Smackdown Superstar Naomi was recently the guest on Women’s Wrestling Weekly. Here are some highlights….

On her 2019:

“2019 kicked my ass, pretty much. I lost my cousin, who was like a sister-cousin. Same age. She passed tragically giving birth so that was — I had never experienced [having to] deal with anything like that, and there was just no way I could focus and work going through that. So I took time off for that. Also, before that happened, I was just extremely exhausted, extremely tired, maybe for the like the past year and, we all work so hard and we never wanna say, ‘I need time off’ or ‘I need a break.’ Only time in ten years I’ve ever taken time off, legitimately, was due to injuries and even that isn’t time off because you’re so stressed out about missing out, your spot being taken and trying to rehab. That’s probably one of the most stressful things so, I finally just had to get myself together, mentally, emotionally, physically. I was just breaking down so when I asked for that time off to bury my cousin and to go back home and be there with my family, and her kids that are left here, I end up going to the doctor just to see what was wrong with me because it was very hard for me to get through matches. I was extremely fatigued all the time.”

“I was literally chugging energy drinks just to get through the days of travel and matches. I didn’t know what was wrong. I found out I was severely anemic. I never knew that. So bad to the point where the doctors told me had I came in later, whatever count was at a 9.4, if it would’ve got under a nine, then I probably would’ve [needed] a blood transfusion which that blew my mind, because I always thought I’m fine, I’m healthy, I’m working out everyday, I’m eating good. But it was that, and I found out I had a stomach ulcer. I found out I was completely Vitamin D deficient, so I was just… I don’t even know how I was going through everything and life and my schedule that way, and so finding that out really woke me up and helped me to realize that I really need to take better care of myself instead of being so focused on everyone and everything else. And just taking a mental break. That’s what it was more than anything, and I didn’t expect to be off that long but, that’s just how it ended up happening and how storylines went and I needed it. That was a hard time, a scary time because obviously I miss work, and you never wanna take off for those kind of things and yeah. I was really able to reconnect with my family, my loved ones, my friends who I haven’t seen in years just because I’ve been on the road and traveling and so focused on work and the schedules never work.”

On asking to go to NXT:

“I asked about a year ago to go down to NXT to work. I just think NXT is awesome. I love NXT and also, the time I wasn’t being used much on the main roster so, I was like, ‘Dang, can I go down there and just see what I can get into, what could happen, and the talent down there is just so good.’ Just so good, and this was at the time where… I love Bianca, and her personality and her spirit is even more beautiful so, that was one idea I had.”

“I either wanted to go work against her or to be with her or to do this story but it wasn’t the right time and also, B is a star all on her own and I think they want her to be that and come into her own but, it’s just a dream of mine because we’ve never officially had two African-American tag team champions. That’s never happened, and I think, it might’ve been me and Cameron — we were the first legit, two black tag team females.”

Click here for the full show.