10 Things WWE Fans Need To Know About Taya Valkyrie
9. Then She Moved To Fitness Competitions
Ballet isn't the only activity Taya Valkyrie got up to prior to pro wrestling, as she also partook in various fitness competitions from 2005 onwards. In the aforementioned interview with The Mirror, Valkyrie noted how her passion for becoming a wrestler is what drove her down the fitness avenue.
It's not exactly a secret that back in the day, WWE higher-ups didn't necessarily care about the actual pro wrestling experience of their Divas. That's not to say there weren't good wrestlers there, as Taya herself mentioned Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson, and Victoria, but other aspects simply mattered more to WWE officials.
That's why 'La Wera Loca' got into fitness so heavily. She placed first in the 2010 Canadian Bodybuilding Federation Championships and second in the 2011 Arnold Amateur. It was after this that she was offered her first WWE tryout, despite having never laced her first pair of wrestling boots. Technically speaking, Taya's logic that fitness modelling would get her to where she wanted to be in the wrestling business was correct.
Alongside appearing in numerous fitness magazines and calendars throughout her career, it's safe to say that Taya had a successful time with the ol' fitness lifestyle.