Natalya recalled how she had an “awkward” match with Layla in 2012 after having dinner with The Great Khali.
While promoting her memoir on What’s Your Story? with Stephanie McMahon, Natalya shared a memorable and increasingly awkward story from her time travelling with The Great Khali during their WWE run.
She explained that when she and Khali began teaming together in 2012, WWE would often offer incentives for other wrestlers to drive him to events, as he was unable to drive in the United States. She eagerly volunteered, describing Khali as a “sweetheart”, but said the day quickly took an unexpected turn once they arrived at the airport.
After an extended meet-and-greet with fans recognising Khali from WWE and The Longest Yard, Natalya was keen to head straight to the venue to prepare for her match. Khali, however, had other priorities.
“I’m like, ‘Let’s get to the gym. We got to get to the live event. I want to get there early. I want to talk about things with Layla. I want to go over my match.’ Khali says, ‘I’m hungry.’”
She recalled, adding that she herself was surviving on a protein bar. The pair instead stopped at a San Diego restaurant owned by Khali’s friends, where they were presented with what she described as a smorgasbord of Indian food.
While she enjoyed the meal, Natalya admitted the unfamiliar spices did not agree with her. With leftovers packed up, they headed to the live event, where she immediately warned her opponent, Layla, and producer Fit Finlay that she was not in a good state.
“I told Layla, ‘No hip tosses, no suplexes,’”
She said, explaining that she was uncomfortable, sweating, and concerned about how little margin for error there was in her ring gear.
“So I had a very awkward match with Layla and thank goodness Fit Finlay was the producer and I pulled him aside and I was like, ‘Khali wanted to do dinner prior to this and I’ve eaten a lot,’ and Fit is like, ‘Get through it.'”
The story did not end there. After the show, Khali announced he was hungry again and wanted to return to the restaurant, only to find it closed. Instead, they went to his friends’ house and ended up staying the night. Natalya said she spent an uncomfortable evening hoping she would not need the bathroom, only to be told the next morning that they were staying for breakfast as well.
That was the breaking point. Natalya said she finally snapped and told Khali they were leaving, calling the experience an important moment in her personal growth.
When Did Natalya Join WWE?
Natalya officially joined WWE in 2007, signing a developmental contract and reporting to the company’s then-territory, Deep South Wrestling.
After spending time honing her skills in DSW, FCW, and OVW, Natalya made her main-roster debut in 2008, initially aligning with The Hart Dynasty. Since then, she has remained a consistent presence in WWE, becoming one of the longest-tenured women on the roster and a respected veteran across multiple eras of the company.
