Lucha Underground star Ivelisse Velez recently spoke with Wrestledelphia‘s Justin Henry in advance of Lucha Underground’s season two premiere, which kicks off on El Rey Network tomorrow evening.
Ivelisse talks about working injured through season one and what to expect this year, having female wrestlers being positioned on the same level as Lucha’s male roster, what else she hopes to accomplish in wrestling, and much more. You can read a few excerpts below:
How did she get through working season one on a broken ankle?
“I didn’t even know that I had broken it, actually. I had actually broken it in practice before the Trios championship tournament final. I broke it that day, in the afternoon; I was practicing a move from the top rope, and I knew that something kinda cracked or whatever. Every time I moved my foot, I could feel it shift. I wasn’t sure what it was, and I didn’t want to accept that I was that badly hurt. It never would have crossed my mind that I actually had broken my bone; I had never experienced a broken bone before. But I wouldn’t accept it; I just said, “I’m going to wrap it up real tight.” I walked in and acted like I was fine until I had the perfect opportunity to make it look like I hurt myself off of a move. Afterward, they pretty much told me I had to go to the hospital. When they did the X-rays, they told me it was broken, and I started laughing, like, “There’s no way!” Because I had never experienced a broken bone, and everyone would say how painful it is. I was still walking, but they explained it wasn’t the weight-bearing bone, and that made more sense (laughs).”
What is the most exciting part about Lucha Underground season two?
“It excites me most that I’m walking on both my feet, so I’m super-excited about that! (laughs) Just the possibilities of that alone is just endless. Not only with my physical capabilities, but mentally I’m even hungrier, and ready to unleash all of that pent-up frustration, heartbreak, and all of that into one big explosion. I can guarantee you that that’s exactly what’s going to happen.”
Is she surprised that LU’s female wrestlers are portrayed as equals to the male wrestlers?
“It does surprise me, and it still does because it’s such a different concept. Even for us women, it’s something that we have to adjust ourselves to, to finally be put on that level. We have struggled and worked so hard to get it, and we finally get it, so it’s like we don’t know what to do ourselves! Technically, we’ll never really be at the same ‘level’ in terms of strength and all of that. As fighters in a realistic sense, we’ll never really be ‘equals’. But as long as each gender has the opportunity to shine in their own manner, that’s where we are able to be equal. That sort of equality is what’s most important.”
What part of her career is she most proud of?
“I take most pride in being one of the most dedicated performers in wrestling. From day one, I’d set out to achieve a level of credibility as a performer, regardless of my gender, and pretty much break down gender barriers when it comes to wrestling. That’s what I set out to do and I feel some accomplishment. I still have more to contribute to that and I look forward to it, but I’m most proud of what I’ve achieved thus far.”
What’s left on her wrestling ‘bucket list’?
“It’s hard to say, there’s still so much I want to achieve. I want to wrestle in Japan. I had the best year of my career in 2014 with the help of Shine, having the longest Shine Championship reign. I came into 2015 with that momentum just to crash down with the injury, but I really look forward to my future, picking up where I left off and keep pushing into that direction, and to keep it going for as long as I can.”
