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Paige has disclosed details about a bad experience she had in WWE’s NXT developmental system before she joined the main roster.
WWE referred to female superstars as “Divas” in the early days of her time with the company. For that reason, former NXT coach Bill DeMott wanted the British star to ditch her all-black attire and start wearing bright clothes. He also told her to dress more like one of her co-workers at the time, Summer Rae.
Speaking on Renee Paquette’s “The Sessions” podcast, the 29-year-old recalled how DeMott refused to acknowledge her efforts after she tried to resemble a stereotypical “Diva.” From that moment on, she decided to listen to then-NXT creative director Dusty Rhodes instead.
“I was trying and it was just like f**king hitting a wall,” Paige said. “I was just like, ‘F**k this guy, I’m not gonna keep on trying to impress [DeMott],’ especially when Dusty was telling me the opposite, and I’d rather listen to Dusty Rhodes than Bill DeMott. Dusty Rhodes was just like, ‘No, baby, you’re mysterious, my raven-haired lady, my porcelain princess.’”
Dusty Rhodes passed away in 2015 at the age of 69 due to kidney failure. He is widely regarded as one of the most respected wrestlers of all time.
Why Paige did not enjoy Bill DeMott’s training methods
Along with Dusty Rhodes, the two-time Divas Champion liked learning from Dr. Tom Prichard, Joey Mercury, Norman Smiley, Ricky Steamboat, and Steve Keirn in developmental.
She added that the atmosphere changed when Bill DeMott introduced his notoriously difficult training drills after becoming NXT’s head trainer.
“When it got took over by Bill, it was just a whole shift in energy,” Paige recalled. “It was more like an army boot camp or something like that, but it was less learning about wrestling and more just wanting to blow us up in the ring.”
In 2015, DeMott resigned from his NXT role amid allegations that he mistreated trainees. The former WCW star said earlier this year that he only left WWE to prevent the company from embarrassment, and not because he was guilty.
What are your favorite memories of Paige in WWE? Let us know in the comments section.
Please credit “The Sessions” and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.
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