‘John Cena Has My Back’: WWE Star Chelsea Green Opens Up About Fame, Friendship and Her Future (EXCLUSIVE)
The wrestling champ talks fame, burnout, John Cena—and her biggest dream yet
As the WWE’s Perth, Australia takeover unfolds today, SmackDown diva Chelsea Green gets candid about how her fierce, fabulous style reflects her energy in the ring and out, using social media to float new storylines for her character, and what happens when wrestlers like Piper Niven get injured.
Plus, how WWE legend and Peacemaker star John Cena is helping Green map out a career outside the ring…and what about babies with husband Matt Cardona?
Chelsea Green on the hustle of WWE life: ‘I’m so blessed to be this busy’
It’s not easy to track down Cheslea Green for a chat. Last week, the Canadian-born wrestler traveled to Phoenix, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Los Angeles and back to her home in Orlando—and right now, she’s in Perth, Australia for the WWE Crown Jewel and 3-day takeover.
“Work is not just stepping in the building for SmackDown,” says Green, who’s rise to becoming the inaugural WWE Women’s United States Champion last year is traced in Netflix’ WWE: Unreal, Episode 3. “Work is traveling, doing appearances, meeting fans, doing interviews and stuff like that. I feel like I’m on from 7am until 11pm. It’s a lot, and I get burnt out.
“But it took me so long to get here,” she adds. “I was wrestling on the independent scene for so little money, so little credit and so little eyes. I’m so blessed to be this busy. If nobody was watching me, I wouldn’t be a successful wrestler, I wouldn’t make the money I make, I wouldn’t be able to build my dream house, have my dream dogs and do all the things that my husband and I do.”
Chelsea Green tells us how to dress as her for Halloween
As wrestling fans know, when Green won her title, she wore gear that was literally covered in her own likeness—and that’s to be expected from this audacious and fabulous wrestling troublemaker.
“I absolutely have the best time ever designing my outfits that I go out to wrestle in,” she cheers. “It’s all about that mentality of big, bold, sparkly, bright colors, unique pieces and things that that people are going to talk about—and I’m always wearing a one sleeve top and low-rise bottoms with a gauntlet.”
It turns out, there’s a reason for that consistency.
“I wanted people to be able to dress as me for Halloween, because that’s the ultimate,” Green says. “You’ve made it then, right? So whether you design your own gear or you go to Walmart or Amazon and pick up the top, the hat and the skirt, go for it!”
From SmackDown to style icon: her surprising ‘Balletcore’ off-duty look
Outside of the ring, Green has a very different take on style.
“In the real world, doing press or walking a red carpet, I’m a very different person,” she says. “My look these days is giving a little more of a boss vibe! I’m trying that classy, girly girl, ballet core—as opposed to when I go on TV wearing a full monochromatic purple outfit with bows in my hair. I want to look beautiful and feminine and whatever way I feel in that moment.
“I love that as women, we can step into whatever it is we want to play up, every day,” she adds. “And social media allows me to show all my different sides—the crazy, bold side; the classy, elegant side; and then me at home in my sweatpants with my husband and my animals.”
Chelsea Green talks women’s progress in WWE: ‘What else can we do?’
Amid the wrestling and red-carpet glamour, Green is also taking the stage to have important conversations.
“For the last three years, WWE has put me in the role of a spokesperson, whether it’s for all of WWE or the women, and that’s an amazing position to hold,” she says. “I love being cheered and booed on SmackDown, but that’s been part of my job for 11 years. That’s nothing new, so speaking publicly has now become the favorite part.
“Coming into the middle of my 30s, I enjoy sharing the messages that I’ve always kept close to my heart about women in sports, women in wrestling, and breaking glass ceilings,” she adds. “What else can we do in the WWE as women? Those are things that I’m passionate about.”
These are also important questions to consider as the head of The Green Regime stable, which includes The Secret Hervice tag teamers Piper Niven and Alba Fyre.
“I started in a stable under Maria Kanellis and she has set the tone for how I behave and lead in WWE,” Green says. “It also helps that Piper and Alba are my friends, and we have mutual respect for each other. They are also way more advanced in wrestling than I am! Everyone looks at me like I’m the leader, but we know within the group that this is all make-believe. I’m not the real leader, and that’s fun.”
How she’s supporting Piper Niven after her injury
Less fun? When powerhouses like Niven get sidelined, unexpectedly and possibly for good.
“We have all watched each other go through injuries,” Green says. “The girls took care of me when I broke my collarbone in India almost 10 years ago. They washed my hair, packed my bags, took me to the airport, got me on a plane home.
“Now it’s my turn to make sure that Piper is okay—more so mentally,” she continues. “There’s not much I can do physically, but I want to make sure that as she takes that step back, she realizes this is the time to rest, recover, brainstorm new ideas, start a new hobby, and not get in her head. Because, trust me, we get in our heads!”
With Niven’s future unclear, Green is using social media to try to gauge what comes next for her stable—even putting out an open call for her temporary replacement.
“Piper is so valuable to us,” Green insists. “We’re not just replacing her, but the show goes on. This is Hollywood, baby! And I love to start a storyline on social media and plant the seed, because then the writers can gauge reactions and maybe bring it into their creative meetings.”
Inside her friendship with John Cena—and his game-changing advice
Speaking of Hollywood, with dreams of broadening her horizons like WWE icons The Rock and John Cena have, Green started taking acting classes during the COVID pandemic lockdown.
“I’ve been auditioning for role after role, and trying to dabble in the hosting space as well,” she shares. “I’m trying to start at the bottom and not cut corners. I want to do it the right way and gain respect within film and TV—not get there because I had it handed to me on a WWE silver platter.”
Thankfully, she has in her corner Cena, who’s set to retire at the end of the year and stars in Prime Video’s Peacemaker, as well as this past summer’s Head of State with Idris Alba.
“My husband and I go on double dates with John and Shea, every couple months, and the knowledge that comes out of him is incredible,” Green marvels. “He totally has my back and if I just continue to touch base with him, I’ll continue to get those little bits of information and advice that are so crucial when you’re on this journey of trying to figure out what you want to do next.”
Chelsea Green’s baby plans: ‘I’m dying for babies… but duty calls!’
Making it out of the ring would allow her to follow another dream—that of having babies!
“We put it on pause when I was asked to come back to WWE,” explains Green, who’s just about finished building her dream home. “This was an opportunity we both knew we could not turn down. If I turn it down, I’m going to end up having kids and resent the family life.
“So here I am. I’m 34. I’m dying for babies. My husband wants babies… but duty calls,” she continues. “I’m making money. I’m living my dream. But hey, you never know. In a couple months, if it happens, God willing, it happens. I’ll just have to take my babies on the road with me!”
Green wants to get in the ring with Stephanie, Rhea, Tiffany, Nia, Bianca and Iyo
For the moment, this champ is focused on the ring—and win or lose, she’ll be giving it her all on tonight’s WWE SmackDown in Perth, Australia in hopes of making it to the next level as a wrestler.
“I would love to elevate myself and be wrestling Stephanie, Rhea, Tiffany, Nia, Bianca and Iyo,” Chelsea Green admits to Woman’s World. “But at the end of the day, I know this is a running soap opera and someone else is writing my success story… or my failure.
“I can only show up have a good attitude, a great looking body—whatever that means for you—and great gear; look professional, and speak eloquently,” she concludes. “So I’ve tried, this year, to slow down and just enjoy it all.”
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