LadySports ::: JETTA

Q & A: JETTA

"It’s Better to Regret Doing Something than Not"

by Shiai Mata

One could say that the United Kingdom is enjoying what will surely one day be recalled as a veritable goldmine of women’s wrestling, as more and more young ladies are joining the sport. One woman who is fast making a name for herself not only in the UK but also in Europe is Jetta, and LadySports Online is proud to introduce her to fans worldwide in this exclusive interview!

Ring Name: Jetta
Height: 5’5”
Weight: 130 lbs
Hair: Dark Brown
Hometown: Coventry, England

LADYSPORTS: When did you first get into the sport? JETTA: I watched wrestling when I was really young but I wasn’t all that into it. When I was 13 my friend was trying to get me into it, telling me to give it a chance; eventually I gave in and watched a WWE PPV at her house (I can’t remember the name of it), and I was hooked! We both started thinking about starting training and decided to look into it. It was then that we found out there was a training school in the same city as us. I went along in January of 2002 and I’ve not looked back.

LS: Who trained you?
J: I was mainly trained by MPW and NWA: Hammerlock’s Majik. However, I picked a hell of a lot up from working and actually doing the job, when you’re in front of crowd you start to see what works, and also working with people a lot more experienced than me. Also, trying to get any advice I could off the veterans and getting them to show me stuff in the ring before shows. Although a lot of my training was up to Majik, I feel you learn on a completely new level when you’re actually out there doing the shows.

LS: What was your biggest influence to become a wrestler?
J: I didn’t really have one. When I first started I wasn’t really a huge fan. But now I have to say I look up to people like Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan, mainly because they could just have the crowd in the palm of their hand no matter what they did. Then there are guys from the UK that are maybe not as heard of, but they were the best at what they did, guys like Jim Breaks and Johnny Saint. Also, Brits that are still working today…people like Ricky Knight and Sweet Saraya are just so good at what they do, and you can learn so much watching them. Also, the Dynamite Kid...in my eyes an absolute legend.

LS: What other sports do you have an interest in?
J: Well, no...I used love football when I was younger but that kind of fizzled out.

LS: How would you describe yourself in terms of attitude, personality, likes, dislikes, and strengths?
J: Wrestling-wise I do try to push myself to be the best I can. But anything else, I’m really laid back. I like to think I’m pretty easy to get along with. I like to have a laugh really and just try to enjoy myself. I just enjoy having a good time with friends…all the usual, really. Dislikes? Not too much. Being skint is one of my big dislikes! Strengths? Hmmm...not too sure. I guess I don’t give up easy on things, I tend to get on with stuff rather than moan.

LS: What is your most marked characteristic?
J: Hmmm...people would probably say my dopiness. Not exactly a good thing, eh?

LS: What are you favorite foods, music, clothes, and cars?
J: I love Chinese food...anything duck, I love. Also I love soup, any kind of soup…I love the stuff. Music…I’m a cheesy pop fan I’m afraid, things like Backstreet Boys, Take That, Five, S Club 7, all that type of stuff. I love indie music. My favourite bands at the moment are Snow Patrol, The Coral, Razorlight, The Streets, The Killers, and the Zutons. I'm well into Jamie T at the moment, his new one “If You’ve Got the Money”…I'm loving that. I also like a bit of dance music, though I have no idea who I like, just the songs. Cars? Well, I don’t have one…I drive a scooter. But I LOVE Mini Coopers and Vesper Scooters, and that’s about it. Clothes…I'm obsessed with buying tops. It’s not good…I have so many loads I’ve only worn once or twice if at all! But I still think I need more.

LS: Describe a typical day of training for you. What is most important in your workout?
J: Well, I work in the week but I try to get to the gym two to three times a week. I don’t work anything too hard really. I’ll do upper body on my first session, then the next one I’ll work lower body, then on the third I mix it up a bit. But on all three I try to do a good bit of cardio, as stamina is really important in the ring.

LS: How would you best describe your ring style?
J: “British” I suppose, with a bit of everywhere else mixed in. I like technical wrestling so I try to mix that in.

LS: What moves are you best known for?
J: Different kinds of suplexes and takedowns.

LS: Have you ever been injured in the ring?
J: Yes. I broke my arm in July of 2005. It was a pretty bad break…I broke both of my forearm bones and they were shattered so badly that I had to have metal plates put in, and then I had to do five months of physiotherapy to get the movement all back.

LS: Who have been your toughest opponents?
J: Sweet Saraya and Jezebel.

LS: Who are your allies?
J: Danny Williams, Peter Jay.

LS: What has been your most memorable win?
J: Versus Klondyke Kate. It was a tag match and I didn’t pin her...but it’s a pretty big feat to get that far!

LS: What was your worst loss?
J: Any loss is bad.

LS: Who is the one wrestler you would most like to face in the ring, but haven’t yet?
J: It will never, ever happen, but Hulk Hogan...how cool would that be?

LS: What type of match do you enjoy the most?
J: One-on-one, tags, mixed tags.

LS: What sort of reactions do you get from people when they learn you are a wrestler?
J: A strange look...then they ask me if it’s like the WWE? Does it hurt? And then they normally say something like, “Better not mess with you then!”

LS: What is so special about this sport to you?
J: It’s like nothing else in the world, the feeling you get when you step into the ring. Wrestling itself is so unique, and there are so many different styles and ways you can interpret it.

LS: What are your fans like?
J: Everyone is really nice, I think that women’s wrestling in the UK is starting to really get the respect it deserves, and with that the fans seem to be a lot more intrigued by the female wrestlers

LS: What is the one thing you would most like to change about the sport?
J: Ermmm...the injuries. And any type of hangers-on that do nothing but bring bad energy. I don’t think it should totally go back to the way it was years ago, where even the rookies didn’t know the score, but I think a lot of the mystery is lost when any schmuck can worm their way backstage and 'get involved'. Also, all the feds that pop up with people who have no idea what they're doing wrestling-wise and promotion-wise, as they kill off interest in areas, making others suffer.

LS: If you had the power, what one thing would you do to improve the sport?
J: Ermm...that’s a hard one. I think for there to be some sort of regulation on who promotes, that way you don’t get these silly backyard feds killing off interest in towns and cities others promote in. But if I’m being honest, I doubt it would work. Would be nice though.

LS: Where have you wrestled, and what titles have you held?
J: I have wrestled all over the UK and in Ireland and France . Titles I’ve held are the MPW Queen of the Ring crown three times, IWF Women’s Champion, and EWF Champion.

LS: What are your thoughts on women participating in the sport?
J: It’s good that there are more women who know what they're doing…it’s definitely a plus for the wrestling scene.

LS: What was your most unforgettable moment in the sport?
J: Ermmm…I have a few. The first LDN TV taping I did was amazing, though I spent most of it pooing myself, I was soooo nervous! Times when the crowds have been massive always stick in my mind, just for the sheer noise of them.

LS: Any regrets?
J: Nah, I don’t have any...and if I did, the way I see it is, it’s better to regret doing something then to regret not doing something.

LS: What would you do if you couldn’t be in wrestling?
J: I would probably be really, really fat in an office somewhere.

LS: What is your personal motto?
J: As above, really it’s better to regret doing something then to regret not doing it.

LS: What would make you most happy in life?
J: Winning the lottery? To be able to keep wrestling and for it to still be as fun and as rewarding as it is now.

LS: Anything else you’d like to add?
J: Just thanks for reading my waffle, and check out these sites: triplexwrestling.co.uk and ldnwrestling.com... two wicked promotions I regularly work for. And also check out my MySpace page, which is at www.myspace.com/jettas87. That’s about it.

Pics courtesy of Jetta