Lana Comments On Her 'New Character'

Lana will be getting her first singles match and first shot at a WWE Championship this Sunday at the Money In The Bank pay per view. While the Ravishing Russian has her sights on solo success, she claimed in a recent interview with USA Today, that her character is still the same as when she was escorting Rusev to the ring.

"I'm the same 'Ravishing Russian' that you've always known. It's funny to me when I hear people say that it's a new character. I embody 'Ravishing.' I come out in the most ravishing dress. I have a ravishing entrance. I'm ravishing people's hearts. I was managing Rusev and wearing a suit because if you're managing someone or an agent in real life, you are going to wear a suit to work. Right now, I'm the focal point, I'm the one competing. If people know anything about Russians, we do things really over the top. We wear high heels everywhere. We show up in the most extravagant outfits. I am just embodying how I was raised and what I grew up in. Some people might think we're extra, I just think we're ravishing. I'm the same woman, I'm just going to be crushing people myself."

Many fans are having trouble taking Lana's new direction seriously considering they've never seen her as more than a manager. The Total Divas star says she's spent her entire life proving people wrong and plans to do it again.

"If you have an idea of the stereotype of a Russian teacher and their type of discipline, that was my teacher. They came with little paddles and threw shoes and the more they screamed at you, the more they believed in you. You wanted them to scream at you and call you stupid. That bred me for the rest of my life. That prepared me for the entertainment industry – 'It's OK. Don't believe in me, laugh at me, think I'm not going to succeed, but I'm going to prove you wrong.'"

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"I've had learning disabilities my whole life and I'm dyslexic," she said. "That doesn't stop me from reading slowly and still trying to learn. … If I get knocked down, I'm going to get back up and try again. I am the slow and steady is going to win this race type.

"That has applied to me with everything with wrestling, with this match this weekend or our career with Rusev. Everything is what you make of it in life. Are you going to look at your cup half-full or are you going to look at your cup half-empty? I choose to look at my cup as overflowing. I count myself as so blessed every day that I can do what I love to do and that I can be with Rusev, the man that I love, and travel the world.

"I could be working in a job I don't like. Instead I'm putting smiles on people's faces. My dream since I was 3 years old was to entertain. Nobody said the journey was going to be easy, but it's definitely worth it."

Lana will face Naomi this Sunday night at WWE Money In The Bank airing live on the WWE Network.

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