Gail Kim
(Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images)

Gail Kim On Retiring At The End Of 2017, Her Role In The Women’s Revolution In Wrestling, Memories Of Feuding w/ Awesome Kong

Gail Kim recently spoke with Brian Fritz for Sporting News; you can read a few highlights below:

Gail Kim comments on her in-ring career winding down, if her injury played in to her decision to call it quits after 2017: 

It probably is the right time but if I wasn’t injured, I think that I probably would have went longer. I think all wrestlers, you never really want it to end. I’m going to be completely honest. It’s funny because I missed it while I was injured but when you away for so long and then you do that one little thing in front of the fans, that was at my last TV, I was like I’m going to miss it more than I thought. You hit that realization that I announced it, it’s going to be real and I’m committed. Everyone goes through that. It’s going to be a difficult day to let go. I’m fortunate that I get to stay in the business and I’m glad I get to do that.

Gail comments on her role in the women’s revolution in wrestling, if she thinks she gets the credit she deserves for her work: 

Honestly, recognition is nice obviously, but just being part of that change was a very magical time in my life. It was such a great satisfaction just having that women’s division become a success overnight and something that you fight for for so long. But most importantly, to have it from your peers. I feel like my peers know that and that was always the most important for me. Of course, you want the fans to recognize all of that. And when I meet fans one-on-one, they always talk about how they loved the feud with Awesome Kong and I. I still hear that to this day so that in itself is great for me.

Gail comments on her feud with Awesome Kong and why it worked so well: 

I don’t know. After that, I never thought there would be another magical moment again and I was lucky enough to have that with Taryn (Terrell) too. I feel like I have chemistry with every girl but I don’t know what happened with Awesome Kong. I never even saw her work before our very first match. I just heard so much about her and then we brought in this whole women’s division. She was my very first match with all these girls on board. I remember her coming out and thinking ‘whoa, she’s scary!’ I was legitimately scared.

We just had a great chemistry and a mutual respect after that. I think when you have a mutual respect at that level and she’s OK with taking it as hard as I can bring it … She would say you remind me of my Japan days. For me, I just felt like with Kong, the David-Goliath feud, I had to bring it. She took it. Same with Taryn. She was never afraid to go to that level. There are times when girls just don’t and that’s OK with me. I always change my style with each girl but if there’s a girl that’s willing to go to that level that I want to go, I feel like that’s the difference.

 

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