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What happened to "crazy" Nikki Cross?
I see this question asked more often than it really needs to be asked on social media. Which, one time is really too many. Not because "crazy" Nikki wasn't great. More because the version of Nikki Cross we have now is just as wonderful. The work that Cross has been doing over the last few months has been nothing short of spectacular and she may just be rewarded with her first World Championship on Sunday.
Let's start at the beginning, though. Throughout her time in NXT, Cross was extremely untamed. The dark and demented breakout star of SAnitY embraced a love of violence and was someone that was just too wild to reign in - other than when SAnitY was occasionally able to give her some direction. With no rhyme or reason to the madness, Nikki Cross just did whatever her twisted mind felt like doing, and that wild side got her over with the fan base at Full Sail University.
When she was eventually called up to the main roster early last year, it appeared as though that "crazy" Nikki persona was coming with her.
Fast forward to today and we have a much different Nikki Cross. A more subdued, controlled and well-mannered Nikki Cross. Someone who shows off her sweet side and sits politely and sips coffee during interview segments.
The transformation of the Nikki Cross character started with her unlikely alliance with Alexa Bliss. The friendship that no one thought would last has indeed withstood the test of time. Nikki Cross has given Bliss the credit for helping keep her on-screen character focused and driven, which has led to quite a bit of in-ring success. The pair are now Two-Time Women's Tag Team Champions - the first team to win those belts more than once.
That doesn't mean "crazy" Nikki is gone or forgotten. While speaking with Nikki Cross this week, she told me NXT Nikki is just a part of her more layered character work these days.
"I think fans are seeing, you know, they see flashes of the NXT wild and erratic and reckless Nikki. And then I think they also see, I think they’re seeing a lot of… Creatively, they're seeing a lot um, they’re seeing a lot of my real personality. Like I think there's, you know a lot of, um... a lot of things I say and a lot of the ways I act like that's very much Nikki that you'll see backstage or a Nikki you see outside of WWE."
Flashes of wild and erratic Nikki indeed, like when she attacked Sasha Banks and Bayley at the commentary table a few weeks back.
Nikki Cross really tends to turn to that wild side when it comes to protecting her best friend Alexa Bliss. However, there's one other person she says must be protected at all costs - the man she says encouraged her to be more of herself on-screen.
Nikki Cross says Michael Cole is a national treasure
In my interview with Nikki Cross, which you can listen to in its entirety in the video above, she gave tremendous amounts of credit to Michael Cole for helping her hone in and develop the on-screen Nikki Cross we see today.
"I remember the first time I'd ever done commentary Rick. It was Alexa competing against Asuka in the lead up to WrestleMania. And I got this text saying, ‘hey we want you to come in and do the commentary for the match.’ You know, so I drove there. And I get there and you know Michael Cole was like you know, please be yourself. Um, don't um, don't, don't, uh, just please be yourself and be free, feel free to do whatever you want. However, you want it. Like, you know, sit on the commentary table, do whatever you want. Just be you."
That's right folks. When Nikki Cross is jumping up and dancing on the commentary table or (I guess will call it) shaking her hips with the SmackDown Women's Championship, that's just Nikki Cross bringing out Nicola Glencross.
"Obviously everyone sees the way I act backstage and they know, like I’m very, you know, very loud. I’m like a tornado, like a little Tasmanian Devil. Michael was encouraging in bringing that out. Um, you know he’s very nurturing and it just made me feel very comfortable. Um, you know, and I'm going to say it and I’ve said quite a lot, but you know, Michael Cole is a national, a national treasure and he must be protected at all costs."
Cross told me from that first time on the commentary desk on, she really started incorporating more of herself into her character work on-screen. Sometimes she will come across looking a bit wild and weird - there's no denying that.
Nikki Cross says that's fine with her. It's 100% authentic and organic and that's what matters most.
Speaking of things that matter to Nikki Cross, this Sunday at the Horror Show at Extreme Rules she will challenge Bayley for the SmackDown Women's Championship. Something she told me, could be the culmination of a 13-year journey that started when she left Scotland at 18 years-old.
You can read all about that journey here.
