11 Things You Didn't Know About WWE's Tatum Paxley

4. WWE Said No To Her Current Character

During that interview with Denise Salcedo that's been referenced several times here, Tatum revealed that WWE bosses “said no a lot” to the character she’s playing now. At first, she'd been hired as a powerlifter through the NIL program, but Paxley knew playing a character framed around that history wouldn't really have been a neat fit for her. In short, being the female Big E Langston wasn’t going to get the job done.

So, she kept at it and “ignored the no” during small spot shows at the PC. Eventually, after a ton of back and forth, WWE chiefs gave in and realised how well the character was clicking with audiences. They knew they had to give it a try on NXT and see what Tatum could make of it. Good on her for sticking to her guns and carving out a spot.

That was a risky decision, because it easily could've blown up in the still-green rookie's face. Not many newbies have the strength of character to spot a direction, know it'll pan out, then dig their heels in once WWE bosses say no. The easier play would've been ditching all of the goth/rock stuff she was going for and just doing whatever agents wanted her to do.

Being true to herself swayed WWE. They were impressed by Tatum's determination, and by how well she was connecting to those attending the spot shows. That experimentation and willingness to thumb her nose at the rules has led to plenty of plaudits.

Sometimes, the wrestler is right. Not the promotion.