The ROH team sent us this video interview with former SHIMMER Champion, Sara Del Rey commenting on her desire to be taken seriously as a female athlete. Del Rey, who is considered one of the most accomplished female wrestlers in North America, also comments on ‘model’ types coming into the industry. The segment aired on ROH’s TV show last week.
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31 Comments
very respectable
I think she already beautiful without trying she’s gorgeous not a lot of girls can pull off no make up and she doe’s it flawlessly
and i respect the fact that she that’s want to be a wrestler not a “diva” or a “Knockout” and i think her work speaks for herself im glad ppl like her and Mischif dont want to be TNA and WWE those brands would just water down her wrestling (wwe would more then TNA) but still i like girl who wants to get bloody and physical. Death Ray all the way in my book
she’s fearsome!
I respect her opinion, but I think she should also look at the successful transitions from models/DS contestants to wrestling. Look at Michelle McCool, and to a lesser extent, Maryse, Kelly, and Eve. They’ve all shown passion for the sport, and a willingness to improve and train. Sara should celebrate this, IMO, not knock their backgrounds.
*Alicia Fox, too. I’m really impressed with her.
Seeing Sara without makeup was surpring; she’s pretty! Thanks to her passion for the sport along with Melissa, Mercedes and MsChif and their not wanting to conform to the ‘Diva’ or model look the big 2 seem to want so badly has kept womens wrestling in the U.S. from fading into a caricature of itself. Kudos to Sara!!
As for Maryse, Kelly and Eve’s passion for the sport, that is laughable as it stands now. None of these three has put in the work it takes to elevate their in-ring skills like Sara and it shows. Perhaps in five years, I will be proven wrong, but for now, it seems they are only using the WWE as a money making, high exposure pit-stop while trying not to do anything that will damage their modeling careers in a few years. As for McCool, as long as she is with the Undertaker, she will have the passion for the sport.
I respect what she says, but I don’t think there’s nothing wrong in trying to be both an athlete and a modelesque beautiful person, unless they don’t do certain stuff because they are afraid of ruining their beauty.
Sure, a lot of people won’t take you seriously if an athlete worries to much about their looks, but no one should mind about what others think.
Like those who said it before the model to diva/wrestler whatever sometimes does work! I mean Michelle? Her passion for the business speaks for itself and she can also wear the makeup and look pretty? I mean most people want to look their best so imo its ok to still be a sexy diva but have serious skills in ring! I do like her attitude tho, it would be good to have a diva or two like her on WWE
Starr247
Stop making the divas down. McCool is good in the ring. And sleeping with the undertaker doesnt make her wrestle better. And I think you should not underastimate those Divas. In a few years they might be great.
Also I dont really think Sara cares much about the Divas. She has better things in her life to do than bash the Divas like most of the Knockouts who arent even better than Divas.
Eh. There’s only so many times you can get slammed on your back or hit on the head before you go “The money’s not worth it.” And I highly doubt that individually the Divas are making a lot in comparison. Out of all the chicks they initially hired from the DS, how many lasted long enough to change their underwear?
And besides, like Maryse and Kelly or not, they are much more successful in pro wrestling than Sara is. People off the internet actually know of Maryse or Kelly. Belts are just accessories that are either handed someone because a- they would make the company some money or b- nepotism.
I watched this the other day and thought it was kind of disrespectful; just her general characterizations there are girls in both companies who are AMAZING wrestlers. She can’t catch a break with these eyebrows.
Sara is hot without all that nasty makeup!!
Sara is in the wrong business if she wants to be taken seriously. Last time I checked, wrestling isn’t real competition. It’s entertainment. The more popular you are, the more money you make, and so on. Honestly, these pro wrestlers that talk about it like it’s a real sport make me laugh. If Sara actually wants to be considered a real athlete, perhaps she should try MMA. But that won’t happen. Because her tough image would be ruined if she got knocked out in ten seconds, which is probaly what would happen.
I have the feeling a lot of people who commented in this topic aren’t familiar with ROH. They used to run a story where Larry Sweeney (of the Sweet & Sour stable) was prepping Sara for the WWE so she could be a diva. But she didn’t want any of that saying she was a wrestler, not a diva.
ROH regularly takes shots at WWE (sometimes TNA as well) with stuff like that, they even did it on their debut show in 2002. Its to show the fans they are “different” than WWE/TNA, ECW did the same thing. But in ROH it’s much harder to recognize kayfabe from reality than in WWE. So it’s possible that Sara doesn’t really have anything against divas. Also not that in this interview she said “I am different than ALL other girls in pro-wrestling”, if it was a real shoot interview i doubt she would say that ;-)
Tell it like it is Death Rey!!! Models don’t have any place in wrestling. If you want to be a model go see Tyra!
it is a bit disrespectful but at the same time these woman spend years of they’re life training to wrestle in dreams to make it to the WWE, only to be told they’re not pretty enough, and then they hire a pretty model that doesn’t know how to wrestle or what a dropkick is, so i guess i understand that these models must p*ss them off, and although she says she may not want to join WWE there was probably a time when she wanted too
I think its kayfabe speak more than her actual feeling towards the “models” of the industry. I understand why some in the IWC think that theres no place for a model in the wrestling world especially as competitors. Admitedly there’ more than a couple that only used it for the exposure and the glamour and all the other perks of being semi famous. But there are also a bunch of women that came in and become more than whats expected of them.
Mikas, you very often know what’s going on. :)
I respect her (and those like her) so much! I didn’t interpret that kind of sensationalism from her statements but the sad thing is I could imagine some sites with headlines like “Sara Del Ray Blasts Divas” or something like that, because that’s what gets the clicks. Some people only want to interpret things like this negatively. She was saying THAT’S NOT WHO SHE IS! And if I was a real wrestler who cared about wrestling I’d be concerned about people’s penchant for model wrestlers because it could spread across the board until hardly no one has an interest in real women wrestlers, which is what I see in the current IWC. Smh. To put it in perspective, if there were no hot guys in WWE/wherever (or guys I think are hot) I would still watch it because I love WRESTLING. As time goes on I’ve really started to stop looking for any redeeming values with the Divas right now. People make WAY too many excuses for them because in the end they’re DIVAS fans and not female wrestling fans. But like I say, there’s nothing wrong with that, per se. I respect the Michelle McCools and the Alicia Foxes but the truth is if you’re a woman WWE is the place you go for exposure/money, not necessarily to “wrestle” for the love of wrestling. So I just take it like it is.
Some people actually DO take wrestling seriously, by the way. Wrestlers like A J Styles makes me take it seriously, as does Kurt Angle.
I’m sorry I respect any woman that gets in the ring and do what they do but I am tired of some of the “real” female wrestlers talking about the “model” wrestlers. Some of the so called model wrestlers have proven that they can get it done in the ring. If I am being honest I feel some of the “model” wrestlers (Michelle, Candice) are better than some of the “real” wrestlers (Velvet Sky). So I feel no matter how they get into the business if they come to prove themselves in the ring like Alicia, Kelly, Michelle, Candice,Layla and Eve I don’t see the point in knocking them and making them feel like they don’t belong in the business.
TO JUSTBRINGIT: Yes. Thank you for announcing a fact that none of us are aware of. You are indeed a savior. And I suppose that if you do a moonsault without any ATHLETIC training, you would be fine since it’s just for show, right? ;) I think that me having to put up an example so old is more laughable than what you consider to be laughable. :)
Maybe im reading too much into like the weirdo i am lol but i think she trying to say that ever since the Diva search no matter who from the Search got good or not theres still that stigma that some models feel they can get in biz just because there pretty and not try i give it up to Candice and Michelle and Layla and Eve and Maria and Ashley and Maryse cause they ran with an oppturnity and become great workers but they can’t u say they are better then a Sara Del Ray or Natalya.
I agree with theregoeskitty 100%. Enough said.
That’s what I’m talking about!I love this woman!I’ve only seen a couple of her matches on HDNet and I already love her!I totally agree with her.how must it feel clawing,scratching,ripping through anything you have to to get to the biggest stage in wrestling,only to be told no?And then some model with big boobs and a huge ass comes in and gets it by being asked,not wanting it.
@TrishMelinaFan and Cyndi – Agreed!
lol dont think im saying there something wrong with fake breast lol cough cough lol
I don’t think her comments meant to be resentful in any way to be honest. She’s just repping what she’s about. She didn’t demean any models horribly or something. Compare that to how Velvet Sky has bashed the Divas, despite being a weak worker herself and she was desperate to get into WWE at one point (even entered the Diva Search).
Sara is speaking the thruth! Models come in Flip their hair etc nd get put over the real female atheltes , all b cuz they dont have the sexy look! WWE is looking for
Sara Del Rey is an amazing wrestler and her dedication is awe inspiring. She makes a lot of male wrestlers look like models in comparison.
hahaha she look like the fourth kind woman
before getting mad XD
1st – I think there is room for the models and real female wrestlers, the only problem I see is that the models are being pushed ahead of the women with actual talent, and I’ve never been ok with that. Sure, there have been a few occasions where it was okay because the girl was both modelesque and good in the ring, namely Michelle McCool, Trish Stratus, and a few others, but most of the time Diva Search rejects or ex-models get the pushes and exposure that the real talent deserves. I actually don’t blame the ladies or judge them because it’s the companies doing it, they don’t take these girls seriously and rely on the old “T & A” formula to dictate what goes on and who gets what in their Women’s Division (obviously more WWE than TNA, but they’ve done it too..TBP Strip Poker?).
2nd – I can’t believe people still say that pro wrestling isn’t a sport and can’t believe that she wants to be taken seriously. Uh, where is Melina right now? Nursing an injured leg. Why was Michelle out of action for months? Maryse? Injuries. Do you not remember watching Candice fall on her head and almost break her neck? Professional wrestling is staged and choreographed, but fake, I think not. These people are putting their bodies and sometimes their lives on the line night after night, this sport is extremely dangerous. The fact that some people do it for hardly any money is extremely respectable. /rant