During the latest edition of the “Women’s Wrestling Talk” podcast, former AEW Superstar Ivelisse Velez commented on her release from AEW, why she says it was a “misunderstanding”, and more. You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On wanting to improve women’s wrestling: “My higher goal has always been to shed light on anything that could improve women’s wrestling in any way, shape, or form. So I do feel that a big reason is, again, just because I’m a female, they feel the freedom to just, you know, pick me apart, etc. It seems to be a trend that seems to be trending. Because it hasn’t been just me, it’s been other females as well. Any female that starts blowing a bunch of steam or whatever, somehow, someway they want to find a way to, to bring them down, drag them down or whatever. And it just seems to be something that the media enjoys, and I really feel that it’s something that needs to be shed light on; to just move on from something like that. And do the opposite, because it is a major problem in society. And it’s not just in wrestling it’s everything. Any female that is like, you know, gunning for something and actually making a difference or making, you know, making strides or making changes or anything like that, somehow, someway they have to find something to kind of try to trample on that or whatever.”
On locker room drama and the lack of veteran women’s wrestlers in positions of power: “Well, see, unfortunately, the thing is that on the women’s side, there’s so much improvement that needs to happen. Because unfortunately, the cattiness crap from high school still happens in women’s locker rooms. And the thing is that a lot of males are in positions of power, and then they just roll their eyes anytime something happens, like, ‘Oh, it’s just girls being girls.’ Like, dude, no, no. That’s why I feel it’s so imperative to put such importance to female veterans because they’re the ones who, first of all, have gone through stuff and have earned the right to be able to impose any kind of, you know, rules to make more order within the environment. Not so they can feel powerful, or whatever, for the improvement of the environment; number one. And for better efficiency out there in the ring.
“Because it does affect out there in the ring, as there’s been many instances and examples. The less it can spill into the ring, the better, because that’s where we never want it to get to, to the ring. And yeah, that’s why I feel it’s so important. And unfortunately, there’s not that much emphasis and recognition and empowerment to female veterans, because that’s the most important and most essential thing that is missing. Because without that, that structure is not as solid as it can be. And that’s what I was trying to fight for, and what I will continue to fight for now that I’m about to turn 18 years of wrestling in September. And I’ll keep fighting for that.”
On other promotions she’d like to work with: “I would kind of have to say two, because major companies and independent companies are just entirely different worlds, I would have to say one of each. So if I would say one, from the independent side, I would say Shine because Shine has been that platform that I was able, it was the first and longest platform that has always allowed me to be myself in every way shape or form. And that’s the main stage where I’ve been able to show the world who I am and the caliber of performer that I am. When I left WWE, them giving me that chance was how I was able to climb the ranks in women’s wrestling on a whole, like literally debuting in the top 10 of PWI. Like, it was the best, the best year of my career like at that time. So, I would definitely say that I’m still incredibly grateful to Shine for that.”
On wanting to erase politics and return to AEW despite the “misunderstanding”: “And in major companies I would say, if I had a magic wand and I could erase politics, I would say AEW despite the misunderstanding. I was still able to be completely utterly myself, Ivelisse ‘La Sicaria.’ And the misunderstandings only happened in the end. So throughout that, even as I was being presented, which you know, I love doing tag team stuff and everything like that, but I obviously also am a very accomplished singles competitor as well. I was looking forward to it all, anything and everything, to just give my entire all despite, you know, not being able to show the AEW universe, those other elements of who I am, etc. I still feel like it is the platform that I could best present who ‘La Sicaria’ is, and everything that has to do with my character, everything that has to do with what I could deliver in every department. So unfortunately, you know, it’s just that misunderstanding. But again, if that meant there was a magic wand, or if there was somehow, someway some miracle that could happen in life, and this misunderstanding could be resolved. I’ll say AEW.”
Following her release from AEW, Ivelisse claimed it was because she spoke up against mistreatment by a coach backstage. She also said Thunder Rosa had been “slandering” her during her run with the company.
