New Knockouts Champion Taya Valkyrie recently spoke with Lucha Central ahead of IMPACT Wrestling’s TV tapings in Mexico; you can read a few translated highlights below:
(Translation and transcription credit to Angel Garcia for Wrestlezone.com)
LC: Tonight you are perfoming here in Mexico City representing Impact Wrestling, Now as champion. Congratulations!
Taya: Thank you! Thank you!
LC: Much congratulations for the title; you have won very important championships lately, but what does it represent for you to be the IMPACT (Knockouts) Champion?
Taya: It represents many years of work and dedication, and training and travel with reflections of my time in Mexico. Now presenting myself as an international wrestler, I’m enjoying this my time at this promotion, and to return to Mexico in these large television events with this championship makes me super happy.
LC: On your return to Mexico, you arrived at Lucha Capital and you became the champion of Lucha Capital. But what went through the mind of Taya, at the moment of going out to the Mexican fans and then listening to all the support they gave you.
Taya: Yes! I was super excited! I did not know how they were going to treat me or what they are going to say to me, but the Lucha Capital events were great and the people were supporting me, happy to see me. I was so happy to see all of you (fans) and we are going for more! I will return in these next weeks again with AAA at the Pepsi Center. You cannot miss it either please. But there are many things to come this year. We are only two weeks in 2019 and ….so many things (to come).
LC: You are The Impact Knockouts Champion, the Lucha Capital Champion, and you left us, as the Queen of Queens (AAA Womens) champion*, Does Taya go for the Queen of Queens this year?
*Taya was stripped of the AAA Queen of Queens championship in 2017
Taya: I never lost it. I mean *Laughs* I hope to see what we do. I am super excited to wrestle against my friend, Lady Shani or the now Queen of Queens in Triple A. It would be a pleasure to have this match. Let’s see what we do and hopefully we will wrestle in the coming months.
LC: What did Taya learn in 2018?
Taya: Many things, many many things. I am a wife now, I got married and I have grown as a person, as a wrestler, I’ve gained more confidence in my work, more confidence as a woman and everything really. It was a very difficult year but with many good things too. I am happy that we are already starting the new year and I feel super excited.
LC: You and your husband, Johnny Impact, are the Champions for Impact Wrestling. There are a lot of challengers at Impact. How do ya’ll prepare to defend those championships?
Taya: Well, I think it’s my first match to defend. My first Title defense, apologies. But we are always preparing, we are training together in the ring, in the gym, traveling and wrestling all over the world. We are wrestling everyday. We are, it’s like, he is motivating me and I am motivating him because we want to continue being champions. Por Favor
LC: We saw your husband on the Netflix series, GLOW. What that you think of that series in how it represents a lot of women’s wrestling?
Taya: If I really liked watching the show, I think they are going to start the third season. There are many of these actresses went to see us wrestle as well. I was really pleased that they wanted to learn more about what is women’s wrestling, and about true wrestling world in 2018-2019; because obviously this program happens in the 80’s and women’s wrestling has changed a lot. But I like it, I really liked the show and I’m excited to see the next season.
LC: Now speaking of Lucha Underground, they hyped up that the fifth season will be released. There’s not actual date or any details. Is there a possibility that Taya will be there?
Taya: Yes, but I really do not know anything of what we are going to do on the fifth season. They did not tell us anything. But let’s see what happens because we are ready to return to the temple and do the magic that is Lucha Underground.
LC: You already told us that you will be present at the Pepsi Center show, but will we see more Taya in AAA?
Taya: You must wait and see. Well see what happens. Lets see what happens.
LC: Well friends please stay tuned. Anything you want to say to the fans? Anything you want to pass along to the fans for 2019?
Taya: Only that thanks to all of you for following me every step of my career. We are going to do more this year! They can follow me on my social media @TheTayaValkyrie and facebook.com/tayavalkyrie
