When Naomi first vacated the SmackDown Women's Championship in 2017, some people believed that it was a work, but Naomi is here to set the record straight.
On an episode of "Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia," Naomi spoke about her vacating the SmackDown Women's title just days after she won the belt at Elimination Chamber due to injury. Naomi, who would end up winning the title at WrestleMania roughly two months later, said the whole thing was not a work and that she didn't even know if she would have been able to recover in time for WrestleMania.
"That's true. And that was a tough time, because fans thought that was a work, they thought it was a part of the script and for and they don't understand, that was real. I really had to vacate it when I didn't want to. I cry. I was upset, because my MCL, really was torn. I had a slight tear. And that wasn't supposed to happen in Mania, but I bust my butt off in rehab. I didn't even know at the time if I was fully healed, but I fought for that and it was rough, and it almost didn't happen. But I'm glad it did," Naomi said.
As far as her future with the title is concerned, Naomi said she simply wants to go out and perform the best she could. If that leads to a title run, then so be it, but Naomi said she doesn't want a title reign to feel forced.
"I want whatever the people want, give the people what they want. That's what I think. That's how I feel. And if it's meant to be, it'll happen. I just want to... I'm good. As long as I'm involved, I'm working and doing what I love to do, I don't care which way the cake is cut. As long as I'm doing what I love to do and that's going out there, putting smiles on people's faces, being able to be included and perform somehow. Now, that leads me organically if it happens to be in a title, a championship or... like, great, but I don't want it forced. I'm good either way, like with the fans and the people, what they want. If that isn’t me right now, great. If it is, great. I'm going to make it do what it does either way. I'm just, I'm good," Naomi said.
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