Dana Brooke has been climbing the ladder of success in WWE of late, but this Sunday she experiences one unlike anyone in wrestling history has.
Dana's 2019 saw her compete in the Royal Rumble, the WrestleMania Battle Royal, a 15-woman elimination match at Survivor Series and even the aforementioned ladder match. She's no stranger to fighting off even dozens of combatants, but this weekend's Money in the Bank match will pit her in a field of a half dozen women fighting for a guaranteed contract....through WWE's Titan Towers. As if that wasn't enough, the men's match will take place at the same time.
The former fitness competitor opened up to Fightful about how she's planning for it.
"Absolutely unbelievable," Dana said. "I tell everybody I don’t even know how to prepare for this. It’s a historical match. You start at the ground level and you have to race to the top of a building, and there’s rings on top. So, [Ulysses Diaz] has a ring set-up back in his backyard. Definitely gonna try to do some training, like I mentioned before, a lot of agility work. I don’t know if there’s an abandoned building or somewhere I can run steps, trying to race to the top. It’s gonna be a lot of street fighting too, you know? ‘Cause we’re gonna have to beat people off while on a chase. I don’t know if last year’s Money in the Bank ladder match can prepare me for this one. It’s just more or less I know how to set up a ladder and climb to the top. But, that was definitely one of my favorite matches and I’m pretty sure this one’s going to top the cake as well. It’s something completely different.
WWE is planning on moving out of their famed Titan Towers by next year, so the match will put a bow on history, so to speak. In the past, we've seen DX spray paint the building, and the a Raw intro from 25 years ago filmed atop the HQ. However, this is the first time a match will take place inside.
"I don’t know what to expect because the corporate office is something magical, you know? It’s history. So I’m excited to be there, hopefully not get lost along the way and make it to the top. It’s a historical moment, for sure. I’m really excited to see what they come up with next, you know? Vince [McMahon] is always expanding. He knows exactly what he’s doing," Dana said.
Dana has had a stop and start run in WWE thus far, but has shown major improvement over the past year. It seems as if it's paid off, as she qualified for her second consecutive Money in the Bank ladder match. As the series of events unfolded, she was taken aback more and more.
"I was blown away by it. I mean, even having my qualifying match against Naomi—who is one of my dear sisters, one of the most athletic girls in the ring, too—so, I was like, “I have to face her?” Pulling that upset victory, my expression showed it all. I was super excited. I couldn’t believe it, I ran to Michael Cole just in amazing. I’m thinking, “Okay, I know this. I’ve been in one of these before. I know the strategy. I got this,” you know? I had my hands on that briefcase last year. This is mine, I can taste it. Then they were like, “Oh, by the way[…]” It was like, “Okay… You’re kidding me.” I told [Boxer Ulysses Diaz] right away. I was like, “Do you not understand? It’s not just in a ring. I have to fight my way, run to the top.” Like I said in the beginning of this I don’t know how to prepare for it, so I’m doing every possible thing. Actually, I’m gonna make him take me to Home Depot now and purchase every single ladder there is. I’m gonna fight him off of ladders and then try to climb up to the top as fast I can," Dana Brooke joked.
Of late, Dana has formed a friendship with Carmella, who has plenty of experience after winning two Money in the Bank ladder matches, and subsequently the Smackdown Women's title. Despite the duo teaming together over the last month, business is business.
At these kind of matches, it doesn’t matter your friendship or enemies," Dana said. "You’re all in it for yourself. I think we understand that coming into the business together as friends and then also having to face each other on opposite sides of the ring as well. At the end of the day, we know where we came from, that we all started together. We know that this is our dreams and we want to make our dreams come true. So, may the best woman win."
WWE's Money in the Bank airs this Sunday, May 10 on the WWE Network, which is free for new subscribers. Fightful will have full, live coverage of the show, and a live, post-show podcast immediately following.
