Kenzie Paige recently appeared as a guest on the Wrestling Epicenter podcast for an in-depth interview covering all things pro wrestling. Here are the highlights:
On becoming the NWA Wolen’s Champion at NWA 75:
|It is a dream come true. This is something people go through their whole lives working for. And, to be able to say that at 21, I’ve succeeded and I’m a World Champion? It means a lot!”
On taking the title from “The Brick House” Kamille:
“Like you said, I dethroned Kamille after 813 dominant days. So, I feel like a champion! She calls herself the “One Time”. And, you’ve had your one time, honey! (laughs) In all retrospect, she was a great champion and is a great competitor. You don’t hold a title for 813 days unless you’re dominant! Kamille, her name carries a lot of respect. Working with her and taking the title from her are two momentum changing things that have happened in my life.”
On how she got trained to wrestle at age 14:
“So, my Dad is an independent promoter. My Dad and y Uncle run a show and that is how I was able to get trained at 14. My cousins were also wrestlers. It was a whole family thing! So, from a very young age, pro wrestling has always been a big part of my life. They loved it, my Dad loved it… And, I was like, this is such a genuine love for something. And, yeah, it gives and it takes. But, it does give! I mean, it is such a pay off. And, I just fell in love with it at such a young age. And, I loved independent wrestling before everything else. Everything really fell into place for me. But, yeah. I’ve loved it ever since I was little. That is how I was trained when I was 14… Not a lot of places will train a 14 year old!”
On the growth of indie wrestling:
“When I see a company like GCW put on a show, it is always sold out. i mean, how great is that? These people are doing what they want to do and there is an audience that is entertained by it. That sounds like a great time to me! And, more independent wrestlers get seen! Not everybody has to go to the “big leagues” to be seen. I love that. I love seeing GCW succeeding in that. And, there are a lot of promotions like that where you can get coverage from working this show. You can get seen by working this show! And, I think that helps wrestling as a whole.”
On Billy Corgan as a boss:
“I can only speak for myself. Obviously, he is a bonified rockstar. I love the Smashing Pumpkins! I have a pumpkin tattoo on my arm. But, I don’t get that (rockstar) vibe. I feel like he is there for me! At NWA, he’s not there for him. He’s there for us! He’s there for what we are going to do, what we want to do, and what we need to get it accomplished tonight. So, when we’re backstage at NWA, he doesn’t give off the rockstar vibe at all. But, still, in the back of my mind, it is cool to know that the Smashing Pumpkins rockstar is my boss!”
On who she goes to backstage at NWA as a mentor:
“Aside from Dr. Tom Prichard because he is my trainer. Aside from him, I would say Miss Jazz. Jazz has been the biggest influence on shaping me as a person – Not just as a wrestler but as a person… And, how I want to be presented as a superstar. She has really been helpful in helping me establish who Kenzie Paige is. So, yeah. Miss Jazz has definitely been the one who jumps out as the one who has helped me level up the most.”
On leading the Pretty Empowerrred group:
“I love it! And, i love that it isn’t like, “I’m the leader! Everybody listen to me!” We all agree and I’m the one who presents it. And, they’re going to back me no matter what. And, I think it is really cool to have my little sister be a part of that. And, my best friend as part of it too. So, Pretty Empowerrred isn’t just an on screen thing. Even off screen, we are silly, we are petty, and it puts us all in a great light because we get to have fun and just be us!”
On if there will be another NWA Empowerrr all-women’s PPV:
“I will always push for that and I would hope that there is going to be another one not only because I want to share the locker room with such amazing talent and also showcase more women, but because of Pretty Empowerrred’s own story. I was only on the pre-show for the first one. Ella and Kylie weren’t a part of it. So, I think it would be a statement if they brought it back and Pretty Empowerrred was at the forefront like we are, that would be our own little success story!”
On Billy Corgan teasing that the NWA has signed with a top 10 TV network:
“I think it is a great opportunity for all of us who have worked very hard to bring the NWA back up. I think it is a great thing for all of us. But, I think we’re all ready to kick it into the next gear… To keep leveling up! Hypothetically, if we’re going on to TV, we’re going to keep doing what we’re doing now but more. Pretty Empowerrred is going to step it up even more. We’re going to get even pettier! (laughs) NWA is going to put out the best show we can put out. We didn’t come this far just to come this far! So now, if we get this (TV deal), we’re only going to keep improving and leveling up in our own ways!”
On facing Ruthie Jay at NWA’s October 28th PPV Samhain:
“I think Ruthie Jay is a great competitor. She’s beautiful, she’s determined, and has everything it takes to be a great competitor. But, that’s to be a great competitor. I’m a champion. I’m a World Champion! The first ever Triple Crown Champion! You’re not going to embarrass me on my first pay per view as the first ever Triple Crown Champion! There are a lot of eyes on me for this pay per view. And, Ruthie is not going to mess that up for me.”
On future goals in pro wrestling:
“I just want to keep Pretty Empowered at the forefront of the Pretty Era of the NWA. I want people who tune in to the NWA to do so to see Pretty Empowerrred. I feel like that is a pretty big thing to say. And, for being so young, we want to stay at the forefront. Outside of wrestling, I want to be able to stay healthy both physically and mentally. Those are my goals right now.”
Speaking of Pretty Empowerrred, PWMania.com exclusively spoke with Kylie Paige and Ella Envy. You can check out the complete interview below:
