Diva Dirt » Interviews

Exclusive: Alpha Female on Headlining Pro-Wrestling: EVE iPPV, WWE Tryout, Being an Attraction Like Kharma

Melanie — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:47:32 +0000

At 6’1″, Germany’s Alpha Female is an imposing figure, who, when in the ring, strikes fear in her opponents’ hearts. Out of the ring, however, Alpha Female is just as fascinating with her strong and unique opinions on the current state of wrestling — and women’s wrestling, as well as her shy yet endearing personality.

In less than two weeks, Alpha is set to headline Pro-Wrestling: EVE’s debut Internet pay per view, “No Man’s Land” — airing exclusively on Diva Dirt — as she challenges Jenny Sjodin for the Pro-Wrestling: EVE Championship. The match has been almost two years in the making, pitting the unstoppable force that is Sjodin, with her technical style and MMA-esque submissions (she can legit make her opponents tap — and fast!), against the immovable object that is Alpha (who holds a 10-1 win/loss record).

Speaking exclusively to Diva Dirt in a near one hour interview, Alpha discusses her career thus far, how she got into wrestling, the rather interesting role she initially wanted to pursue in wrestling before becoming a wrestler, working around Europe, her career in EVE and more.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

Addressing the busy few months she has coming up, Alpha talks about her EVE Championship match with Sjodin, as well as other projects in the pipeline including a reality show in her native Germany due to begin two weeks after the iPPV, and a movie. Alpha credits her inclusion in Diva Dirt’s Five to Watch last year as part of the reason for her recent successes.

It’s clear to anyone who’s seen Alpha in action that she’s destined for big things, and last year she was caught in WWE’s radar and offered a tryout, which she discusses exclusively with Diva Dirt. Additionally, Alpha also has choice words about her prior dealings with TNA aka Impact Wrestling.

We also talk to Alpha about being an attraction, not dissimilar from WWE’s Kharma, due to her size and strength.

Check out the interview below or right-click here and select ‘Save Target As’.

‘Like’ Alpha Female on Facebook.

Pro-Wrestling: EVE and Diva Dirt present “No Man’s Land: Sjodin vs Alpha” live on Saturday, February 18th at 7pm UK (2pm ET). Click here to order.

Exclusive: Marti Belle on Match with Mia Yim at AIW Girls Night Out 5, Being a Model Turned Wrestler, Belle Saints Grudge Match at WSU & More

Melanie — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:29:04 +0000

Heading into this Sunday’s Girls Night Out 5 event in Cleveland, Ohio, we catch up with one of the stars of the show — former WSU Tag Team Champion and rising rookie, Marti Belle!

Belle is set to face her good friend Mia Yim at Girls Night Out 5. We talk to Marti about the match, how it came about and how she feels about facing one of her close friends.

For fans who aren’t too aware of the WSU star, Marti’s story is rather interesting as she got into the business not as a wrestler, but as an actress/model, much like several of the WWE Divas. Marti discusses her start in wrestling, parallels between the way she started and the Divas, the criticisms lobbied at former models, her training and more.

Plus, we also talk to Marti in detail about her time in WSU so far as one half of the Belle Saints with Tina San Antonio, as well as their recent break-up live at the Breaking Barriers II Internet pay per view and their upcoming grudge match in March.

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Please Note: This audio is the exclusive content of Diva Dirt (diva-dirt.com), for which we hold copyright. By downloading our audio you agree not to repost the content elsewhere including but not limited to other websites, blogs or message boards. Failure to respect copyright may result in legal action.

Catch Marti in action this Sunday, January 29th, at AIW’s Girls Night Out 5. More details here.

Follow Marti Belle on Twitter at @martibelle, and like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/martibellefp.

Follow Melanie on Twitter at @MelanieLDN.

Exclusive: Could Madison Eagles’ Career Be Coming to an End? The Former SHIMMER Champion Speaks…

Katelyn — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:11:03 +0000

She was crowned the #1 female wrestler in the world on the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Female 50 for 2011. but now Madison Eagles faces a serious injury that could end her top-ranking career.

In late December 2011, the former SHIMMER Champion announced on Twitter that she was suffering from what could be a career-ending knee injury. She was immediately inundated with messages of support from fellow wrestlers and fans alike, and understandably so.

Madison made her professional wrestling debut over 10 years ago in Australia, originally as a bodyguard for AJ Freely. Shortly after, she made her way overseas wrestling for the likes of the Heartland Wrestling Association, USA Pro Wrestling and Cleveland All Pro Wrestling, as well as participated in an Ohio Valley Wrestling training camp to hone her skills.

In 2007, she and husband Ryan Eagles formed the-then PWA Elite (later renamed PWA Australia) and later that year, the only all-women’s wrestling promotion in Australia: PWWA. But it wasn’t long before Madison would be trying her hand overseas again.

In quick succession, she debuted for both Ring of Honor and CZW in September 2008, and CHIKARA and SHIMMER the month after. It was SHIMMER where she really shone. Despite originally debuting as part of a tag-team with Jessie McKay, she impressed in matches against Sara Del Rey and Mercedes Martinez, and shocked the world when she ended MsChif‘s two-year reign as SHIMMER Champion in April 2010. From there, she began a reign of terror, defeating everyone SHIMMER management threw in her path: McKay, Cheerleader Melissa, Ayumi Kurihara, Ayako Hamada, Serena Deeb, Hiroyo Matsumoto – just to name a few. Offers came in to wrestle in Canada and Japan. She was also crowned #1 on PWI’s Female 50 for 2011. It seemed as though the whole world was opening their eyes as to who Madison Eagles was.

This abruptly changed in October 2011, shortly after the SHIMMER tapings, when Eagles suffered an unfortunate injury. She revealed to us that her knee and the surrounding area are ‘pretty much shot’, as she has torn the meniscus and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), and has done damage to both the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and PCL.

The 27-year old mother of two recently offered Diva Dirt some insight into what exactly happened. She said: “It happened during a wrestling match [during] what I call ‘The Double Stomp of Hell’. I unfortunately put a little too much effort in and landed straight-legged. Immediately, I collapsed and couldn’t move my legs at all. The pain was horrific. At the moment – three and a half months later – I am still having problems walking, let alone anything wrestling-wise.”

This knee injury comes on top of a self-professed ‘bung shoulder’ suffered in an unfortunate car accident in April 2011 and a broken nose that she tells us will ‘eventually need re-alignment and re-attachment of a certain section’.

Speaking on the scary possibility that she may have to end her wrestling career sooner than she originally planned, Madison has tried to remain upbeat and optimistic: “I try not to think about it too much,” she admits. “I have a pretty blessed life, and have been extremely grateful of the recognition I have received in my time in the wrestling business so far, so I guess I can’t ask too much more than that. But then again, I do have high hopes that I will be able to wrestle again – even if it means a year off, or something along those lines.”

But there may still be light at the end of the tunnel yet: “Fortunately I am booked into see a knee specialist in a month’s time, whom may be able to help. If not, I will pretty much have to ride out the injury, like I am at the moment.”

When asked about what she would still like to accomplish in wrestling, the former SHIMMER Champion responded with, “I am going to be selfish and say I want everything. I want to be an even better performer and in better shape as an athlete, as well as a lot more international travel. I would love to [return to living in America] but again, dealing with my medical issues are first and foremost.”

As many have stated, Madison is one tough woman, and if anyone can come back from being dealt such a hand – it’s her. Selfishly, we’d all love for her to be able to return to wrestling, but health and family always comes first.

We here at Diva Dirt wish her the best of luck – not only in regards to maintaining a clean bill of health and healing from all of her injuries, but whatever she may choose to do with the rest of her life provided wrestling doesn’t work out for her.

Diva Dirt will keep you updated on Madison’s recovery status, so stay tuned.

Feel free to tweet your support to Madison at @SeriouslyEagles.

Exclusive: Jenny Rose Talks US Debut Under New Name for WSU, Ditching Jamilia Craft, Working in Japan & More

Melanie — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:58:07 +0000

As a graduate of the ROH Academy training under Daizee Haze, young Jamilia Craft was always destined for big things and in 2011, she got her big break when she was invited to move to Japan to train and wrestle for legendary wrestler Kyoko Inoue‘s Pro-Wrestling Diana promotion. Craft ditched her signature look — a mask and Inoue-inspired tassels on her ring attire — and became Jenny Rose.

With her new look and name, Jenny developed a new found confidence as she lived in Japan, training under top Joshi instructors and wrestled some of the most influential names in all of women’s wrestling.

Now set to bring Jenny Rose to the US, the former Craft will make her in-ring debut as Rose this weekend for WSU when she faces ‘Bonesaw’ Jessie Brooks.

Speaking exclusively to Diva Dirt ahead of her debut, Jenny talks to us about a myriad of subjects including her time in Japan; whether she feels nervous about presenting her new character to US audiences; training in the ROH Academy; wrestling in SHIMMER, mentor Daizee Haze’s retirement; the recent wave of American exports to Japan and Hailey Hatred opening doors for the American women over there, and a lot more!

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Jenny will make her US in-ring debut on Saturday, January 21st for WSU in Stirling, New Jersey. Tickets and information here.

Follow Jenny Rose on Twitter at @JennyRoseJoshi, and like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jennyrosewrestler.

Follow Melanie on Twitter at @MelanieLDN.

Exclusive: Former TNA Star ‘Desire’ Kim Nielsen Talks ‘The Biggest Loser’, Breaking Back in TNA & More

Melanie — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:47:55 +0000

Seven years after suffering a career-ending injury and leaving the wrestling business for good, former TNA wrestler Kim Nielsen — better known as Desire — is back in the spotlight. However, this time Kim is in a very different role compared to the athletic and muscular wrestling role we once saw her in. Nielsen is set to be a contestant on NBC’s The Biggest Loser which premieres Tuesday, January 3rd at 8/7c.

The 38-year-old mother of three was one of the most prominently featured female wrestlers during TNA’s early Nashville days. Prior to that, Kim was under a WWE developmental deal but released in 2002 before ever getting called up to television. Going to TNA thereafter, in an era before the word “Knockout” existed, Kim was part of some of TNA’s early boundary-pushing women’s matches including the first ever stretcher match against Trinity.

Breaking her back during a match, Kim soon left TNA and the spotlight all together, and has only just resurfaced over 100lbs overweight.

Below, Kim explains the reason behind her weight gain, why she decided to join The Biggest Loser, her tough journey over the past seven years, breaking her back in TNA, her thoughts on the Knockouts division and more.

What has life been like since your days in the business?
My career kind of ended with breaking my back in the ring. I went back [to TNA] after that, about 10 months later, and that was about it. Things just really weren’t the same for me. I was kind of afraid of being in the ring and trusting people with my body, so that was kind of career-ending for me. I got pregnant soon after that with my third child and have just kind of been home taking care of my kids.

Can you tell us how your back injury happened?
It was during a dark match before the show had started when I was with TNA. She [her opponent] had put me up into a fisherman suplex and she bumped on the very edge of the ring and when I came down, my back… I just heard it crack. I heard it snap. I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t really know what to do. I was just in so much pain. I don’t think she knew that I was hurt, but she said: “Get up, finish the match.” The only thing that really made sense at that moment would be for her to cover me, but I don’t like to lose. I actually got up and I finished the match. She threw me across the ring, I hit the ropes, and I picked her up and slammed her into a Rock Bottom and covered her. I rolled out of the ring and walked to the back, and that’s where I just fell apart. They called the ambulance, [I] got to a hospital, and my back was actually broken.

We haven’t seen you in the spotlight since then. Why did you decide to do The Biggest Loser?
First of all, when I had gotten pregnant with my third child, I think a lot of people can probably relate — I had been on TV every week, I had been at the gym every single day, and I thought: “Well, I’m pregnant. This is my third child. I’ll just go ahead and let myself eat, be pregnant and be happy.” I gave myself leeway to just do whatever I wanted and not really work out, and eat whatever I wanted to. What happened was, I ended up gaining 80lbs being pregnant with my daughter. I had two kids before that and with them, I had gotten right back to the gym, I had worked out [but] with my third child, not really having wrestling to go back to, which is what I love and what really motivated me to stay in shape, I didn’t have that anymore. I didn’t have that passion anymore to go back to. So I find myself not really knowing what I was going to do and just ended up not losing that [baby] weight at all. As a matter of fact, I ended up gaining even more weight than that.

It was Sonny [Siaki] — I had wrestled with him [in TNA] — he’s the father of my smallest child, the one that I was pregnant with, and he’s the one that actually encouraged me to go try out for the show. I really didn’t want to do it. My daughter is like six years old now, so I had been away from the industry, away from my fans and out of the spotlight for those seven years and I had gotten overweight, unhealthy and not happy. I was really hiding from my friends, my fans, my family. My Facebook page still had all my skinny pictures and my wrestling pictures which I was so proud of, but I wasn’t proud of what I had done over the last seven years — hiding, gaining weight and just not being healthy, or a very good role model. When Sonny suggested that I try out for the show, they were actually here in Atlanta where I live. There was an open casting call. It took him a little bit to convince me, but I decided that I would go ahead and try out. I was just tired of living this way, tired of being overweight and not being a good, fit role model for my kids.

Losing weight is such a personal thing. Were you self conscious about doing this on TV?
Oh, my gosh – hugely. It was one of the downfalls for me of doing this show. I would actually have to get on the scale and you’re very out there. You have a sports bra and some shorts on, you know? This is the first time that anyone’s ever seen me [since TNA] and I’m going out there and doing it in a big way. What’s really worse than having been on TV before — I’m there every week, I’m fit and I’m in shape — and now I’m having to get on the scale over 100lbs overweight and just showing the whole world what I’ve done? That was huge for me and that was one of the biggest reasons I didn’t want to do it. But I also feel like I owe it to myself. This is what I did. It’s a huge step for me. A really brave step to actually to do this at all, to let anyone know at all [that she was overweight] was my biggest fear. To do it in this huge of a way, it’s just kind of who I am — I either do it all the way or just not at all.

Continue to the next page for more…

Video Exclusive: Manami Toyota Looks Back on Her Career, Wrestling in the US & More

Melanie — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:02:33 +0000

You’ve seen the award presentation, and now we present the exclusive interview!

Diva Dirt had the great distinction and honor of sitting down with the 2011 Diva Dirt Legacy Award recipient, Manami Toyota, backstage at JoshiMania Night 1 in Philadelphia, PA, last week.

Coming off of her award presentation and a huge victory over Toshie Uematsu, which our correspondent said was match of the night, Manami sat down with Diva Dirt’s David to look back at her 20+ year career, discuss her personal highlights, coming to the US and advice for young joshi wrestlers today.

Watch the interview below:

A big thank you to CHIKARA for their help. Please be sure to pick up JoshiMania on DVD. More details at www.joshimania.com.

Exclusive: Maryse Talks About WWE Release, Being Done with Wrestling, House of Maryse & More!

Melanie — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:02:00 +0000

In late October, WWE fans were shocked when the company announced the release of one of its most popular Divas, Maryse Ouellet. The whirlwind surrounding her release, including a release party celebrating her departure, has led to much speculation. Did she request it? Was it mutual? Is she done with wrestling? Well, in an exclusive interview with Diva Dirt, Maryse sets the record straight, speaking on her release and leaving wrestling behind to pursue new projects, including her own boutique line House of Maryse.

We get all the details on Maryse’s new venture, her release from WWE, whether she’d go to TNA, if a Playboy return is in the cards and much more. Maryse also discusses her entire WWE career in great detail, from the Divas Title victories to the infamous Gobbledy Gooker outfit! Maryse shares some one-of-a-kind stories from her time in WWE including the Diva Search, OVW and from live events. Plus, the Sexiest of the Sexy goes on record discussing the Divas division and the lack of time/development it receives, her relationship with The Miz and the scary situation with a stalker earlier this year.

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Visit Maryse’s official website at www.frenchkissmaryse.com and the official website for House of Maryse, www.houseofmaryse.com. Follow Maryse on Twitter at @maryse0uellet and ‘like’ her on Facebook.

Follow Melanie on Twitter at @MelanieLDN.

Exclusive: WSU Promoter Discusses Breaking Barriers 2 Fallout, Controversial Ending, Whether Melina Will Return & More

Melanie — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:38:47 +0000

On Wednesday night’s debut edition of DD360, we were joined by WSU promoter Sean McCaffrey to discuss the fallout from Saturday’s Breaking Barriers 2 Internet pay per view including the controversial ending which saw the Midwest Militia introduce a machete, threatening the life of WSU World Champion Mercedes Martinez. Plus, we get his thoughts on how Melina fared in her debut and whether she’ll be back, as well as other aspects of the show including the break up of the Belle Saints, Niya leaving WSU and Becky Bayless‘ return.

Listen to the exclusive interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below.

Visit www.wsuvideo.com for WSU’s big Black Friday sale featuring all DVDs for $5, excluding the Breaking Barriers 2 show which is $10. Follow WSU on Twitter at @WSUWrestling and ‘like’ them on Facebook.

Exclusive: Lisa Marie Varon (Tara) Talks TNA & WWE, Golden Age of Divas, Future in Wrestling & More

Melanie — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 19:40:54 +0000

On last night’s premiere episode of DD360, we were honored to be joined by veteran TNA Knockout and former WWE Diva, Lisa Marie Varon aka Tara (formerly known as Victoria).

We talk to the former WWE Women’s & TNA Knockouts Champion about her runs in WWE and TNA, her current project writing for Chicago Athlete magazine, her debut for Billy Corgan’s RESISTANCE Pro promotion on Black Friday, teaming with Brooke Tessmacher, the first ever Divas steel cage match, Gail Kim‘s return to TNA, her longevity in wrestling, as well as her future in wrestling, and much more!

Listen to the exclusive interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below.

Visit Lisa Marie’s official website www.reallisamarie.com. Follow Lisa Marie on Twitter at @REALLiSAMARiE and ‘like’ her on Facebook.

See Lisa Marie live tomorrow in Chicago at RESISTANCE Pro. Tickets and more information here.

Video Exclusive: Alicia Talks War Games Match and Feud with Jessicka Havok

Melanie — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:00:46 +0000

WSU’s icon, Alicia, spoke to Diva Dirt this past Saturday at Breaking Barriers 2 just hours ahead of the grueling six-woman War Games match inside the steel cage.

Neither the fans and Alicia alike could prepare for how the night would end as the Midwest Militia brought a machete into the ring and threatened the life of Mercedes Martinez, while Alicia and Brittney Savage lay prone, handcuffed to the ring ropes.

In this interview, filmed prior to that fateful main event, Alicia talks about the match and her fierce rival, leader of the Midwest Militia, Jessicka Havok.

Video Exclusive: Amy Lee Talks About Becoming WSU Commissioner & Melina’s Opponent at Breaking Barriers 2

Melanie — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:20:00 +0000

In the latest video exclusive from Saturday’s WSU Breaking Barriers 2 show, we talk to WSU commissioner Amy Lee about her first show in charge, Breaking Barriers 2, and what it’s been like so far being part of WSU management.

Check out the video below:

Video Exclusive: Melina Talks About Her WSU Debut & WWE Release

Melanie — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:06:45 +0000

This past Saturday, all eyes were on WSU Wrestling in Deer Park, New York for the debut of a very important person. The A-List Diva, Melina, made her highly-publicized debut for WSU as she faced homegrown star Lexxus.

We caught up with Melina backstage for an exclusive chat about her WWE release and her WSU debut.

Watch the emotional clip below!

Exclusive: Nicole Matthews Talks About Wrestling Overseas, October’s SHIMMER Tapings, Feuding with Jessie McKay and More

Steven — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:05:45 +0000

Diva Dirt recently caught up with former SHIMMER Tag Team Champion, Nicole Matthews, to talk about her recent ventures in the Australian and Japanese wrestling scenes, losing her ECCW Supergirls Championship to KC Spinelli and her actions at the end of SHIMMER Vol. 44. The result was a very entertaining, and at times, hilarious interview. Matthews is known for being quite opinionated when it comes to wrestling and this interview is no exception.

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Follow Nicole on Twitter at @nmatthewsninja and also ‘like’ her on Facebook.

Follow Steven on Twitter at @XHeart_XFingers.

Exclusive: Gail Kim Talks About Her TNA Return, Quitting WWE & Much More!

Melanie — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 03:30:28 +0000

Fresh from making her big, Twitter-trending return to TNA last week on Impact Wrestling, Diva Dirt talks to the woman of the moment — Gail Kim!

In a whirlwind few months that saw her quit WWE amidst a storm of controversy, return to the company that she calls “home” and star in the first ever live shoot interview on Internet pay per view, Gail Kim’s name has been hot on everybody’s lips. Gail has granted a select few interviews, each proving as buzz-worthy as the last, and in only her third interview, Gail talks to us!

We talk to Gail about her return to TNA, where she was once the first ever Knockouts Champion, playing a heel again, whether she feels she made the right decision in quitting WWE, why she quit instead of waiting out her contract, frustrations with the way the Divas were used in WWE and being disrespected backstage.

Gail also discusses her first match back on Impact Wrestling this Thursday where she faces Tara, her upcoming independent match with Traci Brooks, her next TV project and more.

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Follow Gail on Twitter at @gailkimITSME.

Follow Melanie on Twitter at @MelanieLDN.

Exclusive: Cherry Bomb on NCW Femmes Fatales This Weekend, Being Inspired by Trish, WWE Tryout & More

Melanie — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:00:55 +0000

This weekend, Canadian professional wrestler Cherry Bomb is back in the ring for NCW Femmes Fatales, so we thought we’d catch up with her ahead of the big show where she’ll face Angie Skye. Also on the card is Kalamity vs LuFisto for the Femmes Fatales Championship, and much more. For tickets and information click here.

In this interview we talk to Cherry about her career thus far, how she got into wrestling and her big inspiration — none other than Trish Stratus. Plus, Cherry talks about returning to SHIMMER this past weekend, her WWE tryout last year, appearing on Raw with Goldust, and much more.

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Cherry Bomb will be in action at NCW Femmes Fatales this weekend in Montreal. Tickets and information here.

Follow Cherry on Twitter at @cherrrybomb.

You can visit Cherry’s official Facebook page here.

Follow Melanie on Twitter at @MelanieLDN.

Diva Dirt Promoters Season: Behind the Pro-Wrestling: EVE Curtain with Dann & Emily Read – EVE vs Ice, Jenny Sjodin, Britani Knight & More

Melanie — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 14:34:27 +0000

With several big independent events coming up in the next couple of months, Diva Dirt has reached out to the head honcos in charge of various promotions for our first annual Promoters Season. Over the next couple of weeks, you will hear from the creative minds behind NCW Femmes Fatales, Pro-Wrestling: EVE, WILD Wrestling and Women Superstars Uncensored.

We aim to pick their brains about their upcoming events, their rosters and on current events. Plus, we look for answers to the questions that fans have wondered about…

In the latest Promoters Season interview, we head to Europe where Pro-Wrestling: EVE has cornered the market, promoting all-female shows for the past two years in a similar fashion to US counterparts such as SHIMMER.

Perhaps EVE’s most ambitious shows to date will take place on October 8th and 9th when EVE brings in four stars from Japan’s Ice Ribbon promotion to compete in “EVE vs Ice Ribbon”.

Ahead of the shows, we catch up with EVE’s promoters, Dann and Emily Read…

EVE returns with two days of events on October 8th and 9th. There’s been some trouble with the venues since you were supposed to be working with the 1PW promotion. What happened and how have you dealt with it?
Dann: Basically, 1PW as a company folded thus rendering their shows non-existent and we were booked by them to be the ‘afternoon entertainment’ shows. However, we had three back up venues already in place after the events that occurred in Norwich previously with complaints regarding a female wrestling show taking place. Chances are, following this Nottingham trip, we’re going to stay in Sudbury, Suffolk which has been the main home to EVE shows. It’s the town where Emily and I live and are known, and have a very good relationship with the council so we don’t really get any problems. In fact, the Delphi Club were really disappointed to not have us there for the upcoming events. The Delphi Club has previously always been unavailable for two straight days hire and for ease of use for the travelling fans in addition to logistical purposes, we needed to find venues in towns where we could run two nights in a row, hence the move. They called me and asked ‘What do we need to do to get you to come back?’ and I told them. We had a meeting and so now the door is open for us to return there. Great venue, great town, great management, easy to get to for travelling fans using public transport. We really look forward to going back in 2012.

This isn’t the first time you’ve had venue issues, right?
Dann: We’ve had venue/council issues dating back to when we were promoting the ChickFight shows over here in 2007/2008. Women’s wrestling is misunderstood by the general public. I’ve been called every name under the sun from supposed newspaper journalists to on-air radio presenters and members of the general public – hell, I’ve even been spat at for doing this. I have been accused of forcing women to do this, exploiting women, for being nothing more than a pimp or a producer of pornography and all sorts of things. This is always directed at me and not Emily, of course, as they seem make a presumption that Emily is naive and that I’m forcing her to go into this too, and no matter what she says, they don’t listen. The fact that women’s wrestling seems to generate this kind of reaction from Joe and Jane Public, you’re bound to get complaints against you and that’s what has happened to us. That’s why we’ve had issues with venues and councils and newspapers and radio stations etc. etc. One person phoned up the BBC and managed to somehow get me investigated by the police, while at the same time the council and the venue tried to stop the show from happening just a few days prior. The woman who phoned claimed that these shows encouraged violence towards women and promoted domestic abuse… Yeah, I know – go figure.

Emily: So much of the problem, purely and simply, seems to come from ignorance. A lot of people are ignorant to what female professional wrestling is and they refuse to let themselves be educated or shown otherwise because they think you’re just trying to pull the wool over their eyes. Although this ignorance is in part towards wrestling in general (I’ve always felt a lot of it has stemmed from people feeling duped upon finding out it was an entertainment act) it is extremely heightened with all female shows. It would appear that adding the all female element makes people jumpy. Sadly, I think a lot of people aren’t ready for women to take a strong, fighting role in the world and for whatever reason then decide that female wrestling must be about sex; unable to see that it is in fact their point of view and their thoughts dragging things into the gutter and not at all the product that we are producing. This is why we always have back up venues as you never know when someone is going to complain and you never know when the venue management, in ignorance or fear of damning newspaper reports, will pull the venue from us. It’s a hard place to win when you’re promoting all female shows. This is another reason why the Delphi Club in Sudbury, Suffolk is so awesome.

This go around you are teaming up with Japan’s Ice Ribbon promotion. How did the partnership come about?
Dann: You know I’m not entirely sure. I was sending out the details, including pictures and footage, of some of the members of our roster to promotions overseas trying to get them some more work and exposure and a few came back to me saying, ‘Hey, let’s look into something bigger’. Ice Ribbon were one of the promotions I dealt with in regards to this and you know, they’re the top Joshi promotion in Japan, this is a great opportunity for everyone to benefit so things just kind of took off from there.

How many Ice Ribbon girls will be coming to the UK to take part?
Dann: Four. The top four in fact. Emi Sakura, the head honcho of Ice Ribbon, if you will, and is regarded as the best and most versatile wrestler in Japan. Sakura was also the winner of the 2009 Tokyo Sports MVP award which is a major deal there.

We’ve also got the ICEx60 Champion, Hikari Minami, who’s possibly the most exciting Joshi Puroresu star today and the scary thing about her is she’s only 16 years old and is already phenomenal. I suppose the closest western wrestling star you can liken her to in terms of in ring style is Rey Mysterio with all the springboard high-flying moves she utilises.

Then we have Hikaru Shida, who fans of Tajiri’s SMASH promotion may have seen also. Shida is thought of by a lot of people as being able to incorporate more of a ‘legitimate’ offence in terms of the wrestling moves and holds. She can adapt to an MMA style or a ‘strong style’ of wrestling and you’ll see her throw a lot of knees but she’s also very keen on high impact pro-wrestling moves. Very versatile. The people in the business refer to Shida as ‘The Future Ace of Joshi’ as there is genuine belief that Hikaru Shida will be THE breakout star of Joshi Puroresu on a major scale (Shida is also a Japanese television and film actress) and will be regarded as ‘The Best In The World’.

Then there is Tsukasa Fujimoto – the most accomplished female wrestler in Ice Ribbon having not only won all three of the Ice Ribbon championships, but held them AT THE SAME TIME. Fujimoto also holds the record for being the longest reigning ICEx60 Champion in history. CHIKARA fans and fellow Diva Dirt readers have probably already seen some of Fujimoto’s work as she recently competed for CHIKARA in a match that was released on YouTube. Like Hikari Minami, you’ll see Fujimoto hit the ropes a lot and run up to the top rope but she’ll throw a lot of hard hitting kicks your way and Fujimoto’s finishing move combines both of those things as it see’s her run to the top rope and jump in a reverse cross body block motion but catch her opponent with a vicious enzuguri style kick to the head. Incredible to look at. Wouldn’t want to take it though!

How many of the homegrown EVE girls will be part of it?
Emily: I’m not 100% sure right now because you never know what’s going to happen. We’ve announced 10 thus far although we have 14 girls booked plus the four Ice Ribbon wrestlers but not everyone is booked for both days and not everyone will be appearing on all shows. At one point we had like 20 wrestlers plus the Ice Ribbon wrestlers booked for this and we decided to go back on that because we don’t want this to be about quantity, but rather about quality.

At the previous EVE weekend we had 21 wrestlers and that meant for some people they had to have shorter matches and not really show everyone what they could do so therefore on these shows with less time constraints and a smaller roster for this particular weekend, we’re really going to be able to see the best from everyone.

What can you tell us about the structure of these events? The title is ‘EVE vs Ice Ribbon’, so will all of the matches be EVE vs Ice Ribbon bouts? Is there a possibility of EVE & Ice girls teaming up in tag bouts, for example?
Dann: With regards to tag matches – possibly. I can honestly say only the matches listed below have been decided. But yes, over the course of the 3 shows there will be EVE vs Ice Ribbon matches taking place and the team with the most victories at the end of show three wins the series!

The EVE Championship is also on the line between Jenny Sjodin and April Davids. They competed in the first ever EVE match. How did you come to the decision of giving the title shot to April?
Dann: They did compete in the first ever Pro-Wrestling: EVE match and them main-eventing here is no strange happenstance. It’s a wonderful story about how these two ultimate professionals started out as complete unknowns in the opening match of the debut show and soon came to main event of the biggest and most important all female professional wrestling show in European history. The duo (who are best friends, training partners at the Northern Shooters Gym and stable mates as part of the European Empire) love fighting against one another because, as they said in the ring after their second match, they each believe they bring the best out in each other. By fighting against one another, they both believe they individually improve as fighters. It’s not about egos or heroes and villains or babyfaces and heels with these two, it’s simply about working hard to become the best. April won the first match via submission while Jenny won the second match via submission and so with April holding a victory over the reigning Pro-Wrestling: EVE Champion, in addition to April not having a single pin-fall loss in a Pro-Wrestling: EVE ring nor has anyone bar Jenny managed to make her submit and with the two tied at one win each, it was decided April Davids was the number one contender to Jenny Sjodin’s Pro-Wrestling: EVE Championship. The two have previously put on what can only be described as legitimate wrestling clinics – with the two having improved so much since their last encounter, and with their third and deciding match being for the Pro-Wrestling: EVE Championship, I think it’s easy to believe that their championship match on October 8 is going to put their previous battles to shame – and that takes some doing.

Talk about Jenny’s run as champion so far. Has she met your expectations? How has she grown in EVE?
Emily: Jenny has both met and exceeded our expectations! She’s the epitome of what a champion, both in a out of the ring, should be like. As Dann said above, Jenny was in the first match on the first Pro-Wrestling: EVE show and she brought such a new and dynamic style to the world of women’s wrestling. She really shone in both her Catch Division and standard matches, showing great competence, aggression and competitiveness. I admire her dedication and how with each match, you can clearly see she’s using new techniques that she has obviously been working on in the time between shows. In my opinion she’s a born champion, she has an excellent attitude and we’re proud to have her as champion.

Dann: The world has Jenny Sjodin and yet science chose to clone a fuckin’ sheep. If there were more Jenny Sjodins in the world, the mainstream wrestling scene wouldn’t be in the rotten state that it is.

NEXT: We ask Dann & Emily about Britani & Saraya Knight’s departures from the company…

Continue reading by clicking on ‘Page 2′ below…

Diva Dirt Promoters Season: Behind the NCW Femmes Fatales Curtain with Stéphane Bruyere – FF VII on October 8th, LuFisto, Kalamity & More!

Melanie — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:43:19 +0000

We aim to pick their brains about their upcoming events, their rosters and on current events. Plus, we look for answers to the questions that fans have wondered about…

While SHIMMER and WSU have proven to be successful formulas in the US, in Canada, NCW Femmes Fatales is the promotion that every girl strives to be part of. A sister promotion of Montreal’s NCW promotion, Femmes Fatales promotes its own shows and flies in talent from across the world to compete on Canadian soil.

The roster shares many talents with SHIMMER, including champion LuFisto and Cheerleader Melissa, as well as homegrown talent such as Cherry Bomb, Sweet Cherrie, Kalamity and others.

In October, Femmes Fatales presents its seventh live event — Femmes Fatales VII — with a card featuring LuFisto vs Kalamity for the championship, as well as the debuts of joshi stars Tomoka Nakagawa and Yumi Ohka.

Ahead of the big event, we talk to Femmes Fatales promoter Stéphane Bruyere…

Most fans know the history of SHIMMER or WSU, but perhaps don’t know the history of Femmes Fatales. How did the promotion come together and what is your history as a promoter?
Let’s start with my history as a promoter and it will finish with the history of Femmes Fatales. I have worked for several promotions in the province of Quebec since 2001, and I was only 17 years old when I started. I did work for probably some of the biggest promotions in the provinces, including the IWS, a promotion that fans around the world may have heard of. I started to book the ALF in 2008 when the booker left the promotion. Kim Leduc and LuFisto asked me if I wanted to help them, and I said yes, because it would be a great challenge and something totally different than I had ever done. The problem at the end of the ALF is that there were too many male wrestlers on the shows, major reason being we were running a show every month on Friday nights, and it was difficult to have everybody available. During a meeting in January of 2009, LuFisto and I decided that it was time to try something else and we offered the promotion to do a female show every three months and do a double taping the day of the show, a little like SHIMMER. After some problems with the people backing the ALF that did not want to try that, the promotion closed in February of 2009. I decided at that time that this was the end for me as I was starting my career in my everyday job at almost the same time. A month after the closure of the ALF, I received a phone call from LuFisto. She told me that she was approached by nCw and they wanted to open an all female wrestling promotion. They wanted her to help them run it, and she wanted me to book it. I sincerely asked her if she was kidding (and you can ask her, she will say it’s true!) as I told her a month before that I wanted to quit the business. After a couple of minutes, I told her to ask nCw to put the project on paper and I shall see if I wanted to help. A week after, I received an e-mail, read the whole thing twice and I said, “Okay, let’s do it.”

French-Canadian wrestling has a long storied history from the likes of Jacques Rougeau etc., but how has the reception been towards all-female wrestling cards?
Well, when the ALF started, I, myself, was not sure that a full time all-female promotion would work in the Montreal area since there was a limited amount of female wrestlers. The reception was good though and the ALF got their biggest crowd at their second anniversary show when Amazing Kong made her first trip to Montreal to face LuFisto. By the end of the ALF, I was not wrong and was not right since there was for sure not a big crop of female wrestlers, but an all-female promotion was possible, but not the way it was ran. In Quebec, female wrestling needs to be presented as a ‘happening’. If we run too often, it won’t work that well and it’s better to do less shows with more spectators, better wrestlers, bigger budget, so we don’t lose money with them.

One of your biggest collaborators is LuFisto, who is also one of the wrestlers. How would you describe the dynamic between yourself and LuFisto? Who handles what?
First, LuFisto has become one of my closest friend. I must be thankful for everything that has happened to put her on my road. We have really good communication and pretty much the same view on how Femmes Fatales should be run. In Femmes Fatales, we are a team and each of us has our role. LuFisto is in charge of the multimedia part, so pretty much all the videos you see, with some rare exceptions, has been done by her. She is also training the wrestlers. Yan O’Cain, nCw President, is in charge of the website and all the posters you see about us. He is the best in Quebec, by far. Anthony Tonin is helping me with the booking portion and he is my eyes during the show as I mostly stay backstage. And, on my part, I do all the texts about FF, contacting the wrestlers and staff, and of course, booking the show!

I guess a common misconception is that LuFisto books the shows with you… That’s not the case, right?
She is not booking with me no, but I don’t hesitate if I have any questions or doubts. Normally, I do the lineups and then we, LuFisto and I, have a meeting with Anthony to put the show on paper.

You’ve had six events already, with Femmes Fatales VII due to take place on October 8th. How would you critically evaluate the growth of Femmes Fatales over the past six shows?
I am really happy with where we are in the evolution right now and kudos to everybody that helped Femmes Fatales to grow that much in just two years. By watching the shows afterwards, from the first Femmes Fatales show to FF IV, which was the crowning of the first champion and the Kong/Anna match, the shows were always getting better. FF V, which was last March, was probably the best card on paper of all the shows we’ve done so far, but I had put the expectations so high on that show, maybe too high, and I was not 100% satisfied by the show we put on, although Hamada vs LuFisto is probably the best match from the promotion so far. Then, last show was one of my favorites with the rise of Kalamity to the main event level in a great street fight with her and Portia Perez against Cheerleader Melissa and Mercedes Martinez. Each show has been different so far and the evolution of the Quebec wrestlers has been a great ingredient to the success we have so far. There are so many people working on Femmes Fatales and it’s impossible to thank them enough for it.

Femmes Fatales VII will feature the main event of LuFisto vs Kalamity for the Femmes Fatales Championship. I would say Kalamity is a rising star in the world of women’s wrestling. How did Femmes Fatales management come to the decision to put her in the title match?
A couple of things made it an easy decision actually… I thought that it was time for us to put on an all-Quebec main event, which we’ve not done yet. Also, Kalamity and LuFisto have already done two single matches so far this year, and both of those matches are on the list of possible Match of Year contenders in the province. Since none of those matches are on our Femmes Fatales DVDs, I think that putting one as a main event of a Femmes Fatales show will prove what exactly Kalamity is capable to do and just confirm how much LuFisto is an amazing wrestler. So, we did that storyline where Kalamity won a first contender match in May, then she had her face turn in June. In July, LuFisto made her return to the ring after her operation and saved Kalamity from an attack. They will now tag on September 24th before their match October 8th. Don’t want to spoil anything though, so I’ll stop here!

Tiana Ringer is coming out of retirement for this show too and will face Mercedes Martinez. How did her return to wrestling come about?
Tiana came to see the show in March to see some friends, so we got the contact from there. LuFisto spoke with her at the start of the summer to get some news and asked her if a return could be possible… her answer was not no, but was not yes either. A couple of weeks went by, and then LuFisto told me to contact Tiana, and that is where we confirmed everything. For her return, I think Mercedes is a perfect match since they know each other quite well in the ring. We all hope this will be the first of lot of matches for Tiana!

There’ll also be some joshi talent making their debuts including Tomoka Nakagawa and Yumi Ohka. What are they going to bring to the table for Femmes Fatales?
Nakagawa and Ohka will bring diversity to the event. One of my views on a wrestling show is each match must be different, with different storylines and different styles. And, for sure, there is no Femmes Fatales regular that has the exact same style as those two great joshis. I’ve been watching joshis on DVD before they came to SHIMMER and I really wanted to bring them in Montreal. It was a question of timing. This time, only two were able to make it and I am really happy that our crowd will be able to witness their talents live. Also, it will give the opportunity for a girl like Sweet Cherrie to face for the first time a joshi, a chance she would not have had if it wasn’t for Femmes Fatales. I know she is working hard to be ready for the match that will include also Portia Perez.

Femmes Fatales mixes talent that a lot of people will know from other places (Melissa, Mercedes) with home grown talent such as Sweet Cherrie, Kalamity, Mary Lee Rose etc. How do you find the balance between home grown and imported talent? I’m sure you want to highlight your own local talent, right?
The general idea behind Femmes Fatales is to showcase our talents from the province of Quebec and from Ontario by putting them in the same backstage area as some of the best in the business like Melissa, Martinez, Allison Danger, Del Rey, etc. Just being backstage with them is helping our wrestlers to learn quicker. Also, LuFisto started to give them some clinics to help them improve. When we think a wrestler is ready, we try to find them the best match-up possible with an indy star to see exactly at what level they are. The wrestlers are aware that it’s not every show that they will have the opportunity to face a guest, so they must be ready when the time arrives. I’m not sure that Mary Lee Rose thought one day she would be in the same ring as Daffney like she did in June of last year. Cherry Bomb also showed her full potential in her great match against Sara Del Rey in our first show. Courtney Rush proved she is a star by going stroke-for-stroke with Madison Eagles at the last show. Anna Minoushka did an awesome job againt Kong. Those are only small examples. By facing those bigger names, our wrestlers are getting known and when I see their name on Diva Dirt or any other wrestling related website, it makes me proud of them. Everybody has stepped up since the start of the promotion, and that is a great accomplishment. Kudos to all the guests we have had as many thanks must be made to them, to LuFisto who keeps pushing them to the max, and to all those wrestlers who put so much efforts just to try to be better in the ring.

Of the local talent that some people reading this interview may not be familiar with — Kalamity, Cherrie, Mary Lee Rose, Mistress Belmont etc. — who should fans look up and find matches of, and why?
As far of wrestlers that are starting to be known on the indy circuit, Kalamity is proving show after show that she deserves to be in the main event position. She is really powerful, her technique is getting better and she has lots of charisma. When she did her match against LuFisto in JAPW last December, the crowd started the match by asking her who she was, and ended up giving her an ovation. Also, Mistress Belmont was so over the first time she was in Montreal that the fans turned her face! I think that match against Cherry Bomb was really entertaining. For sure, wrestlers you point out, Sweet Cherrie, Anna Minoushka and Mary Lee Rose, deserve the recognition, but I can’t pass over the young Sherbrooke Connexion. When they came with their new outfit as a tag team last March, they proved to us they wanted to succeed. Allison Danger gave me lots of positive reactions about them and I’m quite sure we will see them getting better and better in the next few months. Xandra Bale is also someone that has stepped up lately and she might be a big part of Femmes Fatales for the upcoming volumes.

You crowned the first Femmes Fatales Champion at Femmes Fatales IV, which was LuFisto. How do you respond to criticism from people that say she was awarded the belt because she’s one of the ‘bookers’? As we said, that’s a common misconception…
I think that people that said that were quickly answered by others about it. Whether LuFisto is a part of the administration of Femmes Fatales or not, all the real fans of women’s wrestling know there was no other person than LuFisto that could have been the champion that night. If it wasn’t of her, there would not be any Femmes Fatales shows, there would not be that amount of great female workers in Quebec and I would not be in the business. I don’t want to reduce the impact that the ALF had, but Femmes Fatales did finally open the eyes of our Quebec wrestlers, and this would not have been possible if it was not of LuFisto. And if I can add, when we told LuFisto our decision that she would be the first champion, she didn’t want to and we argued a lot during the months leading up to the show, but we needed to go that direction and we made her understand it. The decision was made by nCw administration and myself and the case is closed. I don’t want anybody to talk about it ever!

NEXT: Stéphane talks Femmes Fatales’ production values, doing more shows, Canadian talent.

Continue reading by clicking on ‘Page 2′ below…

Exclusive: Madison Eagles Talks About Being Ranked #1 on PWI Female 50, PWWA & More

Melanie — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:50:03 +0000

It’s been a great start to the month of September for SHIMMER Champion, Madison Eagles. In fact, perhaps we should just dedicate this month in her honor? Seriously.

Last week, it was revealed that the 6’1″ Australian wrestler was ranked the number one female wrestler in all of North America by Pro Wrestling Illustrated, but even before that, Eagles had much to celebrate.

Madison Eagles Lands No. 1 Spot on PWI Female 50

On September 3rd, Madison’s all-female Australian promotion, PWWA, returned after a long hiatus with a full card of matches including the first ever international SHIMMER Championship defense. Eagles successfully retained her title on home soil by defeating Jessie McKay and Nicole Matthews in a three-way match.

Live Coverage from Australia: PWWA Featuring Madison Eagles, Nicole Matthews, Jessie McKay & Kellie Skater

Having just come off the PWWA show and a major tour in Adelaide where she faced Nicole Matthews every night, we caught up with Madison to find out how it feels to be ranked #1, the scoop from the PWWA show and more.

Congratulations on topping this year’s PWI Female 50! How long have you known and what was your reaction when you found out?
Thank you so much. I knew only a little sooner than everyone else, but then again nothing was certain until officially announced. Trust me, I don’t count my eggs until they are a sure thing. I was very pleasantly surprised, It’s also a bit surreal to say the least. Never in a million years did I think i would top that list.

How does it feel to be the first non-WWE/TNA name to top the list?
Crazy! And very proud to represent all those girls that don’t have what WWE/TNA typically look for in their wrestlers. I am a proud independent wrestler and I love to show everyone what women can offer.

What do you think this says about your work in SHIMMER and about the promotion itself?
I think it shows that we truly have the top talent in the world coming together to create something special, and to be honest I would not have gotten this top spot without SHIMMER. It has let me create something unique in my matches and express myself as a true wrestler, and you really can’t say that about a lot of places.

What has the reaction been like from your peers?
It has been a great amount of support. My friends have been so supportive, because they can see that it’s a big step in women’s wrestling to have an independent [wrestler] top the list. I have also had a lot of support from the fans, which is what we all really hope for.

What stands out in your mind over the past year that might have contributed to this? The match with Manami Toyota in CHIKARA perhaps?
I think just all the hard work I have been putting into all of my matches inside and outside of the ring. And of course all the great talent, like Toyota, that I have had the privileged opportunity to work with.

You’ve had a very inspirational journey. You came from Australia and really rose through the ranks in SHIMMER to become a top name on the independent scene in North America. Tell us about that journey.
It really does feel like a whirlwind. Only a few years ago I was trying to improve wrestling in Australia, and was completely unknown to the rest of the wrestling world. I really did go from being a total unknown to the position I am in today, and it really does feel like a bit of a dream at times. Lets just hope I don’t wake up!

It’s an especially great couple of weeks for you as your promotion PWWA in Australia had a successful comeback on September 3rd. How do you think it went?
It was truly a success. We had a huge amount of debuts for the company, and all the girls went out there and really gave it all they had. We had a crazy main event, and I hope we can show the world some more of our Australian talent, as well as our new New Zealand wrestlers.

The debuting New Zealand girls in particular seemed to make quite the impact. What are your thoughts on them? Would you like to see them return to Australia sooner rather than later?
Yes, we definitely want them back. All of them did a fantastic job, and did their country proud, especially considering this was their first time out of their area. I was particularly impressed with Evie. Everyone should be looking in her direction for the next up and coming star.

Any estimated time frame of when the next PWWA show will be?
We should be back very early in the New Year. The last show will also be released on DVD within the month.

How are you feeling after your brutal triple threat match for the SHIMMER Championship and a week’s worth of wrestling Nicole Matthews on top of that? How is your shoulder holding up after your unfortunate car accident earlier this year?
The triple threat was tough. I had quite a few months taking it easy since my injury, but nothing could have prepared me for the amount of craziness that happened in that match. I’m still finding a lot of things difficult in regards to my shoulder, but at the same time I am finding I can push through a lot more things than I could before. Wrestling Nicole for a whole week has definitely prepared me for any upcoming matches we might have.

The next set of SHIMMER tapings will be held in a few weeks time. Is there a specific way that you usually prepare for the shows?
I would usually just be training hard at the gym and in the ring, but this time around it will be a lot more mental preparation because of my injury. I am trying to compensate by doing more cardiovascular workouts that don’t strain my shoulder, because if I can’t be the strongest, I may as well be the fittest.

Will you be wrestling for any other companies while in the US? CHIKARA and NCW Femme Fatales, who you’ve worked for before, will be holding shows around the same time as SHIMMER in October.
Yes I will, but I think we will just have to wait for the official announcements before I can say anything more!

You’ve wrestled in Australia, America, Canada and Japan. Any plans to head to the likes of, say, New Zealand, Mexico or Europe?
Europe is definitely at the top of my to do list. I love the European style of wrestling, and am going to be looking for any chance to get over there.

Are there any particular dream opponents you haven’t wrestled that you would still like to? This question can apply to Australians, SHIMMER, WWE, TNA, etc. – past or present.
Yes, there are a few Joshi stars that I would still like to wrestle. Also, Hailey Hatred in a singles match. I would also like to work with Evie from New Zealand.

Fellow Australian Tenille Tayla recently got signed to a developmental deal with WWE and will be reporting to Florida Championship Wrestling shortly, do you count getting signed by one of the major wrestling promotions as one of your ideal goals?
No, my goal in wrestling has always been to be the best I can be, and work on being the best in the world. That really is what my soul craves. Anything else is just a bonus.

And finally, is there anything else you would like to mention while you have the chance?
Just that I am so grateful for all the support for women’s wrestling that not only myself, but everyone else has been receiving. None of us would be in the positions we are in without the fans, places to work like SHIMMER, promoters like Dave Prazak, and the support we get from people like you at Diva Dirt. Thank you all so much!

Madison Eagles will be in action at SHIMMER on October 1st and 2nd at the Berwyn Eagles Club in Berwyn, IL. More details and tickets can be found here.

Follow Madison on Twitter at @SeriouslyEagles.

– Additional reporting by Katelyn

Diva Dirt Promoters Season: Behind the WSU Curtain with Sean McCaffrey – November iPPV, Melina, Steel Cage WarGames, Becky Bayless & More

Melanie — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:25:06 +0000

We aim to pick their brains about their upcoming events, their rosters and on current events. Plus, we look for answers to the questions that fans have wondered about…

In the first Promoters Season interview, we talk to WSU promoter Sean McCaffrey about the upcoming November 19th Internet pay per view, Breaking Barriers 2, which will see the debut of Melina, the return of Becky Bayless (formerly Cookie in TNA) and a major six-woman main event match set inside a steel cage.

Melina coming to WSU has been big news. What has it done for the company’s exposure?
It has helped a great deal. Since announcing Melina, our website hits went up, our Twitter following grew, and our pre-sale for both iPPV and ticket-wise is the highest its ever been. We are still over two months away from the show and Melina has garnered us a huge buzz.

One of the reasons we booked Melina so far out was to have three months of people talking about it, so when 11/19 comes around, everyone is aware that Melina will be here.

A lot of people are discovering WSU through Melina. Obviously she was a huge, popular name on TV. How do you plan to take advantage of that?
We have already started. We have already started releasing videos promoting the match. We also have just announced a new DVD at WSUWrestling.com called “PASSION: The Hardest Working Women in Wrestling” that fans just finding out about WSU can purchase for $5 when they pre-order a ticket or the iPPV. We are hoping to gain new viewers with Melina and based on the pre-sale, our plan seems to be working. While Melina is wrestling Serena on the iPPV, you can bet we will have her interacting with other people on the WSU roster to help other names on the show as well.

Does this new found audience increase pressure at all to deliver on November 19th in order to keep those newer/casual fans coming back?
Not really. Every show we present, we always pressure and stress ourselves out to have the best event possible. Just because a big name is coming in doesn’t mean we change what we do. Of course this is a huge show for us, but for us, every show is a grand event and we always want fans coming back. It’s obvious to anyone that while we are hoping Melina vs Serena brings in new fans initially, we are hoping they stay around after seeing the rest of the roster, especially the people involved in the WarGames match.

After this show, our next iPPV is the 5 Year Anniversary Show in March and the anniversary show is always our most important show of the year. So of course we will be going all out here to make sure that anyone who sees this show will be back with on March 3rd for the 5 Year Anniversary Show.

Melina is considered somewhat controversial. Were you at all wary of working with her?
I don’t know how controversial she is. She speaks her mind. So do I. I don’t call that being controversial. I call that being stand up and not afraid to voice up. I respect that. I’m not worried about working with her at all and I think this is a great deal for both her and WSU.

Many Internet rumors about Melina’s booking fee. What do you say?
The number reported is nothing close to what we are paying, but if we were, I guess it shows we got a lot of money to afford that price!

I don’t like to really discuss booking fees with anyone, but I will say for what we paid, we are already seeing a return in our investment.

Next: What has Melina been like to work with? Will Jillian come back? How will WSU tackle presenting a cage match on iPPV?

Continue reading by clicking on ‘Page 2′ below…

Exclusive: Mercedes Martinez Talks About Her Japanese Debut, Match with Lexxus on August 6th

Melanie — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:41:50 +0000

Despite being one of the most decorated female wrestlers on the North American independent scene, Mercedes Martinez has yet to take her hard hitting style to Japan.

That all changes this weekend.

Mercedes Martinez to Make Japanese Debut Against Nanae Takahashi

With the likes of Mercedes’ rival from earlier this year, Serena, fellow WSU star Latasha and Mia Yim amongst the recent travelers to Japan, it’s hard to believe that the 10-plus year veteran is only just making her debut. However, the wait has been worth it. Mercedes’ debut match in Japan is a big one: She will face Nane Takahashi in her 15th anniversary match in Tokyo.

Ahead of stepping into the hallowed halls of Korakuen Hall, Diva Dirt caught up with Mercedes to find out about her Japanese debut and also discuss her upcoming challenger for the WSU World Championship, Lexxus.

Live Coverage: WSU Uncensored Rumble

First of all, congratulations on being booked in Japan! A lot of the reaction we’ve seen from fans as well as your co-workers is along the lines of, “It’s about time!” You’ve been in the business for over 10 years and haven’t worked in Japan until now. What’s taken so long?
Thank you so much. It’s a great opportunity for me and I’m very excited and honored. As far as the reaction from fans and co-workers about the opportunity to go to Japan, it’s definitely long overdue but I believe that everything has a timeline. Being in this business for over 10 years has given me the experience and knowledge to see what this business has to offer and definitely perfect my wrestling skills. Japan is a place I’ve always wanted to go but maybe it just wasn’t in the cards for me until now. No matter how long it has taken for the opportunity to show up, I’ll always be honored that the opportunity came to me.

Is it a case of the opportunity hadn’t been presented in the past or you weren’t able to accept offers at the time?
It’s definitely the first time that this opportunity has presented itself. I will always accept offers as long as it doesn’t disrupt my personal life with regards to my real life job and home life. I just can’t pic kup and leave to another counrty knowing I have responsibilities at home. This opportunity has come at the right time in my career so I’m taking it and riding the wave, so to speak.

We’ve seen girls head over to Japan a lot recently, particularly girls with far less experience than yourself in the ring. What does it mean to you to finally have the opportunity to travel to and work in Japan?
It definitely means the world to me. I finally can say that I fulfilled all my goals in wrestling thus far. With this opportunity I will give more than my all and leave all that I have in the ring. Everything happens for a reason and I always leave everything up to faith. The girls with less experience than me go to japan just for that: Experience. Whether it took me one year or 11 years to get there, it’s an experience I will cherish.

Exclusive: Mercedes Martinez Discusses WSU iPPV This Saturday, Clarifies Whether She’s Going to Mexico & Reveals Whether She’s Interested in WWE Tough Enough

Of course, Japan has a thriving wrestling scene and I’m sure you study Japanese matches to help you hone your craft. Any particular Japanese wrestlers that have inspired or influenced you during your career?
I take a bit of everyone when it comes to my wrestling career. I studied a lot of wrestling matches in my 11 year career and most notable Japanese wrestlers i always watched were Ayako Hamada, Manami Toyota, Akira Hokuto, Aja Kong, Magumi Kudo and Bull Nakano. There are so many talented wrestlers in Japan that it’s hard to name them all, but I take a bit from everyone.

Your opponent is Nanae Takahashi and this will be her 15th anniversary match. How does it feel to be involved in such an important match for Nanae?
I’m humbled, honored, and excited that I get the chance to wrestle one of the premier powerhouses in the joshi world. To say that the pressure is on is an under-statement but I’m going into the match knowing that I’m giving more than 200% and will make sure that Nanae has an awesome and exciting 15th anniversary match.

You’ve wrestled three of the joshi stars in SHIMMER (Tomoka Nakagawa, Hiroyo Matsumoto & Misaki Ohata). Do you think those matches have prepared you for this bout?
Wrestling Tomoka, Hiroyo and Misaki definitely helped me to know what the Japanese wrestlers are all about. I’m going into this match with a sense of pride and joy knowing that I can produce a great match with one of the best in Japan. The language barrier doesn’t scare me [either], as wrestling is its own language.

Women’s wrestling in Japan is really intense, but you yourself have a hard hitting style. Do you think that will help?
My hard hitting style should definitely help in getting adjusted to the intense style that Japanese wrestlers have. I’m more than prepared to wrestle in Japan and i know that I can fit right in with their style. I still train and I still study Japanese matches just to keep my head focused on what to expect but having wrestle those [aforementioned] girls definitely helped me to mentally prepare for this trip.

Any other stars you’d like to wrestle in Japan?
I’ll wrestle them all!! Japanese wrestlers are so dedicated to their craft that I’m not picky as to who I’ll wrestle, but i would definitely love to wrestle Manami Toyota, who is truly one of the best in the business, period! That would be a dream match for me.

Now that you’re making your first trip over there, what are the chances we might see you in Japan more often? Would you be open to going there for months at a time as some of the American girls are currently doing?
I truly hope after this trip to Japan I get more offers and opportunities. Only time will tell and I’ll take it as they come. I live in the moment and right now I’m just humbled and honored to get the chance to showcase my talent over there. If the opportunity came for a chance to be there for months at a time, then of course I would go. It’s all about the timing.

Any talk with WSU about going over there with the belt at some point and representing the company in title matches in Japan?
As of this moment in time, there are no talks about WSU and Japan. I’m just holding on to the opportunity that presented itself and taking it from there. If it all goes great in Japan, maybe something will come out of it for WSU. Till then, I’m just living in the moment.

Switching gears to the Uncensored Rumble last month… Lexxus?! We didn’t see that one coming. Did you?
Definitely didn’t see Lexxus winning the Uncensored Rumble but it goes to show you that anything can happen. She stayed in there and outlasted many names such as Nikki Roxx, Amy Lee and Serena, amongst others. She played the cards right and won. I was definitely shocked but that’s what the Rumble is all about… Opportunity.

Think this will be an easy victory on 8/6? Are you focused more on Takahashi than Lexxus?
As of right now, I’m more focused on Takahashi and that’s only because it’s such a high profile match and it’s my next match. Obviously, when I get back from Japan, my focus will shift gears and my mind-frame will focus on Lexxus. I never under-estimate anyone in the ring but I take it one match at a time. I never, ever think any of my matches are easy victories even if they seem that way on paper because anything can happen.

Mercedes Martinez faces Nanae Takahashi on Sunday, July 24th at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.

See Mercedes live when she defends the WSU World Championship against Lexxus on August 6th in New Jersey. Tickets and more information can be found here.

Exclusive: Angela Fong Talks About Her Time in WWE as Savannah, Her Release & More!

Melanie — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:00:16 +0000

It’s been just over a year since Angela Fong was released by WWE, despite being one of the most promising girls to come out of their developmental system, FCW.

Coming to terms with her release and moving on, Angela is ready to open up about her time in WWE and FCW, as well as about her release. We talk to Angela about her training, working as a ring announcer on ECW and NXT, whether there were plans to integrate her into the Divas division, her eventual release and more on her time in WWE.

Plus, Angela also spills about declining a TNA tryout, as well as her current projects including the XFC Cage Dolls and her recent trip visiting the troops in Kosovo.

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Follow Angela on Twitter at @missangelafong1.

You can visit Angela’s official Facebook page at facebook.com/officialangelafong.

Visit Angela’s eBay page for signed goodies including 8x10s and old ring gear here.

Follow Melanie on Twitter at @MelanieTeamDD.

Exclusive: Jillian Talks About Her Wrestling Comeback and WSU Debut

Melanie — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:40:34 +0000

It’s been a long road back to the ring for former WWE Diva, Jillian, who was released by WWE last November, marking the end of a 7 year run.

After taking several months off to adjust to life after WWE, Jillian’s career now comes full circle as she returns to where it all started for her 13 years ago — the independent scene.

Jillian Hall Returns to the Ring, Wins First Match Back

Joining the ranks of fellow former WWE Divas including Jazz, Serena and Kristin Astara, Jillian will debut for Women Superstars Uncensored (WSU) tomorrow night in Union City, NJ. What’s more — her big comeback will air live around the world on Internet pay per view.

WSU is the all-female independent promotion that has picked up steam over the past few years, recently branching out into the iPPV business. The Jersey-based company has given stars like WWE’s AJ their break in wrestling, but also offered a sanctuary for TV names to continue wrestling after being uncermoniously dropped by WWE. Two-time WWE Women’s Champion, Jazz, has called WSU home for several years, while Serena and Astara recently joined. Even Mickie James competed in a WSU-sanctioned match last August following her WWE release.

In Video: Footage from Jillian’s Return to the Ring

The company also boasts a veritable “who’s who” of female wrestling names in its Hall of Fame including Dawn Marie, Molly Holly and most recently, Ivory. The latter, following her induction into the WSU Hall of Fame in March, even quipped that she wished a promotion like WSU existed when she was an active wrestler.

Now the spotlight is on Jillian, who has been billed as a star attraction on tomorrow’s card. Quite the difference from how WWE markets its Divas.

We briefly caught up with the former Divas Champion to discuss her return to the ring last weekend, and her big comeback with WSU. This Q&A is sort of a ‘part two’ to our more extensive interview with Jillian last year.

Read below:

You had your first match since WWE in Orlando last weekend. Before the match, you expressed your nervousness on Twitter. What were you nervous about?
My nerves came from me not knowing if I was ready to be in a ring again. When I left WWE, there was a part of me that truly thought that chapter of my life was over. I had turned down many requests to do a match before taking the Orlando show because it just didn’t feel right and on top of that my body wasn’t and still isn’t 100%. You wouldn’t think it, but it was a very emotional day for me.

How was it being back in front of a crowd and in the ring?
I was nervous up until the very moment I walked out that night. I wasn’t sure how the people would react to me. When I walked out and turned “Jillian” up, it felt very natural like I had done it yesterday. I was literally afraid I was going to throw up when I took my first bump, but that, also, was very natural. The crowd accepted me even though I wasn’t 100% and that’s something I really appreciated.

Fans will have noticed that you continued your singing gimmick from WWE. Are you planning to continue this gimmick or hoping to reinvent yourself?
My WWE singing gimmick, some people want to see and some people don’t. I’m someone who’s up for giving people what they want to see. I can and will adapt to different shows and crowds. Part of that gimmick is who I am though, so there will always be a little of that in my performance.

You’re debuting for WSU this weekend live on iPPV. What about this company in particular is it that caught your interest?
WSU seems like a respectable group of ladies. Why not be a part of something like that? This will technically be my first full match back. Why not do it in front of awesome women’s wrestling fans??

This will be your first match on PPV in some time, albeit on Internet pay per view. The event will be seen around the world. Do you feel any pressure as this is sort of your ‘comeback’?
I do to an extent. Like I said earlier, I know I’m not 100% ready, but I plan to give it all I have to give at the time. Maybe it will be enough, or maybe I’ll disappoint. All I can do is try. Hopefully, if I’m not perfect, my fans will be forgiving.

Your opponent this Saturday at the Uncensored Rumble is Kristin Astara. How familiar are you with Kristin’s work & how are you feeling going into this match with her?
I’m not that familiar with Kristin’s work, but I hear she has gotten quite good. I know she had some developmental training, so I’m sure with that we will have certain similarities. I’m actually looking forward to it!

Beyond the Uncensored Rumble, do you have plans to stick with WSU?
We will see what happens… Only time will tell what’s in my future at this point.

See Jillian’s big comeback live on iPPV tomorrow when she faces Kristin Astara at the WSU Uncensored Rumble. The event kicks off at 7pm ET. Click here to order.

Follow Jillian on Twitter at @Jillianhall1.

Follow Melanie on Twitter at @MelanieTeamDD.

Exclusive: Sassy Stephie Talks WSU’s Uncensored Rumble, Wrestling in Europe and More

Steven — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:00:59 +0000

Next weekend, Women Superstars Uncensored will be holding its annual Uncensored Rumble in Union City, NJ. We got to have a chat with WSU Spirit Champion, Sassy Stephie, about defending her title against Rain at the event. We also discussed wrestling Saraya Knight in the UK, her past as a ring announcer and her interest in the paranormal realm.

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Exclusive: ‘Mamachas del Ring’ Director Betty M Park Talks About the Film’s DVD Release, How the Film Came About & More

Melanie — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:18:57 +0000

Next week sees the DVD release of Mamachas del Ring, a poignant documentary following the journey of four female wrestlers as they challenge the male-dominated industry in Bolivia. As well as their professional struggles, the documentary depicts the personal struggles of Carmen Rosa as she juggles her love of wrestling with her life as a wife and mother.

Ahead of the DVD release, we talk to the film’s director, Betty M Park, about how she discovered the mamachas, how the film came about the process of producing the film, playing it at festivals and the DVD release. Diva Dirt is proud to support this documentary and hope our visitors will too!
Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Mamachas del Ring is out on DVD on June 21st. Click here to purchase.

For more information about the film visit the official website and follow the Twitter page.

Watch the trailer below:

Exclusive: Kyoko Inoue on Her Return to the US, Forming World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana in Japan & More

Melanie — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:00:54 +0000

Veteran Japanese star, Kyoko Inoue, returned to US soil for the first time in 16 years this week for some appearances and a match at CZW against Sumie Sakai. Inoue has been wrestling for over two decades and was awarded the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Match of the Year in 1995 for her bout with Manami Toyota. She also had a stint in the WWF.

Inoue was the founder of NEO, a once-highly successful joshi promotion which closed its doors last year, but this year she formed World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana which recently held its first show. Diana has drafted some familiar names from the US independent scene including Annie Social and Rain.

While visiting the US, Diva Dirt had the chance to interview Inoue about her visit, Diana and more!

Interview translated by Sumie Sakai.

How are you enjoying your trip to the US so far?
I’m really enjoying my visit. Steaks and hamburgers are so good here!

You recently launched World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana in Japan. What was behind the decision to leave NEO after a decade and open Diana?
I wanted to start my ideal joshi puroresu organization.

What has the experience been like so far in Diana? Are you happy with the first show and the talent?
In addition to being a wrestler, I now have more office work as the president. Prior to the opening card, I wasn’t able to spend much time on training because of my duties as the president, and I wasn’t satisfied with my own match. However, other girls showed great matches!

Kyoko & Annie Social in Japan (Image: Kyoko inoue)

You’ve brought in some girls from America to Diana including Annie Social. Have they gotten a good reaction? Will you continue to bring in more Americans?
They all showed the best performances. I want to find more wrestlers from the US.

What are your thoughts on being the first woman to hold a men’s title in Japan?
I give all the credits to to my tag team partner Fuyuki-san. I was scared everyday, but I’m glad I never fled!

How does it feel to be recognized as the 1995 Match of the Year vs. Manami Toyota in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter? Your memories of that match?
I had most matches everyday during that time, and I’m really surprised to find out that my endless effort was appreciated by the fans overseas.

What was it like working in WWF (now WWE) in 1995? Would you have worked for them again if they had asked you?
Back then, yes! Now? No way! I just started Diana in Japan!

What was your time in CMLL like in Mexico?
I was surprised by the size of the Arena Mexico and the exciting reaction from the audience.

You are well known for your bright and colorful wrestling attire – was there any particular inspiration behind it?
I wanted to be “ichiban” (number one) like Hulk Hogan.

In 2004, you appeared in a small role in the movie “Beautiful Boxer” – a film based on a true story about a Muay Thai boxer who undergoes a sex change operation to become a woman.
I enjoyed the filming that. I had a VIP treatment in Thailand because we [the subject of the film, Nong Thoom] became friends after I had a match against her.

In March, Japan was unfortunately hit by a massive tsunami which then triggered a series of earthquakes (the largest being a 9.0 on the richter scale) – aside from emotionally, were you affected by these disasters at all?
I lost one of my friends [in the disaster]. Japan is really going through a tough time right now. However, I hope puroresu can encourage Japan.

Do you have any advice for anyone who would like to travel to Japan soon?
If you travel to Japan, come to the arena for the Diana cards!

Visit Kyoko’s official website here. Visit the official website of World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana here.

Kyoko will wrestle Sumie Sakai tonight at CZW in Philadelphia. For more information & tickets click here.

With thanks to Jamilia Craft for her help with the interview and Sumie Sakai for translation.

– Additional reporting by Katelyn

Exclusive: Christina Crawford Talks Tough Enough, Giving Up WWE Contract for TE, Her Sister Alicia Fox & More

Melanie — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:01:19 +0000

She was the last woman standing on WWE Tough Enough and now finally she gets to break her long silence and talk about her experience following the end of the season this past Monday. Christina Crawford joins Diva Dirt for this exclusive chat to discuss her time on Tough Enough, her Diva sister Alicia Fox, why she gave up a WWE contract to do the show and more.

Exclusive: Ivelisse Velez Speaks on Tough Enough Exit, Injury, Tension with Christina and More!

We also get Christina’s insight into her fellow contestants, Ivelisse‘s injury, her own injury, trainer Trish Stratus, the live finale on Monday, whether she’d like to team with her sister, and whether she may be heading back to WWE.

Exclusive: Miss USA Rima Fakih Speaks on Tough Enough Elimination, Reveals Rib Injury & More

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Follow Christina on Twitter at @WWEchristina.

Exclusive: Jessicka Havok Speaks on Starting Her Own Promotion, WSU’s Uncensored Rumble and More

Steven — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 20:50:43 +0000

This weekend, Dropkick Divas will be holding its debut show in Canton, OH. We got to have a chat with WSU star, Jessicka Havok, who is the the co-founder of the promotion to preview the inaugural show this Sunday. We also talked about Jessicka’s beef with Alicia and Brittany Savage, her goals in WSU and her thoughts on WWE and TNA. If you follow Jessicka on Twitter, you know how open and honest she can be and it’s no different in this interview. This one is a must listen!

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Find out more about Jessicka’s promotion here.

Follow Jessicka on Twitterand like her on Facebook.

Download Jessicka Havok matches on ClickWrestle.

Watch a promo for Dropkick Divas below:

Exclusive: Jenny Sjodin Speaks on Becoming New Pro-Wrestling: EVE Champion, Background in Amateur Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA & More

Melanie — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:14:24 +0000

It’s been a whirlwind week for Jenny Sjodin, who was crowned the new Pro-Wrestling: EVE Champion after defeating Britani Knight this past Saturday night in Morecambe, Lancashire, UK. Jenny is used to accolades — having won medals for grappling competitions — but becoming the EVE Champion is the culmination of years of wrestling training.

Jenny Sjodin Crowned New Pro-Wrestling: EVE Champion

We talk to Swedish-born Jenny about winning the belt, the turmoil regarding Saraya and the WAW gym announcing their withdrawal from EVE on the same day as her victory and about her match with Britani. We also discuss Jenny’s move to the UK several years ago, as she packed her bags and left her home country of Sweden to join the British wrestling scene. Jenny discusses the trials and tribulations she faced as she left her family and friends behind. Plus, we discuss her incredible list of credentials inluding amateur wrestling, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA. This girl is the real deal!

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Visit Jenny’s official website www.jennysjodin.com and follow her on Twitter at @jennysjdin.

Tickets are on sale for Pro-Wrestling: EVE vs Ice Ribbon on October 8th and 9th. Click here to purchase.

Exclusive: Torrie Wilson, Lilian Garcia & Candice Michelle Talk Tough Enough, TLC After Show & Divas

Melanie — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:00:59 +0000

For the past 10 weeks, we’ve seen a reunion of former WWE Divas as Torrie Wilson, Lilian Garcia and Candice Michelle — collectively known as TLC — joined forces to bring us AfterBuzz TV‘s Tough Enough After Show. But with Tough Enough and the After Show coming to an end last night, we caught up with the trio to discuss their highlights from the show, Tough Enough and more.

In Video: Torrie, Lilian & Candice’s Final Tough Enough After Show

Easily three of the most popular Divas in history, we were honored to get the trifecta in this exclusive interview as Torrie, Lilian and Candice look back at how their After Show came about, their favorite guests, favorite moments from Tough Enough and more. Plus, we get their thoughts on the Divas today, lockerroom cattiness and more. We also find out what each member of TLC is currently up to and whether they’ll be doing another project together now that Tough Enough is over.

In Pictures: Torrie, Lilian & Candice Spotted at MTV Movie Awards Style Lounge

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Catch up on past episodes of the Tough Enough After Show here.

Torrie on Twitter / Facebook

Lilian on Twitter / Facebook

Candice on Twitter / Facebook

Exclusive: Courtney Rush Speaks on Femme Fatales VI This Weekend, SHIMMER Debut and More

Steven — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 00:02:03 +0000

This weekend, NCW Femme Fatales will be holding it’s sixth DVD taping in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. To preview the weekend’s festivities, Courtney Rush joins us in a exclusive interview to discuss her match against SHIMMER Champion, Madison Eagles. Courtney also speaks on her SHIMMER debut in March, her thoughts on TNA and WWE and her history with the recently retired Cat Power.

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Exclusive: Billy Corgan, Alissa Flash, Shelly Martinez & Little Egypt Talk Smashing Pumpkins ‘Owata’ Music Video Shoot

Melanie — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:27:12 +0000

In case you missed it last night, we had a quartet of guests last night to help celebrate the one year anniversary of Diva Dirt LIVE.

Joining the show were Smashing Pumpkins front man, Billy Corgan, Alissa Flash, Shelly Martinez and Little Egypt, who all appeared to discuss the Pumpkins’ video shoot for their new single Owata last week.

As revealed by Billy on the show, the video is set to premiere in two weeks on Yahoo!

Check out the first portion of the interview featuring Billy below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

For the full episode including more from the ladies click here.

IMAGE CREDIT: Little Egypt

Exclusive: Ivelisse Velez Speaks on Tough Enough Exit, Injury, Tension with Christina and More!

Melanie — Fri, 20 May 2011 14:01:16 +0000

In a world exclusive, Diva Dirt has the first interview with Tough Enough contestant, Ivelisse Velez, following her exit from the USA Network show last Monday. The spicy Puerto Rican was cut by ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin following a leg injury, and had a very emotional farewell. We catch up with Ivelisse to find out about her exit from the show, the status of her injury, and the story behind the tension with Christina, as Ivelisse addresses her harsh comments about her fellow contestant.

Ivelisse Eliminated from Tough Enough

Ivelisse also speaks on what it was like being the girl with the most experience, whether she was apprehensive over having to learn the basics again as a six-year pro, her thoughts on her fellow female contestants, Trish, who she thinks will win and if she might have a future in WWE.

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Follow Ivelisse on Twitter: @IvelisseWWE and ‘like’ her Facebook fan page.

Follow Melanie on Twitter: @MelanieTeamDD.

Exclusive: Miss USA Rima Fakih Speaks on Tough Enough Elimination, Reveals Rib Injury & More

Melanie — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:17:20 +0000

After being eliminated on WWE Tough Enough this past Monday night, Diva Dirt catches up with Miss USA, Rima Fakih to discuss her shock exit. Rima spills the beans on a previously undisclosed rib injury that led to her being cut — and reveals who’s responsible for the injury. We also talk to Miss USA about her highlights on the show, thoughts on the other contestants (which girl is Rima not a fan of?), Trish and what happened between her and Andy that led to her throwing a drink in his face!

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Follow Rima on Twitter: @TheRealMissUSA and @OfficialRima.

Follow Melanie on Twitter: @MelanieTeamDD.

Exclusive: Tough Enough 2 Champion Jackie Haas on the Show’s Return, Choice of Trainers and What it Takes to Win

Melanie — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:50:31 +0000

Former WWE Diva and TNA Knockout, Jackie Haas joined us last night on Diva Dirt LIVE to discuss her new role here at Diva Dirt as guest blogger for the revival of Tough Enough. Of course, as a co-champion on the original series, Jackie certainly has some insight and expertise about the show.

We get Jackie’s opinion on the return of Tough Enough, as well as the choice of trainers and what she thinks it takes to win the series. We also discuss her personal highlights from doing the show and what she’s up to at the moment.

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Jackie Haas begins her blog on the new season of Tough Enough next week exclusively here at Diva Dirt.

For more on Jackie visitwww.justjackiehaas.com and HMB.org. You can also follow Jackie on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thejackiehaas.

Exclusive: Trish Stratus Dishes on Tough Enough, Returning to WWE, WrestleMania, Snooki & More

Melanie — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:59:51 +0000

It’s been a busy couple of months for the legendary 7-time Women’s Champ, Trish Stratus. She’s back in the WWE fold with the USA Network revival of Tough Enough, she’s going to WrestleMania this Sunday, has a movie premiering in one week and is on the cover of Oxygen magazine! With so much going on in the Stratusphere, we decided to give the Diva Dirt Legacy Award winner a call and discuss!

In this exclusive interview, a sequel to our first interview last September, Trish dishes on her return to WWE, working with Snooki and this Sunday’s WrestleMania 27 extravaganza in Atlanta. In this one hour+ interview, we also speak in depth about the upcoming season of Tough Enough, which premieres next week, as Trish gives us her opinion on each of the five female contestants. We also touch upon her stunning Oxygen magazine cover, the world premiere of her debut movie ‘Bail Enforcers’, and the WWE release of Dave ‘Fit’ Finlay who had a big hand in Trish’s training and success in the ring as a WWE Diva.

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

WWE Tough Enough premieres next Monday, April 4th, at 11pm ET right after Monday Night Raw. Then from April 11th, it moves into a pre-Raw slot of 8pm ET.

The latest issue of Oxygen featuring Trish on the cover is on newsstands now and also available at TrishStratus.com.

You can also check out Trish’s official website at www.trishstratus.com and follow her on Twitter: @trishstratuscom.

Exclusive: Sara Del Rey Previews SHIMMER This Weekend, Future of ROH Post-HDNet, Michael Cole & More

Steven — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:00:36 +0000

The first ever SHIMMER Champion and Queen of Wrestling, Sara Del Rey, joins us to discuss this weekend’s SHIMMER tapings and lots more. We get Sara’s thoughts on the upcoming weekend in Berwyn, the future of Ring of Honor after it goes off air on HDNet, her thoughts on the Divas right now, whether she sent in an application for Tough Enough, her opinion on Michael Cole and lots more!

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Sara Del Rey will be in action at the SHIMMER tapings this weekend in Berwyn, IL. Click here for tickets.

You can also check out Del Rey’s official website at www.saradelrey.com and follow her on Twitter: @SDRpyoo.

Exclusive: Meet ROH’s New Princess – Mia Yim

Melanie — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 23:11:35 +0000

For the past several months you’ve known her as Mia Yim – independent wrestler and Diva Dirt LIVE co-host, but tonight Mia Yim becomes Princess Mia, ROH’s newest roster addition.

Ahead of her television debut on ROH on HDNet, we caught up with the Embassy’s princess to find out about her new role. Used to the fun, friendly Mia Yim of Diva Dirt LIVE, we quickly realised that Princess Mia has a whole new attitude! Read below:

Congratulations on your TV debut! Tell us a little bit about what you’ll be doing.
Mia: I will be by my prince [Nana]’s side in the Embassy. The Embassy is Prince Nana and I, our crown jewel Tommaso Ciampa, RD Evans, and Ernesto Osiris.

So how did you get recruited as the Princess?
Mia: Well, Prince Nana insisted I be his princess since I come from Korean royalty. I also have the beauty and wrestling background. I’m not just a pretty face!

You’re certainly not! You’re a pretty kick-ass princess, right?
Mia: Of course I am, I put in my share of work to make the Embassy the best and most powerful stable there is.

Tell us what it’s like working alongside Prince Nana?
Mia: Prince Nana is phenomenal. He treats me like the princess that I am, and gives me whatever I want. He really knows how to treat a fine, young lady

And you mentioned him earlier, your ‘crown jewel’, Tommaso Ciampa. What’s his deal?
Mia: He is the apple of mine and Prince Nana’s eye. He is the unstoppable machine the Embassy needs. He will destroy anything and everything in our way. He is truly something special.

More special than Ernesto? He helps you put on your shoes!
Mia: Yes he does, and he deserves more credit for his work! I must say, he is always there when needed.

What are the Embassy’s goals in ROH? Gold? Supremacy?
Mia: Ultimate power and respect. We want to be the top dog in the business, and it will happen. The new Embassy will not fail.

Fans will see you get physical in your debut tonight. Let’s just say you have quite a kick. It seems you’re not afraid to tumble with the guys?
Mia: Of course I’m not afraid. Why should I be? I can do just as much, if not more than the men.

What about the other Women of Honor? Will we be seeing you mix it up in the ring on your own?
Mia: If they get in the way of the Embassy and my Prince, then yes. I see it happening.

So everyone’s dying to know… who are your favorite princesses aside from yourself?
Mia: Aside from myself? There is no other princess better than me, so this question is irrelevant. I am my favorite!

Not even Jasmine? :(
Mia: Ill give her credit, she is beautiful and was a decent princess…but I have since stole the princess crown.

Back on track, the ROH on HDNet series is ending soon. Will we see you on on TV again?
Mia: That is unknown for now, but I am crossing my fingers for more TV appearances, not only for me, but the whole ROH.

You’ve got some big appearances coming up for ROH – you’ll be in Atlanta on April 1st and 2nd for the two Internet pay per views. Excited for your iPPV debut?
Mia: I am very excited. I cant wait for The Embassy to show more of what we have.

Diva Dirt will also be in ATL hosting a little party, might the Princess stop by?
Mia: I am a very busy princess. It really depends on if I want to devote an hour of my time to be amongst the peasants of ATL.

Watch Princess Mia’s debut tonight at 8pm ET on HDNet!

Exclusive: Former WWE Women’s Champion Jazz Looks Back at Her Career, Original ECW, WWE, Thoughts on Divas Today, WSU iPPV Match & More

Melanie — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 21:03:54 +0000

In her first interview in years, two-time WWE Women’s Champion Jazz speaks exclusively to Diva Dirt ahead of her match tomorrow night at WSU’s fourth anniversary show live on iPPV.

We talk to Jazz about her match with Alicia at the WSU iPPV, what it means to her to be part of WSU’s Hall of Fame and get her thoughts on inducting fellow former Diva, Ivory, into the Hall of Fame tomorrow night. We then take a walk down memory lane as Jazz reminisces on her 15 year career from ECW to WWE to the revival of ECW. Jazz looks back at the highlights of her career, working with Trish, wrestler’s court and also gives her candid thoughts on women’s wrestling today in WWE and TNA.

Listen to the one hour interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

Jazz will be in action tomorrow night at the WSU 4th Anniversary Show live on iPPV. Click here to order.

Exclusive: Shelly Martinez Discusses Why She’s ‘Breaking Up’ with Wrestling, Treatment of Women in the Industry and What’s Next

Melanie — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 03:28:49 +0000

The Internet has been abuzz today over former WWE and TNA star, Shelly Martinez’s announcement that she was ‘breaking up’ with wrestling. Wondering what exactly that meant and why she wanted to break up with it, we gave Shelly a call to find out more.

In this interview, Shelly discusses why she’s breaking up with wrestling, why she’s calling it a ‘break up’, what led to her making this decision and more. Shelly discusses politics in wrestling and the treatment of women in the industry, and offers up her advice to girls trying to make it in the business. We also discuss her array of other projects including the Sprinkles superhero web series, the Megan & Miley Show web series, Fun Time Radio and more.

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

[slaudio:http://diva-dirt.com/download/interviews/shellymartinezfeb2011.mp3]

Visit Shelly’s official site at ShellyMartinez.org. Follow Shelly on Twitter at twitter.com/funtimeshelly.

Fun Time Radio airs Thursdays at 3pm PDT (6pm ET) on BlogTalkRadio

Meet David Buckler, the Male Star of ChickFight

Melanie — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:26:49 +0000

Originally published on ChickFight.tv

The stage is set. This Saturday night, San Francisco will play host to the end of a wrestling career. Taylor ‘Shantelle Taylor’ Wilde’s career to be exact. The former TNA Wrestling star will hang up her boots following a bout with Alissa Flash at Pro Wrestling Revolution. That has been widely publicized. But Frisco will also play host to the birth of a wrestling career… well, so hopes David Buckler.

Like most professional wrestling fans, Buckler, 37, has always dreamed of being involved in the wrestling business. But also like most wrestling fans, his dreams have remained just that: a dream. Until now that is. Contributing to Diva-Dirt.com, who along with ChickFight and Pro Wrestling Revolution, will present Saturday’s big retirement match, opened a door that seemed to be bolted for much of his life. Now David will find himself in a wrestling ring as ring announcer.

“It’s something that I thought I’d never have the chance to do. As you get older, a lot of things are taken away from you, not many things are given to you,” said Buckler, a project manager for a defense contractor in Northern Virginia.

Friendly and charming, David may seem like he’s living the American dream — a wife, two kids, a steady job and even a side gig as an actor — but wrestling has been a big part of his life since childhood. “I started watching wrestling back in 1985. I lived quite close to Hershey Park Arena. My friends and I would go to a lot of WWF shows that would come through the area,” he recalls of his hometown of York, Pennsylvania. “I fell in love with the athleticism of the wrestlers, the excitement of the crowd, the pageantry, the music, the characters that were in the ring. Everything about it was really exciting for me.”

Admitting he could never see himself as a wrestler, David had always hoped to contribute to the sport he loved in some other aspect. “I knew it was something I wouldn’t physically be able to do, and I did want to go to college and get an education.”

Adulthood, marriage and children soon followed and the seemingly impossible dream was fading.

Third time lucky

Twice before his break with ChickFight, David brushed with the wrestling industry, but it didn’t work out either time. “A few years ago I did get in touch with a company in Virginia about an opening they had for a ring announcing job. We talked about it but they wanted more of a commitment than I could give them.”

His second brush with wrestling had a lot to do with his other passion: acting. In 2003, David took up acting and has since landed roles in movies and even has his own IMDB page. “I said, ‘Maybe this is something that I can do just for fun’. I’m never gonna have great success, but it’s been fun.”

That acting experience nearly paid dividends a couple of years ago when he was cast by the titans of wrestling, WWE, for a spot on Monday Night Raw. “I got booked to do a commercial. At the last minute, they cancelled me.” The commercial turned out to be a spot for WWEShop.com with ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan. David’s replacement? A buxom female. Go figure!

“I just remember being absolutely devastated. I have loved this for so long and it had been such a big part of my life. This seemed like, ‘Wow, I’m going to get the chance to do something with WWE’, and at the last minute it fell apart.”

Keeping his wrestling dream alive, David stumbled across Diva-Dirt.com in 2009. As readers of that site will know, Buckler is an avid Beth Phoenix fan and when the opportunity came along to join the Diva Dirt staff, he jumped. “When I became part of Diva Dirt, it just exploded for me. It was so exciting being able to share my passion, being around people who were as motivated as I was. It was a real challenge to say, ‘You know, I’ve wanted to do this for so long now let’s see if I can do it. Let’s see if I can write interesting articles and contribute to the audio programming’.”

David’s column, ‘Hitting the Ropes’ was, pardon the pun, a hit with readers. He also successfully anchors Diva Dirt LIVE, a weekly radio show produced by the site.

Last year, Diva Dirt and sister promotion ChickFight announced they would be teaming up to promote a series of matches and events in 2011. The opportunity came up for Buckler to get involved too. “With Diva Dirt getting into promoting, there seemed to be a natural fit here. Not just from a standpoint of putting our name on it, but we wanted to be involved in the promotion and presentation of the match,” he said. “So when I started talking to Jason [Deadrich, founder of ChickFight ] and Melanie [Rob, Editor of Diva Dirt], it just came together because it fit my schedule and it was just something I really wanted to do.”

Buckler continues: “I’m very grateful to Diva Dirt and ChickFight to reach out to me and say, ‘Hey, we know this is something that means a lot to you’ and give me this opportunity.”

His appointment with ChickFight is a far cry from the previous ring announcing opportunity. “It’s a little overwhelming in the sense of, I thought I would do some ring announcing several years ago but that would’ve been in front of 20 people at a country fair in West Virginia for nobody you’ve ever heard of,” Buckler says with a laugh. “So now to get the opportunity to work with women who have accomplished a great deal in the industry is wonderfully exciting.”

Citing WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel as his ring announcing inspiration, David hopes to show the same confidence of the legend, but he’s admittedly a little nervous. “I like to be very prepared. I feel like I don’t quite know what I’m going to say yet. What I’m supposed to say yet.”

“About two months ago, when I found out about this opportunity, I couldn’t sleep for two nights. I was extremely nervous then. As we’ve gotten closer to the event, I remember what my friend Kevin said the time when I almost did the ring announcing [in Virginia]. I was very nervous back then and he said: ‘You know what, Dave? Just walk into that ring like you own it’. I’m going to hopefully carry that confidence.”

It’s not everyday that people achieve their dreams, but David can now cross this off his bucket list, so to speak.

After years of watching his favorite wrestlers — including the Glamazon, Beth Phoenix — step into the ring, for one night in San Francisco, it’s his turn.

“It’s an absolute dream. I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to do this again. I don’t know where this will lead, but I do know this is a weekend I will never, ever forget.”

For more information and tickets about the ChickFight match, click here.

Exclusive: Taylor Wilde Speaks on Retirement, Final Match with Alissa Flash, What She’s Doing Next, Time in TNA and WWE

David — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 22:06:14 +0000

This Saturday in San Francisco, former TNA Knockout Taylor Wilde aka Shantelle Taylor hangs up her boots following a retirement match with fellow former Knockout, Alissa Flash. Shantelle’s much publicized final match before retirement is being presented by Diva Dirt, ChickFight and Pro Wrestling Revolution, so we thought we’d get her on the phone for an exclusive chat!

We get Shantelle’s thoughts on her retirement, how and why she made the decision, what she’ll be doing next in life and her thoughts on her retirement match with Flash this Saturday.

Plus, just as her career is winding down, what better way to send Shantelle off into the sunset by revisiting her career from start to finish? We also talk to Shantelle about her start in wrestling, working for WWE and TNA. Where was that San-Eye masked wrestler gimmick supposed to go? How does Shantelle feel about women in hardcore matches? Tune in to find out!

Listen to the interview below:

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

[slaudio:http://diva-dirt.com/download/interviews/taylorwilde.mp3]

Shantelle’s retirement match takes place this Saturday in San Francisco. For more details on the match, presented by Diva Dirt, ChickFight and Pro Wrestling Revolution, click here.

REMINDER: Shantelle’s opponent, Alissa Flash, will join us tomorrow night on Diva Dirt LIVE. Tune in at 10pm ET at diva-dirt.com/live.

Exclusive: Athena Speaks on WSU Debut, 10,000 Tacks Match, Training Under Booker T, Tough Enough and More

Steven — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:31:19 +0000

The name Athena has popped up a lot on Diva Dirt over the past several months, with us even touting her one of our ‘Five to Watch‘ last year. This rising young talent took the wrestling world by storm in 2010, making a name for herself in Anarchy Championship Wrestling in Texas, as well as debuting to much praise for SHIMMER last September. We thought it was about time we got on the phone with the self-professed ‘Wrestling Goddess’ so you can get to know her a little better.

She’s already hit the headlines over the past week taking part in a death-defying match against Rachel Summerlyn — a 10,000 Tacks Match — this past Sunday, in which she was victorious. And now this weekend, she makes her WSU debut live on iPPV against Niya.

We discuss her all that, plus what it was like training with WCW, WWE and TNA legend Booker T and whether she’s been approached for Tough Enough.

Listen to the interview below!

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

[slaudio:http://diva-dirt.com/download/interviews/athena.mp3]

WSU’s Final Chapter airs live on iPPV this Saturday at 7pm ET on GoFightLive.tv.

Exclusive: Mercedes Martinez Discusses WSU iPPV This Saturday, Clarifies Whether She’s Going to Mexico & Reveals Whether She’s Interested in WWE Tough Enough

Steven — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:00:48 +0000

Arguably the top independent female wrestler of 2010, Mercedes Martinez had quite the year. Continuing her WSU World Championship reign, working SHIMMER and NCW Femmes Fatales, as well as debuting for River City Wrestling in Texas, Mercedes was everywhere. Her incredible year was capped by being crowned #3 on the PWI Female 50 and being honored by Pro Wrestling Illustrated last November live on iPPV.

Now in 2011, she’s set to kick off her wrestling year with a bang this Saturday, facing Angel Orsini in a ‘Winner Take All’ ladder match on iPPV for the WSU World and All Guts, No Glory Championships.

We catch up with Mercedes to look back at her noteworthy 2010 and her plans for 2011. Mercedes also clarifies a report here on Diva Dirt last year about her heading to AAA in Mexico, and whether she’s at all interested in WWE Tough Enough.

Listen to the interview below!

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

WSU’s Final Chapter airs live on iPPV this Saturday at 7pm ET on GoFightLive.tv.

Exclusive: Former WWE Diva Jillian Speaks on Her Release, Her Transition to FCW Trainer, Being Unhappy in Her Position & Much More

Melanie — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:55:21 +0000

Joining us for her first post-WWE interview, former WWE Divas Champion speaks to Diva Dirt about her release and much more.

We spoke to Jillian about her release, the story behind her requesting her release, working as a trainer in FCW and much more. We discuss Jillian’s career from the independents to OVW, to SmackDown and Raw, including her thoughts on working with JBL, Melina and others. Jillian talks about her singing gimmick and why she wanted to drop it to be taken more seriously. She also discusses her infamous 5-minute long Divas Championship reign last year.

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

[slaudio:http://diva-dirt.com/download/interviews/jillianhall.mp3]

For more on Jillian follow her on Twitter at Twitter.com/Jillianhall1.

Video Exclusive: Post-Match Interview with ODB at GLCW Blizzard Brawl 6

Melanie — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 05:53:46 +0000

Look who we caught up with! Three-time TNA Knockouts Champion, ODB spoke to Diva Dirt’s roving reporter, Ayzali following her fatal four-way match at GLCW’s Blizzard Brawl 6.

ODB commented on her match with Traci Brooks, Serena and Melanie Cruise plus what she’s up to next.

Note: While some sites have rumored that ODB announced her retirement from wrestling at this event, that does not appear to be the case as Ayzali doesn’t recall this being mentioned during the show, nor did ODB mention it during their discussion. We hope to have clarification soon.

Video Exclusive: Post-Match Interview with Serena at GLCW Blizzard Brawl 6

Team DD — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 19:19:26 +0000

We seem to keep bumping into this lady. First at SHIMMER back in September and once again last night at Blizzard Brawl 6. We caught up with the wonderful Serena (she of WWE Straight Edge Diva fame) following her big victory last night where she became the new GLCW Ladies Champ defeating ODB, Traci Brooks and Melanie Cruise in a four-way match.

In this video interview with roving reporter Ayzali, Serena discusses her victory and her year ahead including WSU and SHIMMER next March!

Watch:

Video Exclusive: Post-Match Interview with Melanie Cruise at GLCW Blizzard Brawl 6

Team DD — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 18:22:50 +0000

Roving reporter, Ayzali caught up with SHIMMER star Melanie Cruise last night at Great Lakes Championship Wrestling’s Blizzard Brawl 6 in an excluive post-match interview for Diva Dirt.

Cruise comments on the match and puts SHIMMER fans on notice for next March’s tapings. You better watch out for M-Cruise!

Exclusive: Former Diva Taryn Terrell (Tiffany) Speaks on WWE Release, the Incident in August & Suspension, Plus Her Entire WWE Run in Detail

Melanie — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:12:45 +0000

Following her release from WWE last week, former WWE Diva Tiffany — real name Taryn Terrell — speaks to Diva Dirt for over one hour in this exclusive interview.

We spoke to Taryn about her release, the incident that happened in a hotel room in LA that led her indefinite suspension from WWE as well as a host of other topics. We go into depth about Taryn’s time in WWE from the Diva Search to FCW, as well as being on the ECW and SmackDown brands, her thoughts on her fellow Divas, how she developed her powerful move-set, her power-lifting background and what it’s like living a vegan lifestyle. As well as that, Taryn also opens up about her relationship with WWE Superstar, Drew McIntyre, telling us how the two began dating. Taryn discusses her plans to continue to plan wrestling — even revealing aspirations to work in Japan! Plus, we get to the bottom of Taryn’s love affair with short pleated skirts!

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

[slaudio:http://diva-dirt.com/download/interviews/tarynterrell.mp3]

For more on Taryn, as well as booking information, visit her official website TarynTerrell.com and follow her on Twitter at Twitter.com/Taryn_Terrell.

Exclusive: WSU’s Angel Orsini on the Original ECW, All Guts No Glory Championship, Plus Preview of Saturday’s iPPV

Melanie — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:36:45 +0000

Last night on Diva Dirt LIVE, we were joined by not one, but two women’s wrestling veterans — Alicia and Angel Orsini from Women Superstars Uncensored in an extended two-hour show to discuss this Saturday’s WSU iPPV. The duo will meet at the show battling for the All Guts No Glory Championship, but before that, we caught up with each of them.

As a 14 year veteran of the wrestling industry, Angel Orsini has done it all and you’ll hear all about it in this interview. Angel speaks on having her first professional match against Joanie Laurer who would go onto become the infamous Chyna in WWF, working for the original ECW, her background in MMA before it got big, plus working with Amy ‘Lita’ Dumas and training Nora Greenwald aka Molly Holly. Angel also discusses her current beef with WSU management and why she created the unsanctioned All Guts No Glory Championship, which she will defend against Alicia this Saturday. Angel has choice words for her opponent! Angel also announces plans to launch her own wrestling/MMA training school which will be solely open to women.

You can listen to the show in its entirety at this link.

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

[slaudio:http://diva-dirt.com/download/interviews/angelorsini.mp3]

WSU makes its iPPV debut this Saturday, November 6th, at 5.30pm ET on GoFightLive.tv. Visit Angel’s new official website, TheAngelOrsini.com and follow her on Twitter at Twitter.com/TheAngelOrsini.

Exclusive: WSU’s Alicia on Wrestling Since Age 13, Juggling Wrestling & Education, Plus Preview of Saturday’s iPPV

Melanie — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:29:34 +0000

WSU’s first and only triple crown champion, Alicia, has been in the industry for 10 years but is only 23 years old. We speak to her about beginning her career at such a young age (13), juggling her wrestling career with her day job and school (she has an extremely impressive 3.8 GPA!) and we get her thoughts on being the original Jersey girl in wrestling (watch out Cookie!). You can listen to the show in its entirety at this link.

Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:

[slaudio:http://diva-dirt.com/download/interviews/alicia.mp3]

WSU makes its iPPV debut this Saturday, November 6th, at 5.30pm ET on GoFightLive.tv.