Throughout the first half of 2024, WWE actively pursued new contracts with its talent. While numerous stars, including Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, and Finn Balor, successfully signed, others, such as Becky Lynch and Ricochet, opted to depart. Lynch later re-signed in late 2024.
With her WWE contract ending in June, Natalya remained in negotiation with the company as the month closed. Simultaneously, she received numerous offers from other promotions for both in-ring and non-wrestling roles.
Since joining WWE in 2007, Natalya has established a decorated career, holding two Women’s Championships (including the Divas Championship) and one WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship.
Natalya won’t be leaving WWE anytime soon. In July 2024, PWInsider.com reported that Natalya had locked in a new deal with WWE.
While appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, Natalya discussed her decision to resign with WWE. She praised Triple H and noted that he was the determining factor in her decision.
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“So I had expressed some of the things that I wanted to do with the powers that be. Triple H was great, he was extremely supportive, he was very understanding. It was nothing against the management that was before him. Because I’ve had an incredible career, I’ve gotten to do so many things. When I think about all the things that I’ve done, having all those Guinness world records, it’s because I’ve worked so much, I’ve done so much, but I’ve just very much needed change. I think change comes with stepping outside of your comfort zone, which is why, in the last month or so, you’ve seen that I’ve taken on [outside bookings],.”
“Because I have a lot of faith in Triple H. I have a lot of faith in his ability to tell stories, and I’ve seen, just in the last year, the entire company is hotter than it’s ever been, ever. We’re hotter than the Attitude Era right now. Every show is big. It’s not just WrestleMania, it’s not just Royal Rumble. Every single show we’re doing is sold out. Every single show is big, and a lot of it has to do with the direction and how we’re telling stories.”
Natalya said that it isn’t a shot at Vince McMahon’s creative ways. She noted she has always been a team player and did whatever was asked of her.
“Whereas I feel like now, the difference is that Triple H really has a vision, and it takes time to get there, and you see that vision. I see so many incredible changes with people like Nia Jax, with Liv Morgan, with Chad Gable.”
“Those are three people that I feel like Triple H has really changed their whole trajectory and turned everything around for them. It’s hard sometimes when you may have a certain perception of you or how you are. I think that he is incredible at telling stories with talent, and it takes time to tell those stories, though. You see the very, very slow build. I think that takes time, but in order for me to kind of reinvent, I have to take chances.
So my decision to re-sign comes in my faith in the company’s new direction and where we’re going and with new leadership and just the way that we tell stories. So sometimes it doesn’t always happen right away, but I also think that I have to do my part too as a talent. You cannot get comfortable. When I see people tell me they want it and they’re not in shape, I’m like, you’re comfortable.
When somebody tells me that they want it but they don’t train, when somebody tells me that they want it but they’re not a student of the game, you have to be watching everything. I watch everything. I watch wrestling across the board because I want to see what everybody’s doing and I want to find inspiration and I want to go, ‘Oh, I don’t want to do that,’ or, ‘Oh, I want to do this.’ It doesn’t have to just be in WWE.
But that’s the thing, I think there’s so many opportunities right now with the company being as big as…just the direction that it’s going and the ability to tell great stories that, for me, I’m really excited to kind of dive into that, but in the right way.
I just feel like now, with the storylines and the way the company’s being run, everything’s being so much more well thought out, and I feel like it’s such a great opportunity for me to really do what I always wanted to do, which is tell great stories and just be great.”
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