Becky Lynch, WWE SmackDown Women's Champ, Reveals Secret To Success
There she stood. In the center of a WWE ring in Tulsa, Oklahoma was a powerful, yet petite-framed, grappler dressed in all black. The dark color of her wardrobe matched her newly devilish persona but contrasted starkly with her full head of fiery red hair. On her face was a coy smirk, and in her eyes was the look of a fighter.
Less than 48 hours earlier, Becky Lynch's frustratingly long and winding journey came to an end. She had dethroned her former best friend to become the SmackDown women's champion. Lynch was queen once again, and tonight was her coronation.
The Ireland-born lass-kicker was the inaugural champion but hadn't held the title for 654 days. And the gold and leather back in her possession felt as sweet as ever.
The climb back to the top wasn't an easy one for the Lynch. In 2017, she remained one of the most popular women on the roster but would sometimes find herself buried in the mid-card shuffle with largely forgettable storylines. Her fortunes would begin to change with the new year. She was a standout in the first-ever women's Royal Rumble match, lasting more than 30 minutes after drawing the unenviable second entrant position.
Then came a strong showing in the premiere women's Money In The Bank ladder match and a succession of victories that earned her a title shot at SummerSlam. The crowd in Brooklyn erupted when she turned on new champion Charlotte Flair after failing to capture the title that night. The cheers dwarfed what she would have received had she won the match.
Becky was bad, and the WWE Universe loved it. Chants of "you deserve it" from thousands of fans in unison followed her to every arena she wrestled. The deafening sounds were impossible to ignore. So when it was revealed she was going to get another title shot at Hell In A Cell, you could sense her moment was coming. When it did, the thunderous applause in San Antonio could be heard 4,600 miles away across the Atlantic in her hometown of Limerick.
Her moment had finally arrived. She had been picturing it for years.
In an industry built on slick scripts and catchy plot twists, Lynch has been doing some writing of her own, seemingly crafting her own storylines. The 31-year-old Superstar believes in the philosophy that if you can visualize it you can make it happen. It's hard to argue with that belief when the person telling you about it has a 10-pound championship belt around their waist.
On the night before she became a two-time champion, Lynch was likely sitting in her hotel and carefully wording how the next 24 hours would play out. Putting pen to paper has been the secret to her success in and out of the ring.
"I've been journaling my whole life," she told me shortly before her major character shift. "I think when you write it down on paper it clears everything up and you're able to picture it better."
Finding time to quietly detach from the chaos that accompanies a celebrity living 80 percent of their life on the road is of paramount importance, according to Lynch.
"I'm generally a high-energy and high-strung person and need to bring myself down to just clear everything else out and visualize the task at hand," she said. "I usually do that before any big match, sit down and journal. I imagine and walk myself through all the different steps and hopefully bring it to life."
"Usually it works," she added.
It certainly did this time.
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NEWS & NOTES
It was announced that Becky Lynch will defend the title against Charlotte at WWE Super Show-Down in Australia on October 6.
Rey Mysterio has signed a two-year contract to return to WWE, according to PWInsider's Mike Johnson. The 43-year-old future Hall of Famer had reportedly been seeking only an 18-month deal.
Former Impact Wrestling women's champion Madison Rayne has signed a contract with Ring of Honor.
Brie and Nikki Bella's wine label, Belle Radici, received a nice bump this week. Bottles are now being carried by Total Wine stores throughout California. According to pictures on Nikki's Instagram account, prices range from $36 to $50 per bottle.
Chuck Carroll is a former pro wrestling announcer and referee turned sports media personality who now interviews the biggest names in wrestling. He once appeared on Monday Night RAW when he presented a WWE title belt in the Redskins locker room.
Follow him on Twitter @ChuckCarrollWLC.
