Show: Wrestling Epicenter
Guest: Lacey Von Erich
Date: 06/16/2021
Your Host: James Walsh

Lacey Von Erich is the daughter of the “Texas Tornado” Kerry Von Erich. After years away from wrestling, the former member of the mean-girls inspired “Beautiful People” in TNA Impact Wrestling is back in pro wrestling both behind the scenes and on screen with the Texas based SWE brand. A Von Erich involved in a Texas wrestling company? Can’t miss!

In this fun chat, Lacey discusses her complicated history with pro wrestling due to the tragedies of her family, her true reason for leaving TNA Impact Wrestling so abruptly, the rumors about her firing Mark Henry from SWE before he signed with AEW, her recent attention-getting videos from WrestleCon approaching the likes of “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase and asking Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat about the Cleveland Steamer, and much more! This interview has a little bit of everything!

SWE Fury, a new PPV concept, begins June 19th from the Irving Convention center in Irving, Texas. Check out www.SWEFury.com for more details on how tow atch SWE weekly on TV, PPV, and even buy tickets!

SWE has put forth a press release. If you read the graphic above, if you use the promo code 132047.  $1 of every PPV purchased will go to St. Jude’s Hospital as arranged by myself, James Walsh of the Wrestling Epicenter and SWE promoter Tom Lance.  You can purchase the PPV’s here!

To listen, visit www.WrestlingEpicenter.com.

LACEY VON ERICH:

On how she got involved with SWE:
“Well, they decided to put Daddy in the Hall of Fame… Kerry (Von Erich) is my Dad. So, I went and I accepted. And, I saw the show. Now, I’ve not really been a fan of wrestling lately… You know, in the last… Long time! (laughs) Since my family did it! It really reminded me of good, old school, Texas wrestling! It reminded me of being at the Sportatorium! That is where I grew up. So, I was like, “I want to be a part of this! I REALLY want to be a part of this.” I was like, “I don’t want to wrestle. But, I could be, like, media host.” So, that is kind of how I pivoted from saying “Thank you” for Daddy’s Hall of Fame induction to being their Media Host. So, that is how I got involved They (SWE) are growing so fast! They have reach all over with companies that have been doing this for a long time I was really impressed with who they are and their growth.”

On it just feeling right having a Von Erich involved:
“(laughs) Thank you! It is Texas old school wrestling. I definitely feel like I belong there. And, I think my Dad would have been a part of it. That always weighs heavy on me because I’m always thinking of him. So, we’re excited for North Texas Fury Fest on June 19th in Irving, Texas at the Convention Center!”

On her concept for “Kids Camp” before the matches on June 19th:
“I came up with Kids Camp. I have 3 kids of my own, I’m in the PTA out here, and I was like, “What if we did a kids make-a-wrestler?” So, they’ll get their face painted or they’ll get to put on a costume, they’ll get an 8X10 and cut a video promo. Charlie Haas is going to show them some wrestling moves! Then, they’ll get to actually go backstage and go down to the ring and have their own little Kids Camp section (in the stands). I just love making kids memories. And, I know we are going to be building up the next generation that way too!”

On the age restrictions for SWE Kids Corner:
“It says 5 to 12 but I have a 15 year old who would love to do it as well. It is fun to dress up! The age is not a restriction. We just say that in case a 17 year old or something shows up. But, we have the adult wrestling school as well. So, if someone seems a little old, I can send them that way.”

On choosing to get involved in wrestling given her family tragedies:
“Yeah, it was difficult because I had a 3 month old at the time and Vince McMahon called me. He was like, “Do you want to be a Diva?” I was like, “What’s a Diva?” (laughs) When I was growing up, Naughty Natalie and “Scary” Sherri (Martel) were not called Divas! They would have hit you! (laughs) But, I went out there. I always wanted to be an actress and I always wanted to be on stage. So, it was just such a fun production!”

On doing wrestling talk shows being therapeutic:
“I would try and do wrestling interviews just like this one and I would become impossible to understand because I’d be crying so hard (going over her family’s tragedies). Like, you wouldn’t even be able to understand me. I would be like, “Blub, blub, blub!” (laughs) You know? But, it healed me! It made me talk about my Dad and talk about my family’s tragedies that it healed me! It did what no one else could!”

On doing the GLOW inspired Wrestlicious show:
“So, they called me and they said, “Do you want to come and do this rap?” “I’m Lacey Von Erich, you know the name! My family’s in the wrestling Hall of Fame! My famous claw hold is not fictitious, that’s why I’m Wrestlicious!” (laughs) So, I go down… It was down the road in LA and I went and there were all the girl wrestlers and Jimmy Hart was there. So, I went and I did the whole rap video which was the intro… They never told me it was a pro wrestling TV show! I had no idea I was going to actually wrestle in the ring. I honestly thought it was just a rap! They were like, “We’re going to be filming next week in Florida.” “Filming? Filming what?” “It’s a wrestling show! You’re going to be wrestling as yourself.” I was like, “All these characters are going to wrestle? Like, the little Farm Girl?” (laughs) So, I love Johnny Caparella . He’s still a good friend to this day. And, Jimmy Hart is like an Uncle. So, I went and filmed… And, it was like, one day! And, that was it. Because, I went to TNA right after. And, by the way, I do not remember! I look back at it now and I’m like, “I do not remember doing that!” (laughs)”

On moving over to the TNA Knockouts division:
“I loved TNA. It was definitely different being with TNA compared to what WWE was doing with their training down in Florida. They (WWE) had an environment where it felt like everyone was out to get you and they were out for themselves and stuff like that. TNA was so much like a family! We were so close. We are all such good friends. I didn’t ever want to leave because I made such good friends!”

On playing the “Mean Girl” type in the Beautiful People:
“That was so funny! I was Valedictorian and I ran companies. I own a medical company now! And, I work for SWE doing a lot of their back office stuff. So, it was funny to play a big dumb blonde! I loved it! It was really funny! I mean, the lines they came up with! I got to be as silly as I wanted and make fart noises! Our skits were so funny!”

On if she liked exploiting her sex appeal:
“I could have done without the sexy dances we did on the way out to the ring. That is just not me. But, I loved it. And, I didn’t have to do a whole lot. They just kind of made me the big dumb muscle. A big dumb oaf! (laughs) So, I would come in to do something and, of course, miss it! (laughs)”

On suffering injuries during her time in the ring:
“I did get hurt a lot because I decided to not go with the Iron Claw and instead do a backflip off the ropes into an elbow drop. And, sometimes I didn’t do it right! (laughs) I got so many concussions! I’m actually in a stem-cell concussion research team right now because I’ve gotten over like 14! That is just how wrestling is. These guys get hurt! My back has been out for about a week! It is doing better now. But, my knees are bad, my back is bad, I’ve had concussions. No one comes out of wrestling unscathed.”

On why she left TNA abruptly:
“I only stopped because they were going to put the singles TNA Knockouts Title on me. They were going to make me the solo champion which means I was going to have to head out on the road to the little podunk towns where there is only Applebees! (laughs) And, I have a kid! So, I didn’t want to… And, I was about to get married. So, I was on my way to the airport to go to the show where I was going to become champion. And, I texted Dixie Carter, who is still a friend of mine, and I was like, “I’m so sorry. I don’t think I want to do this anymore. I don’t want to go on the road.” I was like one of the only ones who ever was like, “Don’t make me champion!” (laughs) I just want to have fun. I don’t want to be the champion!”

On the growth of female wrestling since she left TNA:
“I love it! They’re doing really well! Their ratings are great. I feel like even if you don’t like wrestling, you like watching the girls. That said, with talent like Charlie Haas… There are some real “holy shit” moments in SWE with the guys. I used to be all gung-ho, “Girl wrestling, Girl Wrestling”.” But, the guys are amazing.”

On the TMZ report that she, Brooke Hogan, & Teal Piper were starting their own women’s wrestling company:
“Myself, Brooke Hogan, Brittany Page, and Ariel Piper who is now Teal Piper… We were all starting an all girls wrestling TV show federation. But, I got with SWE because I was like, “Oh my Gosh, this is actually fun!” I like watching it! Brooke (Hogan) wanted to move to Nashville and so she did. Brittany got married. And, Teal wanted to be a wrestler and she did and now is also engaged to one. So, I never wanted to be a reality star. So, when that ended, I was like, “Cool! That’s over!” (laughs) I didn’t want to put my kids on a reality show and that kind of was where it was headed.”

On recently putting Fabulous Freebirds member Terry Gordy’s daughter Miranda in the Iron Claw in SWE:
“That was fun! It always is a tribute to my family and making sure people never forget them and how they paved some of the way for wrestling. So did the Freebirds! So did Andre the Giant and all those guys. But, any time there is an opportunity for me to honor my family in that way, I’m going to!”

On if she’d ever return to the ring to wrestle in SWE:
“I will never, ever say no! You just never know what you’re going to feel like tomorrow. (laughs) So, maybe? I don’t know.”

On how big the SWE has the potential to become:
“God, you should see the people that we’re talking to and the players that are looking to invest in SWE. One of my friends is a billionaire who bought his own stadium that holds 10,000 people. That is where we’re headed. That is in Mesquite. So, about 10 times what it is now is what you can expect us to be within about 12 months, we’re hoping!”

On SWE’s TV growth:
“It is really exciting! We just got on prime time this June… So, CW 33 in Dallas, prime time, 10 p.m.! The last time that was done in Dallas was when my family did it and my husband was watching my Dad wrestle. Also, CW in Baton Rouge at 8 p.m. on Saturdays which is huge! So, myself and someone I brought in to SWE are currently trying to sell ad space because commercial space exists on those prime time broadcasts.”

On the potential of doing a Von Erich family reunion with Ross & Marshall in SWE:
“I don’t know if that will happen. But, we did do a Texas wrestling show and I managed them… And, we could not stop laughing! It was like back when we were kids. I grew up at their house because Daddy died. We all jumped on the trampoline and wrestled each other. So, it was like we were kids again. Will that happen again in SWE? I don’t know. We don’t talk wrestling when we speak. Like, we talk but wrestling rarely is part of the conversation. (laughs) But, it would be great!”

On her recent WrestleCon videos with wrestling legends including Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat:
“(laughs) That was a lot of fun. I just wanted to have fun and there were not a lot of people there because it was Friday. Some of these guys were sitting there bored so I went up to have fun with them. Tom Lance told me not to mention “Cleveland Steamer” with Ricky Steamboat (laughs) So, I had to! He has to yell at me sometimes. I will be live again this Saturday with more Lacey VE TV!”