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November 11, 2025 17 mins
Harley Cameron joins the  Battleground Podcast⁩  for an electric convo about her huge upset win with Willow Nightingale, performing in front of a wild Australian crowd at @AEW⁩  Grand Slam, the first-ever women’s Blood & Guts match, and the moment she realized wrestling was truly her path. If you love AEW, women’s wrestling, or Harley’s insane multi-talent energy, this one’s for you.
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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Battleground Podcast.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
You'll play for all things pro wrestling.

Speaker 3 (00:11):
And exclusive interviews with some of your favorite wrestlers.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Abound stop being.

Speaker 1 (00:23):
We's up you guys, Welcome back into iHeartRadio's official wrestling podcast,
The Battleground Podcast. At his Battle alongside with me my
tag team partner Eli, and we are coming up on
aw Blood and Guts and Man, it's gonna be an
exciting night for sure, especially a monumental historic night because
for the first time ever, we are getting a female

(00:44):
blood and Guts and today on the show, our guests,
you know her, you love her, and if you don't,
give it a few minutes and you will. She sings,
she wrestles. Let's see, she's an actress of Ventriloquist. Am
I missing anything else? Harley Cameron fitness influencer?

Speaker 3 (01:02):
What else?

Speaker 1 (01:05):
Harley Cameron is our guest today. Harley, thanks, look coming on?

Speaker 3 (01:08):
How are you hello? I'm great? Thank you for the
lovely rap gush.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
I mean, we could probably listen more accolades, but that
would take up most of the show, and we're here
to talk about everything aew and everything Harley Cameron, So
I want to go right into this real quick, because
recently you and Willow pulled off a major upset by
defeating the tournament favorites Mercedes Monette and Athena to advance.

(01:33):
How did the lead up to that match feel for
you emotionally and also you getting the win for your team?
What was going through your mind?

Speaker 4 (01:42):
I look back at both of our faces when that
moment happened.

Speaker 3 (01:46):
I think that it speaks for itself.

Speaker 4 (01:49):
Like so, so you know, shocked, to be honest, and
you know, a static. It was a range of both emotions,
just like you know, it was a wonderful feeling.

Speaker 3 (02:04):
It was a surprise.

Speaker 4 (02:04):
They definitely definitely gave us an amazing fight and really
pushed us to the limits. So obviously we're very happy
with the outcome.

Speaker 3 (02:13):
And I think we shocked the world at ourselves and
now we'll fight it up.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:18):
Well I think it was shocking just because of all
the belts involved in the match, you know, so it
seemed like an uphill battle for you guys, But yeah,
it was. We popped hard over here when you got
that pin. So it was awesome.

Speaker 4 (02:30):
Well, thank you, I will say, it's you know, we're
up against two of the greatest wrestlers. I think, you know, so,
I you know, not even just in the women's division,
but in the world in general. I think that they're
both incredible athlete and it you know, it's it's definitely
an exciting and unexpected outcome.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
For everyone, right right right.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Well, you know, speaking of Harley Cameron, your popularity has
been very just an organic growth. Do you in your
mind do you have a know, maybe a defining moment
where you can kind of look back and say, oh, okay,
the crowd's really behind me now. Was there any anything
that stands out like, oh, I'm over now?

Speaker 3 (03:11):
Oh gosh, it's funny.

Speaker 4 (03:13):
It's hard to hear the word over and put it
in context of the right of myself.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
Be like I hang the e.

Speaker 4 (03:21):
I will say there was definitely momentum behind when I
would start to have my matches and I would hear people,
you know, supporting me and chanting me and you know,
yelling feel the rat and I thought, oh, you know,
they're with me. You know, it was it was definitely
a build that started to become more consistent. And I
will say also the opportunity that I had to you know,

(03:44):
face Mercedes at Grand Slam Australia at the start of
this year definitely felt like a very.

Speaker 3 (03:49):
Defining moment for me and in my journey.

Speaker 4 (03:51):
And you know, I definitely felt the support louder and
bigger than ever in my home country. And it's from
that moment I definitely felt like, oh wow, Like it's
a special feeling to know like, oh, they're with me
on this, you know.

Speaker 1 (04:07):
Yeah, yeah, And I do want to talk about that
that aw Grand Slam down there in Australia. I mean
you mentioned the crowd was electric. I mean we felt
it through the TV watching it. I mean, you had
your home country behind you. Unfortunately it didn't in the
way that US fans were hoping and obviously you were
hoping for. But talk us through that moment, like what

(04:27):
was it like stepping into that ring in front of
that crowd, feeling the energy? Walk us through everything, because
again we felt that the TV. Obviously you probably felt
a different feeling in front of your home crowd.

Speaker 4 (04:40):
It was so amazing and surreal and I am not
exaggerating when I tell you the energy in that audience
from the very start to the very finish was it
didn't settle down. It was consistent the Aussies definitely. They
know how to make some noise. It's unlike any anything
I'd ever experienced before. And even before I walked out,

(05:04):
I was I still like remember vividly, like they were
chanting my name, but like from they played something on
screen of me from earlier in the day arriving and
in that moment and hearing that support before I'd even
walked out, that was a moment I thought, oh, wow,
this is going to be very special, and it really was.
And like I said, the energy of that entire night

(05:25):
was just insane, Like it's like a.

Speaker 3 (05:27):
Build and build and building. It was a very you know,
it was a long show that night.

Speaker 4 (05:31):
Sometimes I feel like throughout in sporting events in general,
sometimes you know the crowd can you know waiver. But
it was it was so cool just that whole night
having that level of like support and volume and it
was it was really really awesome.

Speaker 3 (05:47):
It was a hard one to top.

Speaker 2 (05:48):
I think, yeah, yeah, that event was just incredible from
top to bottom. Tony went in the world title. There
was just another big event, you know, going back to
uh women's Blood of Guts match. You know, we as
the siccos over here, we've been clamoring for it since
AW started, so we're very excited about it. What do
you want that match to say about the women's division

(06:10):
for AW and what would make you the most proud of,
like being able to watch it back at a year
from now, what would you what do you think would
make it something you're most proud of.

Speaker 4 (06:20):
I think that for all of us, there is a
sense of pride that it's happening to even begin with.
So I can say wholeheartedly that I know that before
it's even begun, that we all feel a huge sense
of pride because it definitely feels like, you know, it
feels like a reward for the work that you've been

(06:40):
putting in, that we've been putting in, especially like the
build up this year, I feel like we've seen a
lot of matches that you know, have been more hardcore
and then more hard hitting, and there's been a lot
of small tastes of elements.

Speaker 3 (06:54):
Of obviously what this embodies.

Speaker 4 (06:57):
So I think that I know everyone has already feeling
very happy and successful for the fact that we've arrived there,
and I you know, obviously us girls would like to
take it home and put on a great show, but
you know, I'm really hoping that my team takes it
out in general, that'll be a nice thing to look
back on and be like, yeah, we did it. But

(07:17):
I just know for a fact that everyone or all
the women in the locker room really feel excited and
proud already because we're like, hell, yeah, we're doing this
week and hang with the guys like it's a very
cool feeling. And I think we just feel really excited
that Tony Kahin's given us the opportunity and that this
is like the first of hopefully many to come.

Speaker 2 (07:35):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (07:36):
Absolutely. And you know, me and Eli, we've had this
conversation before. We've grown up wrestling fans, and we remember
seeing when you know, we were watching wrestling as kids,
when women's wrestling was on there, it was three minutes,
it was bra and panties matches.

Speaker 4 (07:52):
It was this.

Speaker 3 (07:52):
But now as.

Speaker 1 (07:54):
Times have changed, women are main eventing big pay per views,
women are getting the same matches as the guys are.
And you know, let's talk about the women's landscape at AW.
I mean, you've seen it from day one to now,
it's evolving rapidly. From your vantage point, where do you
see that evolution going in the next year or two,

(08:16):
and how do you see yourself fitting into it.

Speaker 4 (08:19):
I think that the evolution of women's wrestling in general
has gone through so many transitions. I think, as you
said it way back when began as something that was
I feel like, definitely more you know, sexualized and less
hard hitting in that respect. But I think that the
cool thing is we've gone through this transition of like

(08:40):
extreme athleticism, and then I feel like it's gone through
this transition where we've now experienced different levels of it.
It's ticked many different boxes, and I think that now
we're at a position where it's like.

Speaker 3 (08:56):
You can have the best of all worlds.

Speaker 4 (08:58):
I feel like that there is a mixed bunch of
athletes and competitors that bring different things to the table.
I think that it went from a stage of you know,
over sexualizing it to then that was frowned upon, and
then it was all about like, you know, hard hitting,
and then it was like, hey, you can be hard
hitting and sexy and.

Speaker 3 (09:15):
Or you don't want to do that, you don't have to.

Speaker 4 (09:17):
And the cool thing is so many people bring different
like things to the table. So I think it's great
because we're in this world now where you don't have
to tick this box and go Okay, well you you
know you don't wear bra and panties, so we're not
going to watch it.

Speaker 3 (09:31):
Oh you don't. You know, you're not the strongest. We're
not going to be into it.

Speaker 4 (09:34):
Like it's like this beautiful mixture of all these different
personalities and skills collectively living at once and all can exist,
you know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (09:43):
Yeah, absolutely, Another thing exciting we found out about on
the eleven thirteen edition of Ring of Honor. You have
a world title matcha you know, big, big month in
the world. Harley over here, you know, is the longest
reigning champion and Ring of Honor history, male or female.

(10:06):
What would what would a title victory over her mean
for you at this point in your career, I mean,
toppling the longest raining champion the Ring of Harder history.

Speaker 4 (10:15):
Yeah, it's a massive opportunity for me, and she is,
you know, an insane athlete. She's one of the most
impressive wrestlers that I've ever been in the ring with. Obviously,
a win like that for me would be exponential, And
I think my goal is obviously just every time that
I get in there, to just remember that you know,
I've been giving these opportunities for a reason, and I

(10:38):
think I proved to everyone.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
This last week that anything is possible.

Speaker 4 (10:42):
So I'm going in hungry, I'm going in ready, and
again she's one of the greatest to do it, but
I have a taste for it.

Speaker 2 (10:48):
Now there you go.

Speaker 3 (10:51):
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (10:52):
Now what's great is you know, earlier in the show
we talked about all the accolades that you've done, and
you've talked in past interviews about how you've branched out
pursuing singing modeling than wrestling and acting and everything else
in between. Can you take us back to that moment
that you know, you looked in the mirror and said, Okay,
I'm a wrestler. This is me. Now what was that

(11:14):
turning point?

Speaker 4 (11:16):
It's I think it was the first time I ever
saw an independent show in person, which wasn't until I
was living in America. I didn't grow up in an
environment that had a lot of wrestling around it, so
also growing up in Australia where I was, it didn't
never become a thought on my mind that I could

(11:36):
pursue it professionally. And then it was when I was
in Orlando and I saw my first indie show and
in that moment, I just got this hunger and passion
just like watching it up close for the first time
and feeling the energy. I was like, oh, this is
what I want to do. It's like this light bulb
went on, you know. And I still remember my first

(11:56):
match that I had, which was against Scarlet Bordeaux for
Wrestle Pro, and I remember my coach texts me afterwards
and he was like, breeze and he said he said,
had to go. And I still distinctively remember being like
that was that was the best feeling I've ever had
in my entire life. And you know, I've performed in
some you know, amazing places in my life and had

(12:18):
a lot of wonderful opportunities in my career as you know.

Speaker 3 (12:21):
A musician and in those other fields.

Speaker 4 (12:24):
So for me to actually reflect after that first match
that I got to have and go, wow, nothing in
the world can compare to this, I just knew then
and there that I was like, this is this surpasses
everything that I've ever wanted.

Speaker 3 (12:37):
This is like, this is what I want.

Speaker 2 (12:39):
Right Well, that's saying something, I mean, considering how talented
you are, and there as stages you've been on. So yeah,
that's awesome. So one thing, you know, I one one
fun thing is you know, as far as pitches and
stuff go, like, was there you know, was there an
idea that you had that made it to air? And
you're just like, yes, I cannot believe that we brainstormed

(13:02):
and we got it. Like there's anything that just you
know that you really wanted and you you got it
on TV.

Speaker 4 (13:08):
Oh gosh, I'll be honest, like, I've got to do
so many cool things that I am very thankful that
Tony Kahan definitely allows me to showcase things that I
believe that I can do well. Uh, it was it
was obviously his idea to do halftime Harley, and I thought,
you know, in that moment that that you know it

(13:30):
was it was cool in a way because I was,
you know, obviously with my guitar and having the opportunity
to see him perform, and I had a thought, like
a feeling of like how cool is this that I get,
Like I get to do the.

Speaker 3 (13:42):
Things that I love in this world where you.

Speaker 4 (13:44):
Know a lot of people sometimes say to me, oh,
why are you wrestling? You can be doing this, You
can be doing this, can we do this? And I say,
don't you see that? I have the coolest drop on
the word. I get to wrestle, and my boss is
allowing me to take all the other elements that I
have in life that I like to do, and I'm
allowed to do them here. I guess to do them here.
So I think it's really cool whenever I'm allowed to

(14:06):
do things that are, you know, outside the box of
what you might see.

Speaker 3 (14:09):
On a regular basis.

Speaker 4 (14:10):
Like it's been really cool to be able to do ventriloquism,
It's been cool to be able to sing live Like,
it's cool like being able to do all the things
I love in one place.

Speaker 3 (14:19):
And that's why I love work so much.

Speaker 4 (14:21):
I love wrestling, I love aw It's just it's like
all my world of passion combined into one. So like
anytime I get to be creative like that, I'm like,
this is.

Speaker 3 (14:29):
Cool, right, right right? Absolutely?

Speaker 1 (14:32):
Of course, Blood and Guts you could watch it Wednesday night. Man,
it's going to be a fun time for sure, and
of course we're going to see it. The men's got
the men's match, and for the first time ever, a
women's Blood and Guts match. Now I do want to
kind of go to the flip side of what Eli
just brought up. You said that you've pitched some things
and they've been able to make it on TV. Has
there been something that you've pitched that they were like,

(14:55):
let's save that for a different day, let's put it
on the shelf.

Speaker 4 (15:01):
Definitely all the time, Like I definitely like, well, I
think I.

Speaker 3 (15:04):
Personally just like last my ship all the time.

Speaker 4 (15:07):
I come up with things that I think is funny
and then other people are like that's not that's sorry.

Speaker 1 (15:14):
What so what what is one of those that kind
of stands out to you in the moment right now
that you were like, this would have been great, but
let's hold off on it.

Speaker 3 (15:22):
Oh gosh.

Speaker 4 (15:22):
I'm trying to think if there's like a particular like
just like just like I can say little things like
you know, like for example, if I've keep to someone
and I've been.

Speaker 3 (15:31):
Like what if I ride your back out to the ring?

Speaker 4 (15:34):
It is like I'm like, get home, And.

Speaker 3 (15:39):
Then it's like some people are like, you know, like.

Speaker 4 (15:42):
Little things like that, right, it expacctates segments.

Speaker 3 (15:45):
I'm like, what am I saying this? Sitting there like absolutely.

Speaker 1 (15:48):
Yeah, here's and That's the thing is like we sit
there and we'll watch it on TV, and it's like,
I don't see how certain people can keep a straight
face and a real promo if Harley's around, Like, are
you like trying to literally try to break them if
they're doing a serious promo? Is that like a goal
for you?

Speaker 4 (16:07):
I mean it's a nice feeling for sure. Actually, you
didn't remind me of like something particular that did happen
a long time ago. When I was in the QTV
Fashion and the guys had a match against Orange, Cassidy
and I. They were like talking about, like you know things,
and in my head, I was like, I know what

(16:27):
I'll do. I'll bring out an orange to the ring
and I'll look at it's not eating.

Speaker 3 (16:33):
It was kind of like, that's true.

Speaker 2 (16:38):
I think that's gonna work.

Speaker 3 (16:39):
I mean a full year I'm looking at it.

Speaker 2 (16:42):
Yeah, exactly exactly.

Speaker 1 (16:46):
Harley Cameron is our guest on the show today. Before
we let you go, anything you want to say to
the people watching or listening to this right now.

Speaker 3 (16:53):
I want to thank you guys for having me. It's
been a joy, and make sure you watch your blood
and guts.

Speaker 4 (17:00):
I expect this to mean bloody and gutty,
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