5 Things You Didn't Know About NXT Superstar Mia Yim 

Mia Yim formally introduced herself to the wrestling world on last week's edition of NXT. Now a weekly staple on the USA Network, NXT offered something unique to the WWE Universe when Mia Yim squared off against Io Shirai in a brutal Ladder Match. As both women battled for an advantage inside WarGames, Yim was busted wide open by the ladder.

As blood dripped to the ring floor, Yim composed herself and valiantly fought on in what would prove to be one of NXT's greatest all-time matches. While she came up just short against Shirai (due primarily to outside interference from NXT UK Women's Champion Kay Lee Ray), Yim displayed before a worldwide audience why she is one of WWE's most promising Superstars.

As WWE Hall of Famer Booker T recently described Yim on his podcast, the NXT Superstar is a true "warrior." While her ability inside the squared circle will always stand out to WWE fans, Yim is much more than a wrestler and has had a remarkable journey on her way to wrestling stardom. In this article, we reveal five things you didn't know about the NXT Superstar.

---

#5. Her dad was in the FBI

Mia Yim

Mia Yim grew up in a strict household and that was primarily due to her father's career in the FBI. Yim's father was first in the gang unit and then helped develop the missing and exploited children's unit. Having seen the worst of the world, Yim's father ran a tight ship at home. Yim recently appeared on Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia where she talked about her father's career,

"When he started arresting the big time criminals, probably by the time I turned 14 or 15, they were starting to get out of prison, so he was really worried about them coming after us, so he was over-protective."

While Yim understands her father's protective instincts now as an adult, it was difficult to accept them as a young child, especially when that meant she was subject to the limits her father placed on her,

"We had to be in the house by the streetlights. We lived in cul-de-sac in Fontana and we couldn't go past that cul-de-sac unless my dad was with us. My dad never let us ride the bus to school. He always had to drop us off and pick us up. It was just hard to do anything without my dad's approval growing up."

#4. She went to college on a volleyball scholarship

Mia Yim was mislabeled while in school

Mia Yim's family moved from California to the Washington D.C. area and it was a struggle for her. While she excelled in California's school system, Yim was labeled as "slow" by the schools in Washington D.C. She was placed in special education classes and never believed college to be even the slightest possibility.

Mia Yim, however, was a stellar athlete and in particular, a phenomenal volleyball player. Although she was only 5'7" (short for volleyball) she was often placed in the front row due to her incredible leaping ability.

Without her knowledge, Yim's father sent her highlight reel to Virginia Union University. The school offered Yim a full-ride scholarship to play volleyball. While she was reluctant at first (due primarily to self-doubts), she eventually accepted.

Yim played volleyball for two years at Virginia Union University before transferring to Marymount University. Yim excelled at college, took several honors classes, and ended up graduating with a 3.45 GPA. That's not too shabby for someone who never thought she would even go to college.

The NXT Superstar summed up the entire experience while being interviewed by Lilian Garcia,

"It was the best - one of the best feelings in the world. I never even knew that I would be able to go to college. I never knew that I would have a diploma. I never thought I was smart enough for that."

#3. She is terrified of public speaking

One of WWE's most promising Superstars struggles with public speaking & interviews

In her recent Chasing Glory appearance, Mia Yim revealed that she is terrified of public speaking. That may come as a shock to wrestling fans who watch Yim excel weekly on NXT, but none the less Yim revealed the following,

"I have kind of a stuttering problem when I'm nervous. I've taught myself to really take my time. I take my time when I talk. When I know I'm nervous, I take my time. I focus on breathing and then I think of words before the come out, so that I can pronounce them straight on, but it took awhile."

While Yim has made strides with stuttering, she still struggles with speaking publicly,

"Public speaking is the hardest. I'm comfortable in promo class....but if you had to put me on RAW or SmackDown - I'm starting now - (laughter). Being here and dealing with a lot of the things I'm not comfortable with, I'll be alright. I'll be fine."

Yim also revealed that she isn't comfortable doing interviews,

"I'm worried about saying things that everyone else has said before and being professional - making sure I don't curse and making sure I don't come off like a hoodlum. Being professional and the stuttering thing - making sure I articulate myself in a mature professional manner."

#2. Shelton Benjamin was there for her during domestic abuse

Mia Yim

Mia Yim suffered through a terribly abusive relationship. Now free from the clutches of her abuser, Yim opened up about her past struggles. She was often beaten, cheated on, tied up, and even locked in a closet. Her significant other did everything in his power to limit Yim's contact with friends and family.

One such friend was WWE Superstar Shelton Benjamin, whom Yim refers to as her "big brother." Yim and Benjamin are friends to this day and often jokingly chide one another via social media, but their friendship has deep roots. Benjamin supported Yim during one of the most difficult times of her life,

"The minute he found out - immediately, he was like, 'I'll get you a plane ticket. You get out of there. I've got you.' At this point, I wasn't ready yet. I told him everything was fine, but he knew. My family didn't know - I hid it from a lot of people....I've known Shelton from the beginning of my career, both Shelton and my best friend Blake. They are both men, but I was not allowed to talk to them. I was not allowed to be friends with them. If they were to text me, I had to send them to my boyfriend at the time to make sure they were appropriate. Me and Shelton were having a regular conversation through text and my boyfriend flips out, 'I don't want you to be friends with him anymore. He's trying to get with you.'"

Yim then sent Benjamin a long text, letting him know that the two could no longer be friends. Benjamin respectfully backed off but knew something was up. Still, the WWE Superstar would randomly text Yim to let her know that he was still there for her. He not only offered Yim a plane ticket but even opened his home to her.

Eventually, something clicked with Yim and she came to the understanding that what she was enduring could in no way be love. One day, she broke out of the closet she was regularly locked in but found herself being choked on a bed with a towel. She fought back and finally left.

A tearful Yim opened up to Lilian Garcia about what was going through her mind during that final struggle,

"You're not going to be the reason why the police are going to call my parents telling them that their daughter passed away, so I finally left."

#1. WWE's early rejection devastated & motivated her

It was a long road to WWE for Mia Yim

Mia Yim's road to WWE was paved with many twists and turns. Having been prepped by The Dudleys for her WWE tryout, Yim was certain to make an impact in the company. Yim believed WWE was her destiny, but it would come later than she had hoped.

Yim opened up to Lilian Garcia about her first WWE tryout,

"I did the tryout, 4 days. I felt real good about it. This is easy. This is great. I had it and a month and a half later, it wasn't a straight no, but it was, 'We don't have anything right now, but maybe next time."

Yim describes the rejection as devastating and even thought about quitting professional wrestling. Ultimately, Yim used the rejection as motivation and set new goals for herself. She developed her character, traveled the world, and went to Impact Wrestling where she excelled as Knockouts Champion.

Yim competed in two Mae Young Classics before being signed by WWE. It was the fans, who prompted Triple H to finally sign her. After Yim's second Mae Young Classic, fans chanted, "Sign Mia!" Triple H happily obliged and the rest is history.

(Transcription Credit: Michael McClead, Sportskeeda)

Readers may watch Lilian Garcia's interview with Mia Yim in its entirety below:

---

We want to know what you think of the matches that you see on TV! Go to our WWE page here to rate them!