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.”

Source: WickedLocal.com