Roxanne Perez Explains Booker T's 'Big Influence' On Her Life

When Roxanne Perez captured the "NXT" Women's Championship earlier this month, Booker T congratulated his former student. He revealed that he wanted to jump in the ring and give her a hug, saying it felt like watching his daughter win the title. And the feeling was mutual, according to Perez, who recently opened up about her relationship with the WWE Hall of Famer.

On a recent episode of "After the Bell", the "NXT" Women's Champion said Booker T and his wife Sharmell Sullivan-Huffman took her in at an early age and helped shape both her in-ring and personality skills.

"When I was 16 I started traveling on Greyhounds to Houston to go train with Booker T and that helped me coming into WWE, because at Booker T's it's still the independent scene but it's a little different," Perez said, referencing his Reality of Wrestling training school. "He has the whole setup: You're working cameras, you're working for TV because he has his YouTube channel, so starting that at 16 years old helped so much coming here to WWE because I had to learn. I've got to wrestle, but I've got to be wrestling for this camera and that camera and all of those little things."

Perez said Booker T also had "such a big influence" on who she is as a person, having been estranged from her family over her decision to go into pro wrestling. "Him and Sharmell were always so good and sweet to me –- especially because they knew I was 16 and on my own, so they took care of me like a kid," she said. "They helped me so much with the wrestling aspect but also just in life, like how to be a good person and whatnot...he honestly is like a dad."