She stated that she understands where the company was coming from.
From 2005-2008, Lena Yada was a member of WWE’s talent roster. She got her start in the company via the Diva Search and then had a one-night stint as a backstage interviewer for SmackDown. She was moved to WWE’s ECW brand and formed an alliance with Layla El and Lisa Marie Varon (Victoria).
In November of 2008, Yada was released from her WWE contract. Lena spoke about her exit from the company while on GAW TV with Lisa Marie and Mickie James. She stated that WWE questioned her commitment to them.
She was asked to head to Tampa, Florida to put in extra training time but she was taking care of her father who had a double lung transplant. Yada could not choose her work over family.
It was really sad (being released from WWE) but I loved staying friends with everybody. It was really great, and I still came to the shows when I could. But, I was essentially — they questioned my commitment to the company at that time and I can see both sides so I’m not gonna sit here and bash but at the same time, they wanted me to commit and learn more in Tampa and I couldn’t commit because I was still taking care of my father who had a double lung transplant and so it was a question of commitment versus which commitment am I committing more to. My family or my work and my craft? So, there was no choice for me at that — there wasn’t (much) that I had to think about.
Before Yada and Lisa Marie crossed paths, she was told to steer clear of the two-time WWE Women’s Champion. It was relayed to Lena that Lisa did not like ‘new Divas’.
When they first met, it was a friendly interaction and the two ended up traveling on the road together and remain close friends present day.
Prior to coming in (to WWE), I already knew Candice Michelle, right? And I didn’t meet Torrie (Wilson) but I knew of her from other people. But yeah, so I remember asking and they asked which brand I was gonna be on and they said, ‘Oh, be careful for Victoria. Just steer clear of her’ and I said, ‘Why?’ And she’s like, ‘She doesn’t like new Divas and she’s just really angry. Just stay away from her. Just be careful. Watch yourself with her’ and course, I’m walking backstage, right? Was this when you were on Raw?… I’m not sure which one it was, which brand it was but I walked in and lo and behold, I walked into the dressing room and the very first person I come across is Lisa, and so I’m like, ‘Oh hi!’ She’s like, ‘Hi!’ And immediately, ‘Nice to meet you’ and I kind of felt a little discombobulated a little bit but, it is amazing. Within a short span of time, we ended up being travel partners.
Lena ended her in-ring career in 2009. She had three matches, two of which took place under the WWE banner and she had an independent match at a Pro Wrestling Revolution x NWA event.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit GAW TV with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
