Trish Stratus Hopes Maxxine Dupri Uses Criticism As Fuel

Speaking with SlamWrestling.net, WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus discussed being criticized by fans when she started out in wrestling and how she can relate to WWE’s Maxxine Dupri. Here are the highlights:

On fan criticism: “I think these keyboard warriors have no idea what we do. I suffered it too. They were like, ‘Oh that (match) was crap.’ Well, you try it. I love that (the women) banded together. Because we all get it, we all go through it, we live it. It affects us, you know? We have feelings. So when people say something mean, it doesn’t feel that great. So it’s great that we can all use the platform of social media to (unite), and let (the critics) know that they can’t just talk s— and get away with it. I love that we can put them in their place.”

On Maxxine Dupri: “I think that Maxxine is doing amazing. I think she’s being booked perfectly. I see similar parallels to the way I was booked early on. I believe I have this connection with the fans because of how I came up. I didn’t do the traditional upbringing. I didn’t come in trained, I didn’t do the indies or the ‘minor league’ so to speak. I literally learned on the road – I learned as I went, and everyone was along for the journey. They got to see me fall down. But they also got to see me stand up, dust myself off, and try again. I think she’s doing a great job. She’s athletic, she’s got a great look, she’s gorgeous. I think she’s the perfect underdog story. I think it’s going to turn around and people are going to click with her, and she’ll be around a long time. I would (encourage) her to use those negative words as her fuel. I hope she turns it into a fire so that she can go back to them and say ‘Look at what I did now.’ When I was getting criticized, when people were telling me I’d never succeed, my motivation was to become so good that people couldn’t help but notice. That drove me. Hopefully that can be her fuel as well.”