Ariane Andrew, known as Cameron in WWE, said she sealed her own fate ahead of her release from the company.
Andrew first arrived on WWE television as part of the 2011 season of Tough Enough, famously being the first contestant eliminated by Steve Austin when she said that her favorite match was between Melina and Alicia Fox.
Despite her elimination, the star was signed to a contract and made her debut as Cameron in 2012 as part of the Funkadactyls alongside Brodus Clay and Naomi. After serving as valets for Clay, Naomi and Cameron went on to be a tag team in the ring until their breakup in 2014.
After a variety of main roster singles feuds and then a hiatus from television, Cameron made the decision to go to NXT in late 2015 in an attempt to improve her wrestling skills. However, her return saw her compete in only a handful of matches before disappearing from TV once again. She was released from her contract in May of 2016.
“Ultimately, It Did Lead To My Release” – Ariane Andrew On Decision To Go To WWE NXT
Speaking in a new interview with PWMania.com, Andrew opened up about her decision to go to NXT, saying that she hadn’t received enough training before her main roster debut.
“It’s a catch-22 situation for the simple fact at the time I gave up my spot on the main roster. I just felt I wasn’t seasoned enough, and having three months of training was certainly not enough. I felt like as the division was growing, I wanted to be a force to be reckoned with. They told me if I did this there was an opportunity I would not come back. But I was willing to take that risk because for me it was worth it. I want to get better and prove to myself that I know I’m more than capable of being a star in this company.
“Ultimately, it did lead to my release, but it was a catch-22 because of not knowing what was going to happen next. I felt like I never really got to do what I felt like I was capable of in the company.”
According to the star herself, plans were in the works for Cameron and Naomi to reunite in 2022 and win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. However, those plans never came to pass.
h/t PWMania.com