WWE veteran Natalya debuts her smart-ass character Natty in 2026 at the Royal Rumbleafter first portraying him in Bloodsport. Natty has because he worked in “WWE NXT” shortly after program with Maxxine Dupri on the main rosterand he wants to show fans more about the red and blue brands, which he explained on it “No Holds Barred” by the Toronto Sun.
Natty explained that he did about six weeks of character work for the main character, including vignettes with Dupree last December that he called “bada**.” He explained that the WrestleMania season made things difficult for the development of his character because the plans were already made.
“There was this little hiatus of, ‘Okay, we’ve opened up a new character,’ and then all of a sudden it’s like, ‘Okay, we’ve got to get into the WrestleMania stuff,'” he said. “I fully understand that I was not going to be a part of WrestleMania. But here’s the thing, when you love this and you’re passionate about it, it’s like; But the wheels were already turning for me. So I was thinking. “Okay, what do I do to continue developing the character? What can I do to continue to explain to people who may not know who Natty is and where he came from and why this change happened?’
She recalled being told she had to explain why she had changed from being Natalya for 18 years to a new character. Nattie said she’s not trying to do an MMA fighter gimmick like Ronda Rousey, as much as she respects the former UFC champion and the work she’s done in WWE.
“I feel like my character is still developing and growing,” Natty said. “But the character is just a derivative of what I was doing when I first started in my grandfather’s dungeon.”
Natty: Forged in prison
The third-generation star is adamant that his character stems from his work at his grandfather Stu Hart’s prison, where he trained before joining the family’s promotion, Stampede Wrestling, in 2003. Natalya has been with WWE since she was signed to a developmental deal in 2007, and for her, she’s been about an unheralded career. he said he no longer felt the need to tell the world about it.
“That’s why I say I’m a low key legend because people come back and say, ‘No, no, you’re not low key,'” he said. “Let them make a decision. Let them decide if I’m a legend or not. For me, I always, to be honest, always keep my head down, keep making noise and keep working… Bubba Dudley told me, he’s going. I say: “The rent is always paid.” As long as I continue to compete in this business, I will never stop paying my dues.”
Natty said he will never rest on the fact that he has about 2,000 matches under his belt or so; he has 7 Guinness Book of Recordshe is going to continue to pay those fees. He cited WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio, who he called “the greatest wrestler in the world,” as he also pays his wrestling dues humbly, and said he sees him as a great example of not resting on your laurels and continuing to do great work.
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