The Hex (Allysin Kay & Marti Belle) are together in IMPACT Wrestling, ready to take on the Death Dollz this Friday at No Surrender, live on IMPACT+ and FITE.
The duo, now alaligned with legendary manager, James Mitchell, sat down to talk to PWMania.com‘s Lee Tarrier (@leeseedub) and discuss their reasons for returning to the company, their aim of taking tag team gold, and who from their wish list of dream matches they would like to face.
You’ve both recently returned to IMPACT as a tag team. What made you want to return at this time?
MARTI: I think for both of us, we had so much fun individually in our last run at IMPACT, and after becoming a team elsewhere, winning gold across the US and overseas, we felt that why not come back to a place we love, now as a team, and show what we can do. Now we know what we are capable of doing together, let’s do it.
You’re now aligned with James Mitchell. Do you feel you’re learning a lot from him?
ALLYSIN: It’s been very interesting. He is a little scary, I’m not gonna lie. But, we know that he has so much history with members of the Death Dollz, like we have a lot of history with individual members, so we wanted to use our resources to their full advantage, coming in as prepared for this match as possible. It’s why we have become aligned with him. We don’t see him so much as a manager, we see this as more of an association. He is an advisor.
Well, with him on your side for this big match on Friday’s No Surrender ppv, how are you feeling going into the match?
MARTI: We are very excited. It’s crazy when you walk into a company and know you want to challenge the biggest names straight away, so we know this isn’t going to be easy, that we are just going to walk in and take the titles. We will have to work for them. Alongside that, Allysin is facing Taya Valkyrie in a warm-up match this Thursday on IMPACT, so we know, we’re facing big names, but people can hex-pect a lot from us, and we are confident going into this match that we will become tag champions.
People may not have been following us outside IMPACT where we won gold at NWA and Pro Wrestling: EVE. Many may only know us from our previous time at IMPACT. But everyone will see we have evolved, we are previous champions and we know exactly what we want and we are going directly for that.
So, how do you view the women’s division at IMPACT in 2023, both in tag and singles competitions?
ALLYSIN: I really do think that the women’s division here just keeps getting better and better. It’s fascinating because you think it cannot get better and it does. I remember in 2016, the women’s locker room was so strong, but now it’s grown once again when I didn’t think it would be possible from such a solid roster back then.
There are some new faces, familiar faces, and the combination is great. It’s women who have busted their ass on the indies for years and hustled throughout their career. I think when you’ve done that, you’re a little more humble than some who have only known a national stage and mainstream television.
Other than the people we jumped, everyone has been so welcoming. The locker room, the officer, Gia Miller, who is so charismatic and awesome. The fact everyone is supportive of each other means a lot.
Who have you enjoyed working with so far?
MARTI: There’s so much knowledge in this company. We think we know a lot 12 years in and then you come across people like Gail Kim, who is simply amazing. If anyone knows me, they know my love for Mickie James, so to work with her and learn from her is a privilege. Lance Storm, and Tommy Dreamer another set of amazing minds that has gone to bat for us that we can call, text, contact these people at any time or pull them aside to discuss thoughts we have, it’s the best. It’s so refreshing when you know there’s a lot of people you can turn to that want to help you be the best you can be.
There’s just so much amazing talent on and off camera to work and learn from, you’d be silly not to take advantage of it.
ALLYSIN: Lance was one of our agents last time round and once again, it is just great to be able to pick his brain and learn so much.
IMPACT is receiving rave reviews weekly within the wrestling community. Where do you see its place in the wrestling landscape in 2023?
MARTI: Speaking from the women’s perspective, IMPACT has always had some of the top talent and matches across the wrestling world. To say the sky is the limit is a cliche, but I truly feel this is going to be the year where IMPACT broadens its horizons and that we return to places like the UK and other great cities across the US to start showing a wider audience the great stuff we are doing.
ALLYSIN: From a fans perspective, I think IMPACT has always been the company to bet upon. I remember back in 2008/09 when I started wrestling, the IMPACT knockouts division was the hottest thing on TV. They were having the best matches with female characters getting pushed with top storylines and it’s crazy to think that now I am part of the new generation that will look to do the same again. We know things have changed behind the scenes so many times over the years but I feel that in IMPACT’s bloodline, they’re willing to bet on their women’s division and take risks and chances on things other companies are not doing.
You have great matches coming up, but what opponents are on your dream list to take on?
ALLYSIN: I would love for us as a team to take on Miyu Yamashita and Maki Itoh. Whether we go to Japan and Tokyo Joshi Pro or they come here, or we do both. I would absolutely love that match. I love them as a tag team and it would be great to see how we would fare up against that. I took on Yamashita in singles but I’ve never taken on Itoh. She is adorable and swears a lot, like me, so I love that, but I think a tag team match against them would be amazing.
MARTI: I agree. We’d love to make that happen. And personally, from a singles situation, I would love to wrestle Mickie James. We both got the privilege to take her on as part of a tag match, but I have developed so much from when I wrestled her, so I would love the chance to share a ring with her now and show my skills. I have so much respect for her as a mentor, but she is also a peer so I would love to have that match.
It’s clear The Hex are ready for a big night on Friday at No Surrender. Will they claim more tag team gold? Let’s see what happens.
Catch IMPACT Wrestling’s No Surrender ppv this Friday on IMPACT+ and FITE.
(Pictures: IMPACT Wrestling)
