When WWE Divas Champion Paige was forced to relinquish the NXT Women’s Championship, the door of opportunity swung wide open for the competitive roster of NXT’s toughest ladies. An eight-Diva tournament that featured a healthy mix of WWE veterans and NXT stars promised to create a history-making platform for the NXT Universe to witness. While Charlotte eventually captured the coveted the title, the tournament served as the perfect stage for NXT’s newest Diva, Alexa Bliss.

“I feel very humbled by the whole experience,” Alexa told WWE.com. 

The pint-sized newcomer scored an upset over Alicia Fox in the first round only to fall to Charlotte in the semi-finals. Despite her loss, Alexa’s debut created a favorable buzz throughout the NXT Universe.

Watch NXT Women's Championship Tournament highlights

“It was an honor to be in the ring with two such amazing Divas. This truly is the most amazing time in my life right now,” Alexa said.

So just how exactly did Alexa Bliss achieve her “Bliss-ness”? A lifelong athlete, the rookie Diva competed in every sport from softball to kickboxing. More specifically, Alexa excelled in the world of gymnastics and competitive cheerleading where she reached Division I status in college. 

“The experience in those sports really helped me transition into the ring where I’ve been able to implement those skills into high-flying maneuvers and wrestling fundamentals,” she said.

Speaking of the ring, Alexa’s presence is hard to miss. Donning a glitter-covered tutu and a fairytale demeanor to match, Alexa says her appearance is indicative of her personality.

“I like to be sparkly! It makes me happy. I love to stand out and embrace my uniqueness and I am very lucky I get to incorporate that into my gear. I hope the sparkle and glitter that I spread makes other people happy, too,” Alexa said.

Watch Alexa Bliss on NXT on WWE Network

On the surface, it may seem that Alexa Bliss’ life has lived up to its name, but the NXT Diva revealed that her road to WWE has been filled with trials. 

“A lot of people probably don’t know this, but I have struggled with a life-threatening eating disorder in the past,” she admitted.

At one point, Alexa had lost as much as 30 pounds in just six weeks before being rushed to the hospital after her heartbeat dropped to just 28 beats a minute. 

“The doctors saved my life. From that point on, I made a decision to love myself and had to accept that it’s OK to be different,” she said. 

To overcome her insecurities, Alexa turned to the world of competitive bodybuilding.

“Bodybuilding gave me a healthy way to gain weight and learn to balance my life. Earning my pro card within a year, I got to do something I enjoyed and be healthy at the same time,” she said. “Bodybuilding helped me to realize that I don’t have to look like the girls in the magazines and that it’s OK to feel good about my curves. I hope that I can be a role model and positive influence to anyone else who is struggling with insecurities within themselves.”

Self-described as a happy, free spirit with a love for all things Disney, Bliss is now living her lifelong dream of competing under the WWE banner.

“Having the opportunity to work with the Superstars I grew up watching and being able to learn from them now is such an honor,” she said. 

Euphoria aside, Bliss is prepared leave her sparkly mark on WWE.

“I want to be the best Diva I can be. Hopefully one day I can become a champion that is a role model and someone who all of our fans, young and old, can look up to and be proud of.”

Watch Alexa Bliss on  WWE NXT on WWE Network Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET. Follow Alexa Bliss on Twitter @AlexaBliss_WWE and get more NXT coverage on the official NXT Facebook page.