The former NXT talent speaks about her time in the company.
Among the talents that were cut from WWE in the company’s late September releases was Gina DeLucia. She was offered a developmental contract following a tryout in April of 2022. DeLucia made her pro wrestling in-ring debut at an NXT house show in May 2023.
Developmentally Speaking caught up with DeLucia and she told the outlet that while she was not told why she was released, she understands it is a business.
Nothing (she responded when asked what was the reason WWE gave for her release). No, which it sucked of course but, at the end of the day, it’s a business and I wasn’t on TV yet so, in their opinion, it’s why are we gonna have her if she’s not on TV yet? And unfortunately, I wish I would have had more time to show them all that I can do. But, at the end of the day, it’s a business, I understand and I’m gonna make the best of my opportunities now.
DeLucia stated that she has nothing but positive things to say about her time at WWE.
I have nothing but amazing things to say about WWE, NXT, all of the coaches there. So helpful, I’m so grateful that I was able to learn from some of the best and the wrestlers too, a lot of them were very knowledgeable and wanted to share their knowledge with all of us new people that were coming in without experience. It was really nice to, you know, just obtain all that knowledge and to have guidance from a lot of those former wrestlers.
Circling around to when she was first brought into the company, she shared that she was signed on the final day of her tryout. It was Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque who presented her with the contract offer. Shortly after, Gina moved to Orlando, Florida to begin training at the Performance Center.
I got signed at my (WWE) tryout. So, on the third and final day, I was pulled into a room with Triple H and (he) formally offered me the contract and shortly after there, I picked up everything and moved to Orlando to start training.
When it comes to the time she spent training at the Performance Center, she wishes she had shown more of who she is and more character work that is in line with who she is in everyday life.
I was going for something that really wasn’t who I was and I feel like looking back now, I wish I would have shown who I really was more in the ring and more in my wrestling than what I did and you know, that happens all the time. Whenever you’re developing a character, it’s all about trial and error, trying things and seeing if they stick and that just comes with time and I think some of the best characters just truly are the actual person just amped up. So, yeah, that’s something I wish that I would have done a little bit differently while I was in NXT but, with that being said, now that I’m kind of working on my own and working on other opportunities, I am truly being myself and I feel like it’s really working.
DeLucia went on to share advice that she received from 16-time WWE World Champion John Cena. Cena explained that since she is new to wrestling as a whole, do not put the pressure on herself to think she has to get good at it right away.
So, I had really good advice given to me and it was actually from John Cena so, take this one. But he just said… I came in with a bunch of athletes and we were so new to it and I spoke with him whenever I was just a few months into it and he said, ‘If you were just either a few months old or a few months in at just starting whatever sport you came from, you wouldn’t be good at it so don’t expect to be good at wrestling right away. It takes time. It’s gonna take time, it’s gonna take reps, it’s gonna take that constant grind and if you really love something and you’re passionate about it, you’re gonna find a way to be successful at it.’
Since her exit from the company, DeLucia has continued training in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As of the interview, she’s had three matches on the independent scene.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit Developmentally Speaking with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
