Alex Gracia details her experience at the Mickie James Masterclass.
“The Pink Dream” recently had the opportunity to learn from a “Hardcore Country” legend. Gracia was one of nearly two dozen wrestlers to participate in the Mickie James Masterclass. The three-day seminar provided attendees a chance to refine their craft and gain extensive knowledge from the 24-year veteran. The class, which took place at MCW Pro Wrestling Training Center, saw wrestlers from all over the United States gather for this valuable learning opportunity.
Speaking with WrestleZone’s Ella Jay, Alex Gracia recalled her experience at the Mickie James Masterclass. While Gracia later realized the three-day camp was on the opposite side of the country, she wasn’t going to miss out on it.
“I saw [the advertisement], no hesitation, I was like, ‘I’m jumping on this.’ When you see opportunities like that and you have the opportunity to do it, I was like, ‘No questions asked, I’m signing up.’ Then I realized it was in a totally different state and all that, but I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll figure things out,’ and I did. I figured things out. You’re not going to get better knowledge and teaching and ideas from anyone but her,” Gracia said.
“I feel like I needed to do it because I was feeling down on my wrestling, feeling down on my career. I always love to learn, but I’m just like, maybe something there will light a little fire in me because I was just getting really down on myself with my progress in wrestling. Again, you feel like you’re doing everything right. So I feel like one of the most beneficial things I got from there was talking to her about her struggle and how long it took to get into a major company and everything.”
Turning A Negative Into A Positive
“[Mickie James said], ‘You can be a great wrestler, have a great look,’ and this and that. And it’s just like, it’s not you. It’s just not the right time or for whatever reason and stuff like that. Just even feedback from her, I’m just like, ‘Okay, I don’t suck that bad.’ When you’re just like, okay, people that actually know what they’re doing are commending me or giving me compliments. I’m just like, ‘Okay, so I can’t be as bad as I think.'”
“Just seeing those stories and hearing those over and over, it feels good not to feel alone in this,” Gracia continued, “A lot of these people who you’re like, ‘how the heck did it take them so long to get picked up? Or how the heck is this person not here?’
Just Keep Going
“You see those things and hear about everything they went through and all the trials and tribulations, and so it’s like, okay, just keep going. It’ll happen if you just keep going, if you just keep progressing. You’re just like, okay, if I’m starting here, and if I just keep giving that progress, when something happens, when it’s the right time. I’ve learned to be thankful for the rejections and the things that didn’t work out.”
“I try to see the good that came out of it. With every single negative thing I felt, or feeling like I’m not good enough to be there and that’s why I’m not there, I see that there’s a line of so many good things that either made me grow as a person or as a wrestler after that. And I’m like, ‘Okay, I wouldn’t have gotten that if I didn’t get rejected here.’ So that’s where I’m just trusting the timing of everything and appreciating the journey more and where I am now and trying to be like, ‘It’ll happen when it’s meant to happen.'”
Owning Her Identity As ‘The Pink Dream’
In further discussing some of the elements she learned from the Mickie James Masterclass, Alex Gracia noted that she received compliments for her presentation as “The Pink Dream.” As Gracia aims to advance that character, Mickie James advised her to just own it. With that in mind, Gracia is working on gaining more confidence in herself and her craft.
“I took away just having that confidence. I’m told that I have a good character and it’s memorable and it stands out. That’s one of the things I get commended about the most. I stand out, which, that’s what I try really hard to do. Because you can easily get lost in the mix and stuff like that. So you have to get something and go all in and be like, ‘What is it that’s different about me?’ But I think it all boiled down to just having confidence and just owning, ‘Oh, I know I can go in the ring with anybody. I know that I’ve developed something memorable,’ I just need to own it and not sell it short,” Gracia said.
“I feel like it was that’s what I gained most out of it. Of course, we do stuff in the ring or as far as promos and all that. But again, I need to have more confidence in myself and just know, ‘Okay, you have done things that you should be proud of, and when you get opportunities like you’ve got, you get them for a reason.’ So, don’t think that you don’t deserve something or you’re not going to get it. I just took away having that confidence all the time.”
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Watch our full interview with Alex Gracia below:
