Former TNA KO champ Velvet Sky eyeing WWE or ESPN, why did she leave TNA?, talks Bubba Ray

After leaving TNA, former Knockouts champion Velvet Sky says she is looking to join either WWE or ESPN.

Sky promoted her post-TNA ambitions in an interview with Sports Illustrated talking about wanting to test herself against WWE’s women’s roster, especially NXT.

“I think I would do well there,” Sky told SI’s Justin Barrasso. “The women there are killing it, and empowering and building up the women would be a great role for me. Bayley is so much fun to watch wrestle. She has so much energy and passion, and the people feel her energy and feed off that. She’s so great at expressing herself, and she’s so genuine.”

Sky also mentioned main roster star Natalya: “Nattie Neidhart is also someone I’d love to work with. I’ve known her for a long time, and she is someone that I look up to and respect. She’s someone I’d love to learn even more from,” Sky said.

Sky said her ultimate career goal is to make it to WWE.  “That is why I sacrificed right from the beginning,” she said. “That is why I left college, and the reason why I wrestled every weekend. The indie scene is not glitz and glamour, but a chance with the WWE is the reason I did this from the very beginning. I would totally embrace any opportunity with the WWE.”

It helps that her boyfriend, WWE star Bubba Ray Dudley, is part of the company after leaving TNA for WWE, along with colleagues Samoa Joe, Austin Aries, Eric Young, and Bobby Roode. Sky said Bubba has helped her grow in her career, preparing her for WWE. “He’s very supportive of me and so inspiring. He is so motivating and helps me believe in myself,” Sky said.

If it doesn’t work out with WWE, though, Sky noted that she’s interested in working for ESPN, especially since she lives near their campus in Bristol, Conn.

As for leaving TNA, Sky said it was the right time after accomplishing everything she could in the promotion.

“Leaving TNA was best for me,” Sky said. “I’d been there for almost ten years and I’d accomplished everything I wanted to do. My contract was coming up, and this was a business decision I made for myself. It was hard because there are so many memories there with the fans and the TNA family, but I don’t regret it. I look back on the career I had with TNA, and I’m so proud. I did what I set out to do, and I’m very proud of what I accomplished.”