You better jump on the All Red Everything bandwagon before it gets too crowded. WWE Diva, Eva Marie is knocking the door down and grabbing that brass ring, and it doesn’t sound like anyone will stand in her way. The highly sought after Diva is starting to shine as bright as her red hair. Fresh off of her revival in NXT and a chaotic week for SummerSlam, the Total Divas star gave us insight into the real Eva Marie and opened up about her grueling training, the crazy world of reality television, becoming the face of the Divas division, and more.
Training And NXT Return
Crave: You just made your return to NXT last month and showed your fans some of your training with Brian Kendrick along the way. What was the most difficult part of the training?
Eva Marie: Obviously, I didn’t come out of the womb wrestling so I think everything was the most difficult. I’m a field athlete. My sport was soccer growing up so just putting my body in all of those different positions was definitely new and different for me. It was fun each day because we got to learn something totally different than the day before but I haven’t been able to train that consistently since I joined WWE so for me that was really putting my body through the ultimate test.
Did Brian Kendrick have you study any particular film or style?
Absolutely! He didn’t specifically tell me to stay with any certain style but he had me watch film from Japanese wrestling to old school matches with WWE. I watched a lot of super crazy Tajiri matches, which were insane to me because of that style. It’s so fast doing moonsault after moonsault after moonsault was pretty impressive. I just pick and choose from different matches and different eras. Things are always changing but a lot of things are the same just with different little flavors.
Your NXT entrance attire had the Internet buzzing. What was the inspiration for the robe and the rest of your attire? How did you decide on that look?
Eva Marie: That was collaboration between Brian [Kendrick] and myself. His wife actually made my robe for me. I love the old school wrestling. That’s what I watched with my brothers so I wanted to bring back the over the top pageantry, the glam, and no Diva on the roster has an entrance like that so I wanted to be different and bring something new into the generation that I’m in right now.
On Giving Back
Crave: I understand you have a crazy schedule this week and a charity softball game coming up. I know you played soccer at Cal State Fullerton so do you think that will carry over and make you a powerhouse on the field?
Eva Marie: I hope so [laughs]. I haven’t swung a bat in ten years so I think it will be all in fun. Thank goodness it’s for charity because my competitive side comes out and I need to win in everything I do, so hopefully I don’t get into too many arguments out there on the field.
You’re also participating in the Be a STAR anti-bullying campaign. What made you want to be a part of that?
I think it’s really important just for young kids especially because I’ll be speaking to kids between 6 and 15-years old as well as Dolph Ziggler and Sheamus. I think it’s really important to show it’s all about treating one another with dignity and respect no matter whom you are, no matter what your race, gender, it doesn’t matter. The golden rule I always live by is treat others how you want to be treated and I really believe in that. That’s what’s so rewarding about WWE. Not only do we get to go perform for millions of fans but we also, get to go out and touch lives and that’s what’s really important; just sending out that positive message because at the end of the day, that’s what we have; our relationships and interactions with people.
The Total Divas Experience
Crave: Now we have to talk Total Divas. Do you and your husband Jonathan [Coyle] watch yourselves?
You do a ton of photo shoots. How do you turn it “off” and does Jonathan know all of your poses by heart?
[Laughs] Jonathan probably does know every pose I do now just because he’s always there with me during it all. I just have a switch where I can turn it on or when we’re home and that’s been a struggle and you’ll see it on Total Divas too. Jonathan is great because he brings that balance in my life as in when you’re home and you’re not working you need to be able to turn it off. On the show, you’re going to see us go through that because I’m always on and thinking about the next match or what color gear am I having or what film do I need to study or what shoot am I going to do and it’s because I have a major appetite and want to bring the WWE Universe with me wherever I go.
How do you let your guard down with the cameras around all the time?
In season one, it was really weird because I never had anything like that in my life but oddly enough, now it feels pretty normal, which is bizarre. I try my best to be open and honest during the reality show because I feel that’s how people can really connect to because everyone can relate to certain situations in every day life whether it’s with work or family or boyfriend or husband, you know? It’s been hard because I’ve dealt with not only my surgery, I think that’s what people forget to that yes, I’ve been in WWE now a little over two years but I’ve been out for a year because I got surgery in October and couldn’t train or work. People forget about that as well. With all of that being said, I opened that chapter in my life on Total Divas to give some insight on so much stuff. It’s kind of crazy but everything has been really rewarding.
“I’m really just trying to train and get better at my job.”
Crave: This season you’ve had some animosity come your way. Why so many critics?
Eva Marie: To be honest, I don’t know the root of the animosity. I’m really just trying to train and get better at my job so I can get on those girls level and be able to entertain and put on matches that everybody is happy about. That’s where I’m coming from. The funny thing is, I’m in California and in Orlando. I’ve been training at the WWE Performance Center as well. It’s just the fact that the times I’m not in Orlando training at the Performance Center, I’m getting in the ring with Brian Kendrick. I’m doing the best that I possibly can with both situations. I’m working on the NXT live events and I go out to Orlando two weeks out of each month so that I can train.
What’s it like working in front of those NXT crowds?
For me it’s awesome! I just recently had my fifth singles match so it’s pretty incredible because that crowd is so close not only to the ring but it’s just such an intimate crowd so you can really feed off of however they feel or whatever they take to in the match and it’s a really big interaction between entertainer and fan, which is awesome.
The Future of The Divas Division
Crave: Do you think you can be the face of the Divas division one day?
Eva Marie: Absolutely! 100 percent without a doubt. That’s the plan.
What’s the best thing about being a WWE Diva?
Everything. Not only do I get to go out there and wrestle and entertain but also it’s everything beyond that. Wrestling is maybe 10 percent of our job. Everything else is what we do outside the ring and that’s really rewarding. I got to go to Afghanistan to visit the troops, work with Special Olympics, it’s just one of those jobs that’s once in a lifetime and we’re lucky to do it.
All Red Everything Merchandise?
Crave: There has been a lot of talk on Twitter from your fans wanting some Eva Marie merchandise on the WWE shop. Have there been any discussions about getting some merchandise for the Red Nation?
Eva Marie: Not that I’m aware of but I think there needs to be a little bit of All Red Everything out there, don’t you? WWE is definitely missing out on a little bit of red, if you know what I mean [laughs].
“Food is my love language.”
Crave: We want to get to know Eva out of the ring. We all know that you train very hard but what is your favorite cheat meal?
Eva Marie: I have so many. I love food. Food is my love language. That’s how Jonathan won my heart. He cooked for me on my first date and I was like, “Okay. This man is everything.” I love sweets. I could devour an ice cream cake but I love my mom’s Enchilada Casserole. I’m half Mexican so Mexican food; I could just eat every single day.
Yeah, a few weeks ago on Total Divas, we watched you and your husband eat like monsters.
Oh my god, right? When we actually saw that clip we were like, “We look insane. Is that really how we look when we go out to dinner?” But you have to remember I have three older brothers so when dinner was served, you better get as many helpings as you possibly can before they ate it all.
Do you have a specific diet you’re trying to stick to?
Recently, I actually do. I’ve been doing it now for seven weeks. I eat a certain kind of protein, carbs, and fats. It’s really simple though. Jonathan used to be on the Paleo and Keto Diets but for me it didn’t work. Everyone’s body is different so right now a typical day, I eat a ton of protein so chicken, meat, fish and a lot of greens but I’ll throw in some peanut butter, oatmeal, and have Protein Pancake because it’s more livable and realistic for me.
What We Don’t Know About The Red Queen
Crave: Favorite TV shows or do you even have time?
I’m a big Game of Thrones fan. I love Real Time with Bill Maher. I think he’s amazing. He’s just hilarious and he keeps me updated with what’s going on in the world.
What is one thing we don’t know about you?
I’m a college graduate. I majored in Business Management and minored in Human Resource.
SummerSlam and the Ultimate Goal
Crave: Are you scheduled for this WWE SummerSlam weekend?
Eva Marie: I’m actually going to be wrestling on Saturday for NXT.
Lastly, what do you ultimately want to get out of all of this?
I want to be able to bring the WWE Universe with me wherever I go and with whatever I am doing. I want to bring them on this journey just like how they’ve been following me on the last six months through me training and progressing in the ring and and now it’s walk with me to my first match. That was another little step and I want to continue to do that and bring them with me throughout everything, which is a lot of different things and different avenues and really integrate WWE with mainstream as well as be a positive role model and let them know that if you dream something you can definitely achieve it as long as you’re willing to put in the hard work and don’t let other people get in your way.
Photos courtesy of WWE.
Joshua Caudill is a writer for CraveOnline, a surfing enthusiast, an unhealthy sports fanatic, and an expert on all things Patrick Swayze. You can follow him on Twitter @JoshuaCaudill85 or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
