Indy INC: Exclusive Interview With Jordynne Grace, Elgin In AAW, Rockstar Pro Results
Lady grappler Jordynne Grace has turned heads and raised eyebrows during the course of her three years in the wrestling business. The 18 year-old has already taken on some heavy hitters in the indy scene and established herself as one to watch as her notoriety grows, both in the ring and throughout cyberspace. She recently talked to WrestlingINC.com regarding her experiences, and her opinions and philosophy regarding various aspects of the pro wrestling world.
Jordynne, you've really built a reputation for yourself over the past year or so. You've wrestled from the Deep South well up into the Midwest, you've garnered coverage in Pro Wrestling Illustrated and you're really gathering something of a following online. For people who aren't familiar with your work, please share a bit about your recent work in the ring and your biggest accomplishments to date.
The two biggest things I've had the opportunity of doing while living in the Midwest are Wrestling in AAW in Chicago and opening the Queen & King of the DeathMatch in a non-tournament bout vs Lufisto. Oh! And wrestling in Beyond, a place that many follow and may increase my following tremendously.
Now while this may not seem like much, all three of these companies (AAW, IWA, Beyond) all have incredible followings and have extremely dedicated fans.
Regarding some of the online stuff, it seems like some of your male fans have developed a rather?enthusiastic appreciation for your physical appearance. Does it bother you that some people focus on your looks than on your talent as a wrestler? Do you think that this mentality in general has a harmful effect on the business aspect of women's wrestling?
No and no. I've worked extremely hard to look the way I do, and it's nowhere NEAR the way I want to look but the fact that the fans I have love the way I look now inspires me to work even harder in the physical aesthetic department. Let's be honest here, WWE doesn't sign female wrestlers based on how good they are in the ring...unless you're Sara del Ray, and she isn't exactly front and center. Most fans that don't watch the indies have no idea who she is. She's beautiful, but not "model" and "WWE" beautiful. It's their company and their choice. Eye candy sells. Most everyday men aren't watching wrestling because of the females' technical ability or fluidity or high flying finesse. They're waiting for the moment we bend over or ass-shake taunt the other girl in the face. There's really no point in complaining about something that's NEVER going to change. Long story short, I love the attention and fans my body bring me.
You've squared off against some of the biggest and best names in independent women's wrestling but you've also taken on your fair share of guys in the ring. How different is intergender competition from wrestling other women?
Hell, I think I've wrestled more men since I've been up here than women...Men are obviously much stronger and more athletic than me. Some of the best matches Ive seen have been between men and women. I prefer wrestling men over women as it normally makes for a better match in general, as I think most women would agree. I've wrestled some EXTREMELY talented men and women since being up here, including Lufisto, Melanie Cruise, Heidi Lovelace, The Hooligans, Zac Sawyers, and Matt Knicks. They're all amazingly talented and I've been extremely lucky to stand toe-to-toe with every one of them.
You've publicly discussed your affection for lucha libre and indicated that this led to your involvement and success in the Chicago-area GALLI promotion. Do you think that lucha libre still has an integral role in the development and evolution of big companies like ROH, TNA and WWE or is it more or less a niche market for the business nowadays?
In my very personal opinion, it's definitely catered toward more of a niche market. It's not featured very prominently, if at all and none of these companies show us any TRUE lucha libre...it's all integrated with the American wrestling style. Watch CMLL and then watch a Sin Cara match. Completely different.
Via social media, you recently mentioned you might be taking a little time off soon and that you're thinking about moving. How will this affect your work in the wrestling business?
This is true! I'm taking most of the month of July off to prepare for my move back to Texas. I've spent a full year in the Midwest without going back once and I miss my family like crazy. I only plan on being back in Texas for a few months then I'm headed back out again. My plans on where to go are very up in the air at the moment but I'm leaning towards area where my other half resides at the moment. I'm hoping to work a lot down in Texas in the short time that I'm there and I will also be doing a month tour in Mexico.
But I don't think it will affect my career too much as I plan on coming right back as soon as possible, and the Mexico tour will certainly do some good for me.
For fans that haven't seen you perform in the ring, what's the best way to check out your work?
I frequently post to my fan page and twitter links to all my matches...which you can "like" and "follow" on www.facebook.com/jordynnenation and @jordynnegrace.
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Episode 17 of AAW Pro Wrestling's ongoing series is now posted on YouTube. The show's main event features Michael Elgin taking on AAW heavyweight champion Shane Hollister in a match for the title. Hollister is supported at ringside by Scarlett Bordeaux in an impressive bout that spans almost twenty minutes. Elgin fans really need to check this one out. You can view the entire episode here.
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At Rockstar Pro's July 2 show in Dayton, Ohio, Rockstar Pro Champion Aaron Williams pinned Nate Wings in a non-title match and Jake Crist & Alex Colon defeated American Luchacore Champion Matt Taylor & Big Jim Hutchinson in a chairs match.
Thomas Rude contributed to this article.
Mike Bessler is a Contributing Writer for Pro Wrestling Illustrated.