WWE's Lacey Evans Reveals What led to Sharing her Story and Is Ready to be a Champion

07/02/2022 06:47 pm EDT

Lacey Evans is set to battle it out with six other WWE superstars for the chance to win the Money in the Bank briefcase, but that's just the latest development in a bit of a whirlwind return to WWE for the Superstar. A few months after welcoming her second child Evans returned to WWE TV in a series of vignettes detailing her personal story and the many obstacles she's overcome to be where she is today. That was a substantial departure from her previous Southern Belle character, but sharing her story has resonated with fans in a major way. ComicBook.com had the chance to talk to Evans ahead of Money in the Bank, and during our conversation, we discussed what led to her opening up in such a personal way as well as the differences between her first Money in the Bank Ladder Match and this one, her change in character, and more!

In regards to what led to Evans talking about the struggles she faced growing up and throughout her life, Evans has always wanted to, even from early on. While it still hurts to discuss some of those things, Evans is determined to use the platform to help people going through the same things.

"I've had a lot of interviews today and I feel like I'm saying it over, but they've asked this question quite often. It's like, 'Man, you really opened up.' I mean, completely, and it was hard and it fricking hurt. It not only hurt just talking about the things that I've been through on such a large scale, but just knowing that some of the family members that are hearing this, it's like opening new wounds even for them," Evans said. "But I've always wanted to do it. Even when I had my WWE tryout in Orlando, Florida at the Performance Center, I mentioned it then, and it just so happened, my tryout was two months after my father had overdosed. So, it was still so hard and it hurt so bad, and to think that this is what life throws at me, you know what I mean? I mean, from the addiction and the depression and the domestic and just the violence and anger and mental health."

"And now I'm in front of WWE cameras with WWE logos. I literally just come out of the trailer park, lost my dad, I'm standing here in front of these beautiful recruits, and it's just me. And I'm like, 'What am I doing?' And then there was a moment that I sat in the chair and I thought, you know what I'm doing? I'm going to do everything I can to use this platform if God willing they give me a contract and hire me to tell this story, because there's a reason why I come out of the trailer park and I'm here in WWE," Evans said. "There's a reason why I've got these opportunities and I may have lost my daddy and I may still be hurting and the damage may be done to not only my heart, but my brain from what I've been through, but I'm not going to die without telling my story and helping people and babies that are going through what I've been through to keep on going."

"To hear my story and my fame and my beauty and realize that it doesn't matter what you're going through, you can change and decide who the hell you become. And moms and parents and dads that are listening to that story on live TV, that they see how much it hurts to even talk about. And to see that when they choose the drugs and the alcohol and they don't get the help, that it doesn't matter what your kid becomes, they're still damaged and hurting from what they've been through," Evans said. "So, stop to get the help, just find the help so that way we could have better babies that aren't hurting as adults."

"Can you imagine being in WWE, being a beautiful woman, standing next to Charlotte Flair and Mandy, and questioning everything that you're capable of because... What do you have? What do you have competing against them? My parents failed me. My mental health is difficult. I struggle every day to pick myself up and beat the cycle of what I've been through. And now I've got to feel that having this awesome opportunity. That's not fair. It's not fair to the children. It's not fair to the parents when they take their last breath and leave their kids. It's a mess. And I feel like if you have a platform, you should use it to show the world what's possible, and I'm blessed that WWE is letting me," Evans said.

There have been quite a few fans sharing their own stories on social media since Evans opened up about her life story, and while there have been some detractors, the overwhelming response has been incredible, and the stories some are sharing are immensely powerful.

"It's been incredible. I was a bad guy before, I was heel before this run, ad so, I think WWE, as well as myself, we weren't sure how the fans were going to take it," Evans said. "I knew and it's already been, there's been so many saying, 'Boohoo', 'enough crying on TV. I want to see you fight'. And then on the other side, for every one of those, there are at least 50 that their stories are so powerful and hurtful and disgusting, that they can't even... they have to private message me and say, 'Look, I'm a parent that is making those choices and because I've seen the pain that my child could potentially go through, I know I'm messing up and I'm changing. I'm going to get help.' And then I've seen kids that message me privately, and they explained what they're going through and how they use my story to not be like that and to beat this cycle."

"And so, love it or hate it, and I've said this, I love what I'm doing. My promos, my sob stories, my whatever you want to call them. Love it or hate it, it's for the ones that need it. It's hard to talk about, like I said, but I'll boohoo every day on TV as long as I change at least one life. So, yeah, it's been difficult. It's been amazing. It's been fulfilling. I think it's probably the biggest word, because I know how hard I fight even to this day too with my mental health and to just be in this career and a mom and getting to show the world that we could do it. It has been awesome," Evans said.

Now Evans is one step closer to the WWE Raw or SmackDown Women's Championship at Money in the Bank, and while Evans has experience at Money in the Bank, that year was unlike any other match in the event's history. For those who don't remember, Evans took part in the WWE Headquarters version of the match created as a result of the pandemic, which had superstars attempting to make their way to the roof of the building to get those briefcases. This year the event is back to its traditional format, so in a lot of ways, this will be a completely new experience.

"I mean, they were different. They were so different, right? So, I've never honestly been in a good old Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Because if you think, we were at the headquarters, our objective was to get to the top of the building. So, we had to fight through so much just to get on each, each story. Then when I get out there, there's this... it was wild. We're on a roof. The wind is blowing. It's late at night. So, what did I take from that? The only thing I took from that is I was this close to getting my hands on that freaking briefcase. Now, you've got a whole new group of women that are in the match. It'll be like it should have been back then, but WWE, they adjust their sights. They worked with what they had. No live fans back then," Evans said.

"They did the best they could, and it was such an incredible experience. But this one's going to be different. It's going to be like it should have been. It's going to have lots of ladders with lots of women. All right there, and the main objective is in that area to get straight to the top, to be the Champion, because that's my goal. I look up. When I look up this whole week, I don't know if you have noticed, on live TV, you got the briefcase, it's right there. You know what I'm saying? And every day I look up and just envision myself as a Champion. I should have been a Champion. I have what it takes to be a champion, and I'm not going to stop until I am," Evans said. I'm looking at Raquel Gonzalez. She's big, she's powerful, she's fast. Hopefully, I'm faster. And then you've got Liv Morgan who's like a firecracker and has this passion that she... You could just look at her and tell she wants it. So, there's a lot of hard work in women that'll be in there and I'm excited to see what happens."

WWE's Money in the Bank kicks off at 8 PM EST (7 PM EST for the pre-show) on Peacock.

What do you want to see from Evans next? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!

Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.