Wrestling
Layla Reveals the Unexpected Story Behind Her Viral AJ Lee Moment On WWE Raw 2013
BY SACNILK
Former WWE Divas Champion Layla has finally revealed what was really behind one of the most unexpected moments of her WWE career, admitting that her viral interaction with AJ Lee during a 2013 match was completely unplanned. The moment happened during a singles match between Layla and AJ Lee on the May 20, 2013 episode of WWE Raw. AJ ultimately picked up the victory by applying her signature Black Widow submission, but it was what happened during the finish that caught the attention of fans watching at home. After the match reached its conclusion, Layla appeared to tap out while AJ had her trapped in the submission. However, instead of simply tapping the mat, Layla reached toward AJ and appeared to grab her backside. The unusual moment was picked up by the cameras and quickly became one of the more talked-about clips from Layla's WWE run. Contemporary coverage of the match also specifically noted the unusual interaction after Layla's apparent submission. During an appearance on TMZ Inside the Ring, Layla was shown the viral moment and asked whether the spot had been planned beforehand or whether she was simply tapping wherever she could. "No, it was my fault," she admitted. The former WWE Women's Champion explained that she sometimes became so immersed in what was happening inside the ring that she forgot the cameras were capturing every little thing. "I forget the camera's on and I thought that nobody would see that," Layla said. According to Layla, there was no secret WWE plan behind the moment. She was simply trying to mess with AJ and make her laugh while they were working the match. "I was just squeezing her butt, like messing with her," Layla revealed. That explanation gives the moment an entirely different context. What appeared on television to be an unusual part of the submission sequence was actually Layla breaking from the seriousness of the match for a brief joke with AJ. Layla also admitted that she had no idea the cameras had captured the interaction or that fans would eventually turn it into a viral clip. "I didn't even know that people saw it," she said. The former Divas Champion explained that she was particularly surprised because AJ was in an important stage of her WWE career at the time. Layla said she was only trying to make her opponent laugh at the end of the match, rather than intentionally creating a moment that would be replayed by wrestling fans for years. "I was just trying to mess with her, like to make her laugh at the end," Layla explained.
