Just days ahead of National Wrestling Alliance's (NWA) "Alwayz Ready" PPV, NWA Superstar, Taryn Terrell joins Wrasslinews founder, AJ Singh on 'The Wrassingh Show' for an exclusive interview.
Here is the full transcript from the interview:
Question 1:
How does Taryn feel about NWA holding a PPV in Matt Cardona’s and not hers?
Taryn’s Response:
“Why would they put me? Because if they do that, right? Then all of the attention goes to me! We can’t do that! We just can’t! I mean, yes, we all know we want that, we like that but we have to give other people a shine!
It’s considerate, it’s generous, all of the things!”
Question 2:
If NWA were to hold a PPV in Taryn’s honor, what would she like to call it, and how does she picture the show to be?
Taryn’s Response:
“That’s a good question! You know, what’s coming to mind would be the many looks of the glamorous, the star, everything! - I mean, and part of what I love about NWA has been, my favorite thing is being able to wear all of these amazing outfits and costumes, I live for it!
So, I think the thing is the fact that you just get to see me in all of these different looks, it’s just.. I just feel so happy for everybody! So, I think that it should just essentially be a runway fashion show put on by me and then I put together the matches for the whole show!
Listen, we’re on to something, I have got to talk to Billy Corgan about this!”
Question 3:
Why has Taryn taking to managing these days and helping the up and coming stars?
Taryn’s Response:
“I’m just charitable! At the end of the day, I mean I have been able to experience the most amazing things in this industry. Truth be told, and I just enjoy watching other people grow so I’m just charitable in that way, and you’re welcome to all of those people that I get to rub off on.”
Question 4:
How does Taryn choose the women she wants to manage in NWA? What she saw in Paola Blaze, Natalia Markova and Jennacide?
Taryn’s Response:
“I watch them in the ring and for me, that is the biggest thing like.. I look at Jenna… Jennacide, right? I mean she was a force to be reckoned with, she needed a little bit of a push, a little bit of that, you know.. maybe, she’s confident? Maybe she’s got her ring moves?.. But she needs a little bit more of that ‘It-Factor,’ that ‘WOW!’
I’m so happy to help her out, Paola, she has the ‘It-Factor,’ she has that ‘WOW’ Factor, she needed just a little bit of understanding of what the wrestling world was, right? Because she came from this reality TV world . Wrestling is more than reality TV so we needed to really figure out how to harness what she had.”
And then moving to Natalia [Markova], Natalia had this match with Paola, it was insane, I was ringside watching this girl and beat the ever living, you know what!
She could be my next star, she’s a star baby! SO.. I have moved on and I have figured out who’s going to be the next champion, listen Jenna and Paola had multiple opportunities to become a champion and they did not, they failed me! So, it’s time to move on. So they have failed here, they have failed me, I don’t have time, gotta move on, gotta move on!”
Question 5:
Is there anything Paola Blaze and Jennacide can do to be in Taryn’s good books again?
Taryn’s Response:
“Presents! Lots of presents! Lots of gifts! I’ll take anything sparkly, feathery, poofy! Anything, yes!”
Question 6:
How was it like being there for Paola Mayfield’s NWA debut? Important of a developmental program.
Taryn’s Response:
“So that’s actually really cool because it’s, you know, she’s been training a little bit and she, by the time she got to NWA, I think it was, I don’t know, some like wishing 10 matches. She just had 10 matches so it is really fun to be able to explain how things sort of work in this world because it’s different, it’s a really different world!
When I grew up in wrestling, we went through training, we went through developmental, we went through all of these things, if you don’t bio through a developmental, there’s a lot you don’t learn because when you’re right there in developmental, you learn just like the etiquette of wrestling, it’s just sort of wrestling 101 and sometimes, you don’t learn that if you don’t go there and you don’t learn about the camera angels which is super important. You don’t!
There’s just so much so it’s fun to be able to share the things that I have experienced and learned with people that maybe haven’t!”
Question 7:
Taryn’s thoughts on Awesome Kong, who announced her retirement shortly after being outnumbered in the ring by Taryn and her friends
Taryn’s Response:
“She’s incredible, she’s had a monumental impact on wrestling, on women’s wrestling, she was doing things that was way beyond or way you know, beyond her time, before her time, whatever.. you know what I mean.
She’s just really, she’s so great! So obviously.. to be there for a moment like that was super incredible, yeah I think that probably she doesn’t want to have to deal with women that are.. the women that they are today! She was a giant back in the day, that’s right! She’s not the only giant anymore! I mean.. you’re like, ‘Oh Shoot! I gotta face women that are just as tall, just as big as I am!’ You know, who wants to do that? She can dominate when she’s the biggest, when she’s no longer the biggest?..”
Taryn’s explains why she backed away from a fight against Awesome Kong:
“She can’t do that! I mean, obviously! I didn’t.. you know, and the thing is that I back out because that’s what a graceful woman does! Right? I’m going back away because I’m not going to embarrass you on this night where you’re trying to retire and all of this stuff. I’m just going to let you have your moment because again, I am charitable!”
Question 8:
Does Taryn still want to fight Serena Deep? Does she feel like Serena has the guts/ courage to fight Taryn?
Taryn’s Response:
“She doesn’t have the guts to fight me for sure! Would I? Obviously! Listen, I will go toe-to-toe, head-to-head, nail to nail with any girl in the ring. I’m not, I haven’t lost it! You know what I mean?
Listen, before Tay Valkyrie, I was the longest reigning [Impact] knockouts champion, right? Taya somehow did some voodoo magic to get herself a few more extra days. Whatever! Does that really count? No!
So here’s the thing.. I will go against Serena, absolutely! Will she lose? Absolutely! Yeah, but I mean, the thing is it’s just about like how many people do I want to embarrass? And I’m just not about that life! I just want to make people feel good and happy and positive! I don’t want to go in there and embarrass her! She’s doing really well in her career so I’m going to let her do her thing but if she ever comes back to NWA and steps into our ring, I’ll stick Natalia [Markova] on her!”
Question 9:
How was it being a co-captain along with Aaron Stevens in the NWA Champions Series?
Taryn’s Response:
“ I think Aaron and I worked really well together. He listened to everything that I had to say and when he didn’t, I made sure to put him in his place and that was that so it was really fun!
Now we didn’t win so I think that maybe I needed a better co-captain. However, I am really proud of him that he just listens to me.”
Question 10:
Taryn’s favorite male wrestler on the NWA roster?
Taryn’s Response:
“What a good question! Well, hold on.. this is a very tricky question because I’m going to have to see all of these people in just a few days so let me, let me answer this politically - Trevor Murdoch.”
[claps for her answer]
AJ Singh: “That’s a good answer..”
Taryn: “I know, its a good answer! Listen, I need to get the right people on my side if you know what I mean!”
AJ Singh: “And the wrestler you absolutely despise..?”
Taryn: “The Gimp!”
AJ Singh: “Oh, the Gimp? The gimp is great! The stuff that he has done in the ring…” [Taryn laughs]
Taryn: “You’re right, I should switch him to my favorite! Yeah, we’re going to put Trevor, let’s switch! Trevor Murdoch! You’re at the bottom of the list! The Gimp- you’re at the top of the list!”
[Taryn laughs]
We just talk about how funny and amazing [The Gimp is]! I’m obsessed! It’s the truth, I’m obsessed!
Now! I don’t want him close to me, like please keep 20 feet between us, but I will happily watch from 20 feet away!”
Question 11:
How does she balance her life between being the best mother of 2 and the best pro wrestler she can?
Taryn’s Response:
“You just do! You just have to! Being a mom is like literally the best job in the entire world, it’s not work, it’s just fun! I love my kids so much. We are just constantly having fun in our house for the most part. Especially, when I’m like, ‘Mommy needs to do something, go have a snowball, go eat, have a treat.’ But I’m, you know, it’s not the easiest thing in the world obviously because there’s a whole lot of balance that comes in but I think that’s what makes me better every day is that I do have a lot of real things that I have to do.
My kids, my daughter’s coming with me this weekend to ‘Alwayz Ready.’ We have matching outfits, we are ready to go so you know, we just keep rocking and rolling! I can’t imagine what life would if I didn’t have kids. I feel like Would be so bored!
Sometimes people ask like what if your kids want to be a wrestler, like how would you feel about that? And I like, my honest to God answer is my kids are going to do whatever it is that they want to do, whitest it’s wrestling, whether it’s stunt work, whether it’s motorcycles, and no matter what, I’m going to support them and support them equally so listen, if they ever faced each other in the ring, I would just have to like run to one corner and be like, ‘Go!’ and to the other corner, like ‘Go!
Maybe it would be a draw? Maybe they would just end up being like, you know what? never mind! We’re gonna shake hands and give mommy a hug!”
Question 12:
Importance of being who you are in wrestling?
Taryn’s Response:
“The thing about wresting and this is kind of what I’ve also told people too, but people that are trying to figure out like what their characters are and that sort of thing, is that ‘You have to be true to who you are, you can’t be somebody fake! You have to be who you are!’ Maybe we just show people more of that, we turn it up a little bit but it’s genuine and it’s honest and that’s… that’s the truth of the matter is that I cannot do an interview without my dogs barking or my children running in here, it’s just not gonna happen but that’s okay because that’s who I am!”
Question 13:
What is the big secret that Taryn has been teasing on TV?
Taryn’s Response:
“Oh Goodness No. We are getting along but listen, I mean, I just like to keep those things for like really big moments! I like when I have many, many faces looking at me and by many, I mean thousands and then I feel like, ‘Okay! My cup is full enough to where I can say this!’
Follow up question:
When can we expect for her to make that big announcement? And is Taryn really “Alwayz Ready?”
Taryn: “Whenever I feel like it, I guess? I like to make sure also super important - I need my hair, makeup done properly! I need the lights proper, I need everything perfect because those moments are captured in time forever so I want to make sure that I am perfectly camera ready! I mean, my nails don’t look at them, they’re not even done yet!
Real quick - don’t zoom in on my nails! Let’s talk! I’m gonna shift this interview really quick, okay!
“Alwayz Ready,” right? So Saturday is called “Alwayz Ready!”
Am I always ready to be in the ring, absolutely! Do you know how long it takes me to get ready to be alway ready? I have a week of appointments all week, literally I think this is the thing bout being a female wrestler. Girls, we have so much more to do than boys, like they literally throw on a pair of trunks and they go out! Must be nice! Yesterday, botox appointment, still hasn’t set in! Today, I have to pack, continue packing outfits! Tomorrow, nails, next day, hair, next day, travel! Saturday, I’m ready!
Question 14:
Taryn’s thoughts on Tay Valkyrie surpassing her as the longest reigning Impact Wrestling Knockouts champion?
Taryn’s Response:
“It’s crazy! Didn’t she have it during COVID? That’s right! That’s what makes it absolutely unfair and unacceptable! It’s so ridiculous, it doesn’t even count! It does not count! That was the year that didn’t count so lets take 365 days off of that!”
Question 15:
Would Taryn like to get her hands on Tay on Saturday?
Taryn’s Response:
“Natalia [Markova] can do the work! Have you seen her? She will beat the ever living, you know what! And I’m just going to sit back and enjoy it and watch, and I am probably going to bring a board out and just sort of click off the days that she thinks she was champion because she wasn’! It was COVID and that does not count, how can you be proud of that anyways? That’s so stupid!
I’m just going to enjoy! I’m going to sit, I should probably bring a chair, sit back a cocktail and just enjoy the show like everybody else!”
Question 16:
Apart from the Natalia vs Tay match, what other match is Taryn Terrell looking forward to the most this Saturday?
Taryn’s Response:
“The Women’s championship match! Because I think that’s where Natalia is set to go! So that will be fun to watch, I will sit there with a second cocktail and watch that one and strategise because that’s where I come into play - strategies for everybody! My Girls, i strageize for.. so I will be very much enjoying that and watching that beat down!
I cannot wait to see Natalia vs Kamille. I cannot wait for it like, Kamille’s gonna win, she always wins because she hasn’t faced Natalia yet!”
Side note from Taryn Terrell on her outfit this Saturday at NWA Alwayz Ready:
“One important note - I have very specifically planned my outfit around an Eastern European look! Me and my daughter are actually going to be wearing matching outfits, I know she is very much wanting to come out to the ring with me and I’m like ‘I don’t know if we’re there yet, little sister, I got some work to do!’ But we have matching backstage outfits, those will be posted on Instagram!”
AJ Singh: “And do you design and come up with ideas for your outfits?”
Taryn: “I feel like I’m really good at it! Like my outfits are amazing! They’re so fun! It’s all about the accessories!”
AJ Singh: “You are the best at everything.”
Taryn: “ I tell myself that every morning!”