Wrestler Lisa Marie Varon’s Chicago faves
March 12, 2013|By Elliott Serrano | For RedEye

Now that she again is a resident of the Windy City, TNA Knockout Lisa Marie Varon, aka “Tara,” recommends the following for those who want to get better acquainted with it:

1) Experience the food
“I recommend going to all the cultural food places like Greek Town and China Town. I’m a foodie. So you have to stop by the Squared Circle for burgers and high-end pizzas.”

2) Go to a Cubs game
“Nothing like a Cubs game. I recommend getting seats behind the visiting team’s dugout because I like to heckle; that’s my favorite.”

3) Take the double decker boat and bus tours.
“I took my father on one of those tours, just to do the tourist thing with him, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate Chicago now. I can’t tell you what I’ve learned about the city, the architecture, the history. It’s an amazing city.”

Elliott Serrano is a RedEye special contributor.

TNA Wrestling’s Tara takes Chicago pizza into the Squared Circle
MARCH 14, 2013 BY: KEVIN KELLAM

Former TNA Knockout and WWE Women’s Champion Tara has answered the age old question: “When are wrestling fans going to get their very own brick-oven pizza place? “ The master of the Widow’s Peak has answered that question with a new pro wrestling themed pizza restaurant in Chicago fittingly called ‘the Squared Circle’ located at 2418 N. Ashland Avenue. The Lincoln Square dine-in spot which opens today, features a variety of pizzas, burgers, and more of the Second City’s delicious delights all with a heavy focus on pro wrestling fun.

Last night, Tara and the staff of the Squared Circle welcomed a packed-house of special guests to a grand opening party which Pro Wrestling Examiner was lucky enough to attend. An all-star cast of IMPACT stars were also on hand including Magnus, Chavo Guerrero, Matt Morgan, Robbie E, Velvet Sky, So Cal Val, Gail Kim, Joseph Parks and Brooke Hogan. The TNA talents dug into tasty pizza samples and mingled with the crowd in attendance. Tara greeted guests personally and appeared to be in great spirits with the opening.

How long have you been working on it?

Tara: A year, good lord in (Chicago) it’s pretty tough to open a business. We made offers on several locations, they never bit. They would change their minds, our this building is not zoned for a restaurant. Finally, we got a location in Lincoln Park by Depaul University. It’s pizza and burgers, my two favs. I am super excited about the menu. You have to come out and try it.

Read the entire interview with Tara at this link where she discusses the WWE Hall of Fame induction of her rival and great friend Trish Stratus

The atmosphere of the Squared Circle is perfect for wrestling fans with several collectible wrestling outfits and autographed framed photos on display. Ring gear worn by stand out wrestlers like Gail Kim, Lita, and Kurt Angle are all featured but the coolest prize was a striking glove worn by the Undertaker which hangs over the bar.

The restaurant has an inviting brick and wood interior and big bold ‘Squared Circle’ sign on the outside of the building that bares a striking resemblance to the same flag that adorns CM Punk’s ring attire.

Numerous big screen TV’s were showing TNA wrestling action during the party which is pre-cursor to the Squared Circle hosting live screenings of TNA, WWE, and UFC pay per view events. If you live in the area, make the Squared Circle your destination for pro wrestling get-togethers. Wrestling fans and pizza fanatics can find out more at http://thesquaredcircle.biz/ or by following @theSQdCircle on Twitter for more details. https://twitter.com/@theSQdCircle

TNA Wrestling has a big night on Spike TV tonight as they broadcast IMPACT live on the road for the first time from the Sears Center right outside of Chicago in Hoffman Estates. The show will feature some serious fallout from Sunday’s Lockdown Pay Per View with new TNA World Champion Bully Ray betraying Brooke Hogan and revealing himself as the leader of the evil faction, Aces & 8’s.

Pro Wrestling Examiner has exclusive coverage of TNA IMPACT in Chicago including three exclusive interviews, read them in the links posted below.

The Squared Circle Serves Up a Delight of a Night
March 14, 2013

OK, I have to admit it: I spent the night with Brooke Hogan. All right, not the entire night. Oh, and with Christy Hemme, Gail Kim, Velvet Sky, SoCal Val and Lisa Marie Varon. Plus Robbie E, Chris Daniels, Joseph Park and a bunch of other wrestling folks.

My idea of work: Posing with Brooke Hogan was painless. Well, for me it was.
They all were at a private pre-party Wednesday (March 13) for the grand opening of The Squared Circle (2418 N. Ashland, Chicago), the restaurant owned by Lisa Marie and her husband/chef Lee. The restaurant is wrestling-themed — with memoriabilia framed on the walls alongside flat-screen televisions — but not overwhelmingly so.

The establishment will show wrestling on those TVs. Included will be the TNA Impact Wrestling live event Thursday at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates. The show is to be televised at 7 p.m. on Spike TV, so opening-night diners and/or drinkers (there is a bar area) will be able to take in the wrestling action.

Because the TNA Impact Wrestling action actually will be showing one card live and taping another, Lisa Marie and her colleagues are unlikely to make an encore trip to the restaurant Thursday before it closes at midnight.

Meanwhile, back to Wednesday night. Also attending were some members of the media. Included were Rich Koz (aka Svengoolie of TV fame), Luis Gomez of the Chicago Tribune and Elliott Serrano of Redeye, another Tribune property.

Also present and chronicling some of the evening’s events was filmmaker Matt Goldberg, whose movie “Tarafied” has been submitted to the Cannes Film Festival. And before anyone scoffs at that notion, let the record show Goldberg had an entry in 2012 at Cannes.

Goldberg has the knack for capturing the action and activity without being intrusive. One example occurred when Brooke arrived with a gift for Lisa Marie (known in TNA circles — or rings — as Tara). Brooke brought a little bag whose distinctive color indicated it was from Tiffany. Inside was a small box. Inside the small box was a smaller trademark Tiffany bag.

Lisa Marie carefully opened the present that included Tiffany tissue and a white ribbon around the book. Inside the bag was a necklace (you can see it in the accompanying video that Lisa Marie was gracious enough to submit to after an evening of meeting and mingling with her friends and assorted guests).

Goldberg blended into the woodwork — well, close to it — and captured the moment. Can’t wait to see where that video footage ends up.

Toward the end of the evening’s festivities, your humble correspondent approached Christy Hemme and reminded her of having escorted her to the ring at TNA’s 2008 “Bound for Glory” event, also at the Sears Centre. She feigned remembering our previous relationship. Can’t imagine why. At the very least, one of us recalled the moment and called it one of the highlights of his life.

Well, Christy still was/is a good sport and consented to posing with Velvet Sky for a photo (there it is toward the top of today’s posting).

Meanwhile back to Brooke Hogan. She is attractive and tall (especially in 4-inch heels, or however high they were) and seemed in good spirits. She even performed waitress duties by bringing a round of drinks to the table where she and some of her female cohorts were stationed.

Brooke also was a good sport and posed for a photo with yours truly — with Lisa Marie taking the picture.

If all this sounds a bit surreal, the reason is simple: It is. Was. Always will be. Was there an hour or two of waiting for that moment to occur? Indeed. Does anyone really care? Nope. Certainly not me.

***
Here is the interview that Lisa Marie Varon was gracious enough to do after a busy evening at The Squared Circle:

***

* Speaking of Lisa Marie Varon, she will be a guest on “Sports & Torts” on Thursday (March 14) at noon Chicago time on talkzone.com with co-hosts David Spada and Elliott Harris. Because she has to be at the Sears Centre before noon to prepare for the TNA Impact Wrestling event at night, the interview with her is taped. For those who miss the original “Sports & Torts” broadcast, it will become available on podcast later in the day.

Exclusive interview with TNA’s Tara
Posted on March 4, 2013 by Seth

The lifestyle of a TNA Impact Wrestling Knockout is not easy, especially for a champion. And with Impact Wrestling taking to the road full-time, the schedule will only be getting more demanding.

Five-Time Knockout Champion Tara has been taking care of business in the ring for over a decade, but the still manages to find time to open a pizzeria in downtown Chicago. Tara also takes some time out to talk to us about both.

Ms. Tara, thank you for taking the time to talk to us. What do you think about Impact Wrestling going on the road full time?
I think it’s the right thing to do for the long term success of the company. I love going to work at Universal Studios in Orlando. But I’m also looking forward to feeling the excitement from crowds who don’t get to see us every week. And I think it gives the company an opportunity to bring in new fans who maybe aren’t as familiar with us now, but will become regular viewers once they get the chance to see us live.

How do you manage to stay in shape while on the road so much?
I train hard. I like to think that nobody trains as hard as I do. I’m living a dream, and in order to keep doing that, I need to be in peak physical condition. I have trained in the gym with MMA fighters, football players, boxers, triathletes. I have never seen anyone train harder than I do. I am fully committed. When I go through the indies, and people tell me that this is their dream, and they tell me they do no conditioning, I know that they aren’t 100% committed. If you want to be a professional wrestler on an international level, at least be in as good condition as this 42 year old woman.

Which heel character have you had more fun with? “Crazy Victoria” or “Cocky/Snobby Tara”?
They are both awesome. I have fun doing characters that are different than myself. For me, the more ‘out there’ the character is, the more fun I have.

Was Jessie always the planned “boy toy”, or was there ever discussion of using Joey Ryan?
I’m not involved in what happenes in those meetings. I show up to work. They give me some direction, and I take it from there.

Who is the one opponent you have yet to wrestle, and would be your dream match?
I have said Chyna several times. People don’t like that answer because a lot of people don’t think she’s been living her best life since she left WWF. Since it is a dream match, she would have come to WWE 8-9 years ago and we would have had a slobberknocker (to use ne one if JRs terms).

Where can people find your restaurant, “The Squared Circle”?
2418 N Ashland in Chicago, IL. We’re on pace to open on March 14th. You can get more details at www.TheSquaredCircle.biz or @theSQDcircle

Will “The Squared Circle” host PPV “parties or events”?
Absolutely! We’ll definitely be hosting pro wrestling PPVs.

Will you make appearances at your Restaurant?
I will be there on a regular basis. Several times per week. This isn’t a pet project. I will be managing it

What’s next for Tara? Perhaps setting a new record as a six-time champion?
The sky’s the limit!

Impact Wrestling begins touring full-time starting March 14th, and can be seen every Thursday Night at 8PM ET. If you’re in the Chicago area, make sure to check out Tara’s pizza restaurant “The Squared Circle” in downtown Chicago at 2418 N Ashland Ave.

More details on attending the historic first live Impact on March 14th is available HERE.

Tara Opens “The Squared Circle” Restaurant in Chicago
BUSINESS OWNER BY DAY, PRO WRESTLER BY NIGHT… CHICAGO’S LISA MARIE VARON (TARA) OPENS THE SQUARED CIRCLE

A new pizzeria is taking shape in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago and the owner is professional wrestler Lisa Marie Varon. The Squared Circle, which is a term often used by wrestling promoters to refer to the ring, is located at 2418 North Ashland and will feature house-ground burgers, brick oven style pizzas and a full bar.

Formerly Leon’s Ribs, The Squared Circle will accommodate approximately 48 patrons in addition to 15 seats in the bar area. Autographed wrestling memorabilia will adorn the walls and TV’s will showcase live sports including wrestling pay-per-views.

Varon’s husband Lee, will head up the kitchen which will include a custom-built brick oven.

“I could not be more excited about returning to chicago, and about bringing my concept to one of the greatest food cities in the world,” explains Varon.

Varon is currently on board with TNA’s Impact Wrestling as “Tara” where she is one of their biggest stars and can be seen every Thursday night at Spike TV.

On Thursday, March 14th at 7:00 pm she will join wrestlers Hulk Hogan, The Icon Sting, Bully Ray, Austin Aries, Velvet Sky and many more to perform at Impact Wrestling at The Sears Centre at 7:00pm. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.

The Squared Circle will be open for business beginning Thursday, March 14th.

Morph Trainer Joey Thurman, Lisa Marie Varon Keep Fit With Kettlebells.
Morph personal trainer Joey Thurman shared tips on how to keep fit using kettlebells. He and Lisa Marie Varon, a-k-a Tara, from TNA’s Impact Wrestling showed us how.

Exclusive Interview: TNA Wrestling’s Tara talks IMPACT on the road and much more
FEBRUARY 9, 2013, BY: KEVIN KELLAM

TNA Wrestling is bringing their weekly Spike TV show IMPACT on the road with the first stop being on March 14th at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates, IL which is just outside of Chicago, one of the biggest Pro Wrestling towns in America. One member of the TNA roster who is really excited see IMPACT in the Second City, 5-time TNA Knockouts Champion Tara.

Tara who some fans may know as Victoria from her time in WWE, grew up in the city and is getting ready to open her own pizza/burger spot in town, so it was fitting that she greeted the first fans to buy IMPACT tickets Thursday night at pre-sale party held at Jersey’s Pizza & Grill. The master of the Widow’s Peak sat down for an interview with Pro Wrestling Examiner discuss her new restaurant, her future in TNA, her good friend Trish Stratus getting inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame, and much more.

IMPACT is coming to your town March 14th. How do you feel?
Tara: It’s a big big event. I have a new outfit actually that represents Chicago, I am super stoked about that. This is first one, this is history, going on the road, first show on TV live, it’s going on in Chicago, and I could not be happier.

You have been active in Pro Wrestling for 13 years, enduring numerous injuries, and having a lot of violent matches. How is your body holding up at this point in your career?
Tara: “I am a little older than some of the kids in the business.”

They call it ‘vintage’.
Tara: Yeah it’s like wine, it gets better with age! Honestly though, I feel like I am in the best shape of my life. I work really hard, train really hard in the gym. I eat healthy. I don’t see myself slowing down. The day I do slow down a little bit, I’m done. I don’t want to be watching me walk down the ramp and feel sorry for me saying “oh, I remember when she used to be able to do this or this.
But I will never say ‘retire’.It’s always going to be a part of me. Wrestling is always going to be a part of me. It’s always so bad to say retirement, because we always come back. Something brings us back. Ya know? And I love it.

In March, you are opening up your new pizza and burger restaurant in Chicago. How did that new venture come together? What’s something on the menu that should be a must-eat?
Tara: I am opening a restaurant in Chicago, in the Lincoln Park. It’s called the Squared Circle. We are going to show all wrestling, local wrestling, WWE, and of course TNA. Pay Per Views and stuff like that. It’s going to be awesome. It’s pizza and burgers, my two favs. I am super excited about the menu. You have to come out and try it.

How long have you been working on it?
Tara: A year, good lord in (Chicago) it’s pretty tough to open a business. We made offers on several locations, they never bit. They would change their minds, our this building is not zoned for a restaurant and so on. Finally, we got a location in Lincoln Park by Depaul University. 2418 N. Ashland is the address. The opening is on March 14th.
Fans can follow the Squared Circle on Twitter @theSQDcircle for more updates

You are one of the most pure female wrestlers around.Is there any established wrestlers out there you want to lock up with?
Tara: There are several. What comes to mind is, Chyna. I never got to wrestle her. She was the one who recommended to the company (WWE), and said I had the good look for it. And Medusa, she’s freaking hard-as-nails. I heard she can whoop my butt and I never fought her. Maybe the ‘Divas’ when they are done, I can take them on the independent circuit. Eve Torres, I never got my hands. Her and I do jiu jitsu, so it would be an interesting submission match.

You have reached a point in your career where you are still very healthy but have gained a certain level of experience where you can have a new and exciting dynamic with fresh talent. Is there any new younger female wrestlers you want to have a match with?
Tara: Oh my god, I love it. I salivate over it, so many girls coming up too, that are green, nice, young, youthful and fresh. I can not wait for the initiation to the ring. I talk to them, tell me what’s your repertoire? What’s your style? Do you fly? Do you stick to the ground? Are you strong? They always say “I’m generally all of them”. And I am like “really?”, we are gonna test that out. Usually, you should be humble and say something like “i’m really just feeling it out” ya know? The respect thing.
But when I see a girl who has a little of , ya know 60% good in the ring. I am gonna make them look 100%. That is my forte. You give me a rookie, I will make them look like a million bucks.

You had to make too many look good in the ring.
Tara: Ya know, I did but so be it. This is my longevity in the business, too. I am never upset about it. It’s part of the business.

A friend of mine called you the “female version of William Regal” for your ability to make less talented wrestlers look better and your visible toughness in the ring. How do you respond to a comparison like that?
Tara: Yeah! Oh my god! I love him too. I am HUGE fan of his. And he’s still in the business though, it’s the longevity of us. You will never get rid of us.

But it’s harder for a lady, because there is a double standard with that.
Tara: I have been in this business a long time. I think I have earned that respect. A lot of people come up and ask me about that backstage, my bosses. I think they are protective of my character and they don’t want me to look too bad, never squash what I can do.
You are only as good as your opponent, you have heard that. I am hoping the girls coming up want to throw down. Not wanting to be here for pretty nails and looks. We can hire models for that. You need to be able to take a whooping.

Let’s say you get the call to put together your DVD of ‘greatest hits’. What matches should make on to that DVD?
Tara: Oh my goodness, I have a lot of good feuds. I would go with a lot of the ‘golden era’ as we like to call it. Trish Stratus, Lita, Jazz, Molly Holly. all of them. My cage match (against Mickie James in TNA) was brutal. Just because I tore my elbow but I kept on going and then I got a standing ovation from the crowd when I came back from the respect level. The Chicago Street Fight with Trish that is the epic. We beat the hell out of each other in that match. We just laid everything in. Ya know you give us a match, we made it just as good as the guys. I am very competitive with the guys. I want people to go “oh that was a great match for a women’s match”. I want people to say “that was a great match period.” Every match I try to top it, and it’s pretty tough.

What is the feeling in TNA right now with IMPACT coming on the road? How do you feel bring IMPACT out of Orlando and to the rest of the country?
Tara: Our fans get spoiled and callused They want to see us draw blood. In Orlando, thank god we are going on the road, our fans in Orlando got a little bit spoiled because they see us every week, but we were out there killing ourselves for entertainment. We are actresses and actors who do our stunts with drama. And when they don’t react to certain things, it’s like my God, what do you want me to do?!

Was that becoming an issue in Orlando?
Tara: Not for like my bosses. it’s just that we feed off the fans, we feed off their reactions. It becomes stale (without those reactions). And now we get to see fresh faces and that’s why it’s nice to go overseas too. I am just excited about going on the road, you have no idea. We don’t want ‘hush hush’ fans. It’s nice to hear everything, I have a problem where I can hear everything in the first couple rows. And if I hear someone cheering for my opponent. I am going to go out there and freaking tell them like it is. I am very fan-interactive. That’s a big part of TNA.

One of your greatest rivals and best friends in Pro Wrestling, Trish Stratus was recently announced as an inductee in this year’s WWE Hall of Fame class. This has to be a great news for you to hear. How did you feel about hearing this announcement ? Is there any chance you could attend the ceremony?
Tara: Oh she so deserves it! I am going to be honest with you, I wish I could induct her. I was in WWE. I am proud to be a part of WWE history, and now I am with TNA, there is no rivalry between companies for me. I love both companies but I am super proud of her, she deserves it for ‘the Golden era’. She also reached out and called me and said thank you, you helped me be inducted because we had hellascious matches. That’s a true professional, she appreciates who got her there. I would love to be there, but I don’t know how both companies would feel. Honestly, I am super proud. I love her, we are best friends.

So what’s the hard sell for IMPACT at the Sears Center on March 14th? How would you convince a fan who maybe likes watching IMPACT on Spike TV but might be on the fence about seeing the show live and in person.
Tara: Oh come on! You got Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, first live TV on the road! You know we are going to be pushing the limit. You have no idea of the excitement that the talent and the wrestlers are feeling. We are brainstorming on what we are doing. I don’t know who I am facing but I guarantee that person will not walk out of that ring pretty, because ya know I am going to feed off Chicago fans!

Follow Tara on Twitter @TaraLisaMarie

Published: 12:30 AM, Fri Feb 01, 2013
TNA Impact: Big names won’t be holding back for show at the Crown
By Brian Dukes, Staff writer

If you’re wavering on whether to get tickets to the Saturday, Feb. 2 TNA Impact Wrestling show at the Crown Arena, there are three words you should consider: Steel. Cage. Match.

TNA is bringing its Road to Lockdown Tour to Fayetteville, and the action will be amplified by the use a 15-foot reinforced steel cage. Wrestlers slated to battle it out include Austin Aries, the “Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy, Bully Ray, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Hernandez and TNA Knockouts champion Tara, who will take on Velvet Sky.

The tour leads up to TNA’s Lockdown, a popular annual pay-per-view program that will air March 10.

“Until then,” said Lisa Marie Varon, better known by her wrestling name, Tara, “You never know what’s going to happen.”

The show starts at 7 p.m. with an autograph session at 5:30 p.m. for those who bought $75 tickets. A “Gut Check” seminar is earlier in the day but is open only to those who registered by Monday.

Hardy, a North Carolina native, is the current TNA World Heavyweight champion. He said fans can always expect surprises.

“It’s going to be a great show, and it’s going to be great being back home,” said Hardy, originally from Cameron.

Weekender caught up with Tara and Hardy by phone in Orlando, where the two were taping a different wrestling show. During a break, the pair spoke about the Saturday, Feb. 2 show, their lives and their upcoming projects.

Weekender: What can fans expect when TNA comes to town?
Tara: We’ve got a great lineup. My best friend – Chavo Guerrero – will be there. And one thing I really love about TNA is that we can play toward the crowd more, and we’ll do autograph sessions before the show and interact with the fans a lot. That’s really unheard of in this industry.
Hardy: We go out here every night and are able to spend time with the fans, and that’s what so special with TNA. We try to give back a lot to the fans.

Weekender: Tara, how are you approaching your match against Velvet Sky?
Tara: I know she’s been off a bit from time away, but she’s been brushing up. She’s feisty in the ring, so you never know what to expect, but I’m prepared and excited about the match.

Weekender: If you could pick anyone to wrestle against from all time, who would that be?
Tara: For a female opponent, I’d pick Madusa. She’s a legend. For a male opponent, there’s too many. Maybe Sting. He’s a legend, and he’s hot, too. I’m not gonna deny that.
Hardy: Yeah, Sting’s a legend. I remember seeing him when I was 10 years old.

Weekender: Jeff, how often are you able to return to North Carolina, and are there any spots you’re looking forward to visiting?
Hardy: I’m so excited to be back at the Crown. I’ve had some great matches there, and it’s always nice to be 30 minutes from home. My career is busier now with TNA, but I’m home a lot more than I would be otherwise, and that’s really important to me now that I have a 2-year-old. TNA understands the importance of family, and I love Cameron.

Weekender: Tara, what are the challenges of being a female wrestler in a world that’s male-dominated?
Tara: It’s a tough industry, and I’m not complaining. It just takes a certain person to handle this life. You don’t cry. Ever. There’s no crying in wrestling. You don’t cry over broken nails. We want to be respected by the guys, our co-workers and the boss. If you hurt yourself, you walk it off, and we also have to look sexy all the time. You have to look the part, eat right, get rest, look hot and still punch each other in the face. It’s tough.
Hardy: It’s always great to see the Knockouts. They beat each other up worse than the guys do. Hands down, they’re vicious.
Tara: That’s true.

Weekender: What’s the best part of your job?
Tara: I get to fight and entertain in sexy clothes. I get to travel the world and meet the most amazing people who become your family – because you don’t get to see your real family that much.
Hardy: Wrestling has opened up a lot of doors, creatively, for me. I have my photography, my art, my music. Wrestling’s allowed me to live so many dreams.

Weekender: What’s next for you?
Tara: I’m opening the Squared Circle Pizzeria & Burgers restaurant in Chicago. I’m taking part in a new documentary called “Tarafied” by director Matt Goldberg, and I’m thinking about taking an improv class.
Hardy: I’m loving fatherhood right now. I also recently went to Nashville and recorded three more songs for my band (Peroxwhy?gen). I don’t just sing in the basement now – I’m learning so much about breathing and singing, and it’s just amazing. I’m crazy excited to share my music.

TNA IMPACT
When: Saturday, Feb. 2, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Crown Arena
Tickets: $8 to $75. Early-entry autograph session is at 5:30 p.m. for fans who buy $75 tickets.
Information: atthecrown.com

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.

Listen to the interview here: http://archive.org/download/RunningTheRopes1-10-13/Rtr1-10-11.mp3

// Useful Links
Headlock2Headlines.com

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

Useful Links
// Monday Night Mayhem
// WrestlingINC.com

More on Lisa Marie Varon’s Wrestling Project
Wednesday, December 26, 2012, by Daniel Gerzina

The pizzeria and bar helmed by TNA Impact wrestling champion Lisa Marie Varon and her husband Lee now has a name, and Varon has shared more details on the space. The Squared Circle (wrestling slang for the ring) will start with a soft opening in late-February/early-March. The space holds 60 seated-patrons plus standing-room, which will be adorned with wrestling decor like autographed memorabilia and TVs screening wrestling pay-per-view and other live sports. Varon says wrestlers will swing by, so practice your choke holds and chair throws.

Nashville chef Chris Mason will run the kitchen, featuring his house-ground burgers. A custom-built brick oven will crank out New York-style pies. There will also be a full bar.

Varon says she wants to bring the wrestling environment and energy to The Squared Circle. “I want people to come back for the amazing food, not just the wrestling aspect,” the former South Beach bartender says. She talked about professional wrestling’s “pre-determined outcome,” she’s hoping The Squared Circle will have a pre-determined positive outcome too.

Source:
// Chicago Eater

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Production for my new documentary, Tarafied, is coming along nicely! So far the interviews consist of Lisa Marie Varon, Brooke Tessmacher, Taryn Terrell, and Eric Bischoff. A few more interviews are scheduled for this week. Also made a trailer for it last night! Can’t wait to share more with you guys as production continues. Keep an eye out for more news soon! Thanks!

Hopefully we will have more updates on this project soon!

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// MBG Films on YouTube
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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.”

With no career path in sight, DeAnna Washington is just another 20-something still living at home with Mom and Dad. Now DeAnna wants to find some independence and settle on a profession that she will truly enjoy. With a love for fitness and performing, DeAnna wants to make her childhood dream come true by being MADE into a Pro Wrestler.

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 .