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. Let’s 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