Carmella Says Partnership With R-Truth Wasn’t Supposed to Happen, Talks Being Split Up in the Draft

– Carmella spoke with Sporting News for a new interview and spoke about her team with R-Truth, plus more. Some highlights from the interview are below:

On if she’s part of the Royal Rumble match: “I wish I could make an announcement. I really don’t know. I hope I’m a part of it. I’ve been a part of the last two so I’m really hoping that I’m going to be a part of the match but I guess you’ll just have to tune in and find out.”

On only five names being announced so far: “I prefer it that way. I think, like you said, that’s the exciting part about the Rumble. You never know whose music is going to hit or who is going to come down. I think if you announce all the names, then there are only a few surprises whereas here, not everyone is announced it’s way more exciting that way.”

On not being on Smackdown in a while: “It’s been a bit. I was on a few weeks ago and had a match against Sonya Deville and then Mandy Rose. You know, it’s so crazy, this business. There’s always ups and downs. You’re either in the spotlight for a long time or you’re kind of on the sidelines, but that’s the way this business works. You can’t always be at the top and I feel super fortunate to have been on TV regularly for my entire career on SmackDown. This is kind of the first time ever I’m taking a little bit of a break. And it’s OK. Sometimes, I’m like wait, I want to be out there. I want to be a part of the action. But other times it’s great because you can take a little break and you’re not forced down everyone’s throats and get a chance to soak everything in that happened over the last few years.”

On going from a manager in WWE to a featured wrestler: “It’s been a complete whirlwind. To think about the things that I’ve accomplished is crazy. It’s something I would only hope and dream for so I feel so fortunate and lucky to have been a part of these first-ever’s for the women. No matter what happens in my career from here on out, I will always go down in history as the first-ever Miss Money in the Bank and that’s something no one can ever take away from me. I think it’s really cool and I don’t think anyone expected me to beat Charlotte Flair or Asuka or these women who are such a high caliber in our women’s division and I was in there with them and I beat them. It’s really cool and I’m just so fortunate and lucky to have had the career that I’ve had so far.”

On her partnership with R-Truth: “It was never supposed to be anything. It really wasn’t. He was just going around backstage saying he needed to pin me for a title opportunity as a joke because that’s what Charlotte did in order to get into the SummerSlam match in 2018. He was just joking about it and then it just kind of turned into a thing. Then we got paired together for Mixed Match Challenge and then we were the only team from Mixed Match Challenge that continued to be a team beyond that competition. What you saw on TV was so real and genuine. We have a true friendship and we just had so much fun. He would crack me up. I’d be cracking up live on TV from the things he was doing in front of me and I couldn’t help myself. I was laughing because he’s so ridiculous. He’s been around forever and he continues to find a way to stay relevant and my hat is off to him because he’s such an incredible entertainer.”

On being split from R-Truth in the draft: “I was definitely bummed and felt like there was a lot more that we could have done but, at the same time, it’s good for me I think because I actually get the opportunity to be in a story and just be Carmella again because it’s been a while. Basically, since I lost the championship at SummerSlam to Charlotte a year-and-a-half ago. I haven’t really been a major part of the women’s division because I’ve been so involved in the stuff with Truth, which has been great. It’s been a great opportunity to show a different side of my character. But I do think it’s important now to step out on my own and remind everyone what I can do and what I’m capable of outside of that comedy role.”