Franky Monet is all about embracing change in NXT.
Taya Valkyrie was once one of the top names in the IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts division but in 2021, she moved to WWE and became Franky Monet. Since arriving in NXT, she has taken over the Robert Stone Brand and is now looking to dethrone Raquel Gonzalez as NXT Women's Champion on the debut episode of the new NXT.
Speaking with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp Franky explains how her name change came to be and why she has enjoyed the change.
"Everything has honestly been wonderful and I feel it was time for this new evolution to occur within me and my career. It fits perfectly here in NXT and I'm having a lot of fun creating this new character this is Franky Monet. Honestly, just being the same person that I was before, just shined up a little bit.
"I came up with it. It's like naming your baby, you're going to be associated with this name for the rest of your life. I knew that I wanted something that was, first of all, different. There is nothing about me that is normal and bland, so I wanted something completely different, ruffle some feathers a little bit, and it did. I came up with the name. Monet, obviously, after the French artist. When I was a kid, we would go to Europe all the time because my dad is from Switzerland. We would go to all the museums and that's where the idea for that name came from. Franky, I've just also liked gender-neutral names. I thought it was different and I always remembered a character named Francesca, she went by Frankie, on Stigmata. I always thought that was a cool name for a girl. To be different, because I couldn't do it like everyone else with an I and an E, I went with the Y."
Staying on the topic of change, Monet says she is looking forward to all of the changes that are coming to the NXT brand and hoping to continue her own evolution as the brand continues to grow as well.
"I'm very excited about it. In the world of social media, nobody likes change. People are instantly going to get offended or annoyed by the color change or something that is just so frivolous, in my opinion. This is a wonderful, outstanding television program that has literally been on the air for years that is proven day in, week out, that we're the best. This is a new evolution of that and you're going to see some fun colors, a new arena set up. It's going to have a different vibe, but you're still going to get all the five-star matches, the grit, all these people that are trying to leave their mark in the WWE Universe. That's what NXT is all about, nothing about that is going to change. It's still going to be us. You're going to recognize a lot of people on the show, as well as meet new people that are just waiting to get that opportunity. "
Elsewhere in the interview, she discusses the vignettes featuring her dog, Presley, potentially moving to the main roster, and more. You can check out the full video embedded above.
You can see our full interview with Franky Monet at the top of the page, and can see her in action every Tuesday night at 8 PM EST on WWE NXT, broadcasting live on the USA Network.
