Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Trinity returns to the UK this month, as the US wrestling company returns to these shores for the first time since 2018. The former WWE superstar has made Impact her home since April, already creating some incredible moments along the way.
The Sportsman dug into some of those classic matches during an exclusive chat with the star. Trinity also went into detail on her future opponents, the UK tour and the possible arrival of CM Punk.
How are you feeling ahead of the UK tour?
I'm so excited. It's been years since I've been on a UK tour. I'm pretty excited to go back to some of the cities that I have been in before. And also it's just special because this is my first time with Impact. So a lot of newness, I don't know what's gonna happen, but that makes me so excited.
You’ve wrestled in the country before during your time with WWE. Any favourite memories of wrestling in the UK?
The matches are always fun there, I would always do a lot of tags. So I have a lot of great memories with the girls. There’s just so many tour stores. There's one time where something happened. I can't remember what happened, I don't know if somebody got hurt. But we ended up just having this impromptu tag match.
Becky (Lynch) and I had to tag and we just went out there and killed it. It was one of my favourite matches ever. I can't remember who the two heels were but it was just a random pairing. And I just remember she and I had so much fun that night.
One of my favourite places to go on the UK tours was always Glasgow. Because that arena (the OVO Hydro) had the big clock. I will always take a picture of that big clock. I have quite a few pictures. I think I still have some on my Instagram under that clock. So I'm looking forward to going back there to Glasgow. This time it'll be different, of course. Different venue, different show, different crew. But I'm still looking forward to that atmosphere.
Going back to the beginning of your Impact journey. What made you choose the company as your destination post-WWE?
Definitely the division, it was the Knockouts for sure. I knew it was the place where I'd be challenged. Where I would definitely have to step up. Because all of those women, to me, are the best wrestlers in the world. You can put any of them against anybody and they're gonna kill it.
Also knowing some of my former WWE co-workers were there and seeing how they were able to succeed and grow there. I knew that Impact was where I would be able to grow the best and evolve. Tap into the things that I knew I needed to dig into to become a better performer, to become a better wrestler. And that's something that through different parts of my career, I felt that was stifled.
You mention feeling stifled previously. Do you feel you have more freedom in Impact than you had in WWE?
That's a big part of it. For sure, yeah.
Yourself and your former tag team partner Mercedes Mone left WWE together. Have you spoken to Mercedes about your Impact experiences? Any plans to reunite the team in the company?
Sis and I talk just about every day. We're very close. But as far as our careers, we just support each other. She's going through a whole lot right now. When she's ready, I'm sure she goes on to set the stage on fire wherever she is. I don't know where that is. Our conversations are more about our peace and happiness these days. And that's all I care about.
Being a pro wrestler is something that a lot of people can't relate to. It's a very unique world. How important is it to find friends like Mercedes in the business that understand what you're going through?
I think when you find that you cherish it, because it doesn't happen often. It's a revolving door and you meet so many people. You come across so many people and you have a lot of acquaintances in your life. But those ones that are with you through life are very rare. Mercedes is one of those people for me. We just went through some really difficult challenges together. I think sometimes that could break a friendship but in our case, it made it stronger.
Talk to me about Slammiversary. What was it like to capture the Knockouts Championship from Deonna Purrazzo?
It was very emotional. Not only to go against someone who is phenomenal and as incredible as Deanna Perazzo. To fight it out against someone who I admire and who I think is one of the best of all time was a very rewarding moment for me.
But also just me thinking at that moment, “Oh my gosh, I almost didn't want to do this anymore!” It just goes to show you just have to keep going because you'll never know if you stop. It's just an overflow of emotions of all those things.
At Impact 1000 you were in the ring with Impact royalty in both partners and opponents. The likes of Awesome Kong, the Beautiful People. What was that match like for you?
Just so surreal, but also very motivating. Very inspiring to be in that moment, in that room with women who have done it. Been there and gone through probably worse than I have and to still be standing tall. To still have the confidence to still be considered great and still be icons.
These are the women. I want to be like the women I want to surround myself with. Because you feed off of that and you learn from it. So I just felt very empowered that night.
Of course one of your partners in that match was Mickie James. You’re set to face off at Bound For Glory. How does it feel to be going one on one with a true Impact legend?
I'm still trying to wrap my head around that whole thing. Mickie? Gosh, Mickie is a woman that has broken down barriers. This woman has been there and done it and seen it and has stood tall through it all. She truly is one of the greatest of all-time.
An icon, an influence of mine. I never really got to work much with her in WWE and I always wanted to. Now our two worlds are colliding, which we never thought would happen. which we never seen come and watch in a perfect world. That's the beauty of wrestling, you never know what's going to happen in the world of wrestling.
For she and I to meet up here is definitely a different challenge from anything I've ever faced. There is no real beef, there is no real tension, there is no bad blood between she and I. The only thing between she and I is this championship, which is a very big deal. I know she didn't lose the championship, she had to relinquish it. I totally understand that because I've had to relinquish a championship before in my career. I know the type of fire you have in you to want to get it back.
If you could wrestle anybody in the company who you haven’t faced before, who would you choose?
Masha Slamovich, who is extremely talented. She's extremely tough. She's hard hitting. She's quick. She's fast. She's a wild child. I think she would definitely be a good test for me.
Jordynne Grace, ‘The Juggernaut’. I don't know how to compare with her because she's so darn strong. I’d definitely have to get my weight and my muscles for that match. I love Jody Threat. I could see myself tagging with her. I think she's super talented.
The Quintessential Diva (Gisele Shaw), as much as she's a little ‘beeotch’, I think I have great chemistry with her. In the ring she's just so fiery and feisty. Love the Death Dollz. I want to be with them, I want to be a Death Doll!
A hot topic around Impact recently has been the idea of CM Punk as a free agent. How would you feel if Punk signed for Impact?
That'd be awesome. That would be so cool. That would be crazy. When I had my debut match in Chicago, he was there. I didn't get to talk to him much. But he just came by and gave me a hug. I was so nervous, almost hyperventilating. But he was there and just that support alone gave me a boost that night. That would be incredible. That would be phenomenal. That would do so much for Impact Wrestling as well. That would be huge.
Your background involved working as a dancer for the Orlando Magic and Flo Rida. When did you realise those skills could transition to wrestling?
I really didn't know much about wrestling before getting into it. The opportunity just came out of nowhere. It was one of the Magic dancers on the team that told me about the audition. But once I tried out and I went to a live show, I saw how much of the theatrics and the performance went into wrestling.
That's what drew me in and that's what I loved about it because I love the arts. I've always wanted to do Broadway. I love singing and dancing. I wasn't an athlete in my own right. I did try in school, I was always a very active girl. So when I saw the live show, I'm like, “Holy crap, this is all of these things combined. This is perfect!” And that's what made me want to do it.
What inspirations are behind your character? You have such a distinct look, a neon-lit entrance and loud dance music. Where did these elements of your character come from?
I think it's a lot of who I am. I've always been into lights, I've always been into glow in the dark. Even as a kid I had a lot of glow in the dark stuff in my room, it's just something that I always gravitated to. When that opportunity came in WWE after years of convincing, with their support with Triple H’s help I was able to bring that to life.
It took on a life of its own and fans really enjoyed it and gravitated to it, especially children. Now I just have fun with it. I just get more and more creative with it. I'm always checking out the latest technology that comes out. Glow in the dark stuff and light up outfits. There are more companies coming out now with different LED things. Glasses, hats, earrings, face stickers, so that's a big part of it. Keeping up with the technology.
I like to just dance and play and have fun and I think that shows when I go out there. I think fans connect with it because we all have that in us. Life sometimes makes us step away from it because life gets so heavy sometimes, but that's why maybe so many connect with me. Because we all like to party, dance and have fun every now and then.
Last year you walked at New York Fashion Week with Mercedes. How was that and is modelling a world you’d like to return to?
It was awesome. It was just all new again. We felt like the new girls all over again, in a different school and a different world. But just like we do with everything we walk in, and we stand out. And I feel like we did.
Finally, it’s been a long time since Impact hosted a show in the UK. What can fans expect who might be watching Impact live for the first time?
Spectacular wrestling, incredible characters, and an all-around A-plus show. Quality over quantity is what you get with Impact.
See Trinity and the stars of Impact Wrestling in the UK this October.
Thursday, October 26 at O2 Academy in Glasgow, Scotland
Friday, October 27 at Walker Activity Dome in Newcastle, England
