Saraya Comments On Possible Heel Turn In AEW
Over the course of pro wrestling history, especially in the last decade, certain stars have defied the odds by making inspiring comebacks to the ring after a diagnosis that told them it wouldn't be possible. Stars like Bryan Danielson, Edge, and most recently, Saraya, were told by doctors that injuries would keep them from continuing their careers as professional wrestlers. Long hiatuses from the ring would follow, but with diligence and patience, each star made a comeback in their own time. Saraya's time would arrive at November's Full Gear pay-per-view, going one-on-one against Britt Baker. But the buildup and dynamic of the match could have had a much different complexion if Saraya had it her way.
"I remember saying [I would be the heel] to Britt, honestly, but she had a point; I mean, there aren't a whole lot of babyfaces. There are a lot of heels in the company," she told "Pro Wrestling Bits.'" "Even though Jamie is a heel, she is a babyface. Let's be real; I mean, people love her. If I faced her, I would definitely be the heel or even Willow, you know what I mean?"
Saraya admits she just naturally feels more comfortable portraying a heel character regardless of where she's signed. "Even in WWE, I felt more comfortable when I was doing more my heelish work. I felt better, and you don't take things as personal when you're a heel too. You're like, 'What? I'm the bad guy.'"
Heel Turn Incoming?
Britt Baker was well-familiar with the way AEW crowds can be unpredictable and advised that they stay the course with Saraya as the babyface and Britt as the heel. "She was like, 'Dude, whatever is going to happen, is [going to happen]. We're going to go out there, and they're just going to be happy to see you.' And a lot of people are going to be happy that Britt is wrestling ... It was hard to switch and change because you didn't know how the crowd would be."
Saraya remains open to the idea that she could excel as a heel in AEW, especially considering that she'd have much more input into her personal presentation compared to when she played a villain in WWE. "I would love to be a heel if I'm being honest. I have so many different ideas being a heel, and I always say to people it's so much easier to be a heel than a babyface because it's hard, especially in today's world, to get people to like you straight out of the gate. So, I'm actually going to start from scratch again, but being a heel, it's so easy to get people to hate you."
During her run with WWE, Saraya embraced an occasional heel turn with varying success. The first was during her feud with AJ Lee, then again in her rivalry with Charlotte Flair, as well as her time working alongside Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville in Absolution.