Natalya is no more, and the next evolution of Nattie could see her targeting championships coming out of WWE WrestleMania 42
Reborn at GCW Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XIII in April of last year, Natalya returned to using her real name: Nattie Neidhart, before bringing the character to WWE, without the last name.
Now, almost one year since Natalya was reborn, she has discussed the character’s progress in an interview with the Toronto Sun, saying:
“We’re really just getting started with it. I think the biggest thing for me was there were so many huge victories with what we’ve done. I mean imagine you’re this character for a long, long time in WWE, I was Natalya for 18 years.
“So imagine you have this idea… I worked and fought the entire 2025 trying to bring this character to life, trying to flesh out something unique, something different that I could bring to the table as a fresh new concept. And so to be able to bring my real name to WWE, to be able to have permission from them to wrestle all these promotions outside of the company, I’m really one of the first people ever I think to build this on the outside. There’s nobody else that’s ever built a character on the indies besides me, whilst still under a WWE contract.
“I’ll never forget walking out at the Royal Rumble, debuting Nattie and the crowd, they just got it, all the way in Saudi Arabia, the crowd just understood. They understood that this was something new that I had built and fought for, tooth and nail, fought for. I was scratching and clawing to bring this character to WWE, and we got to do it with my real name, my legal name. Then, of course, I went into a storyline with Maxxine (Dupri) and people were like, ‘What’s next?’ It’s like, ‘We’re just getting started.’
“Right now, we’re in WrestleMania season. Every single talent should be aspiring to be a part of WrestleMania, but if you’re not in it, what are the other things you can do? For me, it’s going to be so amazing to be able to be a part of Bloodsport because I’m going to take the momentum that I have from Bloodsport and bring it back to the (WWE) women’s division, because I want everything.”
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When it comes to what that “everything” entails, it’s WWE championships and storylines, with Nattie looking at the make-up of WrestleMania 42, stating:
“I want gold. If Stephanie (Vaquer) wins against Liv (Morgan), I want to take on Stephanie. If Liv is the new champ, I want Liv. If Rhea (Ripley) is the new champ, I want Rhea. If Jade Cargill is still champion after WrestleMania, I want to beat Jade Cargill for that championship.
“I’ve never been more ready. And you see that with Randy Orton, just because Randy’s been in WWE for over two decades doesn’t mean that he’s not as hungry as he’s ever been and that’s really the same with me. I want gold, I’ve more than earned my place to have gold, and I want every opportunity that is right in front of me.
“I want to be involved in great storylines more than anything, and maybe it doesn’t involve gold. I have not feuded yet with Bianca Belair. Bianca to me would be a dream opponent. Bianca Belair, IYO (SKY), Rhea Ripley, like those are women that I’m really excited about the possibility of working with them and actually having a really great feud with them, great storylines. Stephanie, Liv, Raquel (Rodriguez), even just some of the new talent coming in, like Roxanne (Perez). I would love to do a storyline against Judgment Day.
“Just because I started something with Maxxine that I can’t finish big with the champion or with the championship storyline. The good news is that Maxxine was put in her place and now she knows her role.”
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A Post WWE WrestleMania 42 Push On The Cards?
With plans for WWE WrestleMania 42 still emerging and just over two weeks until the April 18 & 19 Premium Live Event, it’s difficult to say what direction stories will take coming out of the Allegiant Stadium show.
Arguably, potential rematches aside, WrestleMania can be seen as the end of a particular story arc, with the subsequent season giving opportunities for new challengers, feuds and directions, but without completely abandoning how we got there.
Whilst it would be a refreshing change if every match went off without any outside interference, any of the matches that Nattie referenced are ripe for the “Lowkey Legend” to make her presence felt, especially as it could, potenially, steer the ship in a direction favorable to a feud for the veteran star.
That said, there’s just as much chance that she will make her intentions clear to her preferred champion on the Raw after WrestleMania, with that show typically experiencing a unique reaction from fans.
Wherever Nattie chooses to go, however, she will no doubt be bringing her harder-edged persona to the forefront, assuming it survives at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport.
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