Former WWE Diva Eve discusses pregnancy, WWE Diva Search and self-defense for “Total Divas” cast

Former WWE Diva Eve discusses pregnancy, WWE Diva Search and self-defense for “Total Divas” cast

This week on Twitter and Instagram, former Divas Champion Eve announced she and husband Rener Gracie are expecting their first child. WWE.com’s @JoeyStyles spoke with Eve about juggling being a Jiu-Jitsu instructor, acting and now preparing for parenthood.

WWE.COM: Firstly, congratulations to you and Rener on your big announcement.

EVE: Thank you! We are so excited to be parents!

WWE.COM: We last interviewed you a little more than one year ago and you were keeping busy with acting in “The Scorpion King 4” and Gracie Academy’s Women Empowered. Since then, you’ve gotten even busier.

EVE: Last year was a really great year. After Rener [Gracie] and I got married, I had a recurring role in a TV series, “Matador,” over the summer. Right after that, I went straight to China to shoot a movie with Jackie Chan. I did that up until December.

WWE.COM: Are you getting more offers for acting roles?

EVE: Yes. Being offered the role in the Jackie Chan film was amazing. I got to do a fight scene with Jackie Chan. I really enjoyed it. I feel that I got to use all of my strengths and had a lot of fun. As timing has it, it’s a good time for me to take a break from the movie and television scene while I prepare for our new addition.

WWE.COM: How would you compare doing a movie fight scene to having a match in WWE?

EVE: They are very different but I felt much more comfortable doing it because of my WWE experience. There is a lot of what I learned in WWE in film, especially that specific kind of film. You have to find your character. You have to figure out how your character would fight. That’s something that I learned in WWE.

There are other things that are very different. In films, we are doing multiple takes and we are not actually hitting each other … most of the time [laughs]. It’s very different, but I felt that my WWE experience really helped me with my fight scenes.

WWE.COM: Are the backstage scenes that we shoot in WWE similar at all to what goes on in the movies?

EVE: There are some similarities. In WWE, sometimes we are live and don’t have multiple takes. Getting the experience of being under pressure to perform in WWE definitely helped. Being on a movie set is a totally different energy because there are so many different kinds of scenes. Performing for WWE did so much for me in terms of teaching me how to act and doing fighting scenes.

WWE.COM: Has your pregnancy affected you teaching Gracie Academy’s Women Empowered?

EVE: If hasn’t yet. I’m still teaching classes and Rener and I are going to be traveling June to teach our military personnel. We are going to Fort Campbell. We have been working with the military and teaching law enforcement officers as well. I’ll keep teaching until the baby tells me to stop.

WWE.COM: Have you ordered a custom infant size Gracie Academy gi yet?

EVE: Yes. We’ve already got one [laughs].

WWE.COM: Are WWE and UFC already in a bidding war to sign the baby?

EVE: [Laughs] Can you imagine? That’s a lot of pressure to put on a baby.

WWE.COM: WWE just announced that WWE Diva Search is returning and will be on WWE Network. As a onetime contestant and winner yourself, do you have any advice for future Diva hopefuls?

EVE: I’m happy to hear that Diva Search is back. I was wondering when WWE would bring it back. The one thing that I always encourage women who want to be WWE Divas to do is have something you are passionate about. For me it was Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts. For some people it’s soccer. Whatever it is, it gives you confidence and that will translate. That’s what WWE fans look for. That’s what WWE looks for in their Divas. WWE wants women who are confident and can handle everything that being a WWE Diva comes with like lots of travel and being tough.

WWE.COM: Is there any chance that we see you on “Total Divas”?

EVE: If they want the contestants to take a self-defense class, I’m always available.

WWE fans can follow Eve on Twitter @EveTorresGracie. To learn more about Gracie Academy’s Women Empowered, click here.

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