Lana spoke with USA Today’s “For the Win” section to promote her upcoming SmackDown Women’s Championship match against Naomi at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event. Here are some of the highlights:
On not being a different character:
“I’m the same ‘Ravishing Russian’ that you’ve always known. It’s funny to me when I hear people say that it’s a new character. I embody ‘Ravishing.’ I come out in the most ravishing dress. I have a ravishing entrance. I’m ravishing people’s hearts. I was managing Rusev and wearing a suit because if you’re managing someone or an agent in real life, you are going to wear a suit to work. Right now, I’m the focal point, I’m the one competing. If people know anything about Russians, we do things really over the top. We wear high heels everywhere. We show up in the most extravagant outfits. I am just embodying how I was raised and what I grew up in. Some people might think we’re extra, I just think we’re ravishing. I’m the same woman, I’m just going to be crushing people myself.”
On her in-ring journey:
“I’m really excited about showing my in-ring journey because I have been training a lot over the last year. It wasn’t always a skip in the park, but I was just so hungry to learn. My past is very, very different than [the other performers]. But I am a strong believer to follow your own path, no matter what people think.”
