WWE NXT Women's Champion Lyra Valkyria Discusses Her Training For The Business

Lyra Valkyria is currently celebrating the biggest victory of her career when she became the "WWE NXT" Women's Champion last week, dethroning Becky Lynch in the process. However, her journey to reaching that point, from learning the ropes in Ireland to eventually reaching the big leagues, hasn't been simple. The young star reflected on her training experience in a recent interview with "Metro." 

"It's not easy. A lot of the time there was me and another girl and we were in there with a bunch of guys. Actually, when I started, we didn't have a ring, we just learned on mats," she said. "It was very hardcore, we were in a cold little gym in Bray, County Wicklow. It was intense. I was still in school and going out there training for four hours on a Sunday."

Valkyria was actually inspired by Lynch to become a professional wrestler. This inspiration led her to train at the very same school that "The Man" attended, a school originally opened by Finn Balor. However, because of how young she was, the Irish wrestler had to combine learning to bump with studying, proving how committed she was to becoming a wrestler.

"When I was sitting in school, it felt like I had a reason. I'm getting through school so I can go to training. I'm doing my homework so I can go to training," she said. "I'm getting my college degree so I can give everything to this."

The "NXT" star admitted she found her purpose with professional wrestling, which has paid off for her. Valkyria secured her first WWE contract back in 2020 as part of the "NXT UK" brand, and made the transition to the US at the end of 2022, becoming a pivotal part of the "NXT" women's division.