Chelsea Green and Natalya reveal shocking conditions on the indies before WWE
The WWE roster is home to numerous successful women's division talents. Natalya and Chelsea Green are two of the best as the first woman to train at the legendary Hart Family Dungeon, and the inaugural WWE Women's United States Champion. Green and Natalya paid their dues to get to the world's biggest wrestling company and are now revealing just how hard they worked to get there.
World Wrestling Entertainment's Queen of Harts was the first woman to train at the legendary Dungeon under her uncles. After a late 2000 indies debut as host and ring announcer, Natalya inked a WWE developmental deal in January 2007. Green trained at Lance Storm's academy, hit the indies in May 2014, had a RAW gig that same year, and a Tough Enough spot in 2015. WWE hired her from October 2018 to April 2021, and she's been there ever since being re-hired in January 2023.
Brittnie Brooks is making a name for herself on the indies as the current RPW Pacific Northwest Champion and the AWF Women's Champion. Before working tonight's Chris Bey benefit show against Brooke Havok, Jada Stone, and Mazzerati, the 20-year-old tweeted about travel on the indies, noting she wouldn't trade it for the world. Green responded to Brooks and recalled paying her dues.
"I did Friday, Saturday, Sunday, minimum . Every weekend from 2014 - 2019. Car, plane, car, wrestling, car, sleep 3 hours, car, plane, REPEAT. I lived off of packaged eggs from gas stations and protein shakes. I made $500 a show, when I was making 'great money' and $20 a show for my first year or two. People just don’t understand the grind. It takes special humans to be indie wrestlers [heart emoji]," Chelsea Green wrote.
Natalya responded a few hours later and looked back on training under her uncles, Ross Hart and Bruce Hart. The third-generation superstar confirmed she'd do it all over again and included a photo from her early days.
"I made 10-20$ a match working for my uncles lol and driving 9 hours to Cold Lake, Alberta following the “broken down stampede wrestling ring truck” that carried the ring we had to set up…….. 'back in myyyyyyy day!' [laughing emoji] …. But I loved every second of it. We had so much fun. And I’d do it all again in a heartbeat! Learned the most from those moments!!!" Natalya wrote.
WWE has booked Natalya vs. Chelsea just once on the main roster, as Green won a Trick Or Street Fight in October 2023. They also have three singles bouts on WWE Main Event, with Green winning the last two.
Chelsea Green avoids title match with WWE Superstar
Chelsea Green's presidential administration continues to find success on WWE SmackDown. Piper Niven defeated Zelina Vega on Friday's SmackDown.
Vega was set to challenge Green for the Women's United States Championship, but she had to get past Niven first. Due to Friday's match ending with interference from Green and Alba Fyre, it's likely Vega will get another chance to earn a title match.
Green defeated Michin in mid-December to become the inaugural champion. She then retained over Michin, then lost to her via DQ, and retained again earlier this month in a Street Fight. Chelsea's fourth televised title defense came on last week's NXT as she defeated Sol Ruca.
