Lana Discusses Evolution, Teaming With Rusev And More

Lana was recently interviewed by Newsweek and gave her thoughts on several topics. Below are the interview highlights.

Lana on kicking off Summerslam this year: 

"It was so incredible, and I’m so grateful to be able to be in a match with my husband, Rusev. I’m not just managing him, I actually get to wrestle. I remember a few years ago at Summerslam, we were fighting. To come full circle and be together on the same side, tagging, is such an awesome experience. I don’t appreciate that Zelina [Vega] cheated. That was very cowardly, and I’m not happy about that. But I’ll get my revenge at some point to crush their tranquilo.”

Lana on what she’s most proud of in WWE:

“There are so many things I’m so proud of. If we’re talking just in-ring stuff, participating in the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble. I was so grateful to be a part of history. I never thought there would be an all-women’s royal rumble. I’m also glad I got to participate in this year’s Money in the Bank ladder match. The stakes are high in all matches in the WWE, but there is nothing as high as a ladder match. You have to lift these heavy, heavy ladders. Anything can happen, and it’s really dangerous. To be in a high-stakes match like that, I was really excited to participate in it.”

Lana on her contributions to the success of the Rusev Day team:

“I’ve been a Rusev Day fan since before there was a Rusev Day. I feel like I was the forerunner of it all. I saw something in him before the WWE universe saw it in him, back when they were booing us for being patriotic to our countries. He really is the super-athlete. I think he’s one of our most athletic superstars. Now that everyone is supporting Rusev and Rusev Day, you see that he’s funny and charming and great, and I’m glad you’re finally seeing what I’ve always seen. I knew people would come along, sometimes it just takes time. It’s Lana’s day, but it’s Rusev’s year.”

Lana on working with her husband for the mixed match challenge:

“I loved the Mixed Match Challenge. Rusev and I had so much fun with it. We were really able to use social media to use our voice. There was a lot more freedom to be creative, and it was great to dress up as Bayley or Charlotte or Naomi and imitate them. We really had a lot of fun with that in our living room. And I learned so much from Rusev. He trains me in the ring, he trains me in the gym. Anything from athleticism to psychology and how to win. My first win came with him in the Mixed Match Challenge because he was really showing me the ropes. He literally had me matchka boards and crush. He trained in Thailand in muay thai and he wanted to teach me his ways, which was basically breaking boards and matchka kicking boards down.”

Lana on her first match:

“Oh my gosh, I was so nervous at Wrestlemania when I debuted. I never had a live match ever. I’d had practice matches, but a practice match in front of no one is very different from a real match. Nattie gave me this pep talk, saying ‘you can’t not be inspired. This is the highest stake thing you’re ever going to have, and you’re going to sink or swim. So you better go out there and prove everyone who doubted you wrong.’ All of a sudden, you’re like ‘I’m motivated!’ And once you walk out there you realize, ‘I’m born for this, there is nothing in the world like this.’”