Unlike many pro wrestlers, “WWE NXT” star Tatum Paxley didn’t grow up as a fan of the business. Thanks to a nudge from someone connected to the industry, though, Paxley eventually opened her eyes to it and found herself deeply immersed.

During an interview with “Going Ringside,” Paxley cited former WWE Raw Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss as the main focus of her wrestling fandom, particularly due to former “Goddess'” storytelling abilities. Beyond that, Paxley seemed to feel personally connected to Bliss’ on-screen character at the time.

“When you look at her and you see the craziness that she can bring to the ring, she can tell a story so much with her face and her eyes. To me, she just stood out,” Paxley said. “She’s what helped me realize that there are more to pro wrestling than just what you see in the ring. She’s the one that made me realize there is story, there’s something to connect with. There’s something to really draw you into pro wrestling. She’s what did that for me.

“I think everyone that falls in love with pro wrestling, they’re falling in love with our stories and what we’re going through. She was that for me. Even me just YouTubing her, just seeing little short clips of her, she could tell that story in that short time for me. I just think she’s so incredible and so talented.”

Mesmerized by Bliss’ work in WWE, Paxley later decided to pursue professional wrestling herself, beginning with a WWE tryout in the summer of 2021. Four years later, Paxley stood opposite Bliss in a WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match on “NXT,” with Bliss and her partner Charlotte Flair emerging victorious.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Going Ringside” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.