Former WWE Diva's Champion Kaitlyn talks about returning to the ring, NXT moving to USA, AEW and more (Exclusive)

Celeste Bonin, known for her run as Kaitlyn in WWE, is one of the most successful and popular female Superstars to compete in the company. She was part of the all-female third season of NXT where she won, earning herself a spot on the main roster. She eventually retired in 2014 but has made several appearances for the company recently, even taking part in the 2018 Mae Young Classic.

I had the chance to talk to the former Diva's Champion in an exclusive interview where she talked about her upcoming match, life outside the ring, and the competition between WWE and AEW, among other things.

She 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.

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Sportskeeda: You will make your in-ring return this October. Will we get to see you in the ring more often?

Kaitlyn: Yes, definitely. When I left WWE initially five years ago, I started a business, so that's been my main concern for the past five years is growing my brand, and being an entrepreneur, and all that. Now I'm at a point where I've started training in the ring again over the past year and a half or so, and last year I went back and competed in the Mae Young Classic, and it really ignited this passion again for professional wrestling.

I've kind of made it my mission to try to find somewhere to compete super competitively and bestow that love for professional wrestling, but also still be here to maintain my business. It's a business center, so I'm hoping to have a very strong presence with Slamforce Africa and be an integral part of their roster and what they're doing. So, I want to tell everyone in South Africa that I'm going to be around a lot more (laughs).

SK: How would you describe your life outside the ring?

Kaitlyn: What I learned when I was wrestling and traveling the world - I learned so many super important lessons, and I met so many amazing people, and I formed so many great relationships. When I was wrestling I learned so much about myself and what I'm capable of and just evolved. I guess, I took a lot of that stuff that I learned, and those four years of wrestling, and I applied it to the way that I approach business, and my mindset in general.

Knowing that I can perform under pressure in front of thousands of people and be put on the spot gives me this confidence that I can do anything that I apply myself to, to do anything that I believe I can do. So, its really given me this amazing sense of confidence and I'm just an extremely driven person, whether it's in a sport or business and I'm just thankful for all the ways that this sport has molded me as a person—to approach every other aspect of my life as a competitor in the ring.

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Up next: Kaitlyn talks about NXT and AEW!

Kaitlyn wrestling AJ Lee - WWE Live South Africa 2013

SK: You'll be in South Africa in October, but that won't be your first time in the country. You were here in 2013 for a WWE live event. Was that your first time in the country? And how was the experience?

Kaitlyn: Yes! It was my first time there. I felt like a lot of my first time traveling when I was with WWE and it's so funny - I've always told people when I—when they would ask me, what was my favorite place to visit, I always said South Africa because, to me, It's the most beautiful place that I've ever been. When I was there, we had a three day tour and we had one extra day in Cape Town. We took a helicopter to the very most tip (laughs) of Cape Town and we took a boat out, and we went and we swam with the great white sharks, and to this day, it's still the coolest experience I've ever had.

Its been on my list to come back to South Africa, just didn't know whether it was to compete in wrestling or if it was just to visit there. I love how everything kinda falls into place and it just works out, so I'll be able to come back and hopefully I'll be a integrate part of Slamforce Africa, so I'll be there much more often. I'm honored. I'm not just saying it because I'm going to be a part of this big show, but I'm truly-truly excited to come back to South Africa. It's been so long and it's one of my greatest memories that I have.

SK: You competed in NXT before moving to the main roster. What do you think of NXT moving to the USA Network?

Kaitlyn: So, when I was part of NXT it wasn't what it is now. It was literally just a reality-based elimination show that was one hour a week on Syfy and then it was kind of moved around to different places, so it was nothing compared to what it is now. Just watching the evolution of NXT as someone who was a part of WWE for a few years and then also to end up watching it as a fan, it makes me so proud and happy, especially for the women, how far they've come, and how they've been given the opportunity to really step up and live to their fullest potential.

A lot of that has happened through NXT, and so I think it's such a strong foundation of what we see now on RAW and SmackDown. Now that its gotten its own spot on USA, it's like it's getting the opportunity to really improve its worth. The people that are part of the roster are given this incredible opportunity to show the world how good they are. It makes me super-super proud and happy for everyone that's a part of that program, and it's insane to see how much NXT has grown as a brand over the past five years.

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Up next: Kaitlyn talks about NXT going head to head with AEW!

Kaitlyn was the winner of NXT Season 3

SK: NXT will go head-to-head with AEW's weekly show in October. How do you think both WWE and AEW will benefit from this?

Kaitlyn: I just think it's time for there to be a true competitor to WWE programming, so you have this force rising with AEW and you have a lot of fans behind it because pro-wrestling fans are so incredibly loyal to this sport. It's one of my favorite things about pro-wrestling.

I love to see this super-competitive nature between two rival brands—AEW and NXT. I just think it's good for everyone because there's actually competition now for WWE programming. I think it can only elevate the level of wrestling. It can only elevate the quality of programming, and it's truly gonna make me, the athletes and performers, really step up their game in all aspects. I think it's going to be an amazing opportunity for there to be some true competition in pro-wrestling.