WWE RAW and SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch recently spoke with 106.7 The Fan’s Chad Dukes and talked about MMA’s outside influence on the world of pro wrestling.
“Ronda Rousey came in with a lot of equity and she’s an incredibly natural athlete,” Lynch said. “But this isn’t her domain, this isn’t what she’s obsessed about for years and years and years. It’s what I have. So, for me, it was a matter of saying, ‘Okay, yeah, you’re naturally gifted. Yeah, you’re born tough. But that’s not nearly as impressive or long-lasting as being made tough.’
“Because I know I’m not the smartest, I’m not the fastest, I’m not the most athletic; but my God, I am the hardest working and I obsess about it more than anybody. So my goal was to take that championship she was holding hostage, and free it and defend it, and give it to somebody – me – who loves this business more than anything.”
Regarding UFC’s Cris Cyborg trying to taunt The Man into a WWE match, Lynch said she would be open to doing battle, but she has to pay her dues.
“Cris Cyborg, again, another very talented professional in her field, in her field,” Lynch told Dukes. “Look, if anybody loves it, if anybody’s gonna obsess about this, if anybody’s gonna put in the work, then do it. But you can’t just come from another field and expect to be handed everything. Ronda was, but then we showed her the door quite quickly a year later.”
“So yeah, if Cris Cyborg wants to work, if she wants to get training, if she wants to pay her dues, then by all means,” she said. “But if she thinks that she can step from an MMA world into my world, well then that’s a whole different kettle of fish. No less than if I just went into her field without any proper training in that field. This is a different sport, and this is a different grind that not everybody is able (to do).”
Lynch was also asked about what it would take to get Conor McGregor to come to WWE now that he has announced his retirement from MMA.
“I’m not sure. I’m not sure what the future holds for Conor. But, like I said, again, if he wants to work for it, by all means. Come on, Conor. I’ll give ya a little bit of training. I’ll show you the ropes,” she said.
