Lisa Marie is owner of The Squared Circle Restaurant in Chicago, IL. She is formerly known as TNA Knockout Tara & five-time TNA Knockouts Champion as well as an one-time TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion. She is a former two time WWE Women's Champion, Finishing move is the Widow's Peak, debuted on WWF as one of the Godfather's Ho's, has worked on all three WWE brands (RAW, ECW &a Smackdown). She departed from the WWE in January of 2009. Owned Black Widow Customs & Fat Tony's Pizzeria in Louisville, KY. Moved to Chicago, IL for for a few years & currently resides in southern California.
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Brian FINALLY watched the CM Punk DVD and you can hear his glorious praise of the DVD on this week’s episode! Speaking of which, CM Punk successfully defended his WWE Title in just about 10 minutes AND had to go beard-to-eyebrow with The Rock right after. Talk about pressure!
Also, the guys go over the week’s news including TNA cutting back on the amount of yearly pay-per-views; Sarita, Rosita, and D’Angelo Dinero being released from TNA , and also a spoiler alert straight from WWE.com!
This week, current TNA Knockout Champion Tara joins the guys on the show! This interview covers her upcoming documentary by Matt Goldberg, her TNA career, business ventures, and much more in this great interview!
All this and more on Running The Ropes, the official podcast of the Unchained Wrestling Network and a part of the SNS Radio Network!
The Interview with Tara starts at the 1 Hour 16 minute mark.
TNA Knockouts Champion Tara was the featured guest on this week’s edition of Monday Night Mayhem, hosted by The Big Mosh, Todd Vincent, and “Wild” Bill Brown. Here are interview highlights courtesy of WWEDVDNews.com’s Aaron Carnevale, MNM’s National Correspondent:
The experience of teaming up with “Mr. PEC-Tacular” Jessie Godderz in iMPACT Wrestling: “I love to manage. It is so much fun working and bouncing stuff off of each other, being goofy, and being able to entertain. At the same time, I can still wrestle. It also allows me to get my body a little bit of a rest while watching him wrestle. It is so much fun. I can’t express how much fun I’m having.”
Why she believes the current WWE Divas should not receive the criticism that they do: “It’s not their fault. They have some great talent over there (in the WWE), but you cannot tell a story in four minutes with two entrances. We’re lucky to have that much time on television to do it. I hope they get more time in the future, because they aren’t getting their opportunity.”
The direction of the TNA Knockouts division and where she sees things headed for the Knockouts in the new year: “I love where we are going. I think we’re going to see some new faces, new feuds, and maybe a new style of wrestling. We have an awesome creative department that are huge fans of the Knockouts division. You’ll be seeing a good year, honestly.”
Much more is contained in Tara’s interview with Monday Night Mayhem, including her candid thoughts on just how close she was to retiring from professional wrestling, her current reign as TNA Knockouts Champion, why she believes the future is very bright for her man in iMPACT Wrestling, what her fans can expect to see from the release of her new documentary (“Tarafied”) and more. You can download and listen to the full interview by clicking here.
6:00 – TNA Knockouts Champion Tara on her last interview with The Mayhem on a golf cart
9:45 – Tara on why she had planned on retiring after leaving WWE and getting the call from TNA
13:33 – How she got her start in pro wrestling and already having relationships with pro wrestlers
29:00 – Why the current state of women’s wrestling in WWE is not the fault of the Divas talent
44:00 – Closing the podcast with what is coming up for the show in 2013 going forward
Pro wrestler opening pizza restaurant in Lincoln Park Luis Gomez, About Last Night
9:34 am, October 18, 2012
Lisa Maria Varon — known as Tara in TNA Wrestling and Victoria during her WWE days — is getting back into the pizza business.
The 41-year-old professional wrestler previously owned a pizza restaurant in Kentucky in 2007 before selling it and now has plans to open another in the Lincoln Park neighborhood in January or February. The restaurant will be located at 2418 N. Ashland, which was previously Leon’s Ribs.
“We’re sticking with what we know, with where we’ve previously had success,” Varon told me by email Wednesday. “We’re focusing on artisanal brick oven pizza. Everything (will be) made on premise: the dough, a fifth generation sauce, fresh local ingredients. And then house blend burgers: hormone and antibiotic free beef, ground in house.”
Varon won the TNA Women’s Knockouts Championship Sunday at TNA’s biggest pay per view of the year, Bound For Glory, and is scheduled to appear on MTV’s “Made” this week. She also said she is the subject of a documentary currently being filmed by director Matt Goldberg. But even with her busy schedule, she insists you will be able to find her at her restaurant every week once it opens.
“This is not a pet project for me,” Varon said. “This is my job. I will continue to travel a couple days a week for wrestling, but I will be in the restaurant several days a week.”
And how much longer does the five-time TNA Knockouts Champion expect to wrestle?
“I get the ‘how much longer’ question in every interview nowadays,” Varon said. “I get it. I’m 41 in an industry where girls breaking in are half my age. My perspective is, I feel great, I think I look great, I put on outstanding matches for the fans, I bring out the best in my opponents, and most importantly, I am having a blast.”
PWTorch Livecast – Wade Keller interviews TNA KO Tara Fri, October 5, 2012
By PWTorch Staff
TNA Knockout Tara says she feels flattered that TNA selected her for the Knockouts Title match on TNA’s biggest PPV of the year, Bound for Glory, next Sunday, but she also feels deserving of the slot.
“Everybody of course wants to be on the biggest show of the year,” Tara said exclusively on the October 5 PWTorch Livecast with PWTorch editor Wade Keller. “It’s really hard being competitive in this business. It’s flattering, but I feel like it’s well-deserved. Ya know, 13 years, I feel like I paid my dues.”
In the same breath, Tara also advertised surprises on the PPV. “You’re going to see a lot of good stuff from Miss Tessmacher. She’s been working in the ring a lot, I hear,” Tara said. “And, I’m excited – there’s a lot of surprises there. I can’t tell too much, but I’m really excited to be a part of it. Don’t get me wrong, I like to be on every PPV, but this one (is special).”
Tara would likely not be in the same title match position if she were still with WWE. She said on the Livecast that WWE established a ceiling for her career, which prompted her to part ways with WWE in 2009. Tara eventually joined TNA, where she says she has not experienced the same restrictions.
“I’m never going to talk bad about them (WWE), (but) I wish I was told that I was used to train the new girls. I would have been okay with that,” Tara said. “I blatantly asked, ‘Do you ever see the championship belt in my future?’ They said, ‘No.’ I was like, ‘Really. If I’m that awesome out there, why isn’t the title belt in my future?’
“I just think I reached the peak of where I was going to go there. Don’t get me wrong, I am appreciative of what I did there, but it was time to close the book and move on. I really thought I was retired from wrestling. I really did.” Tara then recalled TNA calling her after her 90-day no-compete clause expired and working out a favorable travel schedule to join TNA.
Tara also provided background on why she briefly parted ways with TNA in 2010 and 2011. Tara said she operates on a year-to-year contract so that she can determine how her body is holding up before deciding to re-up, but it led to contract issues in the TNA office.
“I signed for a year and they wanted to a three-year (contract), but I said, ‘I just do year-to-year. I have to listen to my body, and I don’t want to be locked into anything,'” Tara said. “Then, my contract expired (in 2010) and it was just negotiations. It was not that I wanted to leave, but it was the paperwork. I don’t like that part of the business at all. Then, the next year (2011), it expired again and we had to go through it again.”
Tara then updated her current status: “I just recently signed another year, so I’m pretty happy. I hope everyone knows the passion – I love what I do. I hope people see that love.”
The interview concludes with Tara discussing the shift in tone for females on TNA’s roster, notably the Knockouts being treated with more respect by TNA Creative as wrestlers “who can go in the ring” and perform at a high-level.
Tara’s full 17-minute interview with PWTorch editor Wade Keller can be heard on Friday’s PWTorch Livecast available at this link – HERE – or on iTunes or on the free PWTorch Livecast App available in your phone provider’s App/Mobile store .
Jeremy Borash sits down with Tara to get the scoop on the Knockouts division as well as female wrestlers in the business, touring and more. Check out the video above!
Q. Compare and contrast working with TNA and WWE, your thoughts on leaving WWE and at the time you talked about leaving pro wrestling. How seriouswere you about that and what changed your mind?
A. The only comparison between TNA and WWE are that they are both based on pro wrestling. They are different in every possible way. I could spend a day contrasting the two. All I will say is that they each have their pros and their cons.
I left WWE for two reasons. First, I was fried. I really needed time off. I had pretty much been on the road for seven years straight. Don’t get me wrong, it was incredible. But for those seven years, I was either on the road or getting ready to be on the road. It gets exhausting. The fact that I was able to do it that long is a testament to how much I loved it.Second, once you are in the spotlight, it’s hard to play a supporting role. I was tired of waiting for an opportunity to be the focus again. So if you combine being worn out, and not being happy with my role, I just felt like it was time to go. After my final match, I bawled little girl tears. I thought that was it.But you can’t go from being busy non-stop to having nothing to do. After a couple weeks, I was stir crazy. I started MMA training on a more regular basis. But after a few months, I was contacted by TNA. They sold me on the idea of wrestling part time, 3-5 days a month. Plus they had some girls I really wanted to work with. Especially Kong. And by that point, I really missed wrestling.
Whenever the seasons start changing from winter to spring, I start thinking about what I’m going to be wearing as the weather gets warmer. Since I’ll no longer be able to hide my considerable girth under layers of clothing, I always resolve to shed a few pounds so I don’t look like I’m smuggling a beach ball under my Green Lantern tee shirt. Of course, finding the motivation to lose weight is always a challenge. Since it never hurts to have some friends to help you out, I asked female pro-wrestler – and Chicago resident – Lisa Marie Varon to act as my trainer. After she graciously agreed to put me through my paces, we both thought, why not put the challenge out to other geeks and nerds in Chicago? So to that effect, we present to you the GEEK FIT CHALLENGE!
Here’s how Lisa puts it:
Hello everyone! I’m Lisa Marie Varon, but you may know me as “Tara” on SpikeTV’s TNA Impact Wrestling, or formerly as WWE Diva “Victoria.” When Elliott asked if I would help him get “geek fit” I thought it was a great idea! I’m a fan of geeky things myself, especially video games, and the idea of living a fit lifestyle is a real passion of mine. And, as a former Professional Fitness Competitor; former Nationally Recognized Personal Trainer; former Medical Industry Professional; and 7 Time World Champion Professional Wrestler, who better to lead the GEEK FIT CHALLENGE?
The thing that I want you all to know is that there are many ways to be “fit.” You don’t have to be buff like a pro-wrestler, or have six-pack abs to be fit. Everyone is different and there are lots of ways you can feel “fit” and happy with yourself.
Elliott and I are looking for a ‘few good geeks’ who want to get into ‘geek fit’ shape! Over the next 3 months we’ll be working out together and getting active. I’ll even be sharing tips for things you can do to enjoy all the geeky-fun things you like while living a healthy lifestyle.
To be a part of the Geekfit Challenge you must: Live in the Chicago area (group meetings will be held in a Chicago facility)
Be approved by your physician to undergo an exercise regimen
Be willing to complete the full program (3 months)
Be ready and willing to keep a diary of your progress and share it with Geek To Me readers.
At the end of the 3 months, we’ll be awarding a prize to the one who’s made the most progress, but everyone is sure to be a winner!
We’re looking for 3 guys and 3 gals to take the challenge. Do you think you’re up for it? If so, drop us a line at geekfitchallenge@gmail.com!
UPDATE: The deadline to submit yourself as a candidate is Monday, March 5th, 2011.
TNA Knockout Tara on Getting into Wrestling, Tarantulas and MMA by Joshua Modaberi
Tara, also known as as Victoria during her time with the WWE, is one of the most decorated women’s wrestlers of all time and is a six-time Women’s Champion, winning the title twice with the WWE and four-times in TNA.
The 41-year-old has been in the business for 12 years now, having made her debut for the WWE at WrestleMania XVI, but it was a chance meeting that got her into wrestling in the first place.
Sportsvibe.co.uk caught up with Tara to discuss how she got into the wrestling industry, wrestling over in the UK and tarantulas, plus much more.
Q. How did you first get into wrestling?
I was a fitness competitor back in the ’90s. Torrie Wilson and myself used to take part in fitness competitions together. Torrie was working at WCW at the time and she brought be backstage and she was walking a guy out to the ring. I said to her ‘you get paid to walk a guy out there, that must be awesome’…
TNA’s Tara: I want to be a Page 3 girl By Phil Allely
Published: January 18, 2012
She’s won championship belts in both WWE and TNA and is generally recognized as one of the best female wrestlers in history.
But there’s only one thing Tara really wants — to appear in The Sun.
In an exclusive interview to promote TNA’s upcoming UK Tour, Tara told SunSport: “I’d love to be a Page 3 Girl!
“I’ll pack my swimsuit for the tour and wait for you guys to call me.”
The brunette, who was known as Victoria in WWE, added: “I love the fact that the TNA Knockouts Division are making such a mark on wrestling fans and I appreciate the fact that many people tune in to see us sexy girls.
“I love that we get a lot more ring and interview time than other companies offer their ladies.
“I mean we get to main event TV tapings and house shows. I see the ratings and our segments are often the most watched parts of impact shows.”
Having started her career as a member of the Godfathers Ho Train, Tara can relate to the cynics who belittle the females who get high paid jobs in wrestling for their looks alone.
She said: “I was signed (to the WWE) with no wrestling experience, I was in the right place at the right time and my look and my fitness training background helped me get that job.
“I paid my dues though. I spent three years going to wrestling school, working my way around the indy and developmental leagues.
“You know I’d never bad mouth girls who have got an opportunity in this business without any in-ring ability.
“The big thing though is that they need to realize just how hard you have to work and bust your butt to get the recognition you deserve.”
After leaving WWE, many felt that Tara would head to TNA — but she said it wasn’t an obvious decision to her and that she considered retirement.
Looking back at that time, Tara revealed: “When I left the WWE I really did think that was it, I was through with wrestling.
“It seemed like I was not good enough to hold a title or get a good storyline anymore, but yet I was used as a tool to help new girls improve and gain confidence, I’d lost my interest.
“I knew about TNA and I first started watching it when Awesome Kong and Gail Kim started tearing the house down with their classic matches.
“It wasn’t until I spoke to them that I realized that the schedule would be so much easier on my body. TNA offered me a deal of no house shows and only TV tapings initially.
“I couldn’t resist that. I’m so glad now as I see the division being as hot today as the WWE glory days of myself, Trish, Lita and Mickie.”
The upcoming TNA UK tour is poised to be the biggest yet for the company, with Sting and Hulk Hogan confirmed for the shows. Tara is excited about rubbing shoulders with the legends.
She said: “The fans are so amazing in the UK, we get engulfed in their enthusiasm and it makes us work harder too.
“We’ll be having fun out there and with Mickie James, Gail Kim, Madison Rayne and Velvet Sky there we are sure to have some great matches.
“It’s unbelievable to think of how successful we are as a brand in the UK, you know we were always compared to the WWE, but we are not the same and never have been.
“I think we are really standing out as ourselves now.”
TNA wrestling prepares for Impact in Plymouth By David Wolcott
Wicked Local Plymouth
Posted December 31, 2011 @ 10:00 AM
PLYMOUTH — For someone who has played a person teetering on the edge of insanity for large parts of her career as a professional wrestler, it’d be hard to imagine a person more grounded than Lisa Marie Varon.
No arrests or stints in a rehabilitation facility for her, Varon, better known as TNA Knockout Tara, will bring her brand of controlled insanity to Memorial Hall when Total Nonstop Action Wrestling presents the TNA Impact Wrestling World Tour in Plymouth Saturday, Jan. 21.
“I guess I’m just a lucky girl who eats, breathes and sleeps professional wrestling,” Tara joked during a recent phone interview. “But really, the reason I’m so grounded is I truly love what I do with all of my heart. I’ve had a passion for this business forever, and that’s what still drives me today. I absolutely love what I do, and I want to be able to enjoy every single second of it.”
Tara, 40, is one of the few female wrestlers who’s made a rather lengthy career for herself in the business. While not in the veteran realm of Mae Young or the Fabulous Moolah quite yet, 12 years in the business does make her a true veteran of the sport.
“The average female wrestler is in the business for maybe five or six years, but like I said before, I really love what I do,” she explained. “When my music hits, I cannot believe or explain the rush I still get from the crowd every time I walk through the curtain. It absolutely still sends a jolt right through me.”
“The good thing is I’ve been able to save my money and start to look at what life’s going to be after my wrestling days are over,” added Tara, who recently opened a restaurant in Chicago with her husband. “I love this life, and it’s still so much fun for me, but I’ll know when the time is right to step away.”
And, fortunately, that time has not yet arrived.
“I love working with TNA,” Tara said. “The events are so much more than just a wrestling match. I love the fact that we really get the chance to get out there and meet with the fans. The TNA events are very family-friendly, and we try the best we can to make every card a special event for the fans that pay their money to see us.”
Born and raised in California, Tara was an All-American cheerleader in high school before moving on to study biology at UCLA. She entered some fitness competitions, and that’s where she caught the eye of former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) divas Chyna and Torrie Wilson, who thought Tara had the athletic ability and the attitude to make it as a professional wrestler.
A fan of the sport, she decided to follow their advice and give pro wrestling a try. She started her training in California in 2000, eventually picking up a developmental contract with WWE and moving her training base to Memphis and then Louisville. She got the call to join the WWE full-time in June of 2002 and made the most of her opportunity, famously feuding with Trish Stratus, Molly Holly and Gail Kim among others on the way to winning two WWE titles.
She eventually parted ways with WWE and made her debut in TNA, where she has been ladies champion several times, most recently holding world tag-team titles with Brooke Tessmacher.
“I’m still having a great time in the business, and, knock on wood, besides a torn elbow and a torn ACL, I’ve been pretty healthy over the years,” Tara said. “I’ve been lucky to remain fairly healthy for most of my career.”
At this point, Tara is not only keeping her own career going, she’s also trying to impart what she’s learned to the next generation of women wrestlers.
“Brooke is getting better in the ring every day,” Tara said about her tag-team partner, who she will team up with in Plymouth to take on the tag team of Rosita and Sarita. “Someone I really like is Rosita. She’s so young, but you watch her in the ring and you can see how far she’s come in such a short period of time. Check back in three or four years, and with that much more experience, she’s going to be something special to watch.”
Monday Night Mayhem’s Exclusive Interview With Impact Wrestling’s Tara (TNA BaseBrawl: Buffalo, NY) Transcript
The Big Mosh: Members of Mayhem Nation, the Summer of Mayhem 2011 continues. We are indeed live, well not necessarily live from Coca Cola Field getting ready for TNA’s BaseBrawl. Talk about an intimate setting with former TNA Knockouts Champion Tara joining us right here right now. Mayhem Nation you know that you want to be me. Tara we appreciate you reserving some time for the Mayhem Nation.
Tara: Absolutely, no problem.
TBM: How are you?
Tara: I’m great. I’m excited. I’m.. First time I’ve ever done this kinda, show.. I think.
TBM: I was just going to mention you’ve of course been to Buffalo many times with your time in the WWE.. coming back to western New York, the fans here, what’s it like for you?
Tara: It’s.. It’s awesome, I feel like um, it’s weird cause I’ve never taken a long break, from wrestling. My longest was my three month…? stint.. ? away, when I retired. Well, not retired.. my last match. And uh, I feel still like it’s.. just I’m on tour for twelve whole years, I’ve been touring. But it’s always exciting going back because.. you always remember certain people.. do you know what I mean?
TBM: Absolutely.
Tara: And the arenas and locker room. But I don’t remember this, have I performed here before?
TBM: I don’t believe so. Probably across the street at the HBCS Arena a couple times..
Tara: Yeah, I know that, yeah yeah.. I know that, I know that. But it’s great, always great to see our fans back here in New York.
TBM: Now to be able to get back to your fans again..
Tara: Buffalo, New York…
TBM: ..a chance to have that.. to have that intimate setting…
Tara: Yeah! That’s pretty cool. Isn’t it?
TBM: Absolutely.
Tara: Did you go out there and see it?
TBM: Fantastic. Just saying was great.
Tara: Amazing. I mean.. it’s gonna.. it’s gonna be very fan.. we’re always fan friendly. That’s what the difference here.. which I noticed, the difference, we’re so like kinda.. in contact with everyone. Very.. like.. family oriented, fan interaction.. to the core. But uh.. this gonna be a really intimate.. moment and um, I love baseball too, and it’s.. anything to do with baseball, to be on the field, anything.. you get that excitement. I don’t know about you, but I…
TBM: Without a doubt.
Tara: I do. I do, big time. So, I’m super excited about this. And I’m facing uh, Winter.. tonight. And we’ve never.. had a singles match together. This is the first time her and I ever have a match together.. you know.. and it’s on a.. house show. (laughs)
TBM: We had a chance…
Tara: Via BaseBrawl..
TBM: We had a chance to interview Winter a couple weeks ago and she was adamant about.. not only working with you but getting her shot at the Knockouts Championship. Now one of the things I always admired about you is the fact that.. back.. many years ago you had that.. that knee injury if I’m not mistaken..
Tara: Yeah.
TBM: ..and you just.. you just continue just to gut it out, so what does it say about your.. your.. your.. your intestinal fortitude just.. just really gutting through something like that.
Tara: You know I think it’s craziness honestly. I, when I tore it I thought, you know.. I remember snapping it, I heard it snap and stuff like that, but I don’t have pain, in it, to be honest with you. It doesn’t hurt, at the moment.. I had to wear the brace, to prevent certain angles.. You know, steel cage match, Mickie James, I tore my ligament here (elbow), was gonna pursue MMA but.. the doctor, you know.. I need Tommy John surgery, eventually, but I’m gonna try not to get.. it. I just don’t want arthritis and stuff like this, and Stone Cold Steve Austin was the one that told me don’t get surgery, it ends up getting worse sometimes with arthritis. So I kinda feel a little badass with my knee brace, like Stone Cold..
TBM: (laughs)
Tara: .. so I’m like kinda going “Yeah, I’m a vet” you know, that kinda thing? It’s kinda.. I don’t know, I’m goofy like that.
TBM: Now of course going into the summer, Destination X just a couple of weeks away, after that is Hardcore Justice. All the Knockouts it seems has got their eyes on the gold, you’ve of course had your problems with Mickie James, would you really want to tell the fans out there, especially the Mayhem Nation, really what they can expect from you during the course of the summer? Some gold around your waist could be really nice.
Tara: I’m hoping that, I’m hoping that. You know, we are friends, we get along now, but she does know that I’m looking at her belt and she has to watch her back on that. I’m looking forward.. I hope to have another… match with her, she’s very fun to work. Her and I are.. hardcore big time, uh.. it’s.. we are sore after a match, it’s just… But anything for the fans, to entertain. You wanna make it as entertaining as possible and her and I have an agreement, uh.. we’re gonna kill each other out there. You know what I mean? So…
TBM: Lastly, if you can share with our viewing and listening audience especially the comradery that you’ve had with Trish Stratus, Mickie James and.. and Winter, sounds like you had a hell of a weekend…
Tara: We did! We did.
TBM: .. up in the Toronto area. What does it really say about, you know.. that people in the WWE, TNA they can still get along. Just the relationships that you’ve bonded and formed over many years…
Tara: It’s weird that you mention that, because.. Trish came to the Toronto show, she just hung out backstage to watch out match, and um.. we’re driving back and I go “This is so cool how, how awesome it is that we can have friends…”
The Pope: (off camera) Hello everybody!
Tara: ‘Ellooo!
TBM: And there’s The Pope ladies and gentlemen.
Tara: The Pope daddy-o!
TBM: You never know what to expect on The Mayhem.
Tara: You never know.. and he was my travel partner in Louisville. So uh, we’re pretty tight. But uh, we were saying how.. it’s just awesome that we can walk away.. and still make, you know have really really tight, close friends. And um, you know Tommy Dreamer always told me you’re lucky to leave this business with more than five friends. You know what I mean? You’re lucky, usually you end up not keeping contact and stuff like that. And uh.. it’s super.. it’s awesome that.. you know, when we do see each other it’s like we haven’t left. You know like those high school friends you were really tight with..
TBM: You just pick up where you left off.
Tara: Exactly. And we’ve been having a great great weekend. And um, gonna keep an eye on Winter cause she’s kinda strange one.
TBM: (laughs)
Tara: So um, it was really odd. Last night we did something really cool in Toronto, and we went to a Greek festival, um.. well Greek, we went to Greek Town, had a Greek meal.
TBM: Okay.
Tara: Nutritious Greek, and went to this bar that opened at 1, and they had performers. It’s all Greek, people did.. all Greek. And we danced.. it was unbelievable. I had an amazing time, and it’s really.. we don’t get to do that on the road. I mean it’s go go go, what our lifestyle is. You perform, get in the car, head to the next town, lucky to get a meal, you know, something that’s open.. you know wake up in the morning, get a gym.. you know go to the gym, freakin’.. it’s just a routine. And it’s nice to be able to get out of that routine.. once in a while. You know it’s not all glamorous, you know that…
TBM: Absolutely.
Tara: and um.. it’s.. it’s awesome. And I’m.. pretty close with Trish, I mean that’s a friend I’ll be.. we’ll be the Mae and Moolah of the future. (laughs)
TBM: From.. and from the way things are sounding.. in ring, outta the ring, retirement.. not even crossed your mind in any way, shape or form?
Tara: No, and I never, ever.. WWE put the label that I was retiring, and that wasn’t my.. you never say never in the business. You never know when you’re gonna come back for a special appearance, and I hate that when people say that when people say “I’m retiring” and they end up coming back. Um, I made sure in my last match, if you watch my last match at WWE, I said it was my last match “in WWE”.
TBM: Mmhmm.
Tara: And uh, I never.. I always watched TNA, I was a big Kong fan.. and Gail Kim, you know, their feud, that’s when I started really watching the product. And uh.. I planned on being a little off of.. from wrestling for a while, longer than when I was and um, they called me and I said I don’t know if I can do that travel anymore, and I wanna be with my family, uh.. it was my families turn. I mean you miss a lot, people are like “Oh I wanna wrestle, I wanna wrestle” they don’t know what you give up. You give up a lot of family time, you know.. anniversaries, deaths in the family. It’s just this.. it’s really hard, grueling life and I said “I don’t think I’m ready to come back”, and they said “Well, we have a really easy schedule.” And I was like “Well let me think about it” but I needed to give them a decision, in four hours..
TBM: Wow.
Tara: And um.. talked to my family about it, and I was like “I think I wanna do it one more year”, then another year, and then I.. just re-signed another year. So um.. I do year to year, because um, I’m 40.. and you never know..
TBM: You don’t look it.
Tara: Thank you.
TBM: She doesn’t look it. Absolutely not.
Tara: I think I don’t act it, that’s the key.
TBM: That’s the point, I guess.
Tara: But um.. you never know when your body is gonna give out, I.. I don’t wanna be that.. that female wrestler that, well you feel sorry for me coming down the ramp. I still wanna be that badass.. ass kicker, you know.. wrestler, and.. I wanna be true to my art. I don’t wanna be.. felt sorry for?
TBM: Uh huh.
Tara: So.. that’s why I do year to year. You never know what’s.. what injuries are gonna occur, you know?
TBM: Very true.
Tara: It’s safety. I’m.. I’m not.. I’m not that one to go “You have to lock me up for five years”, you know? If I’m happy.. I’m gonna re-sign again. You know what I mean.
TBM: Absolutely.
Tara: I’m not that high maintenance of a person. I don’t think.
TBM: You can see Tara and all of the rest of the Knockouts of Impact Wrestling every Thursday on Spike TV and 9 PM Eastern, 8 PM Central and Destination X on Sunday, July the 10th, call your local cable or satellite provider for availability ah.. enjoy the rest of your time in Buffalo.
Tara: I will, and if you guys every want to chit chat I’m “@REALLiSAMARiE” on Twitter. So, tweet me. Tweet tweet tweet.
