Natalie Neidhart may be part of a wrestling dynasty, but as the powerhouse 鈥楴atalya,鈥� she is forging her own story in women鈥檚 wrestling.
Ahead of this year鈥檚 WWE SummerSlam wrestling extravaganza, being held Sunday at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Neidhart sat down with CTV News鈥檚 Sandie Rinaldo to talk about her family鈥檚 wrestling legacy, women in wrestling and her plans to defeat fellow superstar Becky Lynch.
A winner of both WWE鈥檚 Divas Championship and WWE鈥檚 SmackDown Women鈥檚, Neidhart comes from a long line of professional wrestlers.
The Calgary-born wrestler makes up the third generation of wrestlers from the 鈥淗art鈥� lineage. Her grandfather on her mother鈥檚 side, Stu Hart, trained well known wrestling stars, and his eight sons all went on to be wrestlers, two of them gaining significant fame in the pro-wrestling world.
鈥淲hen your uncle is Bret 鈥楾he Hitman鈥� Hart, one of the greatest superstars in the history of WWE and a Canadian icon, it's hard,鈥� Neidhart told CTV News.
The pressure, she added, came not from her family members, but from her own desire to 鈥渂e great.鈥�
鈥淲restling is in my blood,鈥� she said. 鈥淕rowing up, we didn't have a sandbox in our backyard. We had a wrestling ring.鈥�
But carrying on her family鈥檚 legacy in the ring was not a foregone conclusion.
Her father, Jim Neidhart, did not want her to get into the sport at first. As a former wrestler, he鈥檇 seen how tough the industry could be for women.
鈥淚 was his baby girl,鈥� Neidhart said. 鈥淪o he always tried to protect me 鈥� my Dad didn鈥檛 want me getting hurt because at that time it was more of a man鈥檚 world.鈥�
But the face of professional wrestling is changing in favour of women.
At last year鈥檚 WrestleMania, women were the main event for the first time in 35 years, with Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair serving as the headliners.
鈥淩ight now, there's a women's evolution in WWE and the women are really at the forefront,鈥� Neidhart said. 鈥淔or the first time ever in the industry 鈥� the girls are front and center.鈥�
Neidhart believes the draw of women in wrestling is that 鈥渨omen are more emotional,鈥� 鈥� flipping a common insult used against women in sports on its head.
鈥淚 think the women are just so unique to watch because I feel like we're more passionate than the men,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to blaze my own trail, which has been remarkable and exciting.鈥�
She said before her father passed away last summer, he had come around on her wrestling, and 鈥渆nded up becoming my biggest fan.鈥�
On Sunday, Neidhart will go head-to-head with current women鈥檚 champion Becky Lynch, the first woman to beat Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania. Neidhart says she鈥檚 excited to wrestle her superstar opponent, known for her confidence in the ring.
鈥淪he believes so much in her heart that she is the best,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I also believe that I'm the best.鈥�
Neidhart trained in Calgary at a gym known as the 鈥淗art Dungeon,鈥� where countless professionals鈥攑redominantly men鈥攈ave honed their body slams and submission holds. But she says the gender imbalance made her a more determined, resilient wrestler.
鈥淭here was one other girl and myself and then 20 guys, 30 guys,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o if she wasn't at the practice I had to wrestle men.鈥�
Sunday鈥檚 match will serve as a milestone moment for Neidhart, not only for the opportunity to steal the women鈥檚 championship title from Lynch, but to compete in the country she calls home.
鈥淚'm at a point right now where I've never felt so inspired to compete and perform, especially in my home country of Canada,鈥� she said.
She wants spectators to focus on her passion when she challenges Lynch.
鈥淵ou will feel something, you'll feel an emotional connection, but you also understand that I thought very, very hard to get here,鈥� she said.
鈥淎nd when I win the Raw Women鈥檚 championship, you'll know why鈥攂ecause I have grit, determination and passion.鈥�
