Chelsea Green began 2026 as both the WWE Women’s United States Champion and one-half of the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Champions

Running It Back

WWE Superstar Chelsea Green on WrestleMania’s Exciting Return to Las Vegas

BY HEATHER TURK / PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF WWE

On April 18 and 19, WrestleMania returns to Las Vegas after last year’s event at Allegiant Stadium went on to become the most successful event in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) history. Not only did WrestleMania 41 draw 124,693 fans across two nights, but thousands of fans also attended several other wrestling events held in Las Vegas leading up to and following WWE’s annual “Showcase of the Immortals.”

Chic Compass recently caught up with one of WWE’s most popular Superstars, Chelsea Green, to talk about her aspirations for WrestleMania 42, her career and how WWE hopes to capture lightning in a bottle twice by having the Entertainment Capital of the World host WrestleMania for the second consecutive year.

Chic Compass: Around this time last year, we were talking to Bianca Belair about WrestleMania coming back to Las Vegas for the first time in 32 years. Now here we are a year later and WrestleMania is once again returning to the Entertainment Capital of the World. There’s a lot of expectation surrounding WrestleMania 42, especially with it being the last WrestleMania in the U.S. for a while since WrestleMania 43 has already been announced for Saudi Arabia. How does WrestleMania top itself this year?

Chelsea Green: The best thing about WWE is somehow, some way, when we think that we’ve done it all, we shatter another glass ceiling. People come from all over the world for WrestleMania, not just for those two nights, but also to experience meeting their favorite Superstars, engaging with other fans and going to other events, including independent promotions. I think now knowing what we know about last year, this year can be WrestleMania times 10.

Chic Compass: One of the ways WrestleMania 42 could improve is by having you on the card.

Chelsea Green: Well, that’s a given.

Chic Compass: WrestleMania is known for its grand entrances. You’ve already worn gear with your face all over it, so how would you top that if you were to compete this year on “The Grandest Stage of Them All?” Have you given any thought as to who you would want to perform your entrance theme?

Chelsea Green: In previous years, we’ve witnessed so many amazing entrances. Two that were my favorite that I would love to steal from is last year, Tiffany Stratton did kind of a take on Barbie when she was in a box with other holograms. That was absolutely incredible. The second one would be John Cena, when he came out with about a hundred other John Cenas. Oh my gosh, if there’s one thing a narcissist loves it’s not only to see herself, but a hundred of herself! So that would be absolutely amazing. In terms of music, I would love Cardi B to sing me to the ring. I think that’s a perfect collaboration considering she loves a little WWE action.

Chic Compass: Last year, there were some rumors when you weren’t on the card that maybe you would be hosting WrestleMania. You are someone who is known for taking every opportunity that you are given and running with it, so if you are left off of the WrestleMania card again this year, would you be open to hosting?

Chelsea Green: I actually pitched to host WrestleMania for the past three years, since we did WrestleMania in Los Angeles. I think that would be perfect for my character and my role within the company. I have a million outfit ideas and ridiculous bits that I can do.

Chic Compass: Even though you weren’t on the card last year, you did compete on the SmackDown before WrestleMania that was held at T-Mobile Arena. What were some of your favorite WrestleMania 41 weekend memories?

Chelsea Green: I am always a big fan of the women. Watching someone like Tiffany Stratton come up through the developmental program, be a homegrown talent and watch her reach that pinnacle of her career — WWE Women’s Champion at WrestleMania — I think that was an incredible moment to watch. Also, just being a close personal friend of Tiffany, it was really emotional because that truly is the greatest moment in a wrestler’s career. So, if it wasn’t going to happen for me, I want it to happen to my friends. They deserve it. And I can’t forget John Cena’s last WrestleMania match.

Chic Compass: You are known for empowering your fellow female wrestlers outside of the ring, which is such a contrast to the Karen type of character you play on screen. With fan support for your character constantly growing, have you given any thought to eventually doing a face (a wrestling term for a good guy) turn with her?

Chelsea Green: The one thing that I love about acting — or that I’ve learned to love, I should say — is I don’t necessarily need to be the best wrestler, but I will always strive to be the best entertainer. It might be the outfits that I wear, the jokes that I tell, the bumps that I take or the feuds that I have, but that to me is what resonates with the fans. Since being back in WWE, I’ve learned that audiences love connecting with you through your character. Although my character is still arrogant, obnoxious and over the top, the fans have somehow bonded with her and learned to love her. So, I think turning face is inevitable. I think the fans have actually done that for me without the company or myself doing that, and that’s a really beautiful thing to not have to change a single thing about the way that you walk to that ring and perform in that ring — that the fans have evolved your character for you.

Chic Compass: You have been very vocal in the past about trying to bring back WWE’s reality show, “Total Divas.” While that hasn’t happened yet, you are on Netflix’s new reality series, “WWE: Unreal.” Can you talk a bit about why you wanted to do that?

Chelsea Green: I was sitting at the Salt Lake City airport when I got the call from WWE asking if I would like to be on “Unreal.” It was a no-brainer. I had watched “Total Divas” coming up on the independent scene and I was so drawn to it. I thought there was something so special about pulling back the curtain a little bit and letting audiences in on the grind, the hustle and the backstage drama. I just told them that I’m not going to self-edit because I can’t stand that. I can’t stand watching a reality TV show knowing that someone is predetermining the outcome of the episode. I said, “I’m going to say what I say, I’m going to do what I do, and you guys are going to have to worry about the editing and making sure that I don’t do anything that gets me in trouble.” Because at the end of the day, I want to bring my most authentic self to “Unreal.” If that’s talking about me peeing in the ring or being a big loser, I’m okay with that. I think that is the whole purpose for “Unreal.”

Chic Compass: You have done some acting outside of WWE. Is acting something you would like to do more of in the future?

Chelsea Green: I actually just had an amazing audition yesterday for a Christmas movie, so I am doing all I can to make sure that I give 110% of myself to WWE and to wrestling while simultaneously making sure that I fill my cup in other ways with hobbies. Right now, it’s acting class, auditions and meeting with directors. I’ve learned that the more acting classes I take and the more I fill my cup with character work outside of WWE, the more my in-ring work thrives. I think it goes hand in hand. I would love to be the first true female crossover talent between Hollywood and wrestling.

Chic Compass: You’ve been very successful in the business ever since returning to WWE in 2023, including becoming the first-ever WWE Women’s United States Champion and one-half of the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Champions with Ethan Page. What’s been the proudest moment of your career so far?

Chelsea Green: I actually had my proudest moment last year when my WWE replica hat came out on wweshop.com. It’s funny because it seems like such a small thing when you look at the grand scale of the titles, the matches that I’ve been in and the WrestleMania that I’ve been a part of, but that to me was a culmination of all of my hard work, my character and the effort that I put into my gear. For WWE to deem little old me worthy of having a hat that we can now sell on the shop and in venues for kids to come up and buy, it’s just the most amazing, rewarding feeling.

Chic Compass: Have you had a favorite opponent over the years?

Chelsea Green: I think this is going to surprise people, but Michin and I have a really unique bond. We started at TNA (Total Nonstop Action Wrestling) at the same time and we had a very similar journey. We were actually released from WWE at the same time and rehired at the same time. We have what we like to call in-ring telepathy with each other, and if you watch our matches back, we have had it since my debut in TNA all the way up until our feud for the WWE Women’s United States title and after. There is something that just clicks when we get in the ring together, and I don’t think there’s a more fun opponent to be in the ring with than someone that you have this unspoken connection and trust with.

Chic Compass: You mentioned your release with WWE back in 2021. You famously texted Triple H, WWE’s chief content officer, saying you wanted your job back. Which other wrestlers released from the company do you think deserve another chance to shine?

Chelsea Green: Definitely Indi Hartwell, Steph De Lander and The IIconics. Of course, I’m only thinking about the girls that I love, but they’re such hard workers. They’re all on the independent scene and in TNA absolutely killing it. They’re evolving and growing, and that’s what WWE needs to see when you get released. They need to see that you are going to do everything you can to continue to build your brand so that when they bring you back, you are an even bigger Superstar than they had set the stage for you to be.

Chic Compass: Your husband, Matt Cardona, recently made his return to WWE. Now that the two of you are in the same company again, could you ever see your on-screen personas teaming up like in the past?

Chelsea Green: I absolutely could, but you have to remember, I live with this man. I travel with this man. I do everything with him. I work out with him. We eat breakfast, lunch and dinner together. That’s a lot when you also add in working together. So, I wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to be with him, but sometimes absence makes the heart grow fonder — so let’s not push it.

Chic Compass: Taking your husband winning the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 32 off the table, what’s your favorite WrestleMania memory?

Chelsea Green: I would have to say my very first WrestleMania back with the company, WrestleMania 39. I could not believe that I was chosen to be put in a multi-woman tag match. Not only that, but I had actually changed tag partners about three times in a week. It was the craziest, most hectic week — I was with Carmella one day, Piper Niven another and then I ended up walking onto that WrestleMania stage with Sonya Deville. That began our incredible tag team run where we ended up winning the tag championships. I think that was just a really special moment for me because it felt full circle. It felt like everything I had done over the previous 10 years was just for that moment to come back to a company that I had dreamt of working for and I had so many ups and downs with, then to only be about three to four months in the company and have an opportunity like that was really special. But I will say that moment of Zack Ryder (Cardona’s character name back then) winning the IC title as I was lying in my hotel bedroom watching him win it — not knowing that he was the man I was going to marry — was also quite iconic.

Chic Compass: I know Vegas holds a special spot in your heart since you got married here. What are some of your favorite things to do whenever you are in town?

Chelsea Green: I got married at the Tropicana, which is now going to be your new MLB stadium. So, I need to say when that’s built, you have to go to the MLB stadium and you might need to have a little wobbly pop (Canadian slang for beer) for me in honor of my wedding venue being torn down. But I love to go bopping around the city, stopping at the cocktail bars, exploring the casinos and people watching. That’s my favorite thing to do.

Chic Compass: The Road to WrestleMania is always full of surprises and we’ve already seen several Superstars from NXT (WWE’s developmental brand) get called up to the main roster recently. Who else would you like to see get called up to Raw or SmackDown soon?

Chelsea Green: Well, of course I’m actively working to get my AAA World Mixed Tag Team partner, Ethan Page, called up. That man is so extremely talented. When he comes up to the main roster, which inevitably he will, he’s going to blow everyone away with just the way that his mind works. Aside from that, I’m a girl’s girl. I want to see Jacy Jayne called up. I want to see Fallon Henley, Kelani Jordan, Tatum Paxley and Izzi Dame called up. The list goes on because I think NXT, if it isn’t the number one brand for females, it definitely has some of the most insanely talented women that I’ve ever seen in the industry in the past 12 years.

Chic Compass: Finally — and especially for those who maybe went all in on last year’s WrestleMania figuring it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience it in Las Vegas — why should fans return to Allegiant Stadium in April for WrestleMania 42?

Chelsea Green: I don’t think you can miss this year because we’ve had so many incredible call-ups from NXT, who knows what the storylines are going to entail? We have new stars on the rise; we have new storylines. We do things bigger, better and bolder every single year. If you miss this one, this could be the greatest WrestleMania of all time! wwe.com