Taya Valkyrie discusses the IMPACT locker room, Tessa Blanchard & Sami Callihan [Exclusive]

The longest-reigning IMPACT Knockouts Champion ever!

Of course, you're the longest-reigning Knockouts Champion of all time now. How much longer can you hold onto that title, or I should ask - who can beat you?

I mean... Are we talking in character? Because then I have to talk in character. [Taya giggles]

The women that we have on our roster are some of the best in the entire world if not the best. I think that this year, I elevated this championship and made people talk about it more than they have in a very, very long time.

I'm extremely proud of how I've carried myself as champion as well as how I've taken it internationally and how I've represented, I believe, the women in our locker room and our company as a whole and the best way possible.

🎤drop.....@IMPACTWRESTLING #WERALOCA pic.twitter.com/xh9C7gJymA

— Wera Loca (@TheTayaValkyrie) January 22, 2020

Do I think someone can take away from me? The second I start doubting myself is when that will probably happen, so I'm going to say no.

I am the complete package, I have always brought 130 million% every time I'm in that ring - if it's in my character work, if it's in my technical work, if it is the mix of styles that I bring from influences in Mexico, Japan, England - everywhere. I really do believe that I have brought it all and I wish the women good luck, and we will see what happens in the future - but I know that I am trying to evolve, push myself and I'm sure 2020, as hard as the first month of this year has been, I'm sure everything will play out and I know we will continue making history as a whole.

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Tessa Blanchard recently won the Impact World Championship. Would you want to start facing the men more regularly, or maybe even face Tessa for the World Championship?

Well, I've been facing men and doing intergender wrestling, honestly, from the very beginning of my career. Lucha Libre has intergender matches every single TV show, AAA has it all the time, mixed tag matches and even one-on-one situations where I've had them in Lucha Underground over the years.

I have been at the forefront of intergender wrestling since the beginning, and people seem to forget that and maybe don't think that I'm capable of doing it, I'm not really sure, but I've proven, over the course of nine years, that I'm not only capable of wrestling men, but I'm capable of beating them.

💜 Loca in Las Vegas@IMPACTWRESTLING pic.twitter.com/VJiqN42eHz

— Wera Loca (@TheTayaValkyrie) February 8, 2020

Tessa - I have her number. I believe that I am the number one contender for that spot. I believe that, over the last year, since she lost that [Knockouts] title, she hasn't faced women in eight or nine months. I think she ran scared from me, I think she realized that she can't hang with us anymore and I not only stripped her of the Knockouts title, I also stripped her of the Reina de Reinas title at Madison Square Garden, which makes me three times Reina de Reinas Champion for Lucha Libre AAA.

Whenever she is ready and done fighting in the mud puddles with Sami Callihan, I am here - waiting.

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On that note, what are your thoughts on Sami Callihan?

I wrestled Sami Callihan in season three of Lucha Underground, I believe. Yeah, season three. I have always thought Sami is an extremely talented individual.

He really knows who Sami is, and he does not stray from that. He's here to shake it up. He's problematic, he creates controversy. He really pushes the boundaries and I love that.

This is professional wrestling. Playing it safe character-wise, that's boring. I don't want a vanilla shake, I want the shake with the whipped cream, the sprinkles, the caramel sauce - everything on top.

I want crazy and I think that's what Sami Callihan brings to IMPACT Wrestling and to the wrestling world. His group OVE, too, has been stirring things up and I am waiting for my opportunity to punch Sami Callihan in the face again.

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NEXT: What does 2020 hold for Taya Valkyrie?