Celeste Bonin on facing Katie Forbes, challenging for the Slamforce Africa Women's Championship and more (Exclusive)

Sportskeeda recently interviewed former WWE Divas Champion Celeste Bonin where she talked about her upcoming match, life outside the ring and the competition between WWE and AEW.

Bonin is set to return to the squared-circle this October where she will face three other women at Slamforce Africa 01 in South Africa for the inaugural SFA Women's Championship.

In this interview, Bonin talked about her upcoming title match, life outside the ring and the reason why she decided to become a professional wrestler. Here is what she had to say...

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Sportskeeda: In October, you'll return to South Africa to compete for the inaugural SFA Women's Championship against three other women. What can the South African fans expect from you?

Kaitlyn: So... its been probably like ten years since I've wrestled in South Africa. And I haven't been in the ring [for the past several years] since my career when I was with WWE but I had the opportunity to advance as a performer, as a wrestler, as a fighter, over the past five to six years that I've been kind of retired from professional wrestling. So, I just have a lot more experience, like in life (laughs) and as a wrestler and just a lot more knowledge and so I'm coming into the match with just more experience in general, and a different mindset, so it should be a good match.

SK: Was professional wrestling always something you wanted to do growing up?

Kaitlyn: My brother was a huge fan of professional wrestling and I wanted to do everything that he did, so (laughs) I always watched it with him and when we got older, we kind of lost interest and then, I started becoming a fan again when I got in my later teen years and like in my early twenties. I was a huge fan of Beth Phoenix and Natalya.

I wanted to be like them because they were really strong women. I looked like them, I felt like they represented what I was like and so that was something that really inspired me to try to make it in professional wrestling.

SK: When did you first decide to get into the sport?

Kaitlyn: I was... so I had the opportunity to try out when I was twenty-two. My best friend and I at that time, we had like a tanning business and we met some guy who was in the WWE developmental program for a while and he still had some contacts and so he said 'Hey, you know I can get you guys a tryout.' So we tried out together and it was like nothing that I had anticipated or expected. It was so different and my best friend, when she went to the tryout with me she was like 'No, this is not for me' (laughs). And she went home in the middle of it and I loved every second of it, so I ended up getting signed from my tryout and I had no experience in the ring whatsoever.

So, it was like, ever since I got signed to a developmental contract, I knew nothing about the business. I was always athletic and like sports and stuff but there's nothing like professional wrestling so it was a huge shot for me and it was the hardest part for me to try to understand the sport and just the mindset of a wrestler, it was like kind of hard to grasp for me in the beginning and then I had to learn really fast because I ended up debuting on NXT when it was still a reality-based elimination show.

So, I debuted on the first all-women season of NXT on live TV and I've never wrestled before. I was kind of a last-minute replacement for someone and I had only been in the developmental program for a few weeks, so my entire career was like a wild ride right from the beginning.

SK: One of your opponents, Katie Forbes, has competed in several promotions such as Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling. Do you see her as your biggest challenge?

Kaitlyn: I do. I've seen Katie grow and flourish as a wrestler over the years and I've had the opportunity to meet her a few times and I think she's an amazing person and a great competitor. So, I have an idea of what it is that she brings to the ring and I do think that she is gonna be the one to beat in the ring so I'm completely excited for the opportunity.

SK: What would becoming the first SFA Women's Champion mean to you?

Kaitlyn: I just think it would be an incredible honor because this is, as far as I know, like the biggest thing currently in South Africa for professional wrestling and it would be a huge honor to be able to hold that title and to represent this new brand.

And yeah... I'm all about creating competition between brands and stuff so my hope is that my [potential] becomes like a huge component and player and the role of professional wrestling and I would love to be a part of that from the ground floor. So my number one goal is to win the title and represent the newest upcoming brand that has the most potential.

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