Becky Lynch - SAS CLASSICS

Summary

The Steve Austin Show: Becky Lynch – SAS CLASSICS

Date: September 9, 2025
Host: Steve Austin
Guest: Becky Lynch
Location: Hollywood, CA (by way of the Broken Skull Ranch)

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Episode Overview

In this episode, WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin sits down for a deeply personal and wide-ranging talk with “The Man” herself, Becky Lynch. The conversation traverses Becky’s remarkable journey from Ireland to global stardom, exploring her passion for wrestling, struggles, reinvention, and the philosophy underpinning her career. The pair trade stories about life on the road, the psychology of wrestling, and the art of connecting with the crowd, giving listeners an authentic, inside look at what it takes to thrive in WWE and beyond.

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Becky Lynch’s Wrestling Odyssey

Early Days and Traveling the World

• Gypsy Spirit & LA Dreams
  • Becky describes her love of travel:
    • “I love the city and I'm a bit of a gypsy, so I'm always trying to figure out where I want to go, what I want to do next... every time I come out to LA, I ask myself why I'm not living here.” (01:11)
• Origin Story
  • Started wrestling at 15, left home at 18 to pursue wrestling in Canada.
  • Spent time in Japan as the youngest foreign female wrestler, learned to hustle on small shows.
  • Bodybuilding filled the gap when bookings in Europe were sparse.
• Visa Troubles and Struggles
  • Ended up in Orlando via a personal training course; hated it but needed a backup plan.
  • Admitted to isolating herself, focusing on diet and training rather than socializing.

Wrestling Setbacks and Sabbatical

• Leaving Wrestling
  • “I'd given up for seven years, okay... I didn't have any friends over there, and I had no way of getting around because I isolated myself." (02:47, 02:59)
• Nerve Injury as Turning Point
  • At 19, suffered a head/neck injury.
  • “That was my way out… I was lost, confused, didn't know what I was going to do with my life.” (10:33)
• Self-Discovery and Return
  • Struggled with self-doubt, lacked role models from Ireland making it big.
  • Eventually reignited her career and passion for professional wrestling.

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Life as a Pro Wrestler

The Indie and International Scene

• Making Ends Meet
  • “You were getting $50 a night and that was great. Thought I was rich. There was one time I went over to Japan and I was getting $100 a night... I was like, I have made it, I'm rich.” (05:24)
  • Landed a short-lived advertising contract in Japan.
• Friendships and Travel Buddies
  • Traveled with Charlotte, now with Alexa Bliss (“Alexa”).

Identity & Character Evolution

• Debuting the Iconic Look
  • Red/orange hair debuted in the NXT TakeOver match with Sasha Banks.
  • Steampunk goggles and a new style: “That was my coming out party." (06:34)
• Trained by Finn Balor
  • Began wrestling at 15 under Finn Balor’s mentorship.

Philosophy and Psychology

• Introversion and Finding Balance
  • “I call myself Quinderella sometimes because it comes to a certain stage and I’ve just got to go... and be in my own head.” (11:33)
  • Keeps a lifelong journal for self-reflection and to record her journey.
• Glass Half Full
  • “I'm glad I have a glass and put glass half full.” (12:11)

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Moving Up & Reinventing in WWE

The NXT to Main Roster Transition

• Securing a Tryout

  • Contacted WWE herself after encouragement from a friend in NXT.
  • “There wasn't a doubt in my mind that I was going to get signed.” (22:52)
  • Nailed promos thanks to acting background: “That just helped me.” (25:33)

• Heel vs. Babyface Work

  • “At the moment I like working baby. I'm excited for when I turn heel eventually... On the Indies, never worked baby, hated it. Always worked heel.” (25:44, 26:08)

Connecting with the Crowd

• Authentic Connection
  • “They know that I'm passionate about this. They know that I've worked hard for this, and I think it's a genuineness. They can sense that or something. They can sense that it's real.” (27:09)
• On Losing and “Getting Over”
  • Discussion of her acclaimed NXT match with Sasha Banks:
    • Steve: “That’s how you lose a match and just get over... you can get over as much or more in losing a match as you can by winning a match.” (32:04)

Women’s Wrestling: Competition and Chemistry

• Competitive Division
  • “It's extremely competitive, and I think that's why it keeps getting better, because nobody can rest on their laurels.” (32:48)
• Favorite Wrestlers & Influences
  • Shawn Michaels, Dynamite Kid, Tiger Mask, English World of Sport stars ("Johnny Saint, Mark Rocco").
  • Among current roster, speaks highly of Asuka, Peyton Royce, Billie Kay.

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Training, Health, and Longevity

Workout and Wellness Regimen

• Workouts
  • Favors CrossFit and LA-based trainers.
  • Uses yoga for flexibility.
    • “I've been fairly injury free... sprained my hip flexor a couple of times, but that's it.” (50:31)
• Avoiding Dangerous Moves
  • “I only bust [missile dropkicks] out on special occasions. They're a Christmas time move.” (51:10–51:13)

Life on the Road and Self-Care

• Handling Mistakes in the Ring

  • “Just keep going. That’s all you can do. Grab a hold. Grab a hold and talk.” (47:49)

• Financial Advice and Humility

  • Drives a 2007 VW Beetle (“It was my dream car”).
  • “Nothing's really ever about the money... It's just about, you know, doing good work and making art and having adventures.” (59:59–60:50)

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Broader Passions: Music, MMA, and Future Dreams

Musical Tastes and Time Off

• Grew up a “music lover,” especially rock/grunge (Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains).
• Attends concerts, enjoys the energy of live shows.

MMA Fandom and Opinions

• Huge MMA Fan
  • “Conor [McGregor] wins the fight before he gets in the octagon.” (57:39)
  • Admires Ronda Rousey’s intensity, but predicts Amanda Nunes has the edge (56:40).
• Parallels with Wrestling
  • Discusses the psychology of fighting and “breaking codes” (as in Rousey's loss).

Looking Ahead: Life Beyond Wrestling

• Acting Aspirations
  • "Performing, writing, being in some sort of creative field. I always say that I’d like to own my own little cafe or restaurant… But I think I’m just a performer." (59:06)
• Personal Life
  • Wants marriage and kids after WWE.
• Struggles With Reinvention
  • “Staying on top, I think that's the hardest thing because you always want to be that top dog... It's a mental thing where you just constantly like, how can I be the absolute best?” (60:55)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Passion and Longevity:
  • “Until the wheels fall off… maybe another 10 [years].” (53:33–53:46)
• On Character:
  • “Becky Lynch, fiery, stands up for what’s right. Full of integrity, not to be messed with, full of charm, full of harm and ready to break your arm.” (42:19)
• On Being Real:
  • Steve: “Sometimes I see people acting like professional wrestlers rather than being a professional wrestler… there’s a big difference.” (44:00, 44:48)
• On Reinvention & Staying Relevant:
  • “It's always just trying to reinvent yourself and just find a way that you can be unforgettable... I think that can be the toughest.” (60:55)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Becky’s Wrestling Journey, Early Struggles – 01:30–05:44
• Transition to WWE/NXT, Character/Look Evolution – 06:23–07:01, 22:50–25:33
• Travel, Personality and Journal Writing – 11:33–14:00
• Dealing with Setbacks and Injury – 10:22–11:03
• Parental Influence/Support – 15:42–17:59
• Connecting with the Crowd & Psychology – 26:42–28:23
• Women’s Division and Ring Psychology – 32:48–34:10
• Influences and Favorite Performers – 36:34–38:56
• Training, Injury, and Stretching – 49:27–51:27
• MMA Talk (McGregor, Rousey, Parallels to Wrestling) – 54:41–58:32
• Plans for Future, Acting, Life Goals – 59:06–61:28

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Closing Thoughts

This episode offers an honest, entertaining, and enlightening journey through Becky Lynch's rise in professional wrestling, blending industry wisdom, personal anecdotes, and hard-won lessons. Steve and Becky’s banter ranges from deep dives into wrestling psychology to advice on handling life’s curveballs. For fans and aspiring wrestlers alike, this episode is both a candid look behind the curtain and a motivational playbook for turning passion into sustained excellence.

Transcript

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[Steve Austin Show Announcer]

Podcast ONE.com production from Hollywood, California, by way of the Broken Skull Ranch, this is the Steve Austin Show.

[Steve Austin]

Give me a Hell yeah. Hell yeah.

[Steve Austin Show Announcer]

Now here's Steve Austin.

[Steve Austin]

God dang. I got the smackdown women's champion Becky lynch, right in front of me. Becky, welcome to the house.

[Becky Lynch]

Thank you so much. Thank you for having me.

[Steve Austin]

Well, what brings you out to Los Angeles?

[Becky Lynch]

I love the city and I'm a bit of a gypsy, so I'm always trying to figure out where I want to go, where I want to, what I want to do next, where my next pit stop is, every town that we go to. I pretty much say that I could live there, but every time I come out to la, I ask myself why I'm not living here.

[Steve Austin]

Where are you based out of right now?

[Becky Lynch]

Orlando.

[Steve Austin]

How you like Orlando?

[Becky Lynch]

I like Orlando and it's okay. So let me take you all the way back. When I was 15, started wrestling right? By 18, moved out of home, moved to Canada to pursue wrestling, Dropped out of college, was brought over to Japan as the youngest foreign female to wrestle over there. Did a little bit over there, wrestled around America a little bit. My visa ran out of Canada and so I was back home in Ireland wondering what I was going to do with myself. So I started taking up bodybuilding in the downtime while I wasn't wrestling every week because there was wasn't as many shows in Europe. And so I was doing that and I was like looking going, okay, I need, I need to get back to America. I need. I also need a backup plan. At the time, TNA was had a great Women's division. So I looked, I said, okay, there's a personal training course where I can get my visa to be over in America and I can have a backup plan and I can be around a proper hub. But then I ended up stranded in Orlando, not knowing what I was going to do with my life, doing this personal training course, which I hated, and.

[Steve Austin]

Personal training course because it wasn't what.

[Becky Lynch]

I wanted to do, because I went from being so passionate about something to then going, okay, I'm gonna do this because this is a sensible choice. Do you know what I mean?

[Steve Austin]

But Jesus Christ, how old were you? Only 29 now. I can't believe you've been in the business of wrestling for 12 years now.

[Becky Lynch]

Well, I'd given up for seven years, okay, so. So then I was sitting there and I didn't have any friends over there, and I was friends over. I had no way of getting around because I isolated myself.

[Steve Austin]

But, I mean, you didn't get out. I mean, just didn't go meet people.

[Becky Lynch]

I didn't want to. I just. I wanted and, like, focus on my diet. Because I was like, okay, well, I know that if I focus on my training and focus on my diet, well, that would be my thing, but I didn't want to go out and. Because. But I had failed pe, Right.

[Steve Austin]

You failed.

[Becky Lynch]

I failed.

[Steve Austin]

I just watched. I just watched you and Sasha Banks rip the roof off the building off nxt. What was it? Takeover Stopover? You tapped out. What was it?

[Becky Lynch]

Unstoppable?

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, I mean, it was an awesome match. I talked about them in my clothes. It's my recommended viewing of the day.

[Becky Lynch]

So I had fail pee.

[Steve Austin]

So how did you fail pee? You're a hell of a damn wrestler.

[Becky Lynch]

I would just stand there with my.

[Steve Austin]

Did you have an attitude problem?

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Becky Lynch]

Oh, absolutely.

[Steve Austin]

Tell me about this.

[Becky Lynch]

So, yeah, I just. I did what I want and I didn't want to run. I just showed up and I didn't want to run. So I'd stand there with my stick in my hand, my hockey stick in my hand, and I just refused to run. My MA would come into the parent teacher meetings and just leave in tears. What kind of student were you at that time? I was average. I was average. When I started wrestling, that focused me and that put me on the straight and narrow. I ended up doing really well.

[Steve Austin]

So did you finish school in Ireland?

[Becky Lynch]

I finished school in Ireland and then I went to college. I studied history, politics and philosophy, but I dropped out of that to go off to Canada and become a wrestler.

[Steve Austin]

When was this point when you decided, what were you, about five or seven years in, you decided this wasn't for you?

[Becky Lynch]

I was three and a half years.

[Steve Austin]

Three and a half years in.

[Becky Lynch]

Three and a half years in.

[Steve Austin]

So what was the. This epiphany said this is not what I should be doing.

[Becky Lynch]

It wasn't as much of an appeal epiphany. It was a. It was a struggle, you know, it was. My ma didn't want me wrestling. I was, I'd lost my way. I didn't know, you know, I thought, you know, if I look a certain way, that that's what's gonna get me. And so that's why I started on bodybuilding. And then I dieted down so much, I was depleted. Every bump hurt like nobody's business because I was just a rake. I was and just depleted myself. But I still loved it. But I just, I doubted myself.

[Steve Austin]

Well, I was reading about your, your time on the ind. So if you get to the States or you go to Canada, when you come to the States and you're in the indie scene, how is that for a single female? I won't ask you about money now, but what is the pay like on the indie scene for a woman? Back in the day when you were doing the indie thing.

[Becky Lynch]

Yeah. You were getting $50 a night and that was great. Thought I was rich. There was one time when I went over to Japan and I was getting $100 a night. It was a tour.

[Steve Austin]

You hit the big time.

[Becky Lynch]

I was talking to Natalia about it the other day. We were on the same tour and this promoter, he saw me. I was 18 at the time. I was this little blonde haired thing, bright eyed, bushy tailed. And he was like, this is gonna be my star. And then he was paying me $100 and I was like, I have made it, I'm rich. But actually from that then I ended up getting a contract with an advertising agency that wanted to promote me as a celebrity wrestler. So they actually paid me fairly well. I remember getting $400 for a match. And that was it.

[Steve Austin]

I'm looking at you right now. You got this red hair. You just said back in the day you were blonde. What is your true hair color?

[Interviewer/Producer]

Brown.

[Steve Austin]

Brown?

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Becky Lynch]

Brunette?

[Steve Austin]

Brunette.

[Becky Lynch]

Yeah, I get the roots.

[Steve Austin]

So how long have you been doing the red hair thing now?

[Becky Lynch]

That was. So the match you talked about with Sasha, that was my debut of the orange hair. Anyways. Yeah, before that I was a little auburnish.

[Steve Austin]

Auburnish?

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Becky Lynch]

Well, I think, I think when, when it came out in nxt, with the orange hair and the steampunk goggles and that whole style. That was my coming out party, you know, I think that was when people.

[Steve Austin]

Took notice of had you been working at the time that you started working at nxt.

[Becky Lynch]

So I'd given up for seven years. I hadn't wrestled in seven years when I came to nxt.

[Steve Austin]

Wow.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

So how did you find Finn Balor to train you?

[Becky Lynch]

Finn Balor trained me when I was 15.

[Steve Austin]

How old was he? He's 10 years older than you. 8, 7.

[Becky Lynch]

21. He was 21.

[Steve Austin]

21.

[Becky Lynch]

He was 21.

[Steve Austin]

You were 15?

[Becky Lynch]

I was 15.

[Steve Austin]

So tell me about what this wrestling school entailed. Like, for us, it was first learning how to take a flat back bump, some tumbling and a little bit of chain wrestling, and not a whole lot, because this is one day a week. Finn, I have so much respect for, and I'm looking forward to him coming back from his shoulder injury. So he's very skilled in the ring. But what was his basis for training you? What was the regimen?

[Becky Lynch]

So when I first started, we just had six blue mats on the ground. That was it. And I just come fresh off watching Tough Enough, where I expected to go in and see these big, giant, muscular lads and this big warehouse, maybe the sign on the thing. And it was just this school hall, Saint Andrews down in Bray. And I walked in and there was Finn, and he didn't. He was, you know, skinny, skinny young lad, but full of charisma and everything like that. And it was nothing but, you know, lads with. Trying to grow their hair out at that stage, you know, the Rocket Kids. And we just went in and we'd warm up and then that was it. We learned chain. We learned to bump. And that was all we did for the first while on those mats. I remember taking. We'd take power bombs on those little. We do little matches at the end.

[Steve Austin]

Did y' all even have a ring with ropes?

[Becky Lynch]

Not for the first three months. And then we got that. We got that ring and I just. I couldn't get over. It was the most amazing thing.

[Steve Austin]

So you're only 29, and I read that you grew up being a wrestling fan since you were a kid. So take me back then to what era was that that you were watching?

[Becky Lynch]

So I would watch, you know, with Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior and everything like that. And I may have. I fell out for a couple of years, and then my brother would be watching it in the attitude era. And what drew me in was actually Mick Foley, Because I just would walk past whatever, and I might have made fun of him or whatever, like, that's for kids or whatever I said at the time. And I'd walk past and Mick Foley would be cutting these promos and I'd feel real sorry for him and I'd be like, okay, well, just let me know. And Mick's on. And then I started watching that and then I got hooked and then I was back in 100%.

[Steve Austin]

Who do you travel with?

[Becky Lynch]

So I used to travel with Charlotte, but then we got separated, so now I'll travel with Alexa.

[Steve Austin]

Was that for Kayfabe?

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Becky Lynch]

If you really want to know.

[Steve Austin]

Well, I mean, it's still. You still got to protect the business to some degree. So, I mean, yeah. Where do you train at? Do you like to go to Gold's gym?

[Becky Lynch]

I like CrossFit gym. CrossFit power diesel.

[Steve Austin]

Really?

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

So what do you do for your workouts?

[Becky Lynch]

So I have a guy out in LA, actually, and he does up all my workout plans. So I will usually go in, I'll do some sort of a warm up, some sort of heavy lift for a while and then do some sort of CrossFit workout of the day that will have you question in your life. And then another like. And then another less intense one after that. So it's about an hour.

[Steve Austin]

So how's your. How's your cardio?

[Becky Lynch]

Cardio is pretty decent.

[Steve Austin]

You don't blow up, do you?

[Becky Lynch]

Try not to.

[Steve Austin]

Okay. You're 29 years old. You've been wrestling 12 years. I looked at a little bit of your medical history.

[Becky Lynch]

Oh, seven year gap.

[Steve Austin]

Seven year gap. Seven year gap. Okay. Sorry about that. A couple of broke ankles. And what was this deal with this nerve damage in your neck?

[Becky Lynch]

So that was. That was my way out when I was 19, tell you the truth, I got a girl landed on my head, my eye busted open, I got a little bit disorientated. And that was all around the time that I was lost, confused, didn't know what I was going to do with my life. 19 years old, out in the world on my own. And it was just my way to say, I can't do this. And I stepped away and I just hit myself out of. From the world for a little bit.

[Steve Austin]

Okay.

[Becky Lynch]

So I couldn't face it.

[Steve Austin]

Are you truly just a loner?

[Becky Lynch]

No, no, I'm not complete loner. I like having people around, but I really like my own space too. Maybe I am a loner.

[Steve Austin]

I mean, I am. I mean, it's like I'm fixing to go down to my ranch and my wife will be there, my friend will be there, but I mean, if I don't, I love people because I'm in the entertainment business. So, yeah, I like hanging around people. But, you know, if I go down to my ranch, if I go somewhere, if I don't see anybody for three, four, five, six weeks, I don't care. I'm fine just being in my own company. Would you describe yourself in that same fashion?

[Becky Lynch]

Absolutely. I have. I have a limit, you know, and I kind of saw my real names. Rebecca Quinn. I call myself Quinderella sometimes because it comes to a certain stage and I've just got to go, you know, and I've just got to go and I got to be on my own. I just got to be in my own head. And I write a lot. I write a lot, and I feel like I got to go.

[Steve Austin]

Keep a journal?

[Becky Lynch]

Yes. I've kept the journal my entire life. And it's really crazy looking back and seeing all the things that you wanted and all the things that you go through and the way that things come out, you know, and you don't always why things, why you're even doing things, but they always, I don't know, are.

[Steve Austin]

You a glass half full or glass half empty person?

[Becky Lynch]

I'm glad I have a glass and put glass half full.

[Steve Austin]

I'm so happy to hear you say that you keep a journal or just a diary, whatever you want to call it, because I've told so many of the boys and the gals. When I say the boys, I mean everybody in the wrestling business, because I never kept a journal. And one time I was on a flight and Terry Taylor was over there and he had all these receipts in front of him. He was doing his taxes. But he's also making notes of everything thing. And if, like I've forgotten so much of the things I've done, but depending on the kind of career that you can have, and also you can just go back and look at it for memory's sake. But, you know, there's a book right there. I mean, that's not the book, but if you remember everything, you know, you've got a hell of a chance and an opportunity to write a hellacious book and just to remember everything you did in your career. It's also from a business standpoint, back in my days, you know, I'd always ask the house, what's the house? Okay, I get my paycheck, see what I made on the house, see where I was on the card. Learn the pay system. So the more you educate yourself to the pay system and if you keep your records, then, you know, hey, this might be time to ask for a little bit more money here or there, whatever. That's a little contract talk. We'll go back to just writing a journal down. How long have you been doing this?

[Becky Lynch]

I can't remember not doing it.

[Steve Austin]

All right. To any of the WWE Superstars out there. I'm telling you one more time. And I pull certain people aside and say, hey man, write all this shit down that you're doing so that you'll remember it for later to be able to write a book. So is this a nightly thing, a morning thing? When do you do this?

[Becky Lynch]

It's whenever I get the time, whenever I get the focus.

[Steve Austin]

Like on an airplane ride or something like that?

[Becky Lynch]

Yeah, exactly. And I'll just sit down or. What I love to do is go find a cafe and just sit there and just like have my coffee and just sit for a couple hours. People watch and just write and just write and write and write and write everything that's gone down. Write everything that I'm feeling and everything that I want and everything that I'm shooting for. And it helps, you know, like sometimes, you know, you get in your head and you're thinking and it just puts everything out on paper and it's looking at you and you can just sort everything out. It's just brilliant. And my dad used to have me do it when I was, when I was a kid writing down the price of sweets, you know, like, like I went to the shop and I got a half pound of sweets and it was however much, I don't know, he just said it, it was great to look at when, when you got older and I, I, I've done it ever since.

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[Steve Austin]

Are both of your parents still around?

[Becky Lynch]

They are, yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Okay, so what did they think when you took off and decided that you wanted to be a professional wrestler? I know you brother wrestled a little bit as well, right?

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yes. Yeah, so.

[Steve Austin]

But you being a female, what did they think? Because when I got into the business, you know, my mother and father, who are still around, have always been super supportive of everything I've done, but, you know, they knew this was risky and it was gonna be a gamble and, you know, they've always supported me and everything I've done, but, you know, go ahead, we're behind you. And it turned out pretty good. What did your parents think when you decided this is what you wanted to do?

[Becky Lynch]

So my dad was always behind whatever I wanted to do. My mom had a tougher time with it when I first told her. So originally when I told her that I was wrestling, I actually said that I was doing Brazilian Jiu jitsu. Then she found out that I was doing wrestling, she went mad, she hit the roof. It wasn't something that.

[Steve Austin]

Why? Because Brazilian Jiu jitsu was just a form of mixed martial arts. And. And you're not gonna be on the road trying to, you know, make it, make a payday in a squared circle.

[Becky Lynch]

Yes, exactly.

[Steve Austin]

More legitimate maybe.

[Becky Lynch]

Yeah, exactly. She just thought, you know, it was just a hobby. But I guess when, when it seemed like I was doing something that was going to take over my life and that was, that was a big thing of me leaving the business in the first place, you know, because I was out there, I was out there on my own, on my table own, and I was just rambling around the world without a plan. And for any mother, I think you're going, you're looking 19 year old daughter who's off in America, who's off in Japan, but with nobody looking after her. And you're like, oh my God, like, stop it, get a job. Like, stay here, let me look after you. And that was one of the things when I was on that plane and at that time, I think I decided to quit wrestling. And I was on that plane, I was about to go over to Orlando and I was in between JFK and the flight to Orlando. I remember calling her, being like, mom, I don't want to go, please, I need to come home. Like, just let me come home, I'll get a real job, Just, I need to come home, I'll do a course in Ireland, blah, blah. And she said, no, she's like, you're not Coming home, she's like, you're gonna, you've quit too many things, you're gonna see this through. And I think that is absolutely the best thing she could have ever done. Because ever since then, I've never quit anything without something else to go to.

[Steve Austin]

I'll tell you what, when you turned 18 in my house, I mean, you didn't get kicked out, but I mean, that was the official time where you were an adult and it's time to fend for yourself. And so, you know, I remember starting in a wrestling business and I was making 15, $20 a night and it was my birthday and my mom called me, she said, we were trying to send you something for your birthday. What do you want? And we come from a very middle income family. And I said, mom, I'll never ask you for money, but if you could send me 40 bucks for my birthday, I sure would appreciate it. Because I didn't have shit anyway. I got $40. She sent me two $20 bills and that got me through about a week. But with respect to, I wasn't going to quit the business. I didn't have a backup plan. What happened when you got lost along the way because you got through some issues with a little alcohol and some.

[Becky Lynch]

Other things that would have been when I was younger. Younger, Younger, younger, younger. Before I started wrestling.

[Steve Austin]

A bit of a wild child.

[Becky Lynch]

A bit of a wild child.

[Steve Austin]

Tell me about this.

[Becky Lynch]

Yeah, I was just.

[Steve Austin]

At what age would you say this? Okay, she'd give me the look. She's giving me the kay fake look. Okay, you was a wild child.

[Becky Lynch]

I was a wild child.

[Steve Austin]

Let's leave it at that. So how long were you a wild child?

[Becky Lynch]

Two. Two years? Yeah, two years.

[Steve Austin]

And so just hanging out with friends and doing crazy stuff.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Concert goer. You a music lover?

[Becky Lynch]

I'm a music lover, yeah. And there was.

[Steve Austin]

Tell me about this.

[Becky Lynch]

Yeah, so there was a place and we all the rock kids would hang out in Temple Bar, that was back in Dublin and they had like a music center and you'd go to gigs every Saturday. And so what was the music scene?

[Steve Austin]

What kind of music do you like?

[Becky Lynch]

Rock? Yeah, I'm a big, big rock.

[Steve Austin]

Like I'm old o. But I'm a hair guy. Hair metal guy. I think that's almost like the Attitude era. I don't think the Attitude era. Everybody wrestlers have always had attitude rock and roll people have always had hair. But I'm big into the hair bands and just hard rock. So would you be an extreme metal.

[Becky Lynch]

Head or More of a grunge head, I'd say. Pearl Jam would be my favorite.

[Steve Austin]

Man, I dig Pearl Jam, but I was more of an Alice in Chains guy.

[Becky Lynch]

I love Alice. Alice in Chains. More Alice in Chains. What's your favorite song?

[Steve Austin]

Oh, well, from them. Jesus Christ. God dang. Sitting in an angry chair. I can't think of the right. The one right now, but. Have you ever heard of Mad Season? Oh, that was some of the members from Shoot, I think it was. Lane Staley was a lead singer. He's dead now, but I think it was one or two members from Pearl Jam. And anyway, Mad Season, you got to check that out. Totally in a different vibe than what they were collectively as individual bands. So, anyway, enough about that.

[Becky Lynch]

Pearl Jam. I just saw them live for the first time.

[Steve Austin]

How were they?

[Becky Lynch]

Amazing. Played for three hours. Better life. Even better lives than listening to them. Just. Eddie Vedder has just got so much soul in his voice. Amazing.

[Steve Austin]

Wang this thing his ass off. Kid's got a little talent. If sticks with it, he might make it. What do you watch on tv? Do you watch tv?

[Becky Lynch]

Don't watch a lot of tv, no.

[Steve Austin]

Do you watch yourself on tv? Do you break down your performance? I like seeing yourself wrestle.

[Becky Lynch]

I hate watching myself wrestle.

[Steve Austin]

It's hard.

[Becky Lynch]

It's hard. I can watch myself talk all day long. I can watch that. Can watch any backstage things, anything that I do, where I'm talking. When I see myself wrestling, it's hard for me.

[Steve Austin]

Tell me about your first match, Because Finn trained you, the other guys help out, train you. So you go out for your first match. Were you just a ball of nerves?

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Or were you just one of those people that was born to be in front of a crowd?

[Becky Lynch]

Ball of nerves. I feel like I've always had a way with the crowd, though, a connection with them. But that's never stopped me from being nervous before. I think there was two matches in my entire career where I haven't been nervous, and they were the worst matches of my life. So I always think, anytime I'm not nervous, I'm nervous.

[Steve Austin]

How long did it take before you thought that, hey, you know what? I'm pretty good at this. This.

[Becky Lynch]

So I remember the exact moment, the exact spot. And I just tagged with my brother, and I was heel. And I hadn't played heel before, and I was 17. I was sitting in this little school hall in Kildare. It was a mixed tag match, and I came back and I was sitting down. Remember exactly where I was sitting, and he was sitting just opposite me. And I go, richie, think I can do this for the rest of my life?

[Steve Austin]

And that's when you.

[Becky Lynch]

And that's. And that's when. And that's when I was like, okay, I've got something there. And before that. Because before that, it seemed like too much of a dream, you know what I mean? It was just a pipe dream because I didn't have anybody that I looked at that was from Ireland, that was over there, and I'd look at you on TV every Saturday morning, and that just seemed so far beyond my reach.

[Steve Austin]

How did you end up in nxt? Did they call you? Did you call them?

[Becky Lynch]

I called them.

[Steve Austin]

So what'd you say?

[Becky Lynch]

At the time I was doing. I just graduated college from acting college. I was working as a stunt woman on the Vikings, and I hadn't any stunt experience, but I was like. I was a good wrestler. So let me go now to. Let me go down to a school and work on some stuff, and that will help me with coordinating fights and everything. So I went down, I was talking to my friend Joe, who actually was signed to NXT at the time, and he looked at my footwork, and then we talked about promos later, and I told him about how I used to, you know, practice promos. And I'd talk, like, to myself on bike rides and this, that and whatever, cutting promos just to myself all the time. He was like, have you ever gone for a tryout? And I said, no. And he goes, would you? And I go at the time, because I had booked my flights, I booked my visa to come over to New York. I was gonna, you know, try give the acting thing a go. Didn't really have a plan, as per Beckyism. I was just like, no, Joe, you know, I've got my plan set in place. I'm going to go over to New York and do all that. And he goes, well, think about it, because I think. I think you'd get in. And I thought about it for a split second, and as soon as he said it, I was like, that's it. That's it. Because I felt like I was pushing for passions, you know what I mean? Like, I'd done all these little odd jobs in between in those seven years, and I was pushing to feel as passionate as I was about wrestling, because I knew what it felt like to be really passionate about something. I was doing all these things that I enjoyed, and they were great, and there were great jobs and fun adventures, but nothing that I felt pulled me, you know what I mean? With everything I Felt like I was pushing. And as soon as he said that, I was like, ah, yeah, that's it. And there wasn't a doubt in my. Not one doubt in my mind that I was going to get signed.

[Steve Austin]

Okay, so you go there. What happens?

[Becky Lynch]

So I had my tryout. Robbie Brookside. Robbie Brookside and William Regal and Jay Orr were there, and Jerry Bris and Norman Smiley was there as well. And I remember just going through all the drills and everything. And like, anytime I got tired, I was just a little bit of an embarrassing thing. I'd sing, you know, lose Yourself by Eminem in my head, and I just knew that I'd get in. I knew that that was what I was meant to do. So I absolutely knew.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, good job, kid. You're part of the team, more or less.

[Becky Lynch]

They saw the love that I had for and they asked me to cut. So they had. They had me cut. I did well on all my drills and everything like that. And then they asked me to cut promos and I was like, ah, yeah, in the back.

[Steve Austin]

You've been practicing on cutting promos.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Becky Lynch]

And then, like, with the acting background and everything like that, that just helped me. And then.

[Steve Austin]

How much did the acting help you?

[Becky Lynch]

A lot. A lot, I think.

[Steve Austin]

Do you prefer working heel or baby?

[Becky Lynch]

At the moment? I like working baby. I'm excited for when I turn heel eventually, though, because I think when it's time. When it's time, when it's.

[Steve Austin]

When it's organic. I did my flip, you know, at 17, you know, with the Rock, and I wanted to turn heel just because I always preferred working heel and didn't go my way. So anyway. Yeah, when it's time.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yes.

[Steve Austin]

Tell me when I was.

[Becky Lynch]

When I was on the Indies. Never. Never worked, baby. Hated it. Always worked heel.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Becky Lynch]

So it's weird for me that I came here and was a baby.

[Steve Austin]

That's a big difference.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

But I just find there's more of a comfort zone working here because you can trip, you can fall, you can have egg on your face. You can screw up now. You don't necessarily want to, but as a baby face, you don't really. You have to stand for something. Tell me about your connection with the crowd. You said early on you connected with the crowd. Why do you think you were able to do that way back then? Because you've really connected now.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Explain the connection with the crowd because a lot of people don't get that. One of the things that I loved about your mattress, Sasha, at the pay per view, we Just ment was that y' all worked in the ring and you didn't pander to the crowd. You weren't begging people to tune into the match or. Yeah, this is the part where you cheer me. It was a straight up badass wrestling match. Why do you think you connect to the crowd? What do the people say in Becky lynch that they like?

[Becky Lynch]

I think it's that energy, you know, I don't think it's anything tangible, but I think it's a passion or I feel like they. Because I feel like they're very protective over me, you know, as well, which is another thing. I hear a lot of people talk about how they get a lot of negativity in their social media and everything like that. I can't say, thankfully, that I get much of that. They're very protective, and I think it's just an energy. They know that I'm passionate about this. They know that I've worked hard for this, and I think it's a genuineness. They can sense that or something. They can sense that it's real because people pick up on that stuff. They might not know why they like something or why they don't, but I feel like they go through the struggles with me, you know, and they pick up on that, but they know that I can see it at the end of the tunnel, and they can, too, and they join me on that journey, you know, And a lot of the time, I feel like it's real. You know what I mean? I try to bring a sense of reality and into it.

[Steve Austin]

Thank you. It has to be real. The business is a work, but as real as you can make it be out there at Stone Cold Steve Austin, I believed 110% every single thing I said and did. And I see a lot of that in you, and I see that in a lot of the women. I mean, it's been amazing to see the progression of what women's wrestling has become over just the last couple of years. And I'm a big fan. I go way back. I was a fan of gloves, and I've just been a fan of women's wrestling in general. But just the way it's progressed has been astounding in the last few years. What did you think when you finally became a champion, the Women's Smackdown champion here recently?

[Becky Lynch]

It was just the culmination of everything that I'd worked for since I was 15 years old and everything that I wanted to do. But that's where now things get hard, you know what I mean? So it was a struggle and it was a struggle to get there. And it was overcoming the reason that I left the business in the first place, not doubting myself and overcoming that and then, and then finding that and believing in myself and believing that I deserve to be the champion and getting there. But anybody can get to there once it's maintaining that and then going above. So it's what's the next thing. So now the heart. And it's said time and time again that now it's the heart part. But you go from being underdog to now being top dog. So I need to come up with a. I need to make everybody want to tune in to see what I'm going to do next. You know, this has to be another level.

[Steve Austin]

Do you eat, live, breathe, sleep, this business?

[Becky Lynch]

I do, I do. To the point where I think that's a lot of the loneliness in me, you know, I just have to go and everything will eat me up. If I don't feel like I've done a good job, it will eat me up because that's all I set out to do is, is just do good work.

[Steve Austin Show Announcer]

This is the Steve Austin Show.

[Jesse Perry or Andy Cassette]

Hi, I'm Jesse Perry. And I'm Andy Cassette. Welcome to Love Murder, where we unravel the darkest tales of romance turned deadly. Our episodes are long form, narrative driven and deeply researched. Perfect for the true crime aficionado seeking stories beyond the headlines like the chilling case of Blanche Taylor Moore, the so called black widow who left a trail of poisoned lovers. Or the shocking murders of Chad Shelton and Dwayne Johnson, where family ties masked a sinister plot. Subscribe to Love Murder on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

[Steve Austin Show Announcer]

This is Steve Austin unleashed.

[Steve Austin]

What were you thinking on the night that Sasha Banks beat you? I guess it was a bank statement that you tapped out to. Yes, okay, she left. She took her belt and she's wonderful. I love her. And she left you in the ring and those people stood up and they gave y' all a standing ovation, but they were giving you a standing ovation. And so you lost a match. And you'll hear in the close of my show, you picked up that arm and you played it perfectly and you didn't want to, but you were in so much pain and you tapped out and the timing was perfect. So then she leaves, you're standing there and the crowd starts chanting your name. And what I say at the close of the podcast is. And you'll hear, this is. That's how you. First of all, it was the baddest Match, but that's how you lose a match and just get over. You didn't get the belt. That was your goal, to get the belt. But you can get over as much or more in losing a match as you can by winning a match, depending on how you did it. What did you feel that night when you lost the match but the people were so behind you? Did you felt like you'd made a step in progression of being more over?

[Becky Lynch]

No, no, no, I don't think.

[Steve Austin]

One thing I was just waiting for you to do because you didn't signal to them, but, man, they were chanting your name. And I knew you were selling that arm because y' all both work your arm. It's great. Arm drags in there. So you're selling the pain. But, man, the way they. They wanted you to let them in a little bit more. And if. If you just held up that arm and acknowledged them, I think it'll blow the roof off the place. That's just. That's just. That's just me being an armchair quarterback. How's the. How competitive is that women's division now?

[Becky Lynch]

It is. It's extremely competitive, and I think that's why it keeps getting better, because nobody can rest on their laurels. You know what I mean? You can't relax for a single second because there's somebody chomping at the bit, there's somebody that wants your spot, and I certainly don't want to give that up anytime soon. And you always want to be the best that you can be. And with everybody being so good at the moment and everybody constantly stepping up their game, you can't get left behind. You can't relax for a single second.

[Steve Austin]

Sometimes I watch some of the matches these days, and the action's happening a little too fast. The match that you all wrestled, and you've had many others, your feud with Charlotte, but that match with Sasha, it was perfect. Pace selling everything. She had a mean streak. You had fire. Do you see what I see sometimes when things are happening too fast in the ring for people who are actually register and know what's going on. Are you cognizant of that?

[Becky Lynch]

Yes.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Becky Lynch]

And I can be a bit of a speed demon as well, but I also think that sometimes what can happen is that we worry too much about making. Making everything too amazing, when sometimes it just needs to be a simple story that people can understand. It doesn't like you. You didn't do, like, crazy Moon salts this, that whatever. Yeah, well, me too.

[Steve Austin]

Y' all are much better athletes than I was. But case in going back to the Brooklyn NXT match that Sasha had with Bayley, when she tore the bandage off Bailey's arm, remember that match, and she just worked the body part like y' all did. There was nothing crazy in the match. It was logical storytelling and there was fire and there was a mean streak on the heat and it was a great comeback. And boy, they blew the roof off the place for that match so many times. And a lot of it I know when it's a live television show, I've been there a million times. All of a sudden, hey, you've got 12 minutes or you got two segments or you've got 13 minutes and all of a sudden, hey, you got six. And so you're trying to get 13 minutes of stuff in a six minute spot and not so fast, my friend, because you can go through a bunch of whirly derv moves, blah blah, blah, blah, blah, and nobody gets over because it doesn't mean anything.

[Becky Lynch]

Yes, copy. Oh, 100%.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Becky Lynch]

100%. That's. That's been my biggest take home recently is just keep things simple, just keep them digestible. Don't try to out think yourself to be smart and to get like, ooh, reactions if you're not.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, yeah. I like how you women are laying your shit in. Everything looks good. You being from Ireland, you must be a fan of fitness.

[Becky Lynch]

Oh, absolutely.

[Steve Austin]

I think he's one of the greatest of all time.

[Becky Lynch]

He's amazing and his mind is incredible. Getting to work with him is just, he's phenomenal.

[Steve Austin]

Just if you go back and study some of his stuff, just his intent, his mannerisms in the ring, he's total business. And most of the majority of the stuff that I've seen Fit do is as a heel. And he's just malicious and he's trying to hurt you and he's very serious. His timing is impeccable. Just the cross face cover on a lot of his stuff is just done with malice. A lot of people emulate that or try to do that, but they just don't do it like Fit. That's because he has that mean streak inside of him. So that's me blowing smoke up Fit. Finley has asked who has been some of your influences as far as maybe not creating your style, but people that you looked up to in the business, whether it was from a men's side or the women's side side.

[Becky Lynch]

So Shawn Michaels is one Dynamite Kid was one of my favorite wrestlers. Sayama, Tiger Mask, especially the matches him and Dynamite would Have I used to just watch on repeat and then if you want to look.

[Steve Austin]

And those were guys that were working really kind of, I dare say cruiserweight, but a fast style but with that malicious intent. So they look like they're trying to hurt each other. Those were. Those two guys had awesome chemistry. Keep going.

[Becky Lynch]

Oh, absolutely. And then even going. Looking at English style and World of Sport, like Johnny St. Mark, Rocco, they were some of my favorites as well. Yeah. And then there was in Jim Brakes. Jim Brakes. Have you ever seen.

[Steve Austin]

No, I haven't.

[Becky Lynch]

Oh, he's amazing. Jim Briggs, Jim Brakes, Bryce breaks.

[Steve Austin]

I've got to check him out from World of Sport.

[Becky Lynch]

Yeah, because he was a heel and he was like a little runty guy and he'd throw these little tantrums.

[Steve Austin]

Did you ever work any matches? Because World of Sport, those are five minute rounds.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yes.

[Steve Austin]

And there's so much psychology of that and those guys, because I was a big World of Sport fan, I watched a lot of it on YouTube. But there's so much psychology built into those five minute rounds. Have you ever worked in the five minute round system?

[Becky Lynch]

On one of my independent days, yeah. I had a rounds match with a girl called Alex Alison Danger and Shimmer. That was promotion and that was the first time I've ever done it, but yeah.

[Steve Austin]

What about Medusa, Any influence? Alundra Blaze?

[Becky Lynch]

No, it was Daisy Hayes. Medusa, Yes. I didn't get into her until, until my older years. Well, when I was actually wrestling, she.

[Steve Austin]

Had more back in my day and I was thought, I mean, she was, she was over with all the boys because she was tough as nails and she can work her ass and she was phenomenal in Japan as well. On the female side of the current roster. It seems like everybody on that, damn near everybody, has chemistry. Is there anybody in the lineup now that you think they got it going on pretty good?

[Becky Lynch]

Oh, that's coming up through nxt. Yeah, I think Peyton Royce and Billie Kay are two girls that are really good and only scratched the surface with those two. And then Asuka is phenomenal. I got to wrestle with her in Japan. She was excellent.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, do you like tag team wrestling or are you a singles girl?

[Becky Lynch]

Singles.

[Steve Austin]

Really?

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yes.

[Steve Austin]

I was a singles guy too. And I'll tell you what, man, they stuck me in a tag team with Brian Pillman and I just fell in love with it and then it broke us up. So I always wanted to be a singles anyway. But you know, it's like when they stick two people who are singles wrestlers together to have A tag match, you know, just because they're trying to get a match on a card or whatever it is, you know, the matches usually aren't that good because there's really no teamwork in tag team. There's the team in there. So, you know, singles wrestlers don't really make that great of a tag, but if it's an attraction, they'll put them in and they'll, you know, book it. When you roll up and you see you're in a tag match, you think, oh, rats.

[Becky Lynch]

No, not. Not really. You know, as long as I see myself working, I'm happy. But that's the thing with. With tag team matches. I feel like. I feel like with singles matches, I've got it down where I know, you know, the beginning, how to make it exciting a little bit with the. With the false finishes and everything like that. Then some of the times I look at, like, for example, the Revival.

[Steve Austin]

I love those guys.

[Becky Lynch]

Oh, so good.

[Steve Austin]

They're my favorite tag team right now.

[Becky Lynch]

They're incredible.

[Steve Austin]

I don't know if hopefully they'll take them to the main roster. Let me ask you this. You were down in nxt, and then now you're on WWE smackdown. What's the difference? I haven't seen smackdown lately, but in watching that NXT match that you had with Sasha and some of the other stuff that you've done, it seems like there's more creative freedom or what is it I'm looking for? It just seems like everybody seems to be more comfortable in nxt. Do you have more creative freedom down there or is it more pressure being on raw?

[Becky Lynch]

So, no, here's what I think. And I actually always felt more comfortable on RAW and smackdown than I did in nxt.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, really?

[Becky Lynch]

Yes. The bigger crowd. I'm more comfortable in front of smaller crowd, less comfortable. I don't know why. Yeah, as soon as I came out on raw, I always felt just like, oh, I'm at home, you know, NXT was less comfortable for me. I don't know why. Maybe it's a smaller crowd.

[Steve Austin]

You like getting a reaction because you've been around longer?

[Becky Lynch]

No, no. I just always, like. I feel like it's easier with a bigger crowd. Don't know why that is, but I feel like it is. But as far as NXT goes, so you're always. Because you're training there six days a week or five days a week, you're doing your shows three nights a week, and then we've got tapings once a week a month. So there's More material. Your mind is constantly going and constantly learning new things. So you're constantly thinking. Sometimes with the weekly show, you've got to get it done. You've got a story to go to and you have to think right there on the spot. With nxt, you've got longer time to think about it, work on different things and maybe that's why, I don't know.

[Steve Austin]

When you were down in nxt, you came in. How was Becky lynch born? How would you describe yourself? Like, okay, I say stone cold crazy, hell raising, redneck, anti authority, undertaker, the dead man rock, the most electrifying man in sports entertainment.

[Becky Lynch]

Becky lynch, fiery, stands up for what's right. Full of integrity, not to be messed with, full of charm, full of harm and ready to break your arm.

[Steve Austin]

I like that. Have you used that in a promo yet?

[Becky Lynch]

Yes, I have, yes. Full of charm, full of harm. That's full of charm, full of harm and straight fire.

[Steve Austin]

How did acting school help you?

[Becky Lynch]

It taught me how to play in a truthful way and find the truth and everything. And I actually didn't. I did clown as well and I actually did my thesis on, on how clown work helps with it, with bringing out a truthful performance. So I think, and I think that was it. You know, like, for example, you look at a little kid and they're playing, right? And they're playing, playing doctors and nurses. That kid believes it's a doctor and it believes it's a nurse or whatever it is, you know what I mean? And they believe that they've got to save the patient because their life is in their hands and they really believe it. And I think, like, I think when we get older and sometimes we kind of lose that. And also some people are afraid to make an ass out of themselves, you know what I mean? I've fallen flat in my face more times than I care to remember. But you just kind of get up and you get on with it and, and those kids are the exact same way. I think when you get older, you get a little bit more self conscious. I think acting school helps rid you of those things.

[Steve Austin Show Announcer]

This is the Steve Austin Show.

[Steve Austin]

Here's, here's my takeover. I never went to acting school, but sometimes I see people acting like professional wrestlers rather than being a professional wrestler. And there's a big difference because the difference is putting asses in seats and having people believe in you. And for me, because my whole life, when I started watching pro wrestling about 7 or 8 in South Texas, I knew that that's what I wanted to Do. And so I'll go to wrestling school. And I don't know what you're thinking. I never had any big intention of being a gigantic star or nothing like that. I just wanted to be a pro wrest, but I was one and so I never had to pretend. But to this day, in going back to when I was in the business, you know, watching guys pretend to be a wrestler and other guys that were. There's a difference. Do you understand what I'm saying?

[Becky Lynch]

Absolutely.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

And it's a big part of the connection factor that we were talking about a long time ago. You know, if you're convicted, you know, hey, man, when someone buys a ticket, they're in. Okay.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

They're in for the ride and they want to believe. So for me, like I told you a while ago, man, when I'm out there, everything's real.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

And so I'm not pretending. I'm being. And when I leave or in life, what do you do? Well, are you one of those pro wrestlers or sports entertainer, whatever, these days? I lived it, breathed it, ate it, every single day.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Becky Lynch]

And absolutely. And I think as well, when you go out and you talk on the mic, sometimes people try to perform what it is, perform the words. No, you just talk how we're talking. That's how people talk. And I think that sometimes happens where people just try to over perform or put too much into it.

[Steve Austin]

Some people over perform, but also some people want to. And this is not indictment on the system, but sometimes it's almost like people want to just be these perfect orators. They want to speak. Well, I owe everybody a beer. If you listen to the podcast, hear my computer, my phone go off, I just owe everybody beer. Becky, I owe you a beer. Some people just want to go out there and be the perfect speaker. Sometimes it's not being the perfect speaker and saying all the right things is what's going to put asses in seats. If you get screwed out of your Smackdown title, you come back with piss and vinegar and you're mad and you're angry or someone did this to you or whatever. There's anger or sometimes there's happiness or a little somber time, or it's attitudinal and not necessarily going back to attitude era, or I've got to have a bad attitude to come off like a badass. It's a range of emotions and highs and lows in how you speak. And sometimes it's rhythm and cadence within a promo and how you rope people in to believe and also, you have to be convicted in your cause as well. But it's not about going out there and just saying a bunch of words. It's believing in them.

[Becky Lynch]

Absolutely. And the other thing is that we're not just one thing, you know what I mean? We're not just going out there and just being pissed all the time, or we're not going out there being happy all the time. You are. We are everything. I am not just always gonna be like, happy, go lucky, Becky. Sometimes I'm gonna go out and I'm gonna be pissed because somebody drew a freaking spray paint yellow streak down my back. So I'm gonna be pissed. So I'm not gonna go out there all smiles and look at me. I'm happy. You know what I mean? But another time, I am. I just won the championship. I'm delighted with life, you know, so it is. Or somebody kicked my dog. I'm really sad about it. You know, it's all those things that you just. You just have to remember we're people.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, I bought another beer. Becky, I apologize for my unprofessionalism. You know, this is the podcast, an award winning podcast, which ain't never won a God dang award. I watch my language because I have a lady sitting in front of me. Life on the road, life in the ring. Perfection. What do you do when you blow a high spot in the ring?

[Becky Lynch]

When I blow a high spot in.

[Steve Austin]

The ring, just keep going.

[Becky Lynch]

Just keep going. That's all you can do. Grab a hold. Grab a hold and talk.

[Steve Austin]

Sometimes the crowd will pick up on it, but if you don't sell it, a lot of times they won't see it or they'll just say it was part of the magic where it's supposed to go down that way. There was many times I've blown a couple of spots. I always hit the Luthez press, but normally the other person was in motion and I would jump up. Well, one time I was working with Triple H and he was in motion, or I was just standing there, whatever. I just jumped up in his arms and he grabbed me and he was holding me. I was like a big ass teddy bear. And I was like, God dang it. And he fell backwards finally, and I started beating the shit out of him. I was like, God dang it.

[Becky Lynch]

God dang it.

[Steve Austin]

God dang it. And he was down there laughing his ass off. With respect to, you know, having your match down, you pretty much mistake free all the time.

[Becky Lynch]

No, I don't make mistakes. I think everybody Makes mistakes. Try not to.

[Steve Austin]

What's your thought process? Try.

[Becky Lynch]

Remove as much room for error as possible. But.

[Steve Austin]

And getting ready for a match, you go out there, you do your thing, your signature stuff. He'd pull the goggles up and slide in the ring. I used to watch Jacob Snake Roberts and he would be back there smoking a cigarette. He'd put the cigarette out with his foot, pick up his snake, throw it on the bag and walk to the ring. Me, I'd pour a bottle of water on me just to get the ashes off. Because I'm like an albino. I go like this with my shoulders a few times to loosen up. I didn't have to get into character. I didn't have to spend myself up. I didn't have to turn myself up to a level. When the grappling, when the glass broke, I was ready. What does Becky lynch do to prep for a match or just to go out and cut a promo?

[Becky Lynch]

Same. I'm kind of just. I'll just kind of pace back and forth in the back. I don't have a warm up routine most of the time. I just warm up on my way down to the ring, you know, because I'm running, I'm full energy, I'm all hyped. I don't really have a warm up routine or anything like that. But I will just kind of shake everything out and kind of work on like my footwork and I'll just like act like I'm about to face somebody, you know, so I'll just be kind of running around, just moving my feet just like I was in a cage or in a fight, you know, and that's what I do. And then I go out.

[Steve Austin]

Do you do any? Are you. Because that one deal, it was a great hold. Sasha put you in. You had the one arm back behind you, the other arm straight, and then she was standing. It looked fantastic. Feel okay?

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah, fine.

[Becky Lynch]

Yeah, not a bother. So, yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Is stretching a part of your regimen?

[Becky Lynch]

I do yoga.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Becky Lynch]

Love me some yoga.

[Steve Austin]

How have you done yoga?

[Becky Lynch]

At the moment? Not so much just because I've been such a gypsy.

[Steve Austin]

How long have you been doing it?

[Becky Lynch]

About two years.

[Steve Austin]

Did it help?

[Becky Lynch]

Yeah, helps a lot.

[Steve Austin]

With what? Core or just flexibility?

[Becky Lynch]

Flexibility, yeah. So I'm not the most naturally flexible person in the world, but it helps. And luckily, touch wood, I've been. I've been fairly injury free my, my time in wwe. Spray my hip flexor a couple of times, but that's it.

[Steve Austin]

How do you spread a hip flexor?

[Becky Lynch]

Do you know, I found out that it was always from the top rope drop kick.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, that's one of the things I wanted to ask you about. You hit a missile drop. You hit a missile drop kick on Sasha that match. And I told Daniel Bryan a long time ago, I said, man, you gotta stop throwing that missile drop kick because that thing takes more than a person giving it than it does taking it. So how many of those are you gonna do?

[Becky Lynch]

I only bust them out on special occasions.

[Steve Austin]

Okay, so you're picking your spots.

[Becky Lynch]

Yes. They're a Christmas time move. Yeah, yeah, I just bust that out and top rope leg drop, I'll bust that out from time to time. But I'm not going up there every match also. Plus, if I'm doing that every match, it lose me.

[Steve Austin]

How's the house, your business attendance?

[Becky Lynch]

Oh, we were just in Europe and it was phenomenal. Nearly sold out every single night.

[Steve Austin]

How cool was it? What was part of Europe?

[Becky Lynch]

We were in Spain and the uk.

[Steve Austin]

So is it cool going to the uk Because Ireland's just right there. Do you get a chance to get some family members come see you?

[Becky Lynch]

So I stopped off in Ireland on my way there. But it is cool because I normally have friends in most towns and that's where I started, you know, I was 15 and during the summer there I went over and did my wrestling camps in Kent in a little.

[Steve Austin]

Are you popular in New York, uk?

[Becky Lynch]

Fairly popular in the uk.

[Steve Austin]

Where. Where are you most popular?

[Becky Lynch]

Spain was. Spain was a hot crowd. Ireland, isn't it great? Ireland. I'm a national hero. I'm just kidding.

[Steve Austin]

I only wrestled in Ireland. I think it was on one tour and of course people were just. It was an amazing grab because we were sold out every night. It's a very special time. And I hadn't been there enough, but I got a chance to go. Isn't it nice when you go to a place like Spain where you haven't. Or maybe the company hasn't been before, hasn't been very sporadically so that, I mean, you can watch the first match. It's like, oh my God, these guys are easy. And I mean as a compliment, because you're just so in a fervor to see, you know, wwe, wrestling, sports entertainment, whatever you want to call it. So you have one of those easy crowds. It's like they're popping on a lockup or just a tackle, drop down, hip toss, you know, arm drag. I mean, anything but. And they're popping and. And so it's like, yes, yes. Because Sometimes when you go out there, you've been to these crowds. I'm just like, they came, they paid their money, they're in and they're in the building. And it's almost like they're sitting on their hands like, come on, guys, what are you doing? Help me out here.

[Becky Lynch]

Sometimes I think that's overexposure. And sometimes you'll get crowds where I'm like, why did you come here? I just want to do everything. But some of those crowds, it's just they're so excited to see you, and they just want to be interacted with, that's all. They just want to see you. You're this larger than life character. You're actually Elvis. You know what I mean? And it's like seeing Elvis, how many.

[Steve Austin]

Years you think you got in you.

[Becky Lynch]

Until the wheels fall off, but recently.

[Steve Austin]

Stop throwing that damn missile drop kick.

[Becky Lynch]

Okay. Only on occasions. Only on occasions. Maybe another 10.

[Steve Austin]

That'd be awesome.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

39.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

I can reinvent yourself a couple times.

[Becky Lynch]

A few times. I've got so many ideas in my back pocket.

[Steve Austin]

What do you think when you see the Undertaker show that guy? We would always kid each other way back in the day to see who's going to last longer. And of course, he outlasts me about 10 or 15 years is amazing. And it keeps coming back.

[Becky Lynch]

It's incredible. He's reinvented himself so many times. And the American Badass, and then to be able to just come back and get those pops and to be able to do the matches that he does time and time again.

[Steve Austin]

What were your thoughts on Goldberg coming back?

[Becky Lynch]

I was never a WCW person, so we didn't really have WCW when I was growing up, so it wasn't one of those people where I was like, oh, my God, Goldberg's back. Much respect to him and everything like that, but it's not somebody that I, I was watching going, I can't wait.

[Steve Austin]

For him to come back. I know somebody you were watching probably this past Saturday. Conor McGregor.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Oh, yeah.

[Steve Austin]

And obviously I'm a huge fan. Yeah, I know you are.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Did you get a chance to see the fight?

[Becky Lynch]

I did, yeah. The whole card was a amazing.

[Steve Austin]

Well, yeah, the whole card was. But I was just like, man, I, I, I really thought Eddie Alvarez was going to bring more than he did.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

And Conan looks so much bigger than him.

[Becky Lynch]

Yes. And his reach was so much longer. It was like watching two people in different weight class. I thought, so.

[Steve Austin]

Are you an MMA fan to begin with?

[Becky Lynch]

Oh, huge.

[Steve Austin]

How long you Been watching?

[Becky Lynch]

Yeah, probably. When did I. I was watching it with Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture and everything like that. Yeah, long time.

[Steve Austin]

So what do you think about Ronda Rousey coming back to fight Amanda Nunez? Who, as you've seen, she's a badass. Good hands. Her ground game is going to be good with the Jiu Jitsu background, and I think her hands are going to be so good. You know, it was like Holly Holm was almost unspectacular in all of her victories until she got in the ring with Rhonda and she looked like a superstar and then she got beat. She's been 0 and 2 or 3, whatever it's been since the Ronda Rousey fight, but. So what do you think about Ryan being out of here, but coming back to face Amanda Nunes, who's pretty dangerous?

[Becky Lynch]

Nunes is a beast. Yes, Nunes is a beast. I'm a Ronda Rousey fan, but.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, I am too. I'm an MMA fan, but it's a great story. I'm glad she's coming back. After a year. She's had some down times. I'm just wondering how she's going to handle, you know, the storm that Amanda Nunez is going to be and what state of mind she's going to be in with. You know, that was a pretty devastating loss and being gone year, it's almost like, I guess they would have octagon rust, just like ring rust, with respect. I mean, you're still going to have your training camp and she's a badass to begin with, but I wonder what she'll change, because I would think after being defeated by someone with good hands and going to face a year later, someone with good hands, what she will do.

[Becky Lynch]

I think she's going to be working on a strike the entire time, and I think she's had a year to work on it. My money is on Amanda Nunes, so she is a beast. And I think if she can, and that's the thing. But once, once Rhonda gets somebody down.

[Steve Austin]

You know, one thing about Rhonda is what I love about her, her mean streak. It's a mile, it's a mile wide, and it's three feet wide and a mile long. And if she does get her hands on her, I mean, it was like when Misha Tate used to fight her and almost mishoot that one. That one fight just kept running at her and every time she came, Ronna would throw her down. And so I was like, what are you thinking? So I don't know it's gonna be interesting story.

[Becky Lynch]

And that's the thing, because even going back to Conor and Alvarez, he. Alvarez put up on his. His Instagram post later that he had a game plan and he just didn't stick to the game plan, you know, so sometimes I think he can go in there with a. With a.

[Steve Austin]

You think in saying that you think Conor got in his head? Because he did look at out of it.

[Becky Lynch]

I think Connor. Connor wins the fight before he gets in the octagon.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah.

[Becky Lynch]

That's the thing with Connor. He's so good at running his man.

[Steve Austin]

He's a badass, too.

[Becky Lynch]

He is a badass and he backs it up.

[Steve Austin]

But when you mentally mess somebody's head up, which I agree with you. He does. Yeah, I don't think. I don't. I don't think Eddie knew where to. Should have won as much on that fight.

[Becky Lynch]

Yeah. And I think actually Rhonda was pretty. Pretty decent at that too, you know.

[Steve Austin]

Well, I was there when she fought, I guess, with Sarah McMahon and, you know, Olympic level wrestler, and she looked nervous just getting into the octagon. And then here comes Rhonda, what I call that BMF walk, and she storms to the ring. And this is when she had that seven or eight fight win streak. And everything was an arm bar. It's like, you know, I just think people were just almost were scared shitless.

[Becky Lynch]

Absolutely. And I think people didn't know how to beat her. And then once one person shows that somebody can be beaten, it's a code breaker. Yeah, it's a code breaker.

[Steve Austin]

But I think she had a ferocity about her. And just when she got her hands on you, I think. I think she has that crazy strength. I mean, I don't think she spends a lot of time bench pressing and stuff like that, but she's just incredibly. With that judo background and that bass, she just. She can do bad things to people if she wants to.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

But going back to the Amanda Nunez fight, I watch every pay per View anyway. But it would be epic if she could win her title back. Yeah, it'd be a good story.

[Becky Lynch]

It would be. Be that comeback that Rocky Balboa.

[Steve Austin]

What are you gonna do when you leave here?

[Becky Lynch]

All about the Rocky Balboa. There's a lot of things that I want to do. Obviously, acting is high on the list because that's what I've got. Performing, performing, writing, being in some sort of creative field. I always say that I'd like to own my own little cafe or restaurant or Whatever. But then I think about keeping books and this, that, and whatever. And it's probably more of a. It sounds nicer my head. But I think I'm just a performer, you know, and. And that's what I want to do until I can't do it anymore. And I just want to be in. In the creative field. I want to tell stories.

[Steve Austin]

Married with kids.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yes.

[Becky Lynch]

Oh, absolutely.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Time for that after the wwe.

[Becky Lynch]

Time for that after wwe.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yeah, I'd love to.

[Steve Austin]

Okay. As a veteran in the business of professional wrestling, you're in the business of sports entertainment. All the veterans would tell us, young cats come coming in. Save your money, kid. And so are you saving your money.

[Interviewer/Producer]

Yes.

[Becky Lynch]

I don't have expensive tastes. I buy a lot of food. I love my food. But I don't drive a fancy car.

[Steve Austin]

What do you drive?

[Becky Lynch]

I drive a 2007 Volkswagen Beetle, and a Volkswagen Beetle was my dream car.

[Steve Austin]

Really?

[Becky Lynch]

Yeah, it was my dream car. So now I have my 2000. It's got about 35,000 miles on it. It's grand. Does me, I don't like. I don't need a fancy car. I don't need anything fancy. I don't need fancy jewelry. I don't need fancy clothes. You know, as long as looks good, they're clean, they function. To me, it's. It's. Nothing's really ever about the money or whatever. It's just about, you know, doing good work and making art and having adventures. That's where I'd rather spend my money, is just exploring and that kind of stuff. I'm not into.

[Steve Austin]

What's the hardest part about doing what you do or doing what I used to do?

[Becky Lynch]

I think it's just always just trying to reinvent yourself and just find a way that you can be unforgettable and be the thing that everybody wants to see. Staying on top, I think that's the hardest thing because you always want to be that top dog. And it's always trying to find. Find the way that you can be that. And I think that can be the toughest. So it's not a physical thing. It's not a time thing. It's not a tiredness thing. It's a mental thing where you just constantly like, how can I be the absolute best?

[Steve Austin Show Announcer]

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