There was a time when the men and women and wrestling were larger than life. We don’t mean muscle-bound
(there are more than enough chiseled hardbodies in the sport today, that’s for certain)... rather, they had names
and vague backstories which bespoke of the Wild West, Iliad-like adventures, or faraway lands (and even parts unknown!).
That fine tradition is carried on today by a young newcomer known to fans and fellow grapplers only as Abriella,
who claims to be a warrior from the mysterious realm of Amazonia. Oh, and for good measure, she also packs on some serious muscle!
LadySports Online is proud to introduce Abriella of Amazonia to wrestling fans worldwide!
THE STATS:
Ring Name: Abriella of Amazonia
Height: 5 feet 9 inches
Weight: 155 pounds
Hair: Light brown
Hometown: Dickson, Tennessee (the Amazon parts, of course)
LADYSPORTS: Abriella, welcome to LadySports! When did you first get into the sport?
ABRIELLA OF AMAZONIA: July of 2010.
LS: And who trained you?
AoA: Dirty Dutch Mantell... he’s like a father to me.
LS: What was your biggest influence to become a wrestler?
AoA: Wrestler Jocephus Brody, who is my sparing partner during training, my lifting partner in the gym and my partner at home.
LS: Did anyone ever try to discourage you from getting into the business?
AoA: Yes. In the beginning, my parents. More recently, male wrestlers who have commented in the locker room that my face is too pretty to be in a ring. Rubbish.
LS: What other sports do you have an interest in?
AoA: Powerlifting and Bodybuilding
LS: How would you describe yourself in terms of attitude and personality?
AoA: Balanced. Mature. Amazonian. Determined.
LS: Describe a typical day of training for you. What is most important in your workout?
AoA: I lift weights two hours per day, six days per week. I train in the ring twice a week. I travel with and attend three wrestling shows per week with Jocephus and other male wrestlers. I usually wrestle in one match per week. I argue with Jocephus at least once per week. And, I watch old wrestling footage for 2-3 hours per week. All of this is considered my training.
I would say a typical training day begins with coffee and ends with Ibuprofen and a soak in the tub. What is most important is that I felt like every session was better than the last.
LS: How would you best describe your ring style?
AoA: My style is still too "green" to be determined yet... but, I hope to model my style after such talents as Hogan, Ultimate Warrior and Dusty Rhodes.
LS: What moves are you best known for?
AoA: Suplex and bodyslam.
LS: Have you ever been injured in the ring?
AoA: Yes, taking my first piledriver. Amazons can get concussions from 5’5" opponents, too.
LS: Who have been your toughest opponents?
AoA: Tasha Simone. Don’t tell her I told you.
LS: Who are your allies?
AoA: Matt Boyce. He and I had a great tag match once.
LS: What has been your most memorable win?
AoA: Nemesis. She might be my only win. Teasing here.
LS: What was your worst loss?
AoA: Mickie Knuckles. She was my first match. Did you know Amazons can cry for hours upon hours when they publicly humiliate themselves?
LS: Who is the one wrestler you would most like to face in the ring, but haven’t yet?
AoA: Awesome Kong.
LS: What type of match do you enjoy the most?
AoA: Any match where my opponent shakes my hand afterwards.
LS: What sort of reactions do you get from people when they learn you are a wrestler?
AoA: I get looks of understanding. Like it makes sense that I have 14.5 inch arms and bruises on my sides... ..
LS: What is so special about this sport to you?
AoA: That it is shared passionately by my significant other.
LS: What are your fans like?
AoA: Sweet, forgiving of my "greenness", and just about as crazy as the wrestlers are.
LS: If you had the power, what one thing would you do to improve the sport?
AoA: I’d require that every wrestler create better and more outlandish personas for themselves. So that every outfit, gimmick and character is overly theatrical, every move is outlandish, and every word spoken in and out of the ring is true to the character they are conveying.
LS: Where have you wrestled, and what titles have you held?
AoA: The plateaus of Tennessee, the woods of Kentucky, the rivers of Indiana, the swamps of Mississippi, the valleys of Arkansas, and the caves of Amazonia – Alas, I am utterly and hopelessly untitled.
LS: What are your thoughts on women participating in the sport?
AoA: The more women, the more opponents. I want to learn from them all.
LS: What was your most unforgettable moment in the sport?
AoA: Slapping the tar out of Dirty Dutch Mantell. It was an impromptu moment where he asked me to do it ringside and then a comical and almost immediate look of regret flashed on his face before I let my hand fly.
LS: Any regrets?
AoA: That Dutch won’t let me slap him again.
LS: What's the single best piece of advice you ever received about being a wrestler?
AoA: Give every move a few seconds to "breath" before you go on to the next.
LS: What would you do if you couldn’t be in wrestling?
AoA: Continue to powerlift and break the current female dead-lifting record.
LS: What is your personal motto?
AoA: Think before you speak.
LS: What would make you most happy in life?
AoA: If Dutch would let me slap him again. Oh... and to receive forgiveness for all the mistakes I make.
LS: Anything else you’d like to add?
AoA: Wrestling is the most intricate and difficult sport I have ever known. I will be a student of wrestling all my life.
LS: Thanks for speaking with us!
AoA: It was an honor to be interviewed by PGWA LadySports.
pics courtesy of Abriella
