Lola Vice Credits Norman Smiley for Coaching Her, Discusses the Vision for Her Character

– WWE NXT talent Lola Vice (aka former MMA fighter Valerie Loureda) appeared on Busted Open Radio earlier this week, and she discussed being invited to WrestleMania 38, being trained by Normal Smiley, and more. Below are some highlights (via WrestlingInc.com):

Lola Vice on WWE inviting her to WrestleMania 38: “I didn’t want to go because I knew what was going to happen. I knew I was going to see WrestleMania, and I was going to do it, I knew it. Then once I went there and I spoke to Triple H and I spoke to everyone and I just saw this beautiful production I just got goosebumps like the first time I saw MMA, and I knew this was going to be the next chapter in my life.”

On the vision she had for her character: “I’ve always had a vision for what my name was and I always would make the matching gear for my corner men. I think they just saw me as more than an MMA athlete, but more as an entertainer, because that’s who I am at heart.”

Lola Vice on being trained by Norman Smiley: “I will forever be grateful for … Norman Smiley. He helped me put on my wrestling shoes for the first time. And for the first four months of [my] being in NXT, I was with Coach Smiley, and everything I know now is because of that man.”