Friday, March 29, 2024
Editorial*Exclusive* Indy Circuit Spotlight…. Cat Power

*Exclusive* Indy Circuit Spotlight…. Cat Power

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Catherine Power is a Canadian wrestler, better known by her ring names, Cat Power and Haley Rogers. She is a former Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling (ECCW) Women’s Champion and has held the Pro Wrestling Xtreme Woman’s Championship. Cat’s name is well known all over the world and is widely viewed as one of the most technically sound veterans inside the ring. This type of reputation has elevated her to the top of several prestigious lists such as Pro Wrestling Illustrated where she ranked 42nd in 2010.

Cat has wrestled all over the world, including her high profile time spent in Japan. She was fascinated with the sport on every level at a very young age and was determined to make it her career. Her hard working attitude and attention to detail has helped her solidify her place in the industry as she continues to form a friendly following all across the country.

By following the Independent Circuit and reading about the wrestlers and their storied careers, I am able to catch up with some of them and conduct an interview from time to time, which allows them to share with us their story. Recently I was able to catch up with Cat and she was gracious enough to put a halt to her busy schedule to discuss her career, future, and accomplishments. This is what she had to say.

* When did your pro wrestling career begin? How did you get started?

My career began in May of 2005 when I first started training at the Can-Am Wrestling School under Scott D’amore, Johnny Devine, and Tyson Dux. I was living at home in North Sydney Nova Scotia and I was doing my research into the best wrestling schools in Canada and Can-Am was the one. I had my first match in Toronto for a company called BSE (Blood Sweat and Ears) in July of 2006. It definitely took me a while to get the hang of things. I was in no way a “natural.”

* What federations have you worked for along the way?

I’ve gotten to work for some amazing promotions including Border City Wrestling, Maximum Pro Wrestling, Shimmer, and most recently Reina, Stardom, Big Japan, and Smash Wrestling.

* How could you explain the life on an independent wrestler?

It’s very much a constant hustle. It’s like anything in freelance work: Your last job is your last job, so you have to constantly keep promoting yourself and stay relevant to people in order to get out there. We are independent contractors so we don’t have managers or agents taking care of bookings for us. You have to take responsibility and promote yourself and be willing to work extremely hard to be successful.

* Are there any funny/crazy road stories you would like to share?

None that are funny in type LOL

* When did you decide to go full speed ahead to becoming a professional athlete?

I was 3 years old when I watched wrestling for the first time and that was it. I wanted to be a pro wrestler since that time. I was 17 when I went to WrestleMania 18 in Toronto and when I came back from that I thought: To be among 70,000 people was intense, but what’s it like to be in front of 70,000 people? And that’s when I decided wholeheartedly that I was going to find a school and train.

* How did you decide on your name/gimmick?

That one was easy: It’s my actual name.

* Were there any obstacles on your journey to the ring? If so, what were they and how did you overcome them?

I’m really not athletic in anyway. I’m always very jealous of naturally gifted athletes because I just cannot make my body do some of the things you see other wrestlers pull off. When regular people find out what I do the standard question is always: Oh so do you do any moves off the top rope? And my standard response is Hell NO! Look at me. Seriously I am not a high flyer in any way. I am a great base/catch and I am very comfortable with that but as far as my athletic abilities go that is a massive obstacle and I try and work really hard in other areas to make up for that.

It took me a really long time to grasp the actual art of Pro Wrestling. I really think its only in the last 2 years that I have become the most comfortable with wrestling and my place in it. I’m having the most fun I’ve ever had and it was all worth any difficulties I had.

* What are your thoughts on the current status of Women’s Wrestling and how it has been growing?

It is the best time in women’s wrestling right now because the grand stage has finally taken notice that there are girls that have come from wrestling schools that are properly trained and have paid their dues on the independent circuit and now we are getting the chance to showcase what fans have known for a while and that is when you showcase passion you can watch magic happen.

* What would be your dream match?

A huge dream match of mine is Cat Power vs Charlotte. I am a MASSIVE Ric Flair fan and I am the hugest Charlotte fan so for me to get to work with her would be the ultimate dream come true.

I would say my other dream match is any time I get to wrestle Nicole Matthews. Just when I think I have nothing left in me creatively or physically Nicole busts it out of me and any day I get to wrestle her is a good day.

* What would you say is your greatest accomplishment in the sport of professional wrestling?

At this point I would say my time over in Japan has been my greatest accomplishment. I have wrestled at Korakuen Hall multiple times, I have had some of the most amazing matches of my career, and I’ve become the best version of myself as a wrestler to date because of my experiences overseas and I could not be more grateful.

* What is your most memorable match?

I would say some of my favorite matches to date would be a No Holds Barred match vs Nicole Matthews in Vancouver. That match is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a5T6CsfnRk

I also wrestled Pete Powers in an inter gender match in front of a sold out crowd at The Fabulous Commodore Ballroom in down town Vancouver. That was one of my most favorite nights and matches I’ve ever had.

Getting to wrestle my friend and wrestling mama bear Malia Hosaka in Japan earlier this year is something I will never forget. We had never wrestled before but we had known each other for many years and she has always been one of my go to’s for advice. She hadn’t been to Japan for many years and getting to have a match with her in that environment was just amazing.

* Who would you say has been your toughest opponent to date?

I think that would have to be a three way tie between Nicole Matthews, Jade, and Mercedes Martinez. Those ladies are in a league of their own and I would say they bring me up to the top of my game and have made me a better wrestler.

* Who are/were some your favorite wrestlers and why?

Anyone who knows me personally knows that Edge was the tipping point for me that made me say YES! I don’t just WANT to be a pro wrestler, I am GOING to be a pro wrestler. I met him at Fan Axxess on the WrestleMania 18 weekend and I came across the picture we took together recently. He was holding the bag chocolate chip cookies I had given him. I was such a huge fan and I just wanted to stand out somehow and I read in an interview that that’s what he liked so I brought him a bag of Mr Christie’s.

I’ve always loved Ric Flair for sure. I still remember being a kid and watching Royal Rumble 92 and that promo with Bobby Heenan and Mr. Perfect hooked me. I was all in at that point.

I was absolutely obsessed with Shawn Michaels when they turned him face and he started his run towards the Iron Man match and he became champion. I would say he was my first crush as a kid for sure!

* Who is the real Cat Power?

I probably shouldn’t say this cause it will ruin the mystique but I am a MASSIVE nerd. Like seriously. I’m socially awkward, I know far too much about Friends (how you doin?), Star Wars, and movie trivia in general. I love baseball and I follow the Detroit Tigers and when I’m in Japan the Hokkaido Fighters. I love music and one of my favorite jobs I had before pursuing wrestling full time was at The Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver where I saw some of the most amazing shows of my life. I’ll pretty much listen to anything accept EDM. Sorry peeps but I’m not into watching someone plug their laptop in and then scream at me to Put My Hands Up. I’ll put my hands up if I want to thank you very much!

* What needs to be accomplished in your eyes to be able to look back and call your career a success when it’s all over?

I am extremely happy with what I have accomplished now and I feel like I have been successful in my own right. I think too many people place too much stock in “making it” and for a long time I was one of those people. I thought to “make it” meant you had to be on TV and pay per view but having had some experience overseas and meeting so many different people in the business there are different definitions of success. I think that anyone who is happy and is doing what they have always dreamed of doing in whatever capacity that may be is successful and I happen to be in an amazing position where I get to do what I have always dreamed of doing since I was 3. That’s pretty cool.

***Hopefully you enjoyed this interview and learned some new and interesting things about Cat Power. The world of wrestling is a demanding business and the time set aside to do this interview should not be underestimated. I would like to personally thank Cat for taking the time to share with me her stories so I could share them with all of you. Her time is greatly appreciated…..

***For more information you can follow Cat Power on the following outlets:

Twitter: @catpowerwrestle

Instagram: @catpowerwrestling

Bookings: [email protected]

Pro Wrestling Tees: http://www.prowrestlingtees.com/wrestler-t-shirts/…

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***Come follow my sports site fantasysportsaddiction.com and all my editorial articles along with many interesting minds at the eWrestlingnews FB Fan Page…Come join in and let your presence be felt!

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