Natalya: I Want To Face Ronda Rousey In The Main Event Of WrestleMania And Win The RAW Women’s Title
Nattie takes a look back at the 2018 Women’s Royal Rumble match and possibly winning this year’s Rumble.
The second-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match is upon us and is set to take place this upcoming Sunday at WWE’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view which will be live on the WWE Network in front of 40,000 plus inside of ‘Chase Field’. Half of the spots in the Women’s Royal Rumble match are filled and one of the 30 participants is former SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Natalya.
Ahead of her second-straight Rumble appearance, Nattie reflected on the 2018 Women’s Royal Rumble match and noted that she wants to win this year’s bout and go on to main event WrestleMania 35 against the RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey.
(Here’s an excerpt from Natalya’s blog post for the Calgary Sun):
Not only did the women of WWE make history, but I got to share a ring with iconic women from the past whom I never thought I’d get to compete against — women like Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson, Vickie Guerrero and Molly Holly. I remember thinking it was the coolest thing in the world to put Trish Stratus in the Sharpshooter in front of a sold-out crowd, as I figured I’d break her down a bit before tossing her over the top rope. But as destiny would have it, it was only fitting that if the Queen of Harts was to be eliminated, it would be from a “Stratusfying” Chick Kick delivered to me by Trish herself! The fangirl inside of me was willing to accept that, as I fell off the apron and onto the floor in defeat. But in the words of Legion of Doom: “What a rush!”
My favourite moment of last year’s match came when my best friend Beth Phoenix entered the Rumble and we took on the unstoppable force, Nia Jax. After tackling Nia through the ropes, Beth and I had a moment that had the entire arena standing still, wondering what was going to happen next. We were alone in the ring for the first time since she retired and we gave each other the biggest hug. Then I did the unexpected: I attacked Beth and tossed the Glamazon out over the top rope! I eliminated one of the greatest female WWE Superstars of my generation. In so many ways that moment felt like Beth Phoenix was passing on a torch that she was wanting me to have since she retired in 2012. I smile every time I think about the Rumble moment we had together and will always be grateful for what she gave to me. I hope I can one day do the same for other women in WWE.
I’m counting on myself to win this year’s women’s Royal Rumble match because I want to face Ronda Rousey in the main event of WrestleMania and win the Raw Women’s Championship. It’s a moment I’ve been working toward my entire career. I’ve been lucky enough to make history in WWE in many different ways, and I’m never going to stop dreaming big because that’s what makes life fun!
To see the updated list of participants in the 2019 women’s and men’s Royal Rumble matches, click here, and to get a look at the Royal Rumble PPV match card, head over to Fightful’s “events” page.
