What a phenomenal week it has been in WWE!
The excitement began with the Elimination Chamber, which many fans, including myself, regarded as one of the best premium live events (PLE) in recent years.
The atmosphere in Toronto with nearly 39,000 people on their feet was electric! The show delivered heart-pounding matches and moments that kept us on the edge of our seats, like the women’s Elimination Chamber match, which saw Jade Cargill return and attack Naomi.
Meanwhile, Bianca Belair was victorious inside the Chamber, punching her ticket to WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas in April.
A particularly shocking turn of events came when John Cena transformed into the ultimate villain.
John is someone I’ve looked up to and considered a friend for my entire 18-year career in WWE. He has been the biggest fan favourite for a huge portion of his career, granting the most Make-A-Wish requests of any person in history, by a long shot.
People across the globe who have long admired him were taken aback by his unexpected bad guy turn. This is the start of a story that really makes me and everyone else want to see what John will do next.
As a fan, I love that I never saw this coming. Like a great chapter in a book, I want to see what will happen next with Cena aligning with The Rock and how Cody Rhodes will defend himself moving forward. The suspense!
I also want to congratulate Iyo Sky on winning the WWE Women’s Championship. Iyo is one of my favourite women in WWE to compete against and she’s one of the best wrestlers in the world right now, male or female.
She is not an overnight success story, having made her professional debut in Japan in 2007. Iyo beating Rhea Rhipley on Raw for the women’s championship not only marked a huge milestone in her career, but also highlighted how important women’s wrestling is in WWE.
I’m so proud of Iyo for her hard work, determination and ability in the ring, but I also want to challenge her for the women’s championship on Raw. It would be a dream come true.
In personal news, I was able to make two incredible announcements this week — an invitation to Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport and The NWA.
Upon the announcement of me competing in Bloodsport, Josh Barnett said “The Queen of Harts. A member of the legacy filled Hart family. She spent time in the Hart Dungeon learning how to crank, rip, and tear wrestlers apart. You could say that she was BORN for this. What will Bloodsport bring out of this veteran wrestler?”
Bloodsport is in Las Vegas, two days before WrestleMania 41. This will be my first match outside of WWE in 18 years, which is so special for me.
I am so excited to see what I can do in this space! Bloodsport is everything training in my grandfather Stu Hart’s Dungeon has prepared me for. It’s an amazing new challenge for me and I’m looking forward to proving myself once again on the mat and in an environment outside of WWE. Now the question remains, who will my opponent be? Stay tuned!
After the Bloodsport announcement on Monday, another huge surprise followed when Billy Corgan, lead singer of The Smashing Pumpkins and owner of NWA Wrestling tweeted “It’s real, people. WWE working with NWA. Thank you to WWE and Nattie for this tremendous opportunity.”
I’ve known Corgan since 2006 when I met him at my uncle Bret Hart’s WWE Hall of Fame induction. This was one year before I got signed by WWE.
I was overcoming an ACL injury I had sustained wrestling in Japan. Corgan, a massive rockstar and a lifelong wrestling fan, was someone who at the start of my career, pushed for me to reach for my biggest dreams and to not give up.
I’ve always remembered his support and encouragement and I’ve cherished his friendship through the years.
This is the first time NWA and WWE have come together in nearly 50 years. It’s an incredible partnership and one I’m excited to see more of.
To be able to compete in The Crockett Cup on May 17 for The NWA is a huge honour and an opportunity, one that I will not take lightly. More history is about to be made.
The Road to WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas is full-steam ahead and, as a fan and a competitor, I’m excited to see what the next chapter brings.
Nattie Neidhart is a Calgary native and third-generation Hart family professional wrestler who works for World Wrestling Entertainment and appears on its flagship Monday Night Raw.