Post by Julianna DiMaria on Jun 29, 2017 22:19:49 GMT -5
“Cover Story”
The following is a cover interview for “Southern California Wrestling Scene” dated for July 4, 2017. In this special feature, SCWS interviews none other than West Coast Genesis star Julianna DiMaria, who is quite candid in her very first public interview. Topics covered include her goals, her hefty workload right out of the gate, her true feelings about friendships and alliances, her ultimate pet peeves and more.
SCWS: Let’s start from the beginning: the moment you signed your very first pro wrestling contract with West Coast Genesis. What was that moment like and how special was it for you?
Julianna: It was surreal. It was something that I had strived for, for an incredible amount of time. Obviously, it’s not the big leagues of Redemption just yet, but I know I am capable of working my way there. This is something that I had wanted to do for years and to hit the mainstream for the first time was an incredible feeling. I admit, I was a little more nervous than I had previously let on before my first match against Rachel Redding and Danni LeBlanc, but once I got in there and won that match, that’s when I settled into it.
SCWS: But it appears that ever since that first match, you’ve drawn some fair share of criticism.
Julianna: Yes, it comes with the territory.
SCWS: Among them is that you don’t “look like a wrestler”. This has led to some people in the business labelling you as the “model stereotype” as far as women’s wrestling is concerned. What’s your take on this criticism and why do you think it comes to you?
Julianna: It’s only because I’m from San Diego and I’m blonde, other than that, there’s no basis at all. They say “don’t judge a book by its cover” and that’s exactly the case here. So I don’t look like the way most people think a wrestler should look like. Why is it anyone’s business? Did I have to do modeling at one point? Yes! But that’s only because I HAD TO. My parents weren’t going to let me get into their wrestling academy for free. Once I got in, I stopped. Simple. It’s honestly damn insulting that people look at me and go “tits and ass”, “model wrestler” and so on. Seriously. I’ve never shown my ass on Twitter like some of my peers. I don’t waste my time posting selfies every day. Does it matter what I look like? No. What matters is what I do in the ring. I’ve won in the first round of the All-Female Invitational. I’ve gone all the way to the semifinals of the Super Falcon Cup. I even beat a former Redemption Wrestling title holder to get there. I don’t know, it feels like most aren’t taking me seriously.
SCWS: You just mentioned the tournaments that you’ve been involved with. First off, that is incredible dedication.
Julianna: Yes it is! “Model wrestlers” wouldn’t bother but I’m going all around North America busting my ass representing WCG so you’re damn right I’m dedicated.
SCWS: Is this why you’ve taken on so many bookings early in your career?
Julianna: Indeed! If you don’t get your name out there, nobody is going to know who you are. That’s why I go to Philadelphia to outclass Tegan Blackwell. That’s why I go to Mexico to overcome Coby Quik and derail Jack Tillman. I want the world to know who I am. Some would call it insane that I’m doing so much so soon, but not me. I don’t take life for granted. I want to get as much experience while I still can.
SCWS: Are you representing WCG or are you representing yourself?
Julianna: It’s both. Yes, I got more of my peers involved in the All-Female Invitational, but I’m the one that snapped up that Super Falcon Cup spot. I am the one with the bravado for calling out Ryan Keys for being a ghost champion who “lets his in-ring work do the talking” or whatever excuse he wants to make for not promoting himself. WCG is limited to the west coast, but I’m not going to be someone that does that. I want to be worldwide and if I can get the WCG brand to expand worldwide and take on the load that “our champion” doesn’t, then even better. I will say straight up that I am the bread and butter of that brand. Without me, what would they do? I am obviously not staying here forever. When I get my main roster promotion, then what? WCG NEEDS me! They need champions like me. I am the glue that holds it all together whether they want to admit it or not.
SCWS: That’s not going to go over well with Ryan Keys and company.
Julianna: Then maybe he ought to get off of his high horse and actually promote the company every now and then. I don’t know what makes me sicker: Ryan, or that circle of friends he has.
SCWS: What is it about his friends, people that you call his “apologists”, that frustrate you?
Julianna: It’s the fact that they have a problem with what I say about their precious champion and so few have the nerve or the testicular fortitude to come at me directly. My problem isn’t the fact that they have a differing opinion, my problem is that they’re not adult enough to confront me directly about it. They hide behind subtweets and likes behind those subtweets. It makes me realize why they’re here and not on the main roster. They just don’t have the heart and passion that I do. I’m in a locker room full of wrestlers that are happy with where they are at. There is little drive and passion among them to stand out and be different. If it’s not walking stereotypes like the Messiahs, it’s Donovan’s and Danni’s nauseating lovefest on social media. If it’s not that, it’s others promoting other companies or heck, others not even promoting at all. So, my message to anyone, Ryan Keys apologists or not. Have a problem? Come to ME! Don’t hide behind subtweets. Don’t hide behind likes. COME! TO! ME! I fear nobody! I know on any given night, I can shut anyone down and anyone up: Ryan, the Messiahs, Danni, Ruby… ANYONE!
SCWS: So judging by your comments, is it fair to say that your peers in WCG overlook you?
Julianna: Overlook… or they’re just scared. Look, not EVERYONE on that roster annoys me. There are some that I DO like.
SCWS: Are we talking about names like Jess Hardy and Rachel Redding?
Julianna: They are fine girls, both of them. I disagree with Jess being cool with Ryan, but okay, whatever. That’s fine. Rachel, I wish she would promote WCG more rather than other companies, but we’re okay. They’re two of three that I have high hopes for at least.
SCWS: And the third?
Julianna: Scotty Latimer. I think among my peers in the locker room, he’s the one that matches my drive, passion and determination the closest. We worked great together on the last Hype. It’s a shame that the 7th Circle put the kibosh on things before we got the win. Just another frustrating thing to add to my WCG cap. But, I don’t have a problem with a guy. I’d say he’s the best man on the roster from a wrestling standpoint, even better than Ryan if we’re being quite honest. I’m not quick to rush to an opinion of others that recently joined the company so the likes of Zane Story and Tasmin Richards are neutral with me. But all and all, it’s Jess, Rachel and Scotty that are the ones I have the highest hopes for.
SCWS: What is it about Ryan Keys that annoys you so much?
Julianna: His ego. He thinks he’s better than everyone else. When we last fought on Hype, he was trying to lecture me and act like he’s better than me. He arranges his circle jerk of apologists that talk about how amazing he is and how he’s such a good guy, but in my book, the guy is overrated. A good wrestler? Yes. I am not going to take that away from him. But, I know I can beat him. I DID do it before. At Rise, I will do it again. But, with him and I, it’s personal. He robbed me of a special moment at Origins. I should have been the first West Coast Champion! But now, I will never get to make that claim. Then going into the Hype after Origins and the event itself, he rubs it in. No, he’s not getting away with running up the score on me. I will silence his ego and make his friends and apologists cry like the little babies that they are when I take the West Coast Championship from him.
SCWS: You don’t think he makes a good point though? About representing WCG in the ring “where it matters” according to him?
Julianna: It’s a good point, but it’s a misapplied point. I’m the one not just representing WCG IN THE RING in TWO tournaments at the SAME time, but I’m WINNING in these tournaments too. Even if his point is truly correct, I’m still doing it BETTER than he is! So, once again, he’s blowing smoke out of his own ass which is ridiculous because his circle jerk of friends do it for him enough already. He’s a selfish, passionless, egotistical surfer boy with the substance of tartar sauce in a Filet-O-Fish sandwich who is more likely to star on an episode of “Mysteries of the Disappeared” alongside the Malaysian airline from a few years ago and the Roanoke colony in Virginia. And people talk about ME attacking him after our last match? PLEASE!
SCWS: Will you ever forgive Ryan Keys for taking away your opportunity to claim the right to call yourself the first ever West Coast Champion?
Julianna: No. I will never forgive him for that and all of the negative emotions he’s forced me to feel. I will never be friends with someone like THAT!
SCWS: Your goal from the start was to become the West Coast Champion. Let’s say that you do in fact beat Ryan Keys for the title at Rise and you become the champion. What’s next?
Julianna: Defend like a dominant champion and make everyone know that WCG is MY WORLD to reign in! Period! Simple as that. Send anyone you want after me and I will knock them down and send them to the back of the line. I’ll keep doing that over and over again until someone beats me for it… IF someone beats me for it. If nobody can beat me for it then… maybe I’m just too good for WCG at that point. Maybe it would be time for me to move up to Redemption.
SCWS: And is that a goal for you as well?
Julianna: Yes. Best case scenario is moving up AS the West Coast Champion and once I do that, I’ll let everyone else fight for the title none of them could ever beat me for. But right now, I’m focused on WCG FIRST and foremost. And once I hit Redemption and start going around the world, the world is my oyster pretty much.
SCWS: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Julianna: I see myself as one of the biggest stars in the industry. Period. And I expect to have won at least one world championship within those five years.
SCWS: We’re wrapping up now, but first, some general questions about the roster. Your favorite peers?
Julianna: Rachel, Jess, Scotty and the 7th Circle… yes even after what happened the last Hype. Annoying as that was, I abhor the Messiahs a lot more. I hope they destroy them, but let’s not get too off subject.
SCWS: Least favorite peers?
Julianna: Ryan, Ruby Rose, Tornado Desencadenado, Danni, Donovan and the Messiahs. Buggers. All of them!
SCWS: Any last words to your peers?
Julianna: You’ll all be looking up at ME as the West Coast Champion very soon. I’m done messing around. I’m done dealing with these recent frustrations. Whether you will ever admit it or not, you will come to appreciate me and that I bring nothing but the very best intentions for this brand. You will realize that I am better for this company’s future than Ryan Keys could ever be. August 3, you’re all going to bear witness to the ultimate Rise of the DiMaria Dynasty! And quite honestly, there are very few of you capable of dethroning me and those that are? Sorry. You’re in my world at that point, and you won’t stand a chance against me!
Clearly confident, brash and unapologetic, San Diego’s Julianna DiMaria has set quite a high bar for herself and also, has debatably placed a target on her back with much of the bold words she said in this colorful interview.
The following is a cover interview for “Southern California Wrestling Scene” dated for July 4, 2017. In this special feature, SCWS interviews none other than West Coast Genesis star Julianna DiMaria, who is quite candid in her very first public interview. Topics covered include her goals, her hefty workload right out of the gate, her true feelings about friendships and alliances, her ultimate pet peeves and more.
SCWS: Let’s start from the beginning: the moment you signed your very first pro wrestling contract with West Coast Genesis. What was that moment like and how special was it for you?
Julianna: It was surreal. It was something that I had strived for, for an incredible amount of time. Obviously, it’s not the big leagues of Redemption just yet, but I know I am capable of working my way there. This is something that I had wanted to do for years and to hit the mainstream for the first time was an incredible feeling. I admit, I was a little more nervous than I had previously let on before my first match against Rachel Redding and Danni LeBlanc, but once I got in there and won that match, that’s when I settled into it.
SCWS: But it appears that ever since that first match, you’ve drawn some fair share of criticism.
Julianna: Yes, it comes with the territory.
SCWS: Among them is that you don’t “look like a wrestler”. This has led to some people in the business labelling you as the “model stereotype” as far as women’s wrestling is concerned. What’s your take on this criticism and why do you think it comes to you?
Julianna: It’s only because I’m from San Diego and I’m blonde, other than that, there’s no basis at all. They say “don’t judge a book by its cover” and that’s exactly the case here. So I don’t look like the way most people think a wrestler should look like. Why is it anyone’s business? Did I have to do modeling at one point? Yes! But that’s only because I HAD TO. My parents weren’t going to let me get into their wrestling academy for free. Once I got in, I stopped. Simple. It’s honestly damn insulting that people look at me and go “tits and ass”, “model wrestler” and so on. Seriously. I’ve never shown my ass on Twitter like some of my peers. I don’t waste my time posting selfies every day. Does it matter what I look like? No. What matters is what I do in the ring. I’ve won in the first round of the All-Female Invitational. I’ve gone all the way to the semifinals of the Super Falcon Cup. I even beat a former Redemption Wrestling title holder to get there. I don’t know, it feels like most aren’t taking me seriously.
SCWS: You just mentioned the tournaments that you’ve been involved with. First off, that is incredible dedication.
Julianna: Yes it is! “Model wrestlers” wouldn’t bother but I’m going all around North America busting my ass representing WCG so you’re damn right I’m dedicated.
SCWS: Is this why you’ve taken on so many bookings early in your career?
Julianna: Indeed! If you don’t get your name out there, nobody is going to know who you are. That’s why I go to Philadelphia to outclass Tegan Blackwell. That’s why I go to Mexico to overcome Coby Quik and derail Jack Tillman. I want the world to know who I am. Some would call it insane that I’m doing so much so soon, but not me. I don’t take life for granted. I want to get as much experience while I still can.
SCWS: Are you representing WCG or are you representing yourself?
Julianna: It’s both. Yes, I got more of my peers involved in the All-Female Invitational, but I’m the one that snapped up that Super Falcon Cup spot. I am the one with the bravado for calling out Ryan Keys for being a ghost champion who “lets his in-ring work do the talking” or whatever excuse he wants to make for not promoting himself. WCG is limited to the west coast, but I’m not going to be someone that does that. I want to be worldwide and if I can get the WCG brand to expand worldwide and take on the load that “our champion” doesn’t, then even better. I will say straight up that I am the bread and butter of that brand. Without me, what would they do? I am obviously not staying here forever. When I get my main roster promotion, then what? WCG NEEDS me! They need champions like me. I am the glue that holds it all together whether they want to admit it or not.
SCWS: That’s not going to go over well with Ryan Keys and company.
Julianna: Then maybe he ought to get off of his high horse and actually promote the company every now and then. I don’t know what makes me sicker: Ryan, or that circle of friends he has.
SCWS: What is it about his friends, people that you call his “apologists”, that frustrate you?
Julianna: It’s the fact that they have a problem with what I say about their precious champion and so few have the nerve or the testicular fortitude to come at me directly. My problem isn’t the fact that they have a differing opinion, my problem is that they’re not adult enough to confront me directly about it. They hide behind subtweets and likes behind those subtweets. It makes me realize why they’re here and not on the main roster. They just don’t have the heart and passion that I do. I’m in a locker room full of wrestlers that are happy with where they are at. There is little drive and passion among them to stand out and be different. If it’s not walking stereotypes like the Messiahs, it’s Donovan’s and Danni’s nauseating lovefest on social media. If it’s not that, it’s others promoting other companies or heck, others not even promoting at all. So, my message to anyone, Ryan Keys apologists or not. Have a problem? Come to ME! Don’t hide behind subtweets. Don’t hide behind likes. COME! TO! ME! I fear nobody! I know on any given night, I can shut anyone down and anyone up: Ryan, the Messiahs, Danni, Ruby… ANYONE!
SCWS: So judging by your comments, is it fair to say that your peers in WCG overlook you?
Julianna: Overlook… or they’re just scared. Look, not EVERYONE on that roster annoys me. There are some that I DO like.
SCWS: Are we talking about names like Jess Hardy and Rachel Redding?
Julianna: They are fine girls, both of them. I disagree with Jess being cool with Ryan, but okay, whatever. That’s fine. Rachel, I wish she would promote WCG more rather than other companies, but we’re okay. They’re two of three that I have high hopes for at least.
SCWS: And the third?
Julianna: Scotty Latimer. I think among my peers in the locker room, he’s the one that matches my drive, passion and determination the closest. We worked great together on the last Hype. It’s a shame that the 7th Circle put the kibosh on things before we got the win. Just another frustrating thing to add to my WCG cap. But, I don’t have a problem with a guy. I’d say he’s the best man on the roster from a wrestling standpoint, even better than Ryan if we’re being quite honest. I’m not quick to rush to an opinion of others that recently joined the company so the likes of Zane Story and Tasmin Richards are neutral with me. But all and all, it’s Jess, Rachel and Scotty that are the ones I have the highest hopes for.
SCWS: What is it about Ryan Keys that annoys you so much?
Julianna: His ego. He thinks he’s better than everyone else. When we last fought on Hype, he was trying to lecture me and act like he’s better than me. He arranges his circle jerk of apologists that talk about how amazing he is and how he’s such a good guy, but in my book, the guy is overrated. A good wrestler? Yes. I am not going to take that away from him. But, I know I can beat him. I DID do it before. At Rise, I will do it again. But, with him and I, it’s personal. He robbed me of a special moment at Origins. I should have been the first West Coast Champion! But now, I will never get to make that claim. Then going into the Hype after Origins and the event itself, he rubs it in. No, he’s not getting away with running up the score on me. I will silence his ego and make his friends and apologists cry like the little babies that they are when I take the West Coast Championship from him.
SCWS: You don’t think he makes a good point though? About representing WCG in the ring “where it matters” according to him?
Julianna: It’s a good point, but it’s a misapplied point. I’m the one not just representing WCG IN THE RING in TWO tournaments at the SAME time, but I’m WINNING in these tournaments too. Even if his point is truly correct, I’m still doing it BETTER than he is! So, once again, he’s blowing smoke out of his own ass which is ridiculous because his circle jerk of friends do it for him enough already. He’s a selfish, passionless, egotistical surfer boy with the substance of tartar sauce in a Filet-O-Fish sandwich who is more likely to star on an episode of “Mysteries of the Disappeared” alongside the Malaysian airline from a few years ago and the Roanoke colony in Virginia. And people talk about ME attacking him after our last match? PLEASE!
SCWS: Will you ever forgive Ryan Keys for taking away your opportunity to claim the right to call yourself the first ever West Coast Champion?
Julianna: No. I will never forgive him for that and all of the negative emotions he’s forced me to feel. I will never be friends with someone like THAT!
SCWS: Your goal from the start was to become the West Coast Champion. Let’s say that you do in fact beat Ryan Keys for the title at Rise and you become the champion. What’s next?
Julianna: Defend like a dominant champion and make everyone know that WCG is MY WORLD to reign in! Period! Simple as that. Send anyone you want after me and I will knock them down and send them to the back of the line. I’ll keep doing that over and over again until someone beats me for it… IF someone beats me for it. If nobody can beat me for it then… maybe I’m just too good for WCG at that point. Maybe it would be time for me to move up to Redemption.
SCWS: And is that a goal for you as well?
Julianna: Yes. Best case scenario is moving up AS the West Coast Champion and once I do that, I’ll let everyone else fight for the title none of them could ever beat me for. But right now, I’m focused on WCG FIRST and foremost. And once I hit Redemption and start going around the world, the world is my oyster pretty much.
SCWS: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Julianna: I see myself as one of the biggest stars in the industry. Period. And I expect to have won at least one world championship within those five years.
SCWS: We’re wrapping up now, but first, some general questions about the roster. Your favorite peers?
Julianna: Rachel, Jess, Scotty and the 7th Circle… yes even after what happened the last Hype. Annoying as that was, I abhor the Messiahs a lot more. I hope they destroy them, but let’s not get too off subject.
SCWS: Least favorite peers?
Julianna: Ryan, Ruby Rose, Tornado Desencadenado, Danni, Donovan and the Messiahs. Buggers. All of them!
SCWS: Any last words to your peers?
Julianna: You’ll all be looking up at ME as the West Coast Champion very soon. I’m done messing around. I’m done dealing with these recent frustrations. Whether you will ever admit it or not, you will come to appreciate me and that I bring nothing but the very best intentions for this brand. You will realize that I am better for this company’s future than Ryan Keys could ever be. August 3, you’re all going to bear witness to the ultimate Rise of the DiMaria Dynasty! And quite honestly, there are very few of you capable of dethroning me and those that are? Sorry. You’re in my world at that point, and you won’t stand a chance against me!
Clearly confident, brash and unapologetic, San Diego’s Julianna DiMaria has set quite a high bar for herself and also, has debatably placed a target on her back with much of the bold words she said in this colorful interview.