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Maria interview from WWE Magazine

FAVORITE GRILLED FOOD?
Shish Kebab. Growing up, it was a grilling staple.

FAVORITE BEACH?
South Beach in Miami. It's got so many different cultures mixed together, which makes it a really diverse experience. Plus, Miami's nightlife is unbelievable.

WORST SUMMER CAMP MOMENT?
A daddy longlegs once crawled into my eye when I was sleeping. I woke up and could see it moving in my eye!

WORST SUMMER VACATION?
I went on a trip to Myrtle Beach with this guy, and we stayed at a hotel that was $19 a night. I had to put my beach towel down on the sheets because I was afraid to lie on them.

FAVORITE ROAD TRIP SONG?
Ram Jam's "Black Betty." And "Shake that" by Eminem and Nate Dogg.

FAVORITE ROAD TRIP GAS STATION SNACK?
Little Debbie chocolate cupcakes with the cream filling. I can shove an entire one in my mouth in one shot. Now, I'm thinking about it, I'm going to have to buy some.

STANGEST SUMMER JOB?
I handed out Yoo-Hoo at a Kenny Chesney concert. I was a model and had to smile and hand out samples. It was the worst ever.

  Maria & Ashley going overseas



credit;wwe.com

WWE ships four to Kuwait
By Zack Zeigler
June 28, 2006

While most people don’t have Kuwait on their summer ‘To Visit’ lists—or any other Middle Eastern countries for that matter—the volatility of the country bordered by Iraq and Saudi Arabia can’t keep WWE from sending four of its Superstars overseas to visit and entertain U.S. troops.

“It’s our way to show the men and women of the armed forces that we appreciate what they’ve done,” said Gary Davis, Vice President of WWE Corporate Communications. “We’ve done these handshake tours before. They’re a lot of fun and troops appreciate seeing our Superstars and Divas at their base camps.”

Making the voyage to Kuwait from WWE will be Hall of Famer “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart and WWE Legend Ron “Faarooq” Simmons. The 2005 Diva Search winner, Ashley, and RAW Diva, Maria will also be on board.

“This is my second USO tour, and my second time visiting the troops,” Maria said. “It’s going to be crazy and probably scary and tiring, but it’ll be worth it very much in the end.”

Ashley was involved with a similar trip WWE took to Afghanistan in December 2005, and is looking forward to round two.

“I had such a blast in Afghanistan, and I’m so happy that I’m going to get the chance to experience this again,” she said. “You’ve got to feel for these guys—they’re putting their lives on the line for us, and if any of us can do anything to pay them back I think we should.”

Both Divas understand that a country within such close proximity to Iraq will contain hazards around every corner, but in spite of the dangers, both women insist the pluses outweigh the minuses.

“Anything can happen going over to the Middle East,” said Ashley. “But my company takes care of me, and I trust them. I have full faith that I will come back exactly the way I left, if not a little bit better in the heart.”

Appearing in front of soldiers who are too busy fighting the War on Terror to see women—let alone Divas—in clothing other than camouflage fatigues and combat boots breeds quite the elated reception from the troops, but Maria claims the admiration she receives is reciprocal.

“They react to us like we’re princesses. It’s an amazing experience to go out there,” she said. “Everybody is so grateful we’re there because we’re so grateful that they’re there; it’s definitely all about them.”

Ashley expects a similar reaction, and feels it’s crucial for her to do her part to give the soldiers a few hours of reprieve from their perilous profession.

“These guys are lonely. They haven’t seen familiar faces or haven’t had any visitors outside the service in God knows how long," said Ashley. "I remember the reaction we got when we went over to Afghanistan—it was so strong and it was so...it just really touched my heart.”

 
Maria: I'm just one big fan
By THE LILSBOYS

FOR us guys there are lots of male role models in the WWE - but for female wrestling fans it is harder to find someone to look up to.

Sure all the girls are gorgeous and lovely people however, with a few very notable exceptions, too many Divas are picked for their looks over any love of wrestling.

So say thanks for Maria, a girl who is quite literally living out her grappling dreams every day.

The Diva Search contestant turned backstage interviewer is a long-time wrestling fan who marks out any time she meets a hero, will watch every match on every show and is even dating one of the most talked about new stars in the industry.

In an exclusive interview, she told us: "I didn't get into this business through a modelling or casting agency putting me forward - like a lot of the other Diva Search girls.

"I was, and still am, a huge wrestling fan.

"When we first started a lot of the girls didn't have a clue who anybody was backstage, but I even knew Todd Grisham!

"I got into wrestling through my dad. We used to watch the WWF, as the WWE was then called, WCW and ECW together.

"I switched off during high school, but by the end I was watching it again.

"My favourites were definitely Stone Cold, The Rock and The Hardy Boyz. I loved Lita, I thought she was just amazing, and Trish is an awesome girl too.

"From the first time I saw The Coach interview The Rock I knew that's the role I wanted to play.

"I always looked up to the people who were around the wrestlers but still had their own distinct characters. People like Mean Gene Okerlund, Jimmy Hart, Paul Heyman, Miss Elizabeth and Sensational Sherri."

Maria, 24, continued: "One night I was watching Monday Night Raw, saw the Diva Search commercial and entered online.

"Since then every day has been like a dream.

"I've got to wrestle Lita, meet Steve Austin, announce Jimmy Hart at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis and even work with The Rock briefly during the Diva Search.

"I remember walking into catering one day and The Rock was sitting in there.

"I did not breathe from the moment I walked in until I closed the door behind me on the way out. Then I just started screaming!

"The first time we spoke he kissed me on the cheek. That definitely didn't calm my nerves.

"I didn't wash this cheek for a month!"

Maria admits that entering the business from the outside world - where she was a model, dancer and reality TV star - rather than an independent wrestling group is a tricky step.

It's not just in-ring and promo skills she's learning every day, but the code of the locker room.

"It was rough coming in," she confesses. "You don't know what the rules are.

"You have to learn to shake hands with everybody. You have to learn that if a veteran comes in and you have a seat, you give it to them.

"But that wasn't a problem for me. I respect the business so much that I always try and do what's right by the company.

"If there's a guy that's been getting bumped around for 15 years you don't want to do wrong by him.

"Because he's been working his butt off to get the company to the position we're in now so that I can have a job."

One wrestler who Maria has done more than give her seat up for is CM Punk.

Some readers may not have heard of him yet but he's torn it up in the indies, particularly Ring Of Honor, impressed in Ohio Valley Wrestling and is surely the next superstar to be called up to the big time.

With former OVW boss Paul Heyman a huge fan - the rumours are Punk could well be the first homegrown star of the new ECW.

Maria's remaining tight-lipped on her boyfriend's future.

"I honestly don't know where he's headed," she told us.

"I wish I could say, as I know there a lot of people out there who want to know what's going on with him.

"I hear good things and I'm sure there'll be some good news over the next couple of months.

"He's been in wrestling almost 10 years. He's had five star 60-minute matches with Samoa Joe.

"So he's definitely ready.

"And I will say this - he will be a phenomenal addition to ECW if he's there."

Many stars who date in wrestling try to keep it secret from fans for fear the extra publicity and pressure will harm their relationship.

Maria first admitted seeing Punk in a webchat with us, your trusty SunSport Online wrestling columnists, after photos of them kissing circulated on the Internet.

Now she's happy to tell the world.

"Everybody pretty much knows about us," she laughs. "Even when I was on a show in Ireland there was a CM Punk chant.

"When I do signings people will come with CM Punk T-shirts on saying 'look, look' and I'll be like: 'Yes, he's my boyfriend. I know!'

"But we don't care. We even do signings together down in OVW.

"Some relationships in wrestling are very hard, but we have it pretty much down. I hope we don't ever turn out mean to each other.

"We've been together for almost eight months now and are really solid.

"We speak on the phone a lot and text message like crazy people. It's actually weird not texting him right now.

"We have so much trust in each other, which is the thing you need when you're on the road or it will fall apart.

"Yes, there are lots of good looking guys in wrestling, but they all turn out to be my brothers. That's the only thing I can think of them as, because I am so happy with him.

"It would be awesome if Punk comes to Raw and we could travel together, having all those great road trips.

"But if he does end up on ECW or Smackdown - as long as we're both happy in our jobs, just spending one day together every week would be great too.

"We live together right now, and hopefully we'll buy our own house by the end of the year.

"So things are going really well."

Maria's career is taking off as fast as her love life.

She does a lot of the backstage interviews on Raw, has her own kiss-cam segment in the ad break of every show and a track about her legs on the new WWE album Wreckless Intent had led to obvious comparisons to Stacy Keibler.

She says: "My new theme tune is called With Legs Like That. I didn't like it at first I have to admit, because I couldn't hear it properly, but now I love it so much.

"I've heard those rumours about me taking Stacy's spot, now she's doing well outside of wrestling... but please don't compare my legs to hers!

"I will never have the 41.5 inch legs she does. But I promise you I will be coming out all by myself."

Maria puts a lot of her newfound confidence and success down to Paul Heyman, who she worked with extensively when both were in OVW together.

She raved: "Paul is an amazing man. He has brought me out of my shell more than anybody.

"Lance Storm taught me how to wrestle, but Paul taught me how to be me in front of the camera - rather than 'I have to say this line exactly like this'.

"Now there's a piece of me in every single interview or segment I do.

"That's made it even more fun, because now I can go out and have a good time."

And what does Maria hope the future holds for her?

"I'd say women's champ on Raw for me and ECW champion for Punk.

"That would be the dream."

credit:wwe.com
opportunity knocks
by brett hoffman
may 24, 2006

the diva search has always been about opportunity, just ask current raw diva maria. two years ago, maria was a participant in the first-ever competition and while she didn’t win, the experience she acquired along the way led her to what is now a blossoming wwe career. the popular raw superstar sat down with wwe.com to discuss her time in the diva search, and also to pass on some advice to this year’s competitors.

the contestants in this year’s diva search, which will return to wwe tv this summer, will have a good idea of what awaits them. but, that’s not what it was like two years ago when a then unknown maria embarked on the journey of a lifetime. “we were definitely pioneers,” says maria referring to the first batch of aspiring divas. “being in the first contest, we had no idea what to expect. this year’s girls have an advantage on us in that respect. they can look back at previous years and take notes. for us, it was just a chance to go out there and make a name for ourselves, and that’s what we did.”

with this year’s diva search being held on both raw and smackdown, the girls will have a chance to strut their stuff in front of more viewers than ever before. maria thinks the extra exposure can only help the ladies as they work to gain the support they will need to win a contract. “being on both shows is definitely going to mean more opportunity. they are going to have the chance to work with more people, and gain extra experience. hopefully they take advantage of the resources that they will have available to them.”

now a veteran of the diva search experience, maria has some valuable advice for this year’s ambitious competitors. “the key is to be yourself. a lot of the girls make the mistake of trying to be something their not. you don’t need to put on act or try to be some character to get attention. if you are genuine, people will take notice, and that’s what really counts.”

for maria, the diva search was the beginning of a whole new chapter in her life. “it was a big coming out part for me. every week brought something different out of me. i learned so much being a part of the contest, and the experience was priceless. the diva search led me to where i am today, and i’m having an amazing time as part of wwe and i hope to be here for years to come.”

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