Alicia Shoot Interview

For the first time ever, Alicia, one of the true icons of WSU, talks about her entire career in this no-holds-barred shoot interview. Alicia has been a fixture of the northeast wrestling scene for nearly a decade and has been involved in many controversial moments. This is Alicia’s forum to talk openly about everything that has happened in her career. In this interview, Alicia talks not only in-depth about her career in WSU, but also other wrestling companies she has worked for. Hear the backstage stories. What really goes on. Find out why Alicia really left the business only to make a triumphant return. Alicia talks about her peers, who she likes, who she doesn’t like and why. Alicia is never one to shy from her opinion and Alicia lets loose about everyone and every thing. For not only fans of just Alicia, the Alicia shoot interview is a MUST-WATCH DVD for fans of womens and independent wrestling. Alicia has made stops all over the indy scene and come join Alicia for the ride in this one-of-a-kind DVD. Here are some of the questions we asked Alicia: Please note this is just a sample of questions based off our question sheet, but Alicia really expanded on other subjects, including the three people she hates the most in wrestling, locker room incidents, shoot fights in the ring & more Welcome to another edition of the WSU Shoot Interview series. This time we’re here with one of the true icons of WSU, former 2 time WSU World Champion Alicia. Alicia thank you for being here today. Our first question is what’s been going on with you lately and how do you think you’ve done in your return to wrestling? Since all interviews start this way, our next question is, were you always a fan of pro wrestling growing up and when did you decide that you wanted to try it? How did you get into pro wrestling? You started at Kevin Knight’s Camp IWF at a very young age. What was it like being so young in the wrestling business? What was it like being a female in a male dominated business? There are not many people who can say they started wrestling at the age of 14, especially females. Did you feel any pressure? Do you think you were treated any different? Do you think if you had to do it all over again, you would? When you started, you basically did Kevin Knight IWF shows. What were those like? Did they get you ready for other shows when you eventually started doing other indies? It seems that a lot of IWF guys leave IWF on bad terms and don’t stay there after they get their basic training. Why do you think that is? If you had to train again, would you go to IWF or do you think you would’ve tried a different school? Is there a reason why you stopped doing IWF shows and never returned? When you first left IWF, you started doing companies like SSCW, JCW, IHPW, etc. What was it like entering new locker rooms and seeing different people? As a female, did you feel pressure from the male wrestlers at that time? Up until 2003, you were a babyface “girl next door” type. It wasn’t until you entered SSCW that you would have your first heel run, and perhaps discovered that you were better off as a heel than a face. Were you nervous turning heel or were you excited to try something new? What are your memories of SSCW and promoter Carmine Sabia? Ironically, it would be the decision of future WSU promoter Sean McCaffrey, who was booking SSCW at the time to turn you heel. Did he have to sell you on the idea or did you know you could pull it off? What are your thoughts on Carmine Sabia never leaving his house and his ghastly mother running shows for him? What do you remember about your work in SSCW? What was it like winning the SSCW womens title? At that time, did you feel accomplished because you were finally recognized for your talent elsewhere of IWF? Around this time April Hunter was dominating the northeast. What are your thoughts on her, and do you think it was hard for girls to do programs with her because she was physically bigger than everyone else at that time? For a period of time, it would be yourself, Ariel, Jana, Alexa Thatcher, Melissa Stripes, Tara Charisma, Foxxy Dreams, Cherri Delicious, Alere Little Feather, Luscious Lily and several others doing the same NJ indy shows. What are your thoughts on those girls and did any programs or matches stick out? What were your thoughts of Ricky O and JCW? What were your thoughts of Pete Ferriero and IHPW? You then started working for NWS around 2003-2004. What are your thoughts on Joe Panzarino and Gino Moore and the NWS product? Has anything changed about those guys from then to today? You also started working for WXW. What are your thoughts on that company and Afa (pops)? Was it true that WXW booker Doc Daniels was booking Elite 8 tournaments based on something that wasn’t wrestling related as the rumor had it? What were your thoughts about winning that tournament? What were your thoughts about your big Unit tag team with Cindy Rogers? Do you think it could work indy-wide or was only good for WXW? Around 2005, you were getting a lot of experience under your belt for an indy wrestler and winning several championships. Did you ever get confident or cocky? Around this time as well, you debuted in Mike Morgan’s AWA (Now known as ACE). What were your thoughts about AWA and working for Mike? How much has AWA/ACE grown over the years? What are some of your memories from then? Was Eric Cooper really the piss police? Are you proud to see where ACE is today on the indy scene? Around this time, girls like Cha Cha and Crystal Synn came out of AWA. What are your thoughts on them? Do you think Cha Cha tried too hard to be like you? You also started working for JAPW in 2005. What was it like working for them? What were your thoughts on Fat Frank? Johnny D? Ray Sager? Do you think JAPW kind of just had you there for most of your run there, as they didn’t have much for you to do outside of being Johnny D’s arm candy? Did you have a new found level of respect for Johnny D when he defended you in a battle royal at a JAPW show? Did you ever see a conflict or disagreements between Ray Sager & Fat Frank at that time? You started becoming a high in demand womens wrestler and started doing a bunch of other shots around the country. Do you have any memories or good stories about your time at CRUSH, Lexie Fyfe’s Customs, NECW or any other place out of the northeast area? What were your thoughts about Mercedes Martinez at this time? Was there any truth to the rumor that you thought she was too stiff? On 10/6/06, you participated in the first ever NWS Women’s J-Cup Tournament, which actually became the predecessor to WSU. What were your thoughts about that show? What are your thoughts about Alexa Thatcher winning that tournament? As someone who left wrestling herself, what are your thoughts about Alexa Thatcher leaving wrestling with no notice? Did you like her professionally? Do you think she did business the wrong way when she left or do you think she was just burnt out? You also competed for Shimmer. What was that like? WSU would be created on 3/3/07 with promoter Sean The Mic saying in interviews in 2010 that the original idea was to build the company around you. True to that vision, WSU built around you and when WSU grew your career grew as well. At that time, did you think WSU would take off and did you know that you were going to be the person WSU built around? Your first feud in WSU was with Becky Bayless started in March and would culminate 9 months later in December of that year. What were your thoughts about your series of matches with Becky Bayless? A lot of people gave you credit for carrying Becky, would you agree with that? Do you think because you guys were both great promos, that you matched up well against each other? As part of the Becky feud, you would be matched up with Luna Vachon. What was it like working Luna? Do you have any memories of that wild match you two had on 5/5/07? Do you feel that you were really coming into your own in WSU because it was the first company to really build around you and promote you as the top star? You would become the first ever WSU Champion on 7/14/07. What was it like winning that title? At that time, did you look at it as another indy title? Did you ever see WSU lasting as long as it has and did you ever think the WSU World Title would become one of the premier championships in womens (and indy) wrestling? You would wrestle 5 matches on 7/14 due to then-money guy Jac Sabboth bailing out of the promotion at the last second. What are your thoughts on Jac Sabboth? Why did you wrestle so many times and was WSU something you believed in? Something we didn’t really see at this time was other belts being defended on other people’s shows. When you were WSU Champion you defended the belt all over the place. Who’s idea was that? Was it something you supported? Did you think it helped WSU grow and get more recognition? In August of 2007, you and Alexa traded the title on back to back days. In hindsight, do you think it was a bad move for WSU to take the title off you when you had so much momentum, even though you won it back a day later? Or do you think it showed that “the title can always change hands, anywhere?” In September of 2007 you wrestled Christie Hemme and started a feud with Tammy Sytch. What was it like working with them? You announced you were leaving wrestling in December of 2007. What led to this decision? Looking back, do you regret it, or did you need the break? How did promoters, fans and your peers take this news? When you decided to leave, you were regularly working for JAPW and WSU. How come it was WSU and not JAPW where you decided to have your last match? Fat Frank said some disgusting things to you at that WSU show where you retired. Did that make you feel like you made the right decision to have your last match for WSU and not JAPW? What are your memories of your retirement show? Did you like the match you had with Becky and what did you think of Becky’s turn afterwards? You would defeat Melissa Stripes & Alexa Thatcher in your retirement match. What were your thoughts of that match? Looking back it, do you think Stripes & Thatcher should’ve made more of an impact on womens wrestling? You lost the WSU Championship to Sunny in an impromptu match. Do you think that was the right business move for WSU or in hindsight, would’ve you rather dropped it to someone else cleanly? What was the WSU locker room like when you were on top and did you ever consider yourself a locker room leader? You left wrestling after 12/22/07, how did you feel? Did you feel like a burden was lifted off your shoulders? Although you were done with wrestling, you would make sporadic appearances in WSU, either to referee, do commentary or just show up to check out what was going on. Did you miss wrestling and how come you only stayed with WSU rather than going to other places? While you were gone from wrestling, you obviously knew what was going on somewhat, as you would make these appearances. After you left, WSU seemed in limbo, with short world title reigns going to Sunny & Nikki Roxx. What are your thoughts on those two? Eventually, WSU would find a new rock in Angel Orsini and fans would say that Angel Orsini was the best WSU Champion ever. Orsini would go on to have the longest reign, make the most title defenses and the quality of WSU went up. How did that make you feel? Did that inspire you to come back or were you happy and content with WSU’s rise and Orsini’s dominance? You would come back for WSU on 3/7/09 as a special ref in the Martinez/Orsini Bullrope match, the match Martinez won to become WSU Champion. As of this interview, Martinez is still champion. What were your thoughts reffing that match and what were your thoughts on the Martinez/Orsini feud? You eventually came back full-time for WSU on 6/6/08, as the mystery partner of Brooke Carter (Later Brittney Savage). What led up to your return? Why did you decide to return to wrestling? How bad did WSU beg you to come back? At this point in your career, you are basically full-time for WSU, but haven’t really done much else, outside of WSU affiliated matches. Are you happy where you are in your career, or do you aspire to go to TNA, WWE, MExico or anywhere else? The reason you left wrestling was to focus on school. Now you are in the middle of a masters program and have a full time job. Is that why your wrestling schedule is so limited? What was it like teaming with Brooke Carter and what were your thoughts about the return? You returned with black hair as opposed to your traditional blonde. How do you think your comeback was received? What was the locker room now like after a 18 month sabbatical? What changed? Do you think WSU was better at this point? You & Carter would eventually lose the tag team titles to Havok & Hatred. What were your thoughts working with Havok/Hatred? Brooke Carter would become Brittney Savage after doing a heel turn on you. Did you think Carter flipping to heel would work? What are your thoughts on Brittney Savage & her work in WSU? You would feud off/on with Savage for the next year, trading the WSU Spirit Championship on several occasions. What are your thoughts on your series of matches with her? Do you think she’s improved from the time you first saw her? Do you think she has potential to really make a mark in the business? What was it like inducting Dawn Marie into the WSU HOF in 2010? You would win the WSU J-Cup & King/Queen of the Ring Tournaments in April of 2010. Did you feel like you were “back” again? How did it feel to be in the main event scene after winning the tag titles & spirit titles? Do you think WSU booked you right on your return or do you think you should’ve challenged for the World belt right away? What is it like being the only female, out of about 100 or so females that have competed in WSU, to win every major championship and tournament? Does it feel good to have a promotion behind you? Going back to the tournament wins in 2010, what are your memories of those matches? Is it true Danny Demanto, who said he loves you like a sister, was upset that he couldn’t team with you that weekend? Also, in a true WSU icon vs icon match, you defeated Angel Orsini in the finals of the J-Cup. What was it like working with her? You eventually would get a WSU World Title match on 6/26/10 against Mercedes Martinez. What are your thoughts on that match? The promoter of WSU Sean Mccaffrey, as well as fans and other wrestlers said it was the best Alicia match they’ve ever seen. Would you agree with that? What was the locker room reaction to that match? How did Martinez like that match? What are your thoughts on Mercedes Martinez and how Martinez is the new face of WSU? Do you agree when people consider Martinez the best womens wrestler in the world today? What are your thoughts and how has it been interacting with these people in WSU: Martinez Orsini Savage Cosmo Club Alere Little Feather Rick Cataldo Nikki Roxx Rain Jessicka Havok Amy Lee Molly Holly Jazz Dawn Marie Sunny Becky Bayless WSU prides themselves on combining TV names, with women in their primes with rookies. DO you think that formula is working? Is there any rookies you’d like to work with? What is your relationship with the office/promoters of WSU? Do they do anything different than other indies? Where do you see yourself going with WSU and in wrestling? Do you think you will ever be in WWE or TNA, or are you happy trying to make a real life with a solid college background? You’ve seen WSU grow from day one. Would you consider WSU your home promotion? How come you feel a loyalty to WSU where you don’t with other places? What is the WSU locker room like today? Do you think there are too many people trying to do womens wrestling today when they don’t know what they are doing with it? A lot of people compare Shimmer & WSU. The consensus is that WSU has better angles/characters/storylines & runs more often, where Shimmer’s undercard has stronger workers and doesn’t run as much. Would you agree with that and what do you think about the two companies? What are your thoughts on the current state of womens wrestling today? What are your thoughts on that garbage known as Wrestlicious? What are your thoughts on Shimmer today? What are your thoughts on the putrid NXT program? Do you have any memories of Miss April now AJ? What are your thoughts on the way TNA has killed their Knockout division? What are your thoughts on the way WWE has killed off their womens title? Is there anyone you would like to work that you haven’t? When people remember your career, what do you most want to be known by? What are some things that you think can help to expand womens wrestling? Do you have any messages for your fans or anyone watching this? Is there anything you’d like to mention that we haven’t talked about? And many more!