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Tessa Blanchard may be the woman taking all the plaudits for creating history in IMPACT Wrestling right now, but one other lady who hit a monumental milestone in 2019 is Taya Valkyrie - and the longest-reigning Knockouts Champion of all time recently spoke with Sportskeeda's own Gary Cassidy to discuss just how she plans to dethrone Blanchard as IMPACT World Champion.
Taka Valkyrie, born Kira Renée Forster, defeated Tessa Blanchard in 2019 to win the Knockouts World Championship, and later in the year to win the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship - staking her claim as rightful number one contender to the IMPACT World Championship, but Wera Loca would also open up to Sportskeeda about the IMPACT locker room and the legends who now inhabit it - like Rob Van Dam, Rhino and Tommy Dreamer - as well as discussing Sami Callihan and intergender wrestling!
I need to start off with a pretty general question. For me, Impact Wrestling, right now, may be better than ever! Several talents I've spoken to have said there's a buzz and really high morale in the locker room. Is that something you feel, too, and why is it so exciting to be a part of Impact right now?
I definitely think that, over the last two or three years, the fans, and obviously you've noticed this kind of evolution that has happened in IMPACT. There were so many dark shadows from times past that kinda followed us into this new regime but I feel like we've kind of been able to shake that off and really show our resilience as a brand, as a company, and as a roster - and we have so many new and talented people in our roster that people haven't really had a chance to see before.
Behind the scenes, the roster all supports each other, and it's a positive environment where we all watch each other's matches and we all discuss what's going on with one another. There is this weird separation that I've heard that happens in other brands, and we're just allowed to be as creative as possible.
When you know your bosses have this kind of confidence in you, that's when people thrive and put out their best work because I can come with ideas and they can shut them down, and I am okay with that, or they're like, "Oh, my God, that is amazing," and we run with it.
Everyone shares their opinions and everyone is very supportive of one another. I know that has helped me immensely this year in the growth of Taya Valkyrie as a character - from having my backstage segments being agented by Jimmy Jacobs and Gail [Kim] presenting me with good opportunities to wrestle my way and do things in my style, and really be open to my crazy ideas, as an agent, for my matches. It's been a wonderful, positive work environment.
NEXT: Taya Valkyrie discusses Tessa Blanchard
COMING UP: What does 2020 hold for Taya Valkyrie?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
NEXT: What does 2020 hold for Taya Valkyrie?
And we spoke earlier about yourself and Tessa making history, but there are so many other talented women in IMPACT Wrestling. Who's your one to watch for 2020?
I'm picking two people because I'm picking them both for different reasons.
I think Jordynne Grace has evolved immensely, especially in the last few months, and her fire and desire for opportunities and recognition have just grown, and I think that's very interesting, and she's always been a very, very good technical wrestler that comes with a million ideas and she's definitely someone to watch.
I would also put Kiera Hogan as the other one to watch. I think, over the last year, her confidence and her true self have shown through so much. I think really, when someone is happy in their life, that it's very apparent in their performance. I know that, even for myself, when I was going through a lot of things, it was very apparent in my performances.
I'm in a very good and positive space in my life and I feel like that really resonates. I think that's true for Kiera Hogan and I'm very excited to see the blue flame, the firefly glow, and the butterfly really is becoming. And I'm as entertained as all of you watching her so I really can't wait to see what she does.
On the opposite end of that scale, there are a lot of "veterans" and you might say legends in Impact right now, too, like RVD, Tommy Dreamer, Rhino, Ken Shamrock - what's it like to have those huge names working in the company?
I mean, it's a little intimidating! I would be lying if I said it wasn't. But I also think it's great because you have these people that have years and years of experience as mentors, that you can go to and ask questions or for feedback and they are all extremely supportive of every single of us, and open to helping us. They are really just a positive addition to our locker room.
Yeah, of course, it's intimidating. It's Rhino, do you know what I mean? If anyone says otherwise, they are lying! I'm just glad that I can come to those people and people like Ken Shamrock and talk to them and have these honest conversations about my work and everyone is very supportive.
Finally, what can we expect from Taya Valkyrie in 2020?
You can expect La Wera Loca to be World Champion. I represented women's wrestling in 2019 to the best of my ability and I will continue to do that moving forward. I want to speak for every single girl out there that was told no, that it can't be done and continue representing women in this business and pushing for equal rights as far as opportunities, pushing for equal pay, or pushing for just us being respected because of our work and actually rustling feathers along the way so that it is making people realize that we all deserve to be here, we all deserve the same opportunities.
2020 will see me reign supreme, and I assure you that I am going to be the largest thorn in Tessa Blanchard's side that you have ever seen.
UK viewers can catch Impact Wrestling on Fight Network UK every Wednesday via Sky channel 192 and Freesat 161.
You can also follow IMPACT Wrestling UK on Twitter here, and Taya Valkyrie on Twitter here.
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