HOTSEAT BECKY LYNCH
AT THE ROYAL Rumble, Becky Lynch started off on her road to WrestleMania, winning the women’s Rumble match as a surprise entrant after falling to Smackdown champion Asuka earlier in the night. The following night, “The Man” made it clear that she wanted to face Raw Women’s champion Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania.
It was the culmination of a long journey for Lynch. Born in Limerick, Ireland, Lynch began training to become a wrestler at the age of 15. She made her pro debut in 2002 with a goal of making it to WWE, where Trish Stratus, Jazz, Lita, and Victoria were ushering in a new era for women’s wrestling.
But at the age of 19, Lynch’s dreams were sidelined after she suffered a head injury. She left wrestling for a six-year span. Shortly after her return to the ring, she landed a developmental contract with NXT. She pounced on the new opportunity and has been (pun intended) a true lynchpin of the ongoing women’s movement in WWE over the past few years.
In this exclusive and remarkably candid interview with Senior Writer Dan Murphy, Lynch talks about her history-making WrestleMania clash with Rousey, being voted Woman of the Year by PWI readers, her sabbatical and return to wrestling, and the evolution of becoming “The Man.”
This interview was conducted in mid-February, prior to WrestleMania. It can be heard in full on the PWI Podcast (available for free at the iTunes Store).
“You can sense the passion that Becky has for wrestling. It’s unmistakable. It radiates from her,” Murphy said. “She is absolutely committed to making a lasting mark on wrestling, and I think she is going to do just that.”
: Becky, thank you very much for making the time. I’m glad that you are able to join us here for this, having been named Woman of the Year by our readers. What was your reaction when you received that news?
