In a recent interview with PWMania, NWA Women’s World Champion Tiffany Nieves (@TiffanyNieves_) sat down with Scott Mitchell (@scott44mitchell) to discuss her recent title win and her reign with the title thus far. Additionally, she also opened up about NWA 78 and being in Gretta’s corner against Natalia Markova. You can watch the interview in its entirety down below.

You defeated Natalia Markova for the NWA Women’s World Championship earlier this year at The Crockett Cup. What went through your mind when you finally got to hoist the title over your head? 

“Can I have a cup of water? That’s what was going through my mind. Now. The only thing that I wanted to do was to gulp it back and spit it right in Markova’s face. She looked super dehydrated. Are you kidding me? I came out victorious in the Burke Invitational, and I had to deal with the most difficult match of my career to date, and I had to deal with a Steel Cage, which was historical. It was the first-ever in the state of Alabama, against Markova. But that was the most difficult match I’ve had to date. If you watched that episode, it took a lot of strategic planning. The secret I will allow everyone to know is that less is more.

But because less is more, it requires a lot of thinking and a lot of moving parts. What was going through my mind, I really wanted some water at that moment. My second thought was success. Finally. What took so damn long? The thing was, I truly believe in hard work over everything. Even though I make everything look easy, it took me becoming a two-time NWA Women’s Tag Team Champion. It took me becoming the longest-reigning NWA Women’s TV Champion. Too then, credit myself, to now becoming the first-ever Puerto Rican descent women’s champion. The thing that’s so great about that, beyond being a part of the .000000000001%, unlike others who keep sheep around, I have yes men around.

I’m doing everyone a favor by being a role model and example. Aside from the fact that I defeated cancer at such a young age, my tenacity speaks volumes. Ms. Samantha Starr was looking for the champion to represent. Before that, she was lost, being overlooked. If you don’t know this, Ms. Samantha Starr is the only third-generation wrestler on both sides, her mother and father. She is now on the side of the best team ever, TVMA, La Princesa, and the towering giant, Gretta. Gretta was lost in Tampa. The highest skyscraper is there. She didn’t make it beyond second grade. She can barely speak. But her strength is beyond any Olympic Gold medalist to date. Now, Gretta has purpose. Ms. Starr has purpose. Together, we’re unstoppable. In fact, bueno.”

Markova had just worked a grueling match with Sirena Veil. You had Gretta choke-slam her and pinned her, with one foot, to make a statement. What went through this plan for you, and having Gretta by your side as well?

“I kept my word. I told Gretta I would allow her to participate in one of the grandest stages of all, and I did that. That goes to show I’m a loyal woman. That was going through my mind. Being a leader is not easy. I set an example by putting my foot down. I will put my foot down in every single locker room, in every single opportunity I get. If it’s not on your throat, if it’s not your neck, if it’s not on your head, it will be on you. I’ll be ten toes down on anyone. You can knock me down nine times, and I’ll get up ten. That was the statement I was making that night.”

You’ve had one defense so far, in your 96-day reign, against Gina Sais Quoi. What was this one like for you, to battle such an eccentric name?

“She had the nerve to make a voodoo doll of me. She got the hair so wrong. Maybe if she paid attention to detail more, she would have been victorious in this match. That’s an off-pale color, I’m a beautiful, mocha. I have beautiful pearly teeth, but she has no smile. The hair is just completely off. Completely off. People have to use potions, magic, I’m telling you, half the roster is psychotic. I’m the only sane woman there. I can tolerate bullies very well; I don’t let the bullcrap get to me. The one thing I said to someone in the locker room who was complaining about losing is that winners focus on winning, losers focus on winners.

She was focused, too focused on me. Instead of herself. So yeah, I had my first defense. Ms. Samantha Starr dug six-feet under because people are so scared to lose to La Princesa, Tiffany Nieves. I have to give her credit for stepping up, but she was half alive, and way too obsessed with me… I wasn’t scared for a second, if you ask me. Also, I wasn’t scared. I smacked her right in the face. I’ll do it again, too. It was just as you saw. 1, 2, 3, and done. She’s lucky she got to whip me with her hair. Her hair smells like ten rotten squirrels, dead, roadkill. That’s what it was like. It was gruesome.

But I’m the blood, sweat, and tears of the National Wrestling Alliance, so I did what I had to do. It’s not everyone’s ideal situation to have to go against roadkill, but I did it. I didn’t know about her voodoo, but I have to give her credit. When you look at her, she’s not someone you want to give a ride to the gas station. She’s very terrifying to others. But I did what I needed to do. I kicked cancer’s ass, you’re going to have to do a lot more to just scare me. She deserves credit for stepping up; that was her debut match at NWA. She deserves little to no right to touch me, which is why I defeated her so quickly. I was so aggravated. What has she done? What has she done to even try to lay a finger on me?

Aside from being the deadliest thing I’ve ever smelled, her hair is a force to be reckoned with; you do not want to be whipped by her hair. The fact that I was still able to stand up after being whipped in the face most of the time is why I returned the favor and gave her two sidewalk slams multiple times. I call it the Bronx Slam. Eventually, I gave her two Bronx Slams and got the job done. I needed to get the job done quickly because if I didn’t, I would have suffocated from the smell of her hair. That’s what she has. I’ll warn everyone. If you can hold your breath as long as I did, you can get past her. If you can’t, best of luck.”

Your second reign is right around the corner as you will be squaring off with Markova once again at Hard Times. What was your mindset heading into this one?

“My mindset is that I’m willing to do anything and everything to get in the ring, and everyone should appreciate it. Against the doctor’s will, possibly against God’s will. I will be getting in that ring and letting Markova know that the stakes will double the second she’s across that ring from me.”

Fast forward to this year’s event, as NWA 78 quickly approaches, you will be in Gretta’s corner as she challenges Natalia Markova. What’s your mindset heading into this one?

“Oh my Goodness, about time. You were speaking briefly about my reign as TV Champion, but during my longest reign ever, you overlooked that I had the dual responsibility of being the NWA Women’s Tag Team Champions. During that time, not enough people spoke about it, but I was left for dead. My tag partner at the time just went and took a trip to Japan without letting me know, and left me to defend the titles by myself. I was in multiple matches, basically handicapped. Fighting tooth, nail, hair, everything, to remain the TV Champion, to remain the Women’s World Tag Team Champions. I did so. In fact, I became two times.

When you speak about me being in Gretta’s corner, it’s about time. I’ve been in every single person’s corner, making sure they stand strong. When I’m not in their corner, I’m standing for myself. As a matter of fact, I’m incorrect. When I’ve been standing, I’ve had nobody in my corner. Still, executed. It’s about time that everyone repays the favor. I’m going to spoil something, like usual, everyone is going to go home happy. Get your tickets today.”