During a recent interview with talkSPORT, WWE NXT Superstar Franky Monet commented on her decision to sign with WWE, why she changed her ring name, and more. You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On the reason she signed with WWE after leaving Impact Wrestling: “As much as people can say whatever they want, the WWE is the WWE. It’s the number one sports entertainment company in the entire world and it’s where you want to be. It’s where the lights are the brightest and you’ll be seen by so many more people and faces,” she said. “The talent is unbelievable too, so I knew this is where I was meant to be. Is it? Is it not? Is it time to hang it up? Is it time to push harder? Especially in 2020, there were so many moments for me where I didn’t know what was going to happen. I love professional wrestling so much that I just couldn’t let this fire that was lit in me so many years ago die without trying to get to the be-all, end-all in WWE.
“Conversations started and I’m so happy to be there. I always compare it to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; I feel like I have the golden ticket. I remember the first day I went to the Performance Center I was like ‘what is my life!’ Unreal. All the coaches, all the people I get to work with like Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Sara D’Amato for the women’s division and just the amount of creativity they’re allowing me to be immersed in. They just believe in each and every one of us and it’s just unreal to finally be in this position where I feel like Franky Monet can be seen for who she is, understood and be on the platform she deserves to be on.”
On the decision to change from Taya Valkyrie to Franky Monet: “Taya Valkyrie was obviously my name for all of my career, since day one that has been my name. It’s been with me, she’s given me the life I have now. She’s how I met John, she’s how I’ve travelled the world. She’s how I ended up champion in multiple companies. She is the reason I’m Franky Monet today. So when it came down to it, I was like ‘Taya means so much to me’ but also, I was ready for this type of evolution and it’s almost like the idea of being reborn into this new character. Even though Franky has a lot of similarities to what Taya is and was. I feel as an entertainer and an artist, evolution is so important. You don’t want to feel like you’re going in a straight line, it has to be hills and valleys, ups and downs and I feel like this was the natural step to take for me in my career and I was really excited to be creatively consulted and asked what I thought about different names and stuff.
“Obviously Monet comes from the French artist because I consider myself an artist! My family is from Europe, my dad is from Switzerland so we always used to go to a lot of museum in Europe when I was a kid, so that’s where that came from. Franky, I’ve just always really liked the name. I’ve always liked those gender neutral names. It’s fun, it’s spunky; I am an Icon, OK [laughs]. I thought it was really different and that’s me, Kira, at the core. I’m different and have always pushed the limits of creativity. I want people to be like ‘what is that? Why? I don’t understand!’ The more people talk about it, the more it excites me and makes me want to do more exciting and crazy things. Franky Monet is here to stay and I’m just excited to show who she is and let you get to know her.”
On whether the plan was always for her to join NXT: “It was always going to be NXT. A lot of people try and put it in a box or compare it to what it was as a developmental brand as it was years ago. NXT is on the USA Network, OK! NXT is on the same network as RAW! These are the best athletes in the world. It’s got the top wrestlers from other companies, from the indies, from other countries all in one place – that’s what NXT is. I’m so proud to be there.”
