Amale is a history maker in being the first French female to be signed by WWE. For 2 years, she graced our screens as part of the solid WWE NXT UK roster, having stand-out feuds and title matches in the process.
PWMania.com sat down with Amale for an exclusive interview and spoke to her about her time with the company and her hopes for the future.
Below is the complete PWMania.com interview with Amale:
You spent 2 solid years in NXT UK. How did it feel to become part of the full-time roster?
“It was unbelievable. I was so honored to be part of the most prestigious wrestling company in the world. This was my first ever time in the UK so I was excited and scared at the same time. It was a new place, a new country, new language, and a crazy time with the pandemic, so a lot was changing, but it was a challenge I was excited to face as I wanted to prove myself amongst this great talent.”
Who did you learn most from during your time within NXT UK?
“Well, when I arrived, a lot of the roster was established but everyone was so helpful and determined to make NXT UK the best wrestling show there was. The people I would say I learned most from and who were so helpful were people like Kay Lee Ray, JD McDonagh and especially Doudrop. We had matches where she really wanted to give me the chance to show my skills and for the world to see my talent. Every time I got in the ring with these people, I felt I got better.
“Johnny Moss was a great trainer and it was just so good to go into the performance center and take everything in. Because of the pandemic, the tapings were spread out and we had no audience, but these people really made me feel like I was getting better all the time.
“What I really learned from trainers and even wrestlers who took classes was how a match creates a story. These guys helped me realise how the match progresses and you take fans on a journey and doing this when there was no crowd was hard, but very rewarding.
“It was the best place to learn.”
Your feuds in the company included some top names. Jinny, Nina Samuels, Xia Brookside. What would you say were some of your favourite moments?
“I would say my favorite match was my title match versus Meiko Satomura. It’s one of the highlights of my career. Me and Xia are close friends too, so matches against her were great and we trained a lot together and always wanted our next match to be better than the last one. I think she became a better heel and me a better babyface as we had the switch in characters and this is something I am proud of.
“Everything around The Nina Samuels Show was fun and Nina is a great talent. There was a lot of freedom for us to take those promos in different places, especially when I would speak French, so it created a good dynamic.”
So, being in that top title match vs Meiko Satomura must’ve been amazing. How did you feel going into that bout?
“I mean, it was a really special moment. We fought once before in WxW in 2019 and that meant a lot to me as Meiko is one of the best in the world. Being able to meet her again in NXT UK was amazing.
“It was crazy though. I didn’t know it was going to happen and then I was told I would be fighting for the title. And, though this may sound strange, what made it more special was the fact there was no crowd, as although we need them, it meant as the match aired, there was no spoilers and everyone watched it not knowing what would happen.
“I got to watch it with friends at home in France and it was mad. Everyone was in front of their screens and the match had a huge impact. They believed the story that I may just win against the world’s best, even though I only had 1 win before this match.
“After the match, people working in the WWE couldn’t believe how popular the match had been in France and told me how happy they were for the reception I got from my people. It was an amazing moment and a memory I will never forget.
“I didn’t win but it was definitely my best match, because after that, I felt like I belonged there and that I earned my place to be fighting for such a prestigious title.”
You’ve been WxW women’s champion. Do you plan to embark on a lot of independent companies and fight for their respective titles?
“I do. I want to win wherever I go and since I have been able to compete again, which has been about a month, I have been to so many places to wrestle.
“I have wrestled in Holland, Germany, Italy, Pakistan and I’m going back. It’s been a whirlwind and I am loving it. I want to come to the UK again and fight for OTT, PROGRESS, and just continue to improve, get better and let people see me in the ring.”
And with the impact you had in France, it is safe to say the country will play a role in NXT Europe. Is this something you want to be part of when it begins?
“For sure. I am loving the freedom I have as an independent wrestler right now, like I want to go across the world, get better, win titles and fight for many promotions, but I would love to part of NXT Europe as it is going to be really special.
“Like NXT UK, it is going to be big and I’m sure it will be a place where so much talent can go, become very good wrestlers and make great matches for the fans to see.
“Because of that, I want to be there. This is no gimmick, this is my life and I want to realize my dreams.”
It is clear to see Amale has big ambitions to make a name for herself, both on the independent scene and in NXT Europe when it arrives. We wish her all the best and look forward to seeing how her career progresses.
