There were consequences for Izzi Dame when she signed with WWE.
The new NXT Women’s North American Champion told Busted Open Radio that her wrestling career has hurt her volleyball career.
Before joining WWE Dame was a professional volleyball player. She began playing at 8-years-old and her father, a former professional player himself, was her coach. While playing for Eastern Michigan, she become the sixth player in the team’s history to record at least 1,000 career digs and kills. She had eyed coaching after her professional career was over. She wasn’t a wrestling fan growing up either.
During her first professional year playing in Cyprus, the WWE sent her an Instagram message even though her contract with Nea Salamina club had already been renewed.
“I don’t even know how they found me. I was living overseas in Cyprus on a little island in the Mediterranean Sea. I actually signed my second year contract to go back and play professional volleyball, flew back for our three month break that we get, touched down, got a DM from the WWE recruit page,” he recalled.
Her father was against her exploring wrestling but her mother was all for it.
“I go to the tryout…I have 4000 followers on Instagram. How these people found me, I don’t know. I end up making it,” she said.
Accepting a contract with WWE put her volleyball career on ice though.
“I had to call my agent and break my contract in Cyprus and now I’m banned from playing there for ten years. Ten years, can’t play there,” she revealed.
Dame beat Thea Hail last night on NXT after Hail announced an open challenge on New Year’s Evil. Earlier in the evening, Hail was attacked by challenger and former champion Blake Monroe. Monroe was banned from the event and their championship match was cancelled.
