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MOSTMAGAZINEQ: YOU WERE THE FIRST WOMAN TO SIGN WITH AEW, MAKING HISTORY FROM THE START. WHAT DID THAT MOMENT MEAN TO YOU, AND HOW DO YOU HOPE TO INSPIRE OTHER WOMEN IN WRESTLING? A: That will always be one of the things I%u2019m most proud of. Being part of the initial foundation that eventually grew into a massive success in the world of professional wrestling is something no one can ever take away from me. It definitely felt like a risk at the time%u2014putting my eggs in the basket of a brand-new wrestling company when my goal had always been to be a WWE Superstar. But sometimes you have to step back and reevaluate your goals because your vision changes over time.This was a chance to make history, to build something from the ground up, and to be a disruptor in the best way possible. I was truly honored when I was approached early on to be a part of AEW%u2019s infrastructure. I felt strongly about the mission AEW was setting out to achieve, and I had full trust in the people involved.Q: YOUR HARDCORE MATCH AGAINST THUNDER ROSA IN 2021 BECAME LEGENDARY. WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND DURING THAT MATCH, AND HOW DID IT FEEL TO SEE IT RECOGNIZED AS MATCH OF THE YEAR? A: That whole day is one I%u2019ll never forget. I was so nervous%u2014beyond nervous. The AEW Women%u2019s Division had received a lot of criticism for being inexperienced and underdeveloped compared to our competition%u2019s women%u2019s divisions, and this was a true opportunity to silence the doubters. This was the first-ever women%u2019s main event for the company, and there were so many eyes on this match.My coach, Jerry Lynn, played a huge role in the success of that match. He really made sure we were mentally and physically ready for battle. He gave me a pep talk beforehand that really locked me in. Some of that conversation I%u2019ll keep between us, but a big part of it was him stressing that this was an opportunity to truly make history. He knew what we were capable of and did his part to ensure we rose to the occasion.It was one of the most painful matches I%u2019ve ever been involved in, without a doubt. It will always hurt my heart a little that it occurred during the pandemic, so we didn%u2019t have the magic of a live arena roaring in the background%u2014but that just forced us to make our own magic. That night will always be special to me and Thunder Rosa, and I%u2019ll always be thankful to her and everyone else involved. Ultimately, it was Tony Khan who gave us the opportunity to prove what we were capable of when he had no obligation to do so, so the biggest thanks will always go to him for having faith in us and in the story we worked so hard for months to tell.I%u2019m eternally grateful that it received so much praise and recognition because we truly didn%u2019t know how it would be received at the time. Seeing two women covered in blood, getting slammed into thumbtacks and ladders, was definitely a polarizing concept%u2014and always will be. I%u2019m thankful that so many people appreciated our efforts to tell the classic story of good vs. evil but with a hardcore twist, just like men have been doing on TV for decades. I%u2019d like to think it set the tone for more badass women to show what they%u2019re capable of and become hardcore legends.30 MOST MAGAZINE - ISSUE 77