It’s one thing to make it to the top of the WWE Universe. It another thing to stay there. Just ask “The Man.”

It’s been nonstop Becky Lynch — the current “RAW” women’s champion — over the last year when her WWE’s career exploded to another level behind her sharp tongue and relentless work ethic both in and out of the ring.

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Lynch had her defining moment at WrestleMania, winning both the “RAW” and “SmackDown” women’s championships as women headlined the annual mega-event.

Now, she’s trying to enjoy the fruits of the labor, but there is no stop. But there are perks that come with the job. That includes donning the cover of the upcoming WWE2K20 video game alongside fellow WWE superstar Roman Reigns.

This Sunday at SummerSlam in Toronto, Lynch will put her “RAW” women’s championship on the line in a submission match against Toronto’s own Natalya in front of what should be a raucous crowd at the Scotiabank Arena.

Just hours before the Aug. 5 edition of “RAW” in Pittsburgh, Sporting News spoke with the “Irish Lass kicker” about making the cover of the upcoming WWE2K20 video game (out on Oct. 22 and available for pre-order now), trying to stay on top of the mountain, her upcoming SummerSlam match and her arch-nemesis Ronda Rousey.

SPORTING NEWS: You are on the cover of the new WWE2K20 video game alongside Roman Reigns. What was your reaction when you found out?

BECKY LYNCH: You know, "The Man" doesn't shriek but I may have shrieked when I found out. It's pretty cool. There's certain things you want in your life. One of them is main-eventing WrestleMania, one of them is to be a playable character in a video game. And to be on the cover of the video game — stop it. That's next level stuff.

SN: You wanted this spot, these opportunities for a long time. Now you've had them for close to the last year. Has it been everything you thought it would be?

BL: Absolutely. Absolutely. It's a lot of targets on your back. It's a lot of work. It's a lot of no sleep. It's a lot of running on adrenaline and I love it.

SN: There's always a process of getting to this stage in a career. Now that you're there, that you've main-evented WrestleMania, you're on the cover of the new WWE 2K video game, how difficult is it to maintain this position?

BL: Yeah, it's probably harder, you know because you're always the hero on the chase to the villain and the victory, right? Everybody wants to support you when you're climbing but once you get there, everybody kind of wants to knock you down a peg or two ... or three or four or five. So, the work gets harder. We are in the business of how have you entertained me lately.

OK, yeah, you did something cool last week but what have you done this week? What did you do on Twitter? What did you do in Instagram? So, it's always constantly thinking of more ways to evolve and then you've got more attention, you've got more eyes on you. You always have to be thinking. You always have to be creative and working and trying to evolve.

SN: This huge boom in your career really began a year ago at SummerSlam when you attacked Charlotte Flair following your match. Did you think that was going to be a career-altering moment?

BL: Yes, I actually did at the time because I knew that the people were there supporting me and that I knew once you decide that you've had enough and you're not going to take crap anymore, people can feel that because we've all felt like that. We've all been in that position where we're taking so much and we're just sick to death but finally, one day, you wake up and say enough's enough. I've done things the right way — now let me do them my way and see where that gets me. And let me tell you from experience, it gets you pretty far.

SN: Obviously, you had success in WWE before that moment but it had never been to this level. Is there any part of you that wonders 'what took them so long to really get me like this?'

BL: The fans were always behind me. Fans were always with me. The reason why I got where I am was because of them. It was them telling the people behind the stage 'She's got something. We like her. We have a connection with her.' When I was on top of that ladder in Chicago at Money in the Bank (in 2018), the crowd went mad and that showed everybody that I have something.

People that thought I was destined to be good but not great, a good hand, somebody who can make people look good, somebody that can make people into stars but wasn't necessarily a star herself. The crowd and the reaction, that changed everybody's perception backstage which then pushed me to the next level.

SN: We all know that you and Seth Rollins are in a relationship and we've seen you work together in WWE including a match teaming up at Extreme Rules in July. We haven't seen you together on TV since then. Would you like to work together or is it better to go your separate ways on screen?

BL: I think it was cool to see us side-by-side but we both have our own divisions to carry right now. So, I think let me go and do my own thing, let him go and do his own thing. We'll be fighting and defending for my championship and hopefully his championship after SummerSlam.

I think when you see two bad asses fighting together, that's cool. When you hear about them being in a relationship every few minutes, maybe not so cool. (laughs)

SN: Is it tough to have that kind of a spotlight? It's one thing to be seen together in public but it's another when you're doing your job together and the job is in the WWE, which is very unique and brings a different kind of spotlight.

BL: Yeah, it is what it is. It was cool to work with him and he is the best at what he does and I'm the best at what I do. Side-by-side, I think that's awesome. I think when we put the focus on the wrong thing, then things can get a little bit skewed.

SN: You're going to facing Natalya at SummerSlam for your "RAW" women's championship. Do you think the buildup and the match will be more satisfying considering the history between the two of you and that you've known each other for more than a decade?

BL: We've known each other for 14 years. I had my first tour with Nattie 14 years ago in Japan. Before that, I met her, I think in September in Canada and we've got through a lot. We were the closest of friends and then she stabbed me in the back. When I got my face broken, when I was concussed, she held my hand when I was getting stitches and then she goes off and trains Ronda Rousey to try and beat me. When she knows all that I've been through to get where I am, it busted my heart a little bit.

For her to come out and talk about how much it means to her to get a title shot against her friend, I'm not your friend anymore. I'm your opponent. You're trying to take away something I've worked my entire life for, something I care about more than anything. I'm going to beat the hell out of you in your home country and snap your arm in front of your family if that's what it comes down to.

SN: Considering how the two of you were tied together for so long, do you miss not having Ronda Rousey around WWE?

BL: Do I miss her? Absolutely not. If she wants to come back, I'll still be holding onto the championship and happy to face her. I didn't run. She ran. I still want that singles match. I still want that singles match so whenever she wants to come back and face me, I'll be right here waiting, carrying this division that she abandoned.