By: Andrew Thompson
Contributor to POST Wrestling
This coming Saturday, Game Changer Wrestling and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett are teaming up once again to present the second installment of Barnett’s Bloodsport event. The likes of Killer Kross, Nick Gage, Sumie Sakai, Chris Dickinson, and Allysin Kay are slated to compete at Bloodsport. Allysin Kay, who is the current NWA World Women’s Champion is taking on Nicole Savoy at the event. Kay, also known as “Sienna” first captured the NWA Women’s Title back in April of this year at the Crockett Cup show in Concord, North Carolina.
Over 30 women have held the NWA World Women’s Title prior to Allysin with the latest being Jazz who was champion for 900-plus days. I had the opportunity to speak with Allysin and I asked her how she plans to make her title reign stand out after a 900-day reign. She believes that the length of a reign does not define it.
“I don’t think the length of a championship reign defines it. No one will beat the record for holding that title. But if all you can say about your championship reign is how long it was, you weren’t doing it right.” She said. “I plan on standing out the way I always have – belt or no belt – by not keeping my mouth shut.”
At the time of this interview, the National Wrestling Alliance’s partnership with Ring of Honor was still intact. Billy Corgan announced that the NWA will begin weekly television this Fall with their first set of tapings set for September 30th and October 1st in Atlanta. Allysin was asked who from the Women of Honor division she would like to share the ring with and she name-dropped the first-ever Women Of Honor Champion Sumie Sakai who is a part of the Bloodsport competitors list along with Allysin.
“I have a deep level of respect for Sumie Sakai.” Kay shared. “We’ve wrestled once, years ago, and I would love to do it again. I would enjoy mixing it up with some of the Joshi they bring in, because they’re feisty and quick, and I like to catch em and throw em.”
The rise of women’s wrestling to the forefront of the business has become more spotlighted over the past number of years. Promotions such as SHINE, SHIMMER, RISE, Pro Wrestling: EVE, Ice Ribbon and more promotions across the globe are taking the steps to provide a platform for the female athletes of the business to put their talents on display at full force. Allysin Kay has been in the wrestling business for over nine years and competed for both SHINE and SHIMMER.
The two-time SHINE Champion shared some of her experiences within SHINE locker rooms and added that it was a tight-knit group.
“The SHINE locker room used to be really tight. When it began in 2012, we were starting something new and we were all in it together. Most of us would be in town the entire weekend, so we had a luxury that we don’t really have anymore. A bunch of us would stay out all night in Ybor City after the shows. We did a couple mud runs together the next morning. There was also a time we got white t-shirts and went to a GWAR concert that was playing down the street after our show. A few of us having no idea what we were getting into, which made it even better.” She said. “SHINE runs almost every month with mostly the same roster. You’re either going to build a bond that way, or you’re all going to kill each other.”
Allysin Kay then dove into some of the fondest memories of her career such as her tour of Japan, her run in IMPACT Wrestling and talked about some of the bonds she formed with the talents on the roster. Along with the love of the wrestling business, many performers form friendships with those they meet that sometimes last for their respective lifetimes. Specifically speaking about her tour of Japan, she shared a room with Serena Deeb, Sarah Logan, and Jessica James and while talking about IMPACT, Kay revealed that she, Chelsea Green, Rosemary, and AEW’s Allie dubbed themselves the “Slugs”.
“There are a couple moments that really stand out to me. My first trip to Japan in 2013 is one of my most cherished memories. I love Japan, I love their culture, and I really got lucky, because I ended up “stuck” with some pretty great people for the 3 months I was there. I shared a room with Serena Deeb, Sarah Logan, and Jessica James. We did so much together – from training to trips to Tokyo Disney and everything in between.” Allysin revealed. “It was truly an incredible experience. One of my favorite memories from IMPACT was our trip to India. I guess I like being stuck with people in foreign countries… But seriously – We were only there for like 4 days, but that experience absolutely added to the bond that us girls already had (w/ Allie, Rosemary & Chelsea). That is where we affectionately dubbed ourselves the “Slugs”, and probably laughed the hardest we ever have in our entire lives. But that is a story for another day.”
To wrap up the interview, I asked Allysin to name a wrestler or two who she feels she has great in-ring chemistry with and NXT star Mia Yim was mentioned. Yim and Kay clashed in the 2018 Mae Young Classic tournament, went one-on-one for the AIW promotion and have crossed paths in SHINE. Kay described her and Mia’s relationship as “frenemies”, but she can’t deny that they have great in-ring chemistry. Allysin took some time off in 2018 due to blood clots in her lungs and her first match back was against Mia Yim in the Mae Young Classic bout and she stated that being in that spot along with Mia made her feel like she hadn’t missed a beat.
“I can name one: Mia Yim. We are frenemies for life, and I hate her more often than not, but I cannot deny our chemistry in the ring.” She said. “I was out for over half of 2018 after a truly terrifying health scare. My first match back after 8 months of being sidelined was at the Mae Young Classic, and it was against Mia. That is not an easy spot to make your return, but that match made me feel like I had never left the ring.”
Allysin Kay is heading into the NWA TV tapings as the World Women’s Champion of the organization. As mentioned, she’ll be in action against Nicole Savoy at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport II and will also be defending her SHINE Championship at SHINE 61 on September 21st against Shotzi Blackheart.
