Nia Jax has made a big impact in a relatively short time in WWE. Nia Jax insists WWE is an inclusive place to work despite being the only plus size woman on the RAW roster.

The superstar has backed the company’s ‘Women’s Evolution’ drive to get the division taken more seriously and is adamant a competitor’s size and weight is no longer an issue.

“I feel I can embrace my body and person in the ring,” Jax told Sky Sports. “Being bigger and curvier gives fans something to emulate. I’m not size one or two and yet I can be an athlete.”

“Women have always had the talent but can now be portrayed in different ways. I’m excited to be a part of that.”

Jax has gained a lot of plaudits for being honest about body image issues that has affected her over the years and the 33-year old hopes she can help others.

She said: “I get emotional about this. I have a niece and hope she doesn’t have to deal with these problems when she’s older, especially with social media. Confidence is so inspirational”

Jax is actually part of wrestling royalty with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson one of her cousins and Roman Reigns an extended family member.

That Samoan heritage has been used heavily in the men’s WWE storylines but Jax doesn’t want to rely on the family name, not even The Rock’s.

“I’m enjoying making my own name, creating havoc in the division, kicking butt and creating my own path,” she said.

“But I’m proud my legacy and would sure enjoy getting in the ring with Dwayne and kicking his butt!”

Jax remains close to her cousin, despite a life on the road in WWE, and insists the Hollywood star has offered vital support throughout her career.

“He really is disgustingly nice,” she said. “I look up to him so much, he’s a real mentor.

“I know I can always hit up Dwayne no matter where he is. I always love and miss him. It doesn’t matter how busy he is he always makes time to send messages and we share in each others’ good times.”

Jax hopes to get a big match at SummerSlam, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the early hours of August 21.

She hasn’t given up hopes of a title shot in the not so distant future and has her sights set on making history in the Women’s Division.

“I’d love to take the title from my best friend Alexa Bliss sometime soon,” she added.

“Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks set the tone for women at pay-per-views but I want to take part in a women’s Elimination Chamber, a Royal Rumble for the girls too but I won’t get too far ahead of myself.”

Nia Jax makes her TIJ debut, and as you’ll hear, for the record, she IS related to The Rock! You’ll discover how The Rock helped Nia once she got signed at NXT, why she gave up her 10-year modeling career to pursue wrestling, what she learned from Dusty Rhodes, why she loves working with Bayley, and how she found out she was moving up to the main roster. Plus, Nia talks about her name, Beyonce inspiring her ring costume, and her surprise 4-way match at Wrestlemania! Click the play button below to listen.

Nia Jax vs Bayley

Bayley is out to the ring. We take a look back at how Bayley became the new #1 contender last week. Nia Jax is out next.

The bell rings and Bayley attacks but Nia pushes her off. Nia tosses Bayley to the apron but Bayley fights back in. Nia with a headbutt to Bayley. Bayley fights back but Nia catches her on her shoulder in the corner. Bayley struggles with Nia but gets dropped. Nia sends Bayley to the floor as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Nia remains in control with a chicken wing submission but Bayley fights back. Bayley sends Nia into the corner and nails a knee. Bayley keeps trying but Nia catches her. Bayley fights back but Nia lifts her and slams her face first into the mat with a slam. Nia stands tall again with Bayley down on the floor.

The referee goes to check on Bayley. Nia puts her hair in a side ponytail to mock Bayley as the referee counts. Bayley barely makes it back in and Nia goes right to work on her. Bayley is holding her arm as Nia sends her shoulder-first into the corner. Bayley fights back with kicks and punches but Nia drops her with a shoulder. Bayley avoids an elbow drop and hits a bulldog. Bayley with a dropkick to the apron.

Bayley drops Nia over the second rope and knocks her to the floor with a running knee. Bayley takes Nia down on the floor but gets up to Alexa Bliss charging. Bayley gets the upperhand but Nia sends her into the barrier. Nia charges but Bayley side steps and Nia hits the steel steps. Nia goes down on the floor as Bayley returns to the ring. Nia gets counted out.

After the mach, Bayley celebrates but here comes Bliss. Bayley retreats and manages to escape as Nia also returns to the ring. Bayley backs up the ramp as her music hits.

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Nia Jax went Live on Instagram yesterday to do Q&A where fans were able to submit questions from Twitter. View the video below to see what questions were answered.

Nia Jax vs. Emma

Back from the break and Emma has made her entrance. Nia Jax is out next.

The bell rings and they go at it. Nia overpowers early on and shoves Emma to the mat. Emma looks to come back and goes for the legs but Nia overpowers her again and begins destroying. Nia tosses Emma across the ring and splashes her in the corner before hitting a somersault senton for the win.

After the match, Nia leaves as her music plays and the referee checks on Emma

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Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley

We go to the ring and our first comes Bayley. RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss is out next for this non-title match.

The bell rings and Bliss slaps Bayley hard. Bayley drives Bliss back into the corner and unloads with kicks. Bliss turns it around with kicks of her own. Bayley comes right back and takes Bliss down with more strikes. The music interrupts and out comes Nia Jax as Bliss rolls to safety under the bottom rope. Jax walks to the ring as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Bliss has control as Nia looks on. Bayley fights back but Bliss drops her for a 2 count. Bliss continues to focus on Bayley’s arm and shoulder now. Bayley sends Bliss down face first. Bayley looks to make her comeback now.

Bliss takes her to the corner but it backfires. Bayley with more offense and an elbow. Bliss blocks a slam and nails the arm. More back and forth now. Bayley with a flying elbow. Bayley with a back suplex and a top rope elbow but Bliss rolls to the floor. Nia gets in the way and stops Bayley from hitting Bliss. Bliss nails a cheap shot and drops Bayley. Bliss brings it back into the ring. Sasha Banks runs to ringside and attacks Nia, dropkicking her into the apron as Bliss looks on.

Nia Jax’s path to professional wrestling can be defined as unique

“It’s been fun,” says Jax (real name Savelina Fanene) on her current run with the WWE. “I’ve always been a part-time model since I graduated from high school. I was hired by one of the major agencies, Wilhelmina in New York, so I modeled there and played basketball during the school season.”

Unlike many other wrestlers who enter the business after being professional athletes, the 33-year-old performer put sports on the back burner to continue her passion in modeling. Even while she attended Palomar College in California on scholarship as a basketball player and played for the 2002-03 team that won the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championship, she also was a professional model.

Jax realized that basketball wasn’t going to be part of her future post-college and chose modeling over the court, until her urge to enter the squared circle a few years ago. Being athletic and ready for the ring wasn’t a problem.

“I’ve been an athlete my whole life, I’ve played every sport including soccer, baseball, softball, basketball,” Jax recalled. “I almost played football until I started developing boobs, and my mother said no, but yes, college basketball was one of the first things I did in major athletic sports.

“Then I moved to Olympic weightlifting with my brother, because it was something like a passion he had and I was more or less his guinea pig,” Jax said. “It was something cool, I got involved in it and I was pretty good and now I wrestle.”

Jax is of German and Samoan ancestry and is a cousin of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Her passion for professional wrestling began at a young age, and she finally decided to try to jump into the business after seeing The Rock perform at WrestleMania XXVIII.

She went to a tryout at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, and found her niche and her marketability with her slogan “I’m not like most girls.”

“The Performance Center in Orlando is the best place to go if you want to be a professional wrestler,” Jax said. “It has everything. Seven rings, we can watch film there, we have the promo room, the Green room … everything. So I had a tryout there, [and it] was very strict and intense and truly shaped me into the wrestler I am today.”

During her stay in Orlando, after signing a developmental contract with WWE in 2014, Jax made her first appearance in the NXT brand in 2015, using the name Zada. Sometime later, her character was changed to the present one. Jax credits the coaching of Sara Amato, who wrestled for many years in independent promotions as Sara Del Rey, as the person who has helped her the most. Amato is currently the assistant head trainer at Performance Center under Matt Bloom.

“Sara Amato was the female head coach and she’s by far the best coach I’ve ever had,” Jax admitted. “I still go back there to continue developing my character.”

At present, in the Raw brand, Jax is one of the top heels and often allied with Raw women’s champion Alexa Bliss, against Sasha Banks and Bayley, with whom she had what Jax, defined as her best feud in NXT. Jax would love to renew their rivalry from the development brand.

“My favorite rivalry? I did not really have a chance to rival Bayley [on RAW], although we had a touch, but at NXT I had a feud with Bayley that was probably my favorite,” Jax said.

The creative team has flirted with Jax having a potential run as a champion at some point. Jax says she’s prepared for whatever the company decides and for the direction her career is going.

“It definitely feels good,” Jax said of her current positioning. “I’m definitely a person who works well under pressure. I have no problems with that, and I’m very excited to bring everything I can to this brand because I have so much respect for it.”

Credit: ESPN Interview