Naomi Reflects On Walking Out Of WWE In 2022, ‘I Thought I Didn’t Want To Wrestle Anymore’

In May 2022, Naomi and Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks in WWE) walked out before an episode of WWE Raw due to creative differences with Vince McMahon. They were the reigning WWE Womens’ Tag Team Champions at the time.

Speaking to Stephanie McMahon on What’s Your Story? Naomi reflected on walking out and how she felt.

“When the walkout happened, I think that was the first time in my adult life where I had the chance to stop, rethink, redefine, and figure out what I really wanted next and how I wanted my life to move forward. In the beginning, I really struggled to process that. I thought I didn’t want to wrestle anymore and that I was done. [Jimmy Uso] was also in a different place in his career. He was in the thick of Bloodline,” said Naomi.

Naomi said she got support from Jimmy and her family at the time.

“It was such a crazy time. He did such a great job. I also had to go through a lot emotionally and mentally on my own because he had his own stuff going on. That was the first time where I had to do the work on myself. It was great. It made me stronger. It re-lit a fire in me. I became a lot more confident in myself because I didn’t have him to reassure me on things about work. I thought I grew so much through that and the time period when I was gone. When I came back, I was ready, I was refreshed, and I was intentional on what I wanted this time to be like. I focused, I locked in, and I worked hard. It paid off,” she said.

Jimmy said he learned a lot from Naomi’s growth and the courage she had to step away. Naomi said that she realized that even though things stopped for her, everything kept moving for everyone else.

Naomi said, “It gave me a whole new appreciation. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Me, being home, I went through a shoulder surgery. Just physically, I feel like it was taken away from me. I thought maybe I was ready to transition into a different part of life, but in that moment, I realized, ‘Oh no. I ain’t done yet. There is still more in me. There is still more I want to do. There is still more I have to do. I don’t want it to end this way.’ Even through all the messiness of that, the beautiful part of it was me fighting through that, pushing through that, and wanting to prove that there is more for me to do and accomplish. Not just in wrestling, but as a woman and someone going through a difficult time.”

She signed with TNA in April 2023 before returning to WWE at the 2024 Royal Rumble.

Naomi is the reigning WWE Women’s World Champion.

She is set to speak on Monday’s WWE Raw, one week after she wasn’t medically cleared for her title defense against IYO SKY.

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