WWE Raw Women's Champ Nia Jax proving her worth in and out of the ring

By Jim Varsallone

Updated May 6, 2018 2:15 AM

Nia Jax defends the WWE Raw Women's title in a WrestleMania 34 rematch against former bestie Alexa Bliss during WWE Backlash on Sunday, May 6. The event will stream live on WWE Network from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Photo Courtesy WWE

Usually in a match-up of David vs. Goliath, the popular vote goes to the underdog, but that's not the case in WWE when the 6-0, 260-pound Nia Jax faces the 5-1 Alexa Bliss.

The much bigger, stronger Jax is favored by fans over the arrogant, cocky Miss Bliss.

Once best friends, they are now rivals, with Jax proudly holding the WWE Raw Women's Championship — a belt she won last month by beating her former bestie at WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans.

Jax defends her coveted title in a WrestleMania 34 rematch against Bliss during WWE Backlash on Sunday, May 6, which streams live on WWE Network from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Jax discusses winning the WWE Raw women's title over her former best friend Bliss last month at WrestleMania 34, carrying the ball, the upcoming rematch at Backlash, piglet Larry Steve, being a role model and more

Jax and Bliss have come a long way in a short time. Both graduates of the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Bliss made her in-ring debut in 2014; Jax in 2015.

Bliss, 26, is a two-time WWE Raw Women's Champ and a two-time SmackDown Women's Champ. Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked her No. 3 of the top 50 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2017.

Jax, 33, is the current WWE Raw Women's Champ. Pro Wrestling Illustrated named Jax the 2016 Rookie of the Year. In 2017, PWI ranked her No. 22 of the top 50 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Female 50.

A native of Ohio, Bliss is a former college cheerleader and bodybuilder. Born in Sydney, Australia, and raised in Honolulu, Jax attended Palomar College in San Marcos, California, where she played college basketball. Prior to professional wrestling/sports entertainment and becoming a role model, she was another type of model — a plus-size model.

Jax discusses the effort for the rematch with Bliss, the Raw women's division, the Backlash card, "Total Divas," coffee, facing Ronda Rousey in the future, women wrestling in Saudi Arabia and more.