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Maria Kanellis appeared on the IN THE ROOM podcast this past Tuesday, June 16, 2015 with Brady Hicks, former WCW wrestler The Stro, Kathie Fitzpatrick, and Jordan Garber.
This show can be downloaded at both vocnation.com and thebradyhicks.com. Check it out as Maria offers her thoughts on ROH on Destination America, comparing the ROH and WWE locker rooms, and navigating politics in wrestling. Plus, the former Diva talks her famous red hair, Donald Trump, The Kingdom, and what she found so attractive about the man we all now hate: Mike Bennett.
Here are some highlights:
On Her Initial Reaction Being Released by WWE: I was caught off guard ... I know what was going on behind the scenes, and that I was trying to accomplish other things. I think that WWE looked at it like I wasn't as interested in wrestling because I wanted to do more. I think that they got the wrong impression of what I was trying to do, as well as I got the wrong impression of what they were trying to do. Looking back on it, now five years removed, I would have done things differently. I would have stayed the course. I would have shed a light on women's wrestling back then, if I would have had the time. And that was being on a mainstream television show and also being in WWE. I think that we were just going in two completely different directions, and it takes time and maturity to be able to see those types of things, and now being removed from them, I definitely would have done things differently. But, at the same time, I'm very thankful that they did release me.
On Being the Bad Girl: It was fun. It definitely came from a place of wanting to try something different. We joke about it now [that we're] big in Japan, [and] boo'ed in the USA. In Japan we're good guys. In the US, we're bad guys. It's all about performance. It's all about messing with the crowd and really enjoying that ... [And] the Kingdom is such a strong group because we're all friends. We have that backstory ... and that's what works. These are all guys that go out together, and we all hang out together, and it's so much fun that we get to perform together.
On Never Winning a Title: I've been told on many, many occasions that championships don't make or break a talent. So I don't think of it like that. I think of it like how much of an impact can I make in women's wrestling, whether I have a title or not. I think that right now, with going to New Japan and being the first female to wrestle against another female in New Japan, we're breaking down boundaries. If somebody wants to give me a title for that, then that's great. But at the same time, I don't need that to define my career. Would it be cool to go back to WWE and win a title at some point? Yeah, sure. But at the same time, if I can accomplish more in Ring of Honor with Destination America, if I can accomplish more in New Japan, then it's not high on my list.
IN THE ROOM airs live, weekly, Tuesday nights at 9 PM ET on the VOC Nation Radio Network (vocnation.com / thebradyhicks.com). Join Brady Hicks (Pro Wrestling Illustrated contributing writer), as well as The Stro (WCW's Maestro), Kathie Fitz, Derrick McDonald, and Jordan Garber as they run down all that's going on in wrestling, and sit down with some of wrestling's top stars.
Former Ring of Honor World Champion Adam Cole joined the Greg DeMarco Show this week to discuss his return from injury, the company’s brand new cable television deal, the Best In The World pay-per-view and more. The Greg DeMarco Show with Patrick O’Dowd is heard everyWednesday night on the VOC Nation Radio Network. Visit www.vocnation.com for more information. Interview highlights are below.
His reaction to ROH’s Destination America television deal:
It’s huge. We’re in 57 million additional homes. It’s pretty exciting. We always knew that this was going to be a slow but steady incline. It’s awesome to be able to saw “Wednesdays at 8pmeastern you can see Ring of Honor on your television on Destination America.” It floored the locker-room. We were just as shocked as you guys were, trust me. When you hear the word(s) national, cable television that just seems big league. It’s exciting for me to say that I’m going to be able to wrestle on cable TV.
How soon he’s looking for another chance at the ROH World Championship:
I’m looking after Best In The World, that’s going to be my entire focus. A lot of people were surprised that my return match was against AJ Styles, who is arguable the best in the world. So I’m not looking to ease back into anything, I’m looking to jump right back into the fire. The last thing that I challenged for in Ring Of Honor before I said goodbye for five months was the ROH World Championship. After me & The Kingdom take care of the Bullet Club, my goal certainly will be going after the ROH World Championship once again.
How being out of action for five months changed him:
It’s mentally the most challenging thing I’ve ever gone through in my career. Fortunately Ring of Honor took care of me while I was on the shelf. The truth is, we’re so focused and so driven on being the best that we can be, we want to be a part of the show, anybody on the ROH roster, we want to be a part of the event. It was very, very mentally difficult for me. It was good for me, as a man, to go through that maturing process.
On his return match against AJ Styles:
There was a second there where I was not going to be cleared to come back and wrestle AJ [Styles]. I was actually cleared on Monday. Not only was that my first match back, I hadn’t stepped foot in a professional wrestling in five month. The butterflies were strong that Tuesdayevening.
On the potential of wrestling in the WWE:
My immediate focus has changed a lot. If you were to ask me this question two or three years ago my answer would have been “I’m focused on Ring of Honor but getting to WWE is my priority.” Of course the thought is there, but that thought is getting smaller and smaller and smaller, and my immediate focus is more and more on Ring of Honor. I really do believe in this group. I’ve literally grown up as a man in Ring of Honor, and I feel like there’s a lot more left for me to do. It’s really cool to be able to be part of a group that you feel like you’re climbing the ladder with. That very much is my focus right now.
His Ring of Honor contract status, and if he is exclusive to Ring of Honor:
That was a question that has come up quite a bit, and I’ve been waiting for the right time to say it. The contract that I currently am under does only permit me to work for Ring of Honor. They’re much more cautious of their guys being as healthy as they can be, and obviously the financial compensation is very different for those guys who are able to fully commit to Ring of Honor. As of now you won’t be seeing me out in Reseda [for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla], but trust me when I saw “Never Say Never” is a saying you must live by in wrestling.
Other topics include exactly what he was doing when he learned of the Ring Of Honor television deal, his amateur wrestling experience, his love for the UFC and Mixed Martial Arts, which present or former UFC fighter he’d like to see in Ring Of Honor and more.
Click here to listen to the entire show.
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