Nikki A.S.H. on Raw Women’s Title Win, 'Almost Super' Pitch | 'Out of Character'
By Ryan Satin
FOX Sports WWE Analyst
Nikki A.S.H. bet on herself earlier this year, and now, after the two biggest wins of her career, she’s reaping the rewards.
Fresh off winning a Money in the Bank contract and cashing in the next night on Raw, Nikki joined "Out of Character" this week to talk about pitching the new take on her TV persona, how it felt winning MITB and what holding the Raw Women’s title means to her.
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Wrestling Twitter blew up last month after the former Nikki Cross unveiled a new superhero-inspired take on the character.
At first, fans assumed the change was assigned to her like most Superstars in WWE, but Nikki was quick to correct the narrative by letting them know it was her idea from the start.
On this week’s podcast, she went into even more detail, revealing how her pitch to upper brass also included financial data from female-driven superhero franchises to help the idea get green-lit.
RS: What was step one when you had the idea?
NIKKI: "The first thing I did was ask an artist that I know to do a cartoon, a little toon drawing. Because, when we started to explore it, I was like, ‘Okay, this is going to be something super positive. A role model for children and the younger audiences. How do we that?'
"And I thought: Cartoons! Let’s present this character as a spunky, cute, very energetic stick of dynamite.
"So, we had a little concept cartoon, and then I looked into the research. What were Wonder Woman’s numbers like at the box office? We know it was successful, but how much money did it make? How much money did Captain Marvel make? Looking at the success, especially of female-led, superhero movies and female-led television shows.
"Super-girl, you’ve got Bat-girl, you’ve got WandaVision, you had Black Widow coming out. Captain Marvel. Wonder Woman.
"The female-led franchises and the female-led movies was what I wanted to really, really focus on and show that there’s been such a huge success and it’s inspirational.
"I went to see Wonder Woman with my mom in Scotland … and I was crying. I sobbed watching this movie. Tears in my eyes. Then I looked over at my mom and she also had tears in her eyes.
"I have younger nephews too and they loved it. They’re obsessed with superheroes. My nephew’s favorite one is The Incredible Hulk. So, you can see how much it can touch people’s lives and, WWE, we also want to touch people’s lives. Connect with families and people of all ages.
"In WWE, we want to unite people – for me that’s what I wanted to explore, and see how that’s connected with people.
"How we can make this relatable. How do we bring this to WWE in 2021? Those were the first few things.
"My thing was, let’s get this image and let’s portray this, and the cartoon really helped with that. I think it really captured my energy."
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RS: I think that is so smart, what you just said.
I feel as though most people, when pitching a new character, would not go to the business aspect like that. Instead, they’d be like, ‘Look how great this would be! It could help on TV with this or that.’
But I think it’s fascinating that you spoke to the business mind of the people that you were going to be talking to. Look at Black Widow. Look at Wonder Woman. Look at the MCU. Look at all these things! I’m assuming that helped convince them to do this more than anything else since you made such good business points.
NIKKI: "I think there’s also the heart of it, though. There’s such a human connection in what we’re trying to do.
"Because, right off the bat, we debuted the character, then I spoke about it on Raw Talk that same night, and I really wanted to make it clear that I know I don’t have super powers.
"That the idea is that you put on the cape and the mask, and you feel like you can try anything. You might fall down, but you always get back up. You always pick yourself up.
"And I think that there is a hundred percent a business aspect of it, but there’s also this very human, really lovely message that we’re really trying to portray and really put forward.
"The human connection and the heart of the character, the heart of the whole message, to me that’s the part that I love. That’s the part that I connect with."
"Thankfully, the powers that be connected with her message as well, which is why she was booked to win the women’s Money in the Bank briefcase earlier this month against 7 other participants.
"The next night on Raw, she cashed in on Charlotte Flair to win the Raw Women’s Championship for the very first time, and even though she lost clean to "The Queen" in a non-title match on this week’s show, Nikki is still on cloud nine over everything she’s gone through this past month.
RS: Let’s say I had access to a time machine and I went back to you at the Royal Rumble to say that in a few months you’d be winning the Money in the Bank contract later in the year – in front of a packed arena, filled with people – would you have believed me?
NIKKI: "The last few days, Ryan, have been so surreal.
"It really doesn’t feel real. It feels like a dream. I even said on my Twitter and Instagram, please don’t wake me up. This feels like a dream.
"So, if you told me at the Royal Rumble, I don’t know if I would’ve believed you. But, at the same time, I believed in this idea so much. In the process, there was never a doubt in my mind.
"I believed in this so much and I still believe this in so much. So, the fact that it’s brought me success and it’s brought me championship gold … always believe in yourself.
"I believed in the idea and it’s brought me success, the most success I’ve ever seen in my career, and I think that’s a message to people to believe in themselves. No matter what the odds are, believe in yourself and you’ll do great things.
"It can be scary. It can be a little frightening. A little intimidating. But you smile, you put your best forward, and you move forward.
"I think that’s the message."
Watch Nikki A.S.H. each week on Monday Night Raw at 8pm Eastern.
Ryan Satin is a WWE analyst for FOX Sports. Satin previously appeared on FS1's "WWE Backstage" and founded Pro Wrestling Sheet, where he broke countless news stories as editor-in-chief.
