Sarayas return to the ring after a devastating neck injury was supposed to be a miraclebut instead, it turned into a mental battle she never saw coming.
Speaking to Andro Mammo, Saraya described her emotions after finally getting cleared to wrestle again. It was a weird feeling. Honestly, I was so excited to be able to wrestle again, and I couldnt believe I was ever going to wrestle again, so it was a miracle, she said.
That excitement quickly faded. After one of her early promos fell flat, she became the target of brutal online criticism. Then the week after I did a promo, which wasnt very good, and I know it wasnt, I just got in my head. I got a lot of nerves and stuff like that, and had a lot of anxiety and I didnt do a good job, and then they completely tore me apart online. Tore me apart, Saraya said. It made me think I made a mistake coming back, and I was like, what have I done?
When asked if the backlash made her second-guess everything, Saraya didnt hesitate. Yes, 100%.
The situation took a toll, but Saraya eventually found a way to tune out the negativity. Time, and deleting social media, getting reps in and stuff like that because I did not want to listen to what they were saying, because they can be cruel. The AEW fans especially, wow, and anyone that comes over there, holy crap. Its crazy, she explained. Over time, she learned to protect her mental health by staying offline after shows and focusing on having fun again. Even if they didnt like the Saraya gimmick or didnt like what I was doing, or didnt like how I was booked, I didnt care. I was having fun.
Sarayas experience shows that even top wrestlers arent immune to online hatebut its possible to fight through it and come out stronger.
Have you ever been surprised at how harsh wrestling fans can get online? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
