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WWE NXT star Izzi Dame was throwing volleyballs into her opponents’ faces just a few years ago, before her meteoric rise as North American Women’s Champion.
Dame, whose real name is Franki Strefling, played college volleyball for the Eastern Michigan Eagles and played professionally overseas until 2022, when she officially joined WWE and embarked on her professional wrestling journey.
She spoke to Busted Open Radio earlier this week about how she got started in WWE and expanded on her origin story in a recent interview with Pak Gazette Digital.
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Izzi Dame makes her entrance during NXT at the WWE Performance Center on August 13, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (WWE/WWE via Getty Images)
Dame said she was on a break from playing volleyball in Cyprus when she received a message she thought was fake. But his decision ultimately had consequences for his career in that sport.
“So I played volleyball in college and then after college I went and played professionally on a little island called Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. I spent a full year there,” she said. “I renewed my contract to come back and play for another year, but you have three months of summer vacation. So, the week after returning to the United States, I received what I thought was a fraudulent recruiting message from WWE, as anyone would think because why would WWE want something with my little guy playing in the middle of the Mediterranean? Come on.
“It ended up being real. They flew me to Nashville. They offered me a contract and then I had to break my contract in Cyprus to be with the WWE. So they banned me. Cyprus banned me from playing there for 10 years. A little dramatic, but yeah. I can’t play there! But I don’t think we’ll be going back to volleyball anytime soon. We’re doing well here.”
Dame is like many WWE NXT wrestlers who have gone through the company’s recruiting process. Several of the company’s top stars started out with no professional wrestling experience.
She told Pak Gazette Digital that she took the risk because she thought she had more in her than just serving.
“If I’m completely honest, I’m one of eight,” Dame explained. “I have a big family. So not only was I alone abroad, at least I was doing what I love, but for some reason there was always something in me that said, ‘You are destined for more.’ Volleyball shows your athleticism but you have so much more to offer.
Izzi Dame speaks during NXT at the WWE Performance Center on January 13, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Kevin Sabitus/WWE via Getty Images)
“So, WWE was just the perfect combination of public speaking, acting, entertaining and still being an athlete, and I thought, ‘Why not?’ And I can be home. My parents, my family and my brothers can come see me whenever they want. I’m no longer around the world 24 hours a day, no matter how long. So it seemed like the perfect opportunity.”
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Dame captured the North American Women’s Championship at New Year’s Evil in early 2026, but said she hoped to show more of herself and increase the prestige of the championship over the next six months to a year.
She added that she wanted to break free from the stereotypes of a professional wrestler with blonde hair.
“Seriously, because I’ve said before how much this title has bounced around, I really hope I can take this title and make it mean something, make my name mean something,” Dame said. “I feel like now Izzi Dame is coming back to herself. We’re starting to find out who she is. What a great manipulator and mastermind she really is. I think people are still a little confused about, ‘Is she just another badass blonde? What is she really bringing to the table?’ So, six months from now, I hope it’s clear as day who Izzi Dame is.
Izzi Dame winning the NXT North American Women’s Championship during NXT at the WWE Performance Center on January 6, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images)
“We can all have the same hair color, but I don’t think like all the blondes in the industry, there are many of us. I think it’s very important that we all differentiate ourselves through our character work. Obviously, in the ring as well. I’m not doing a moonsault like Tiffany Stratton, that’s all you, girl. That’s crazy. She’s crazy about it. I stick with the more ‘big man’ stuff. But as far as character work goes, I’m really trying to Lean on building depth and layers in a more manipulative, intellectual and calculated way, and I think that’s going to make me a little bit different from everyone else.”
Dame is the face of The Culling, one of the factions that have made a name for themselves on the NXT brand.
Shawn Spears, a veteran in the industry, has been one of the leaders of the group in the months since his return to WWE. Dame said she has been able to lean on Spears as she manages to get to her feet between the ropes.
“Shawn Spears has been my support throughout this entire process, as a friend, mentor and coach,” he said. “He’s helped me, not just in the ring, but he’s really put this whole journey into perspective because it’s so exhausting. You have to be very patient, and it’s all about time. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like that. It feels like I’m not doing enough. Maybe I’m disappointed with the way I did something, but he really reminds me of everything and reminds me that I haven’t been in this industry that long and that it’s okay to make mistakes; learn from it and don’t make the same mistakes.” Again he has really been an ally to me throughout this whole process.”
In the end, Dame said the time had come to shine as champion and prevent the title from bouncing around the women’s locker room.
Izzi Dame makes her entrance with Tatum Paxley during NXT at the WWE Performance Center on August 26, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Michael Marques/WWE via Getty Images)
Since the championship was established in April 2024, Dame is the seventh to hold the belt. Other champions included Kelani Jordan, Fallon Henley, Stephanie Vaquer, Sol Ruca, Blake Monroe and Thea Hail.
Dame told Pak Gazette Digital that keeping the belt will help the title mean something.
“I feel like this title has bounced around a lot and I think I mentioned that too,” he said. “For me, my goal with this title right now is to keep it with me. Not just give me depth, but also give depth to this title, make it mean something. I don’t want to say I want an Oba Femi reign, but I’m not opposed to an Oba Femi reign. Give me something!”
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Dame added that she will choose who will have the next opportunity to earn her degree.
“Unfortunately, not everyone is going to get a chance, because now I decide who, what, where, when and how everyone approaches the title. I’m going to be a little more strategic with who I give opportunities to, unlike Tatum (Paxley), who just gave anyone a chance, and we’ll see how well that works out for him.”
