Taylor Wilde recently spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard about her return to wrestling and took some time to reflect on the opportunities afforded to women’s wrestlers and how things are moving forward. The Knockouts Tag Team Championship Tournament will conclude this Saturday at Hard To Kill, and while we know both teams in the final match, Wilde said she was also excited for the opportunity that Havok and Nevaeh have with a potential title win.
“I’m excited to see Havok and Nevaeh. Nevaeh’s always been someone who has strengths in tag team wrestling and tag divisions haven’t really existed for women exclusively outside of IMPACT really, so it’s interesting to see the angle she takes because from what I know about her on the independents, [Nevaeh] and Havok are real talent enhancers and they’ve really helped change the trajectory of women’s wrestling on the independents. I’m excited to see what they can do with up-and-comers and the staples of the company. I love seeing ‘what’s old is new again and what’s new is old’ because it’s very reminiscent of when I was last there,” Wilde explained, “and the Knockouts had a very important role on the show. It feels like we’re getting closer and closer to where we were before the ‘Hogan invasion.’” [laughs]
Wilde also added that the continued push and diversification of women’s wrestling opens up more opportunities once talent steps out of the ring. Wilde pointed to how women used to be “aged out” of the ring in the past, but new roles and being introduced it’s an exciting prospect.
“It’d be wonderful and it just adds to that diversification of the Knockouts and women’s wrestling because that’s what we’ve moved to. We’re way out of the ‘Divas’ era and these women have substance, characters, and adding diversification also adds to the longevity of a women’s career whereas before, once you hit the 35-40 range,” Wilde said, “you’re [at a new stage in life], you know, and it’s a really great time [now] for women’s wrestling.”
“You have Madison Rayne and Renee Young, who have been doing the ringside commentary and the backstage interviews, as well as Gail Kim being an agent. All of these things are really new in the last 5-10 years, but it’s very inspirational and motivating for not only someone like myself,” Wilde said, “who is in their ‘golden years’ as far as wrestling goes, but for all of the up-and-comers, their careers won’t be stunted by the time they are 35 or 40. They have much more to look forward to.”
Check out what Taylor has been up to on her podcast, Wilde On. Season 2 premieres on Wednesday with Trish Stratus as her first guest.
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