considering she has been very hands-on with wrestlers from all promotions. A lot of different names have gotten some extra training at her Dungeon 2.0.
An added point of note regarding the Natalya news was that Tyson Kidd had interest from outside companies as an agent too. WWE was reportedly in the right to be concerned about losing Natalya and the company wanted to make certain they locked her down. The deal happened to get done before she hit the free agent market.
Natalya is one of the longest-tenured names on the WWE roster, being over 16 years with the company. Within the last year, she’s been a big part of helping talent in NXT and also has been major in getting rising talent over, recently competing against Lyra Valkyria on an episode of WWE RAW. There was a good deal of speculation that she could be available to head to AEW and compete in the Owen Hart tournament, but that obviously didn’t happen.
Veteran Superstar Natalya has built a legendary WWE career that began in 2007. The third generation wrestler is member of the legendary Hart family wrestling dynasty. She’s the daughter of Jim Neidhart and granddaughter of Hart Family patriarch Stu.
During a wide-ranging discussion with McKenzie Mitchell for Threads with McKenzie Mitchell, the ‘Queen of Harts’ revealed that her nephew Maddox is training to wrestle.
Maddox Neidhart is the son of Natalya’s younger sister, Kristen. He’s only 12 years old, but he’s training at Natalya and husband Tyson Kidd’s world-renowned Dungeon 2.0 training facility.
“Maddox is very inspired. I think there will be a fourth-generation Hart.”
– Natalya Neidhart to McKenzie Mitchell
Maddox Neidhart’s favorite wrestler is Jey Uso. Natalya says Jey sent Maddox a personalized video and sent him a few gifts, including a t-shirt he wore to the ring and a pair of his sunglasses.
Check out Natalya Neidhart’s appearance on Threads with McKenzie Mitchell:
Natalya Neidhart and the Hart Dynasty
Natalya Neidhart’s father Natalya’s father, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, married Ellie Hart, who is one of Stu Hart’s daughters. This makes Natalya a member of the Hart family through her mother. As a result of this lineage, she’s related to other famous wrestlers from the Hart family, including uncles Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Owen Hart.
Her connection to the Hart family has played a significant role in her wrestling career, as she trained in the Hart family Dungeon under her uncles Ross and Bruce Hart.
AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024 is set to take place tonight, but what are the rumors heading into the big show?
Always take these rumors with a grain of salt, because although some of these sensationalized headlines can seem more exciting than the usual news cycle, they are just that right now…rumors.
Here are the rumors that are doing the rounds this week ahead of the PPV event and everything you need to know to keep up with the latest updates.
One of the biggest stories right now surrounds former WWE Superstar Dijak, as he appears to be teasing a debut with All Elite tonight.
Dijak took to social media to cut a promo walking out of his house, claiming that it was time for a “Dijak Hijack”
“Today is such a beautiful day, it’s early in the morning right now, why don’t we go for a nice little drive, huh? Maybe a four-and-half hour drive? Maybe that’s exactly what today calls for.”
Long Island fits the bill for a four and a half hour drive for Dijak which is where Forbidden Door takes place, so there’s a very good chance that he appears tonight.
Rey Mysterio is one of the most beloved babyfaces in the history of wrestling business. A story from Natalya only further proves that he is as good of a guy behind the scenes as he is on screen.
The Hart Dynasty member recently had an interview with McKenzie Mitchell. They talked about the different aspects of the WWE star’s ring gears including her iconic jackets and more.
When the topic of wrestling boots came up, Natalya recalled the time Rey Mysterio gifted her a custom made pair of wrestling boots:
“It’s funny. Rey Mysterio. He is somebody that inspired me with wrestling boots. I saw a pair of boots that he was wearing and I said ‘Rey, I love those boots.’ The next week, he showed up with a pair of boots for me.
Actually, he gave me a pair of his own boots. Then he had a special pair custom made for me, which are the silver ones that are on the floor over there. That’s the kind of guy that Rey Mysterio is. He’ll literally take the shoes off of his feet and give them to you.”
One of My Most Special Treasures: Natalya
Natalya mentioned how she has worn the boots on many occasions. This includes WrestleMania 38 when she teamed up with Shayna Baszler to challenge for the Women’s Tag Team Championships:
“I wore these at WrestleMania when I tag teamed with Shayna. They’re so light that you almost don’t even feel [them], they’re just light as a feather. They’re so beautiful. I love them so much. The boots that Rey Mysterio gave me are like, one of my most special treasures.”
Natalya also talked about her early career and named Beth Phoenix as someone who inspired her when she first joined WWE. You can check out what Natalya had to say about her tag team with Phoenix here.
Natalya has been a part of WWE for more than 17 years. She has had a very successful career in WWE and it’s no surprise that the former Women’s Champion is a role model for many young female fans who aspire to become a wrestler one day.
The Hart family member recently had an interview with McKenzie Mitchell. She talked about things such as her start in wrestling, getting to compete in the first-ever women’s match in Saudi Arabia and more.
When asked if there were any female talents, she herself idolized while climbing the WWE ladder, Natalya took the name of Beth Phoenix without hesitation:
“Beth Phoenix. I had never met her prior to working in WWE. I remember like she debuted and I was just getting hired, I was like, ‘I like that she’s different. I like that she’s not your typical Barbie doll, she’s beautiful, and she’s strong, and she loves wrestling.’ It’s funny because she messaged me when I got hired by WWE on MySpace.
Beth Phoenix messaged me on MySpace and she’s like, ‘Hey I’m Beth. My whole childhood I grew up idolizing your family and I just had heard that there was a female Hart getting into the business. I wanted to reach out and just introduce myself.’ Long story short. We’ve been best friends ever since.”
There’s Only So Many Colors In The Rainbow
Natalya would later get the chance to share the ring with her idol and the two even formed a tag team named Divas of Doom. The Canadian star recalled how the two had a lot of fun working together including working on their gear:
“Beth always wanted to pay homage to my family with pink and black. You know, we got these little sparkly study-like spikes made for one of our costumes. We always wanted to match each other.
I remember Beth coming up to me and going ‘Would you mind if I got pink and black in my gear,’ and I was like ‘Oh my gosh Beth, I will be honored and also I don’t own pink and black.’ There’s only so many colors in the rainbow for us to use.”
While the tag team came to an end after Phoenix retired from active competition in 2012, Natalya has continued being a featured superstar in the women’s division. She most recently competed in the Queen of the Ring tournament, being eliminated by IYO SKY.
The stars were out at a recent WWE live event in the UK as the promotion’s ‘new era’ continues to be a hit with audiences around the world.
On Friday evening, WWE hosted an event in the O2 Arena in London, England, which served as the host of WWE Money in the Bank 2023. As seen in the photos below, some huge names from the world of sport were in attendance. Soccer legend Wayne Rooney was spotted in the crowd while boxer Anthony Joshua was able to meet Natalya and the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.
Anthony Joshua and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes
Wayne Rooney at a WWE live event in London, England
Anthony Joshua and Natalya
This event in the O2 isn’t Rooney’s first foray into the world of WWE. In 2015, Rooney attended an event in London and was confronted during the show by King Barrett. Undeterred by the former Nexus leader, the Manchester United alum delivered a swift slap to Barrett.
As for Joshua, he hasn’t competed since his knockout victory over Francis Ngannou in March but has plans to fight again this September. While the Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time World Boxing Champion has yet to step into a WWE ring, Joshua said in 2021 that he wanted to try his hand at pro wrestling.
The two celebs watched on as Natalya beat Shayna Baszler while Cody Rhodes defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in the main event to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship. If WWE’s recent wave of momentum is anything to go by, the pair had a great show at the O2, and it may not be the last time we see these names and other celebrities at a WWE event.
WWE will sometimes have main roster talent come by NXT to have a match on Tuesday night. This week’s show included a nice surprise, because Natalya was around for the show.
Lola Vice issued an open challenge prior to the March 26 episode of NXT. Natalya was the woman who stepped up to take her on.
Lola Vice took the microphone during WWE NXT this week, and she cut a heel promo. Then Natalya interrupted her, and the Queen of Harts received a very warm welcome in the NXT Arena.
Natalya made it clear how good Lola can be. That beings said, she was on NXT to accept her open challenge and take her down a peg or two.
In the end, Natalya got the win with a roll-up pin. This was a big win for Natalya on NXT, and we will have to see if things are only getting started with her and Lola Vice.
This is not the first time that Natalya has showed up in NXT. She has stopped by the brand in the past to mix it up with the NXT roster.
WWE NXT Stand & Deliver
WWE is less than two weeks away from WrestleMania 40 and Stand & Deliver. This week’s episode of NXT continued building toward the April 6 Stand & Deliver event. A lot can also happen in the meantime. You may check out the updated card (so far) below.
Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Tony D’Angelo: Singles match for the NXT Championship
Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker (c) vs. Tournament Winners: Tag team match for the NXT Tag Team Championship
Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes: Singles match
Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Roxanne Perez: Singles match for the NXT Women’s Championship
Oba Femi (c) vs. Dijak vs. Josh Briggs – Triple Threat match for the NXT North American Title
Posted March 26th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: Natalya, NXT.
WWE Superstar Natalya has proven that she’s built to last, considering the impressive streak she’s built for over 20 years.
Natalya made her WWE TV debut in 2008, making her one of the longest tenured Superstars, regardless of sex, in the company today. She is also the wife of TJ Wilson, a WWE producer who worked under Tyson Kidd until his in-ring career ended due to injury in 2015.
Natalya’s Unique Record
Given her lengthy tenure in the ring, you’d be surprised to learn that Natalya has been able to avoid long-term injuries throughout her career. On Twitter, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful pointed out that since 2004, the Queen of Harts has never been out of the ring for longer than three months. Responding, Natalya said she’s had luck on her side and has been fortunate enough to work with pros. The veteran added that she’s “built to F’N last” to explain how she’s been able to keep active in the ring.
I’ve been sometimes lucky, I’ve been in there with talented pros, I’ve been fiercely determined and I’ve been absolutely blessed to find something in my life that I truly love. All the road is worth it when the destination is between those ropes. (And…. I’m built to F’N last!) https://t.co/3Hwj8BdTAU
Natalya is a former WWE Divas Champion, having held the title from November 2010 to January 2011. In 2017 she captured the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship from Naomi. She and Tamina won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships in 2017.
The self-professed BOAT (Best Of All Time) also holds several Guinness World Records. They include:
As she continues to move forward with her own career, Natalya also continues to give back to her fellow wrestlers.
Not too far from their home in Florida, Natalya and her husband TJ Wilson run The Dungeon 2.0, where performers across multiple companies have the opportunity to hone their in-ring skills with other active competitors. In recent years, the Dungeon 2.0 has brought in the likes of Liv Morgan, Jade Cargill, Angelo Dawkins, TJPW’s Miyu Yamashita, and AEW’s Ricky Starks.
During a recent interview with TV Insider, Natalya further explained the motivation behind opening up The Dungeon 2.0 as a training space.
“TJ and I rented a warehouse. A little warehouse. There is no air conditioning, one small bathroom, and a wrestling ring. And the only thing you need is passion,” Natalya said. “We have friends who work in every corner of the industry. We have friends from every promotion. Our ring is not a school where you can sign up, or pay a fee, or just drop in. It’s invite only. You have to know a friend who knows a friend who knows a friend.”
“It’s kind of a wrestling workshop for intermediate to advanced people. We rent the space, but “The Dungeon” is our way of giving back to the industry. It’s our love letter to wrestling. I love being able to give back from women of NXT to women in the independent industry to women who love this industry.”
‘Honored’ To Train Jade Cargill
When asked who she’s particularly enjoyed working with, Natalya highlighted recent WWE signee Jade Cargill. At the beginning of January, Cargill put in a fierce training session at The Dungeon alongside the likes of Ricky Starks, Angelo Dawkins, and B-Fab.
“When Jade Cargill asked to train in ‘The Dungeon,’ I was so honored because when she asked she had just lost her mother,” Natalya said. “I thought, ‘That shows me right there the women we are going to get in WWE. Someone who has such passion for this.’ Having just lost a parent and thinking, ‘You know what? This is a positive focus for me and a way to shift my focus to work hard.’
I have so much respect for her for wanting to train during that difficult time in her life. ‘The Dungeon’ is our love letter to professional wrestling.”
Three weeks after training at The Dungeon, Cargill made her official WWE in-ring debut at the 2024 Royal Rumble event. There, Cargill entered the Women’s Royal Rumble match from the #28 position, eliminating three competitors from the field — one of which was “The Irresistible Force” Nia Jax.
Given the popularity of The Iron Claw, there’s been speculation about other wrestling stories making it to the big screen. On Instagram, Natalya posted a photo of herself with Rory Culkin, the star of movies including Signs and Scream 4. Jordan Levine and Jordan Beckerman of Yale Productions were also in the photo.
Natalya’s caption made clear that she is working on something close to her heart. Fightful Select reports that this something involves possibly making a movie based on the Hart family. Levine and Beckerman have reportedly had an interest in the idea for some time. Culkin, like his brother Macauley, is a known long-time wrestling fan.
The Hart Family Out of the Ring
If this film makes it to the big screen, it won’t be the first time that the first family of Canadian wrestling has been covered. WWE has released several documentaries about the Harts including individual DVD sets about Bret and Owen Hart.
Outside of WWE, Bret and his family worked with Trimark Pictures to create 1998’s ‘Wrestling With Shadows.’ The documentary gives an in-depth look at the highs and lows of professional wrestling and features Bret recounting his life in the business from a wrestler’s perspective. Wrestling With Shadows, which also covers the Montreal Screwjob, received a 25th-anniversary Blu-Ray release last year.
WWE Superstar Natalya has expressed her desire to battle one of the legendary women’s wrestlers, Gail Kim.
Natalya is a pro wrestling veteran and has been one of the mainstays in WWE for more than a decade. While he has several accomplishments and fought legendary superstars over the years, she never got an opportunity to face Gail Kim. Well, now she has revealed that she would have loved to face Kim and that she’s her dream opponent.
Natalya took to her Instagram story to repost Gail Kim’s recent picture with Nattie’s real-life husband, TJ Wilson (also known as Tyson Kidd).
“Always love you both. My Faves And you’re a DREAM MATCH OF MINE.”
Natalya says Gail Kim is ‘so talented’
The former Women’s Champion also recently took to Twitter and responded to a post from a fan. The veteran star responded by saying that she would love to wrestle Gail Kim, and she believes that the former WWE superstar is very talented.
“Would so love to wrestle Gail. I think she’s so talented,” she wrote.
Gail Kim’s legacy in wrestling is defined by her trailblazing achievements. In WWE, Gail Kim made an immediate impact by winning the WWE Women’s Championship in her debut match in 2003. However, she left the company in 2004. She returned to the company in 2008 and that run lasted until 2011.
It was in TNA where Gail Kim truly cemented her legacy. She is considered as a trailblazer, who helped to elevate the TNA Knockouts Division to new heights. With her in-ring prowess, she set a new standard for women’s wrestling.
She’s a 7-time TNA Knockouts Champion and apart from in-ring performances, she also played a pivotal role behind the scenes. In 2016, she was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame and it was certainly a fitting tribute to her contributions.
Jade Cargill has yet to wrestle for WWE, but speculation continues to grow about what’s next for her. Despite her absence from TV, Cargill remains active in the ring. On her Instagram Stories this week, WWE Superstar Natalya shared a video of Jade training for her much-anticipated debut match.
As Triple H made clear during the Survivor Series post-show press conference, WWE will not be rushing plans with Jade Cargill. While Cargill knows what brand she’ll be working with going forward, the former TBS Champion has not confirmed publicly where she’ll be heading.
Whatever’s next for Jade Cargill, it likely won’t involve Charlotte Flair. It had been rumored for some time that Flair would be Cargill’s first WWE opponent, especially after an interaction between the two on SmackDown. Unfortunately, Flair suffered an injury last month that will keep her out for much of 2024. The Queen recently thanked fans for their support after undergoing surgery.
Natalya continues to inspire the next generation of WWE Superstars, and in recent years, she’s gotten to work with a few as well.
In April 2022, Natalya returned to WWE’s developmental territory of NXT, surprising Cora Jade with an emotional message. Natalya applauded Jade on making it to WWE, years after the two first met at a WWE live event during Jade’s fanatic days. The former SmackDown Women’s Champion referred to Jade as the “future” of NXT, but “the future is [also] bleak,” she said.
Natalya then delivered a slap to the young superstar, before locking in her signature Sharpshooter submission. The two later met once more, as Cora Jade did her best to dethrone the “Queen of Harts” on the May 10 episode of NXT. Unfortunately for Jade, though, the referee would be forced to call the match as she passed out to the Sharpshooter.
Natalya Heaps Praise For Cora Jade
Recently speaking with Love Wrestling, Natalya commended Cora Jade for making persistent strides to achieve her childhood dream, noting that their storyline was Natalya’s “favorite thing” of 2022.
“It was so much fun,” she said. “She wanted to soak up as much information as she could. She was really a pleasure to work with, and I loved our program together. It was so much fun, and I think that there’s a lot of great things to come for her in the future, too. I think she’s a student of the game.”
“She is also somebody that I pointed to in the crowd [at a live event]. She has this photo of us that we took a selfie in the audience, and she made it. So, it’s really cool again, like [Roxanne Perez], Cora’s a fan. She’s a fan, she loves this, and she’s here. She made it. Cora and Roxy are a great message to little girls, and guys, everywhere, that you can have big dreams and you can accomplish them. You can achieve them. With hard work, dedication, and not ever taking no for an answer, you can achieve your dreams.”
H/T to Spencer Love of Love Wrestling for the transcription
Several top WWE stars have filmed for the famous ‘Wheel of Fortune’ game show. Filmed at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California, RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair alongside the New Day led a star-studded episode of the popular game show.
Joining the trio of champions was Big E, Bayley, Liv Morgan, Maryse, Natalya, and Carmella. The WWE stars were paired off with select fans over the duration of the taping.
Photos and Videos of WWE Invading Wheel of Fortune
Liv Morgan and Natalya also gave fans a peak behind the curtain of the show’s tapings.
In late 2022, WWE unveiled that fans could apply to be part of the company’s involvement with Wheel of Fortune. WWE announced that fans would compete alongside their favorite stars with a chance to win various prizes.
The company officially stated:
“Winning teams will secure fabulous rewards such as a trip to WrestleManiaand other exclusive WWE prize packages.”
Wheel of Fortune History
Wheel of Fortune first aired in January 1975 and has recorded over 7,000 episodes. Spin-offs of the show, including a celebrity edition have been aired due to the show’s massive success. Several WWE stars and personalities have appeared on the show over the years including The Miz, Maria Menounos, Snoop Dogg, and Drew Carey.
While not having an official airdate, it’s been reported that the episode is set to air sometime in March.
SEScoops will provide any updates on a possible airdate as it becomes available.
Natalya made a surprise return to WWE at in the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble match. The second-generation Superstar had not publicly declared for the match. She’s been out of action since November after undergoing nasal surgery to move her dislocated nose “back to the center” of her face.
As the daughter of WWE legend Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, Natalya regularly wears pink and black as an homage to the Hart Foundation, his classic tag team with Bret “Hit Man” Hart.
It wasn’t a big surprise to see her rocking the ‘Hart colors’ at the Royal Rumble. On Sunday, the 2-time Women’s Champion revealed her Rumble ring attire was extra special, with deep ties to her father’s legendary tag team.
Natalya’s Royal Rumble Ring Gear
In a post on Twitter, Natalia revealed that her Rumble gear was designed by the same person who (along with her sister) is responsible for the Hart Foundation wearing pink and black in the first place.
“The costume designer who made this outfit for me, Julie, also designed the very first ever Hart Foundation gear with her sister, Terry,” she wrote. They were the ones who came up with the concept of The Hart Foundation wearing pink and black.”
She also wore a skull cap, a look coined by her father during the Hart Foundation’s tag team title reign in 1990. As seen below, you can see the inspiration behind this latest look.
The costume designer who made this outfit for me, Julie, also designed the very first ever Hart Foundation gear with her sister, Terry. They were the ones who came up with the concept of The Hart Foundation wearing pink and black. 💕🖤 pic.twitter.com/fyxKs535M8
Natalya has been a member of WWE’s main roster since April 2008. As a senior member of the women’s locker room, she has a ton of experience to offer some of Raw and SmackDown’s more recent additions.
Mentoring aside, Natalya is not over the hill by any means. Just last year, she challenged then-SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey at WWE’s Money in the Bank premium live event. Rousey got the win, but Natalya showed she can still compete at the highest level.
WWE legend Davey Boy Smith, aka the British Bulldog, would have turned 60 years old today.
The British Bulldog was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in the class of 2020. Davey was the inaugural WWF European Champion, a former Intercontinental Champion, and held the tag titles twice, once with Owen Hart, and once with Dynamite Kid in his career. He sadly passed away in 2002 at just 39 years old.
Davey’s family now runs his Twitter account and sent out a birthday wish to the WWE Hall of Famer earlier today.
“A BIG Happy Birthday to my dad Davey Boy Smith, who would’ve been 60 years old today. We don’t just celebrate and honor you today, but everyday we continue to cement your legacy from the past and beyond. I can’t wait to show, and see what’s next in store for you. I love you!”
A BIG Happy Birthday to my dad Davey Boy Smith, who would’ve been 60 years old today. We don’t just celebrate and honor you today, but everyday we continue to cement your legacy from the past and beyond. I can’t wait to show, and see what’s next in store for you. I love you! ❤️🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/8eLfhlnnXn
Natalya wrote a column for the Calgary Sun ahead of the Hall of Fame ceremony. She referenced his famous bout against Bret “The Hitman” Hart at SummerSlam 1992. He defeated Bret in front of 80,000+ fans at Wembley Stadium in the main event of the show.
Davey joins my dad, Jim Neidheart, my uncle Bret Hart, and my grandfather Stu Hart in WWE’s prestigious Hall of Fame.
Many people have said that the greatest performance of Davey Boy Smith’s career was against Bret Hart in front of a sold out crowd at Wembley Stadium in 1992 at SummerSlam.
It is a match that inspires myself and so many others to this day and went on to become one of the most iconic matches in the history of WWE.
Davey’s son Harry, who has carried on his father’s legacy in the ring, has said about the match: “SummerSlam `92 was such a special moment in time for my father Davey Boy Smith, uncle Bret Hart, and for WWE fans around the world. More than 80,000 fans packed into Wembley Stadium in England to see what in my opinion was the greatest Intercontinental Title match of all time.
WWE has uploaded the full Intercontinental Championship match at Wembley Stadium between Bret Hart and British Bulldog at SummerSlam 92 and you can check it out below.
Posted November 27th, 2022 in News. Tagged: Natalya.
