Taryn Terrell is “badass” personified.
The 29-year-old New Orleans native has been knocked out by Will Ferrell, set on fire, graced the pages of Playboy and Maxim, ruled ECW as general manager, fallen off ladders, crashed through tables and for the last 216 days she has called herself the reigning, defending TNA Knockouts Champion.
This Friday night Taryn looks to break down one more barrier – defending her title in the main event of Impact Wrestling.
“Ever since I got into wrestling all I wanted was to be champion, and for that championship to truly mean something – and now it does.” … “Who can say that? Who can say ‘I’m main eventing on Impact?’ Not that many people get that opportunity.”
Not that many indeed. Back in 2004, WWE Hall of Famers Trish Stratus and Lita – two women Taryn lists as her biggest inspirations in wrestling – had the opportunity to headline Monday Night Raw; a match and a moment fans are still talking about over a decade later.
“It’s just surreal. The fact that I’m main eventing as the Knockouts Champion is a dream come true. I started in 2007 with the [WWE] Divas search, went down to FCW, and to ECW, then Smackdown and now TNA. I’ve watched my career unfold over the years, and now it’s to the point where I’m on top, and I’ve got this championship, and this main event match against Awesome Kong.”
Friday’s episode of Impact Wrestling is unique. They’re calling it “TKO: A Night of Knockouts”, and while at least one match on the card will be worked by men, TNA is going all-out this week to celebrate what they consider to be a superior brand of women’s wrestling.
“It’s a women’s dominated show and that just doesn’t happen. As Knockouts we have this opportunity to set the bar higher for women’s wrestling everywhere. To have a company that believes in the division so much is such a blessing.”
