In the wake of the announcement late last night that WWE has signed Japanese female wrestler Kana, she spoke with the Sporting News to talk about her decision to sign on. Check out the highlights:
On why now was the right time: “I have been in this business for 10 years and have accomplished almost everything there is to accomplish. I was looking for a new challenge and when the opportunity came up with WWE, the timing just felt right…Even though I was in Japan the majority of my career, I was always captivated by the allure of WWE and their worldwide appeal. There is no bigger stage in sports entertainment, so it has always been in the back of my mind.”
On women’s wrestling in NXT: “It has been very inspirational watching the Divas Revolution unfold over the past year or so. They are great competitors, and I am looking forward to getting in the ring with all of them eventually.”
On being at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn: “The energy in the building was absolutely amazing and like nothing I have ever experienced before. I felt like I was at a live concert. Experiencing that only reassured me that I made the right decision and I can’t want to get in the ring and compete.”
On Triple H: “He has been my favorite WWE Superstar of all time, so it has been amazing to interact with him and get his feedback. He told me he was expecting a lot from me, and I want to make him proud.”
On which women she’s most looking forward to facing: “After witnessing Bayley win the NXT Divas Championship at NXT: TakeOver in Brooklyn, I knew she was somebody I would want to compete with. I want to be Divas Champion, so she is an obvious answer. I also have a tremendous amount of respect for Charlotte, and would love to get in the ring with her eventually also.”
On having worked for indy groups in the US: “Having already experienced American crowds I think will definitely help me with the transition. No matter where the crowd is, it is always about getting some sort of reaction, and I don’t think I will have any problem with that.”
