Sport
Interview: We chat to NXT star Ember Moon ahead of the UK tour
WWE NXT star Ember Moon talks wrestling, NXT tour and coming to the UK.
Ahead of the WWE NXT tour coming to the UK in June, we caught up with wrestling newcomer Ember Moon about what we can expect from the tour, what she’s looking forward to at Download Festival and why wrestling was a live changing experience for her.
Ember made her NXT debut at TakeOver: Brooklyn II against Billie Kay as a mystical competitor who took the fans by storm with her jaw-dropping athleticism and unlimited potential. Now she’ll be heading to the UK for the first time ever to wow British fans with her striking prowess.
The WWE NXT tour begins on 5 June in Aberdeen and then heading to Manchester, Leeds and Brighton before it celebrates a big finish at this year’s Download festival at Donington Park. Read our interview below:
How did you get into wrestling?
I got into wrestling because of one person in my middle school. Her name was Amy. Basically I was maliciously bullied as a kid and she was the only person that ever stuck up for me. But in true fashion, she was a huge WWE fan. And she basically showed me what wrestling had become. I was a little familiar with it because of my grandfather, he used to watch it, it was like religion back then. But yeah, she ultimately showed me wrestling and WWF at the time, and I fell in love with it.
There were so many different characters and so many different people like The Rock and Stone Cold and Kurt Angle, and you had the women, Victoria, Ivory, Trish, Lita, you had Too Cool, you had so many different people but the one common denominator is that they all stood up and fought for what they believe in. And they would defend themselves. And that was something I couldn’t do at that time.
I just fell in love, I got so mesmerised by these people because they were standing up for what they believed in and fighting their own battles. So ultimately I jumped into wrestling, I think when I was 18.
Do you feel that with bullying still a big issue, that wrestling still has that effect on some people as it did with you?
I’d like to hope so. I feel like bullying is out of control right now, especially with social media and cyber bullying. If that was around when I was a kid, it feels like it would be ten times worse, than how I actually had it.
I think that what WWE has been doing with our “Be A Star” anti-bullying program, we have been addressing it, holding rallies and giving kids the tools they need to try to prevent bullying. With WWE, I get to visit kids and share my personal story of being bullied, and how I overcame it. Hopefully my story helps at least one kid in the room, and gives them tools to combat bullying and courage to treat everyone with respect.
What’s the best thing for you about being involved in NXT?
Oh man, of course I would like to think the WWE Universe! It’s funny because I never thought that in a million years I would walk through a curtain and people would yell my name or chant my name. I never thought in a million years that I’m like “What did I do to deserve this!” It’s insane. They’re so electric, you feel it in your heart and soul, they’re my fire, they’re my passion. So I just want to make them happy. If they’re chanting my name, I will fight for them, I’ll jump off a ladder to do whatever I have to do so they can “Ember” one more time. It’s crazy because they provide so much power and so much energy, that’s the best part. I think that they have made me who I am today. So, thank you WWE Universe!
In your own words, how would you explain WWE NXT?
NXT is its own brand. We’re the next generation. Everyone knows RAW, everyone knows Smackdown. But we are the hot brand making a change. We have our own crowd, we have our own energy and we bring so many different styles to one plate for the enjoyment of all. I would like to think that we’re the future. In five, four, three, two years we’re going to be the ones that you see on the WWE pay-per-view channels, at Wrestlemania, that’s who we are. We are so driven and so ready to just take over the world. We’re NXT-strong, we’re ready to do whatever it takes to bring the A-game.
Are you personally going to come over to the UK as part of the NXT tour?
Yes I am! I’m immensely pumped. I’m so ecstatic to be coming to the UK because I’ve never gotten to come to the UK before. It’s going to be my very first time. And it’s been a wrestling dream of mine to come over there and perform in front of everyone. No words can explain how I feel about it right now because there aren’t any. It’s my first time to go to the UK. I feel like a little kid that goes into a bounce house for the first time and won’t get out. That’s me right now!
What can the fans expect from the UK NXT tour?
Oh, everything! We’re bringing all that and a bag of chips! We’re ready to blow the roof off. I’m serious, we are ready to free the flames and set up explosions. We’re ready to hear the crowd roar and we’re willing to do anything to do that.
With NXT coming to Download Festival as well, how do you feel performing in front of a festival crowd?
It’s cool, because WWE went last year to Download and I was able to watch so many performers back, and the matches from last year and the crowd were just crazy electric. There was just such good energy coming in. Not only that, we’re bringing in new people as well because it’s not a wrestling crowd. We have our NXT fans that come but then we have so many more people that like rock’n’roll and metal, they’re coming in and seeing what we do for the first time and falling in love with it. That to me is just showing how powerful the NXT is. And we’re ready to bring that again. For us to come a second year in a row, ready to bring that same energy, you know we have to top the first time around.
So how do you feel about that strong relationship between WWE and live music?
It’s awesome. Music and WWE I feel like go hand in hand. We come out to music and all of us have different preferences, for me I’m a rock’n’roll girl, I’m ready to jam out at Download. Then we have Aleister Black who comes out to this heavy metal music and then Ruby Riot who comes out to this punk rock music. The music goes hand in hand with who we are as people. And music is a definite way to express creativity and who you are as a person.
What advice would you give aspiring female wrestlers?
One – go to school. Go to school. Go to school. Seriously, for me: get an education. I started wrestling while I was in college and I was able to balance the two. But education is important. And that’s going to send you where you need to go. And then while you’re wrestling you have something to fall back on if it doesn’t go your way.
For young women, aspiring to be wrestlers: follow your dreams! There’s going to be a lot of people out there that tell you “no”, that tell you you can’t do something. And you’re going to have to overcome that and keep fighting for what you believe in. And if you’re truly passionate about being there, follow your heart. Follow your war path to get to where you want to be. That goes for anyone with a dream, not just wanting to be a professional wrestler.
Don’t miss out on all the WWE NXT fun and get your tickets now via Ticketmaster.co.uk.
