Serena Deeb Talks Working With CM Punk, WWE Paying Her A Bonus For Shaving Her Head

NWA Women's World Champion Serena Deeb joined Aubrey Edwards and Tony Schiavone on the AEW Unrestricted podcast where she opened up about her time with the Straight Edge Society in WWE. She also opened up about her plastic surgery prior to signing with WWE calling it "a professional decision to do" and "a very personal decision to reverse it."

"I didn't get any flack," Deeb said. "I feel amazing now. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I remember when I decided, back in the day, to get plastic surgery, it was purely professional based. I didn't have any interest in doing it on a personal level, but the business was what it was at the time. I was straight up told that I probably wouldn't have a chance had if I were to not do it, and the proof is in the pudding.

"I got surgery, and then within six months was hired by WWE. So just was what it was, but I didn't like it. I didn't like the image of it for me personally. It wasn't a fit. For me, it was a professional decision to do. It was a very personal decision to reverse it."

Deeb also talked about her time in WWE most notably with the Straight Edge Society stable led by CM Punk that also featured Luke Gallows and Joey Mercury. Deeb described what she learned from Punk as well as her favorite moment from that time.

"It was a learning experience working with somebody like Punk," Deeb stated. "He has a very strong personality, and he has very strong beliefs, so he will fight for those beliefs until the day he dies. And he will not apologize for it. I think that's what got him really far in wrestling and gave him a lot of success. Not only that but that's a quality that I think really worked for him. He would speak up, and he would speak his mind.

"And if he didn't like something, he would communicate that, and there were several times when he didn't like something and it was changed. So I learned a lot from him just in terms of confidence. He's somebody who I really admire in that in that realm. Favorite moments, obviously doing WrestleMania. Punk wrestled Rey Mysterio.

"Probably my favorite moment the entire time managing was in that match when Punk was on the ropes ready to take the 619, and Rey hit the ropes. And I hopped up on the apron, and there were 72,000 people there. It was in Phoenix. The boos. Literally across my back, I felt these boos just standing on their the apron. This little 5'4" girl in this huge stadium and the people were so mad at that moment, and it was just an awesome feeling."

As part of the SES, Deeb had to shave her head. A fan asked if Deeb was paid to do so, and she talked about how many people are surprised to find that that was her back then.

"I was given a bonus," Deeb revealed. "I'm often tagged in people having the realization that it's the same person. There's a lot of surprise."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit AEW Unrestricted with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.