“Wuera Loca” Taya Valkyrie joined the Wrestling Epicenter live from the Shot Show in Las Vegas to discuss her hard road to the top of the Impact Knockouts division, how her second run in Impact is more true to her than her first, the company’s transition to Pursuit and Twitch, and why there is no more excuses for the wrestling fans to ignore Impact.

Impact airs every Friday night on the Pursuit Chanel and live streams on Twitch.

Visit http://www.wrestlingepicenter.com to listen to this interview and over 600 other interviews conducted over the last 16 years.

 TAYA VALKYRIE:

On her Shot Show Experience:

“It was interesting. I’ve never been to anything like that before. I’ve been to many conventions but never anything of that theme. We were at the great looking Pursuit Chanel booth. Obviously, we didn’t get a chance to look around a lot because we were there to do the work! (laughs) It was definitely an interesting and different convention by far. (laughs)”

On running into The Undertaker:

“That was just by chance. We were just standing there, doing signings and stuff and all of a sudden, he was there. “Oh! Wrestlers!” He came over, shook our hands, was very nice, and went on his way. I’m sure he’s a hunter and is into all that kind of stuff. I was having a mark out moment for myself. (laughs) But, he was very nice and polite and it is always nice when you meet someone you look up to and they’re nice to you too.”

On her current run in Impact Wrestling:

“Oh, it has been so great. I’m so happy with how it has been coming to fruition. Coming back being myself… The Wuera Loca character is something I’ve been doing for many years and I really feel it is a representation of me more than anything. It was important for me to come back to Impact diferent because it just had been too long. I’ve been loving this feud I’ve been having with Tessa Blanchard and now as Knockouts Champion, how could you ask for anything more coming into 2019?”

On her feud with Tessa Blanchard:

“Tessa Blanchard is one of the best women wrestlers or just wrestlers in the entire world right now. I think we both bring out this animalistic, like, we both want to win so bad and we both come from such different backgrounds and different paths that we really bring out the best of each other. I’m really proud of what we’ve done. I’ve really enjoyed this Diamond versus Wuera Loca that we’ve been doing since October. That is what you want. You want people to be invested in it. You want people to be like, “Wow, that was different. I didn’t expect that.” Or, whatever it is. I think we did that. I think it is continuing to grow even after what we did around Homecoming.”

On the moment at the end of Homecoming where she and husband Johnny Impact held up their respective belts:

“Me and John have worked so hard throughout our careers – Even before we met each other, to be on the top of the mountain. It was just the exclamation point on that in that moment at the end of Homecoming where we were both leaving as champions. He is the most supportive person and I love him. He brings out the best in me and I know he’s worked very hard. It was special to share that moment. It is something that nobody has ever done before. It is something we will have special with each other for the rest of our lives. It felt really amazing!”

On Killer Kross:

“He’s a psychopath and a lunatic. We all know that. I think that now he’s just going deeper into the rabbit hole, so to speak, of crazyness. I have fought men three times my size. I’ve gone one on one with Brian Cage. I’ve had a tag team match with Rey Mysterio. I am not scared of anyone. That means I am not scared of Killer Kross. So, if Johnny does not put him in his place, I am going to try. I have bled for my love of this sport and I will not let someone push me around, push my husband around, or attack me. If it comes down to me versus Killer Kross, I’m absolutely gung ho for it.”

On the potential of defending against Gail Kim:

“Absolutely. Gail Kim is a legend. She is someone I look up to. She is someone who is such a presence in the Knockouts locker room. As ana gent, she gives the best advice. She just really stands up and defends us. So, if Gail does get back into the squared circle, I would love to have a match with her! Why not?”

On the Iron Sheik’s Massacre short:

“Actually, we were just looking at some footage of it last week which was really exciting because I had not seen any of it. I was dying of laughter! It is so great! I can’t wait for everyone to see it. It is a horror short involving wrestlers and the Iron Sheik. It is going to be a crazy ride. It is supposed to be funny. It is something crazy and stupid that me and Johnny wrote on our honeymoon. Hopefully we can get it submitted to film festivals in time for Halloween!”

On the move to Pursuit:

“Everybody knows that the Pursuit chanel is a hunting and fihsing network and a lot of people are like, “I don’t understand where you are going to fit in.” Guess what? We’re going to stand out! It is not about fitting in. And now we’re also live streaming on Twitch. Now there are no more excuses not to watch. If you have the Internet, you have Impact Wrestling. I think 2018 was a real turn around year for Impact Wrestling and I think we’re running full steam into this year into some crazy stuff. I’m really looking forward to it and I’m excited that now more people are going to be able to watch it!”

On returning to work in Mexico with Impact:

“It was like two Homecomings back to back! (laughs) I had so much fun. The crowd was lit! I thought it was interesting because they were getting to see me evolved and me with my new home of Impact. It was great. There is some crazy stuff you are about to see on TV, I don’t want to spoil anything. It is some pretty good stuff that we did down there for everybody, not just the women. Everybody really brought it. And, we’re going to be back in Las Vegas on February 15, 16, and 17th at Sam’s Town. So, if anyone is in the area and wants to check us out, this is the perfect opportunity to do so. These are live TV tapings, everyone will be there, yours truly as well!”