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Jade Cargill Talks Pro Wrestling, Growth In AEW & More

AEW TBS Champion Jade Cargill spoke with Bleacher Report’s Chris Mueller about pro wrestling, her progress in AEW, and more. Cargill grew up in the 1990s amid what many consider to be the peak of professional wrestling’s popularity. ECW, The Rock, D-Generation X and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin ruled the ring in the New World Order period. That period was the most popular in the company’s history.

Women’s wrestling, particularly in the WWE, had a significant rise in the mid-to-late 1990s. Cargill was drawn to the more muscular women’s division athletes as a fan. “Jackie [Jacqueline Moore] and Chyna were my two. I love jazz as well,” she said. “She’s a kick-ass woman. She’s a force to be reckoned with as well. So, those three to me, I watched growing up.”

In spite of her extensive education, Cargill chose wrestling as a professional choice since she had a good foundation in basketball and a Master’s degree in child psychology.

“So after my tryout, it kind of just lit a fire in me and I loved it,” she said. “I was like, ‘You know what? Damn, I can really do this. This is fun, I’m enjoying it.’ Of course, it hurts, all the bumps, but I enjoyed it. And once I start something, I don’t put anything down.” Cargill went on to say that he was a stickler for detail. “I’m a perfectionist. So I want to just be great at it. I’m enjoying it. I knew once I started I wasn’t going to stop. Once I’m obsessed with something, I’m really obsessed with it. And I’m very obsessed right now with wrestling.”

Cargill has only been working for the company for a little over a year and is still learning the ropes. In comparison to other wrestlers who have spent more time honing their craft in front of smaller audiences, she was under a lot more scrutiny since her debut bout was shown on national television.

It is fortunate for the TBS champion that she has access to so many resources. In addition to the guidance she receives from her teachers, other legends have chimed in with words of wisdom as she develops.

“Dustin Rhodes and Cody Rhodes have been very, very helpful in my career,” she said. “QT Marshall has been amazingly helpful in my career. As well as Billy Gunn. A lot of veterans talk to me, and they all want me to do well because they watch me practice and they know what I can do. They just want me to get more comfortable in the ring and show that to everybody else.

“There are things that I’ve not done in a match that I do in my practice, but I can’t show these things yet. I can’t pull them out. Why would I? Why would I expend and give somebody an eight-minute match when I can kill them in three minutes? Or four minutes? Why would I do that?

“So there’s no point in me showing all my tools and what I can do and running the ropes all the time if I don’t have to do that. But there are a lot of veterans behind the scenes who talk to me, coach me and tell me what’s right from wrong, and I appreciate that.”

In an interview, Cargill proceeded to talk about how the mother and daughter had a memorable moment since Cargill has been at her mother’s side since she started her professional wrestling career.

“For my daughter to see me [win the title], it’s amazing because she’s been with me along this whole journey,” Cargill said. “When I started training, she was in the gym with me. It was really astonishing for me to see how she used to watch me in the ring with huge men.

“At first, she would cry about it. And I’d have to go off to the side and talk to her and tell her ‘You know, mommy’s beaten some butt.’ And now it’s funny how it’s turned. She’s the one who’s yelling and telling me to get on somebody. So, it feels good for her to see me in that light because I want her to know everything I’m doing is for her foundation.”

Finally, Cargill mentioned that her ideal match would be with Serena Deeb before the conversation ended.”I want to face everybody because everybody has different wrestling styles and I can use that to get better,” Cargill said. “However, the one person that everybody wants to wrestle, and that I want to wrestle, is Serena Deeb. I mean, she’s The Professor. I just think being in the ring with her is a privilege as it is and I want to work with her so bad. So whenever she’s ready, I’m ready.”

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