In the latest PWMania.com exclusive, Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) sits down with Carolina Cruz (@CarolinaCruzera), formerly known as WWE’s Emma Diaz, for an in-depth interview. They discuss her journey with WWE, the WWE: Next Gen experience, training at the Performance Center, her release, and her debut on the independent wrestling circuit, among other topics. Check out the complete interview below.
When and why did you first get into professional wrestling?
“I was never really a fan of professional wrestling, I was scouted through college athletics which I thought was super cool. Once I was hired by the WWE and learned all about pro wrestling, I fell in love with it within six months of being a pro wrestler.”
Did you have any inspiration for becoming Carolina Cruz?
“I’ve always been a huge fan of “The Fast and the Furious,” and what I love about professional wrestling is you can tie it into that inner child. You can be someone, a superhero, someone you’ve always looked up to growing up. I kind of tied those both together. I feel like Lita really had that rough, edgy, style that I liked. She is someone I did go back and watch a lot.”
We saw your Rugby background come in to play on WWE: Next Gen. While it’s not the same, how has that helped you in this world?
“Just being taxing on your body. Professional wrestling is the hardest and most taxing sport that I have done, apart from Rugby and amateur wrestling.”
On WWE: Next Gen, you spoke about your dad’s motivation and family sacrifices in getting you where you are today. What does that mean to you?
“I’m very proud to represent the Hispanic community and I’m very proud to say my dad risked his life so that I may become something in this country. So, I definitely am becoming something in this country. I’m still very young and I’ve accomplished so many things, but I feel like as a Hispanic, I’m naturally very hard on myself, but I have to remember I’ve done so many things already. Being the first in my family to graduate college, going through school, accomplishing already being hired by the WWE at 22 years old. I did everything at the same time. I was still a senior in college as I was starting with the WWE. Sometimes I don’t realize how much I already did, and sometimes I don’t give myself enough grace and show myself how proud I am of myself, I’m usually focused on what else I can do and how else I can be great.”
What was the experience like for you on WWE: Next Gen?
“It was honestly really cool. I feel like I didn’t realize what was actually happening in the moment. Now, I look back and wish I can do it all over again because now I know what it means to be highlighted on a reality show by WWE. I feel like I could have utilized that in such a bigger way. I feel like I was in my shell, very shy, and wasn’t really confident. I feel like I could have utilized that so differently, and it probably could have played out a little differently for me now. But you can’t go back. I’m proud of everything I did on that show. I’m proud I got to share my story and go through my first couple months at the PC and how I actually got hired by the WWE.”
What was it like cutting a promo at “The Comedy Store” venue in front of some of WWE’s best?
“It felt like it was my last chance. It felt like I was holding onto a cliff and that I had one more shot to get over the cliff. I usually do really well in circumstances like that. It really just felt like I was underwater and I had to get back on top.”
You got to learn from some amazing coaches, guests, and others. What was it like to learn from everyone there?
“Now I realize it’s amazing that that’s where I got to start my career. Especially now that I’m doing the indies. I’m so confident in my skillset knowing that the best in the business taught me from the beginning. I am very grateful to have been introduced by the best company in the world. That’s my goal, but also part of me is like that’s where I started which is crazy to me because nobody gets to start there. I’m very grateful for that opportunity, as well as confident that I had that opportunity.”
You also got to go backstage at WrestleMania 39. What was that whole experience like for you?
“It was like the coolest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Now looking back I’m even more hyped about it than I was at the time, because now I learned to love wrestling. So, now I’m like I was really backstage at WrestleMania, that’s crazy. At the moment, I was super excited, super happy, but I wasn’t as shocked as I am now. I wish I would have been but everything happens the way it does for a reason. I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for all of those things happening.”
The show culminated for you with you getting a WWE contract. What was that initial feeling like for you?
“It was like a dream come true, a literal dream come true. I didn’t know what to expect but it was like a dream come true. Not only because I got to be a wrestler for the WWE which is one of my biggest dreams now going forward, but it was also my first “big girl” job out of college. So it wasn’t just one accomplishment, it was many.”
Tell me about your time training at the Performance Center. Did you develop any friendships there, and your relationship with Lexis King?
“Obviously, our (Lexis and Carolina) relationship developed there, under the time that I was hired by WWE, so I’m so grateful for that. He’s the best partner in the world. But yeah, I had a lot of friendships with Kelani Jordan, Brinley Reece, and Karmen Petrovic. They were honestly like my closest friends.”
What did you learn from WWE that you can take with you going forward?
“Honestly, the biggest thing that I learned is it’s not about the wrestling. It’s about the personality, promo, and everything outside of the ring. That’s like how I strive to be better than anyone else. Those things were the hardest for me and the most uncomfortable for me. So, I can only imagine how everyone else feels about it. As you can see on the indies, it’s rare for people to want to cut promos and really put themselves out there. Right now, I’m challenging myself to cut a promo for every single show that I have, and really create that drama, create those stories, because that’s how you make money doing this stuff.”
We saw a little bit of a glimpse at who Emma Diaz is. But going forward, who is Carolina Cruz and what can we expect?
“Carolina Cruz is a street racer who has a chip on her shoulder. I’m literally living one life because my parents risked their lives so that I could be here. That’s pretty much who I am.”
Later this month on 10/27, you’ll be making your Puerto Rico debut. What is that like for you and how important is it to you?
“It’s really important for me to be making that debut. The goal is to be able to travel the world and really put myself out there. I’m so lucky to be able to speak another language to the point where I can work in Mexico, Puerto Rico, understand what everyone is saying and really fit in. I’m very grateful to be bilingual, and that’s something my parents always emphasizes is that being bilingual will get you places and if I didn’t realize it now I’d realize it in the future. That’s something I see now, it’s getting me places.”
On December 1st, it was announced recently you will be debuting at Ladies Night Out 14. What’s your mindset going into that show and what can we expect?
“First of all, I’m very grateful to be on that show. There’s amazing women on that show every single year. That’s one of the biggest indie shows especially at the end of the year. I’m going to be on that show with a lot of amazing talents. Like Masha Slamovich, Xia Li, all these girls that are so good. I just feel so honored that they believe in me that I can blend in, standout, and put on a show there. You can expect me to make a great first impression for whoever’s in that crowd, or watching on Title Match Network, because that’s going to be my shot to open more opportunities for me.”
Is there anyone specific you’d like to work with at that show?
“I’d like to work Xia Li for sure. We trained together a few times and she’s great. She’s tough, bada**, and she’s just a great opponent.”
Do you have any one you’d like to face off with?
“Honestly, I want to wrestle the best that the independents have to offer. I was very lucky to be able to work with Kamille, Ruthie Jay during my first couple months. Especially when I was at Reality of Wrestling, they have really good girls there like Gigi Rey and Promise Braxton. I got to wrestle all of those girls already. But, going back to all the girls on Ladies Night Out, Billie Starkz, Masha Slamovich, Jessica Roden. All those girls have been around for a long time and I’m excited to work with all of them. I’ve also already got to wrestle Jazmin Allure, she was great.”
You also got announced for the upcoming season of Women Of Wrestling, as Catalina Speed. What can we expect of you there?
“You can expect Carolina Cruz just with a different name. I love that I have such a gimmicky character which is great, but it’s really just me. I’m glad I didn’t have to go over there and create something over the top. I get to just be myself. I was lucky enough that the car racing can be a thing. I was super excited, it just came naturally because I get to be me out there.”
What are your goals going forward?
“I have a few goals, but they all tie into one. The goal is that I want to be signed again by a company, work for a company, whether it’s TNA, WWE, or AEW. My goal is to just be booked everywhere and get so undeniably good that a company wants to hire me. That’s my goal. It starts with the little goals of cutting promos and showing I have all these assets that I didn’t have when I first started.”
A message to the fans:
“There’s only one speed, and that’s mine. Just make sure you keep on following me, and that’s pretty much it.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit PWMania.com with an h/t to PWMania.com for the transcription.
