June 17, 2026 • 21 mins
🚨 EXCLUSIVE SPORTS JEDI NETWORK INTERVIEW 🚨One of the most talked-about stars in professional wrestling today, Elayna Black, joins Sports Jedi Network for an in-depth conversation ahead of TNA Slammiversary and another exciting chapter of Thursday Night iMPACT!In this exclusive interview, Elayna discusses:🔥 Her journey to TNA Wrestling
🔥 The evolution of the Knockouts Division
🔥 What Slammiversary means to her career
🔥 Potential championship aspirations
🔥 Lessons learned throughout her wrestling journey
🔥 Dream opponents and future goals
🔥 Fan support and what's next for Elayna BlackHost BX Sports Jedi Kev sits down with a wrestler he and his wife have proudly followed since her Performance Center days, making this a special conversation for the Sports Jedi Network family.Whether you're a longtime fan of Elayna Black, a dedicated TNA Wrestling viewer, or simply love hearing wrestlers tell their stories, this is an interview you don't want to miss.🎙️ Subscribe to Sports Jedi Network for more exclusive wrestling interviews, live reactions, watch-alongs, and weekly wrestling coverage.#ElaynaBlack #TNAWrestling #TNASlammiversary #TNAImpact #KnockoutsDivision #SportsJediNetwork #WrestlingPodcast #ProWrestling #WrestlingInterview #ThursdayNightImpact
🔥 The evolution of the Knockouts Division
🔥 What Slammiversary means to her career
🔥 Potential championship aspirations
🔥 Lessons learned throughout her wrestling journey
🔥 Dream opponents and future goals
🔥 Fan support and what's next for Elayna BlackHost BX Sports Jedi Kev sits down with a wrestler he and his wife have proudly followed since her Performance Center days, making this a special conversation for the Sports Jedi Network family.Whether you're a longtime fan of Elayna Black, a dedicated TNA Wrestling viewer, or simply love hearing wrestlers tell their stories, this is an interview you don't want to miss.🎙️ Subscribe to Sports Jedi Network for more exclusive wrestling interviews, live reactions, watch-alongs, and weekly wrestling coverage.#ElaynaBlack #TNAWrestling #TNASlammiversary #TNAImpact #KnockoutsDivision #SportsJediNetwork #WrestlingPodcast #ProWrestling #WrestlingInterview #ThursdayNightImpact
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome everybody. Welcome to the Sports Jedi Network to go
stand as a true fan. Heerie. I'm your host b
Sports Jedike along with haus knuccle Brew, and today we
have a special guest, not just for myself on a
personal lever. Me and my wife both been fans of
this young lady. We've seen her journey every Tuesday for
two years when she was in her other previous place.
(00:25):
I want to welcome the one and only Elena Black
joining us here. Good afternoon, miss Black.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
How are you hello? I'm good. Thank you so much
for having me and for your support. I appreciate it absolutely.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
And Hass is with us. This is my partner co host,
has nuncle Brew.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Awesome, I'm happy to be here. Nice to meet you guys.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
All right, nice to meet you, Elena.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Hue. I give you the honest with the first question, let's.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Do it all all right? Well, Leno, this is a
health related question. Okay, okay, we're getting ready for Slammiversary
and fans would like to know what's the day in
life for you? Going with with a meal plan, workouts
and sleep schedules. How does that work?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Oh? Okay, very good question. Honestly, starting number one. My
sleep schedule, I'll be honest, is not great. I'm a
I'm a night owl, so I like to stay up
pretty late. Uh. But I've been trying to become a
morning person, so you know, we'll try to switch that
up and see how that goes. But a typical day
for me is pretty pretty chill, especially you know at
(01:28):
this time of the year gearing up for Slam. We
got locked down in Chicago coming up shortly after two,
which is my hometown. It's gonna be a big show too.
So uh, just when it gets to this time of
the year when you got to lock in and really
focus and everything like that, it's it's about waking up,
going to the gym, eating good.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Personally me, I try I struggle to gain weight. I
just have a fast metabolism and I've always been like
that my whole life. Uh, but I'm trying to put
on muscle and you know, work on getting into some
more calories and gaining size and you know, being the
best version of me possible for not only Slam, but
for the rest of the year. So that's kind of
all my day's been. I wake up, I make a
good breakfast, go to the gym, come back, hang out
(02:08):
with my dogs, eat again, and you know, try to
watch some wrestling, top some ideas. Rhyanstone my gear and yeah,
the wrestling is my life right now, so I'm pretty
locked in, all right.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
So what's more breakfast for you? Steak and eggs?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Honestly, I'm trying to work up to that. I'm so
bad at having an appetite in the morning, So right
now it's been a bacon, egg and cheese because you know,
it's easy, quick all you know, protein, bat carbs all
together in one thing. Then I hit the gym. It's
a perfect thing to go to. But I do tend
to when I like something, I wear it out until
I hate it. So I'm sure I'm gonna be eating bacon,
(02:45):
egg and cheeses for a few more weeks and then
I'll never touch one again. But we'll see.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Gotcha sounds delicious?
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Now I want to ask this question. I know you
were talking about your looking into Simon Roshley and leap
a lout down to Chicago. I've seen the different version
of you. Can you describe the current version of the
name of Black. I've seen your past and believing we
have really enjoyed it, but I'm excited to hear the
terment version of this imageration. You're in TNA.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Yeah, you know, I think obviously there's still bits and
pieces of who you are, you know, as the years
go on and it just builds to your character. But
I think in the beginning of my career, not only
in the Indies before I got to WW, but even
in my beginning times NXC, I think it was about
(03:38):
just kind of figuring out who I was. And I
think I have always been a very creative person, and
I try to think outside the box and look at
you know, maybe what's not being done right now that
I could be doing, or you know, something that I
think that fans would enjoy. I think I've always kind
of been good at navigating that. But you know, in
the beginning, I got signed very young. I was nineteen
years old. I dropped out of high school to be
(04:00):
I'm a wrestler, So wrestling was, you know, my whole life.
So getting there that young and kind of trying to
navigate not only being in that big of a spotlight
and a career and everything like that, but also just
navigating life as a teenager. Early twenty twenty one years old.
You know, it's it's very difficult, but it was also
such a great learning experience and I think it made
(04:21):
me who I am. But in the beginning, I think
I lacked confidence in regular life and on character, and
I think it showed a little bit. And as time
has gone on, I think I've really found out who
Elena Black is and what I bring to the table
and what I you know, do well and what I
don't do well, and how to connect with the fans
and what works for me and everything like that. So
(04:43):
I think the big difference right now is I know
who I am, I know what my goal is, and
I'm very confident and that's something that I think I
hadn't felt in a very long time. So it's a
nice place to be.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
In, all right, Atlanta. This kind of character that you
have has a certain level of arrogance or if you will. So,
how does the Knockouts locker room? How should they be?
How should they be ready for you to get prepared
for you, especially for Slam Aversary when they have this
championship title on the line, But they should be really
(05:14):
should be prepared for you. Why this should be happening exactly.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
You know, you said all the right things. You know,
I will say, I think TNA has an incredible knockouts division.
I think every single woman in that locker room is
extremely talented. I think we all have a very common
goal and kind of unspoken understanding of that. We all
love wrestling, we all love TNA. We all want TNA
to succeed, and we all want to go out there
and you know, be better than the next girl who
(05:42):
is out there earlier in the show, you know what
I mean. So I think it's a very healthy competition environment,
but also we all just want to see each other succeed.
But with that being said, I will say, and I've
said this before, I gave these girls a long time
with that help me, you know, to prepare for me
to come through. You know, I stopped by for a
(06:04):
little bit when I was with NXT and kind of
gave them a taste of what it would be like
if I were to be here full time. And hey,
that was about a year before I actually signed here.
So I gave them a long time to prepare for
Elena Black and to get better than me. And I'm
being honest, I don't think that that's been the case.
So I'm here now, I'm here to stay. I'm here
to take over the division, and if anyone wants to
(06:25):
try to be better than me, the floor is yours.
I'm all here for the competition. But the bottom line
is it's the era of Leida on That DNA knockout
title is going to be mine.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Statements have been made, Knockouts Division.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
You are unnoticed now, exactly absolutely. Now let me ask
this here, knowing you're talking about your time seeing some
familiar faces in the locker room. How easy was in
transition with a lot of the different knockouts, you know,
like Heartwell like Mars i'd eight and others. How easy
was it that transition just to get into the TNA
locker room itself.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, honestly, it was a lot easier of a transition
than I thought it would be, just because me as
as a person and just who I am. I'm very
very I don't know if the word is shy, but
it takes a while for me to open up, and
I kind of keep to myself for a while and
just kind of observe and stuff like that. And you know,
so I didn't really know like how I was going
(07:20):
to fit into the Knockouts division, especially, you know when
you're around I was around the WWE girls for for
almost five years, So just coming from a whole entire
different group and kind of hoping that you're going to
be welcomed into this new family is a little bit
nerve wrecking, but honestly it was. Could it have been better?
Like the girls are so so welcoming, and you know,
(07:41):
the girls that have been there forever and have been
there for years and kind of know how how the
locker room works and everything like that. They were very
you know, welcoming to me and were always there to
help me if I needed anything and stuff like that.
So it's been very nice to just kind of be
welcomed like that. With that being said, I still am
better than all of them, but I will say that
(08:03):
I appreciate how open and welcoming and everything that they
have been, but it is nice to have the familiar faces.
Like you said, you know in Indie heartwell, I don't
even know if I want to get into that because
she's been irritating me lately. Me and her are going
through some things. But as all friends do, you know,
every every friendship has some bumps in the road, So
(08:23):
maybe we'll get through it, maybe we won't. I don't know.
She's she's on my she's on my SHI T list
right now, but maybe we'll move past that. But besides that,
she is somebody who I had been friends with before
I had even gotten to w B and we both
have a very similar story of just two kids who
were nerds who loved wrestling and just wanted to be wrestlers,
(08:43):
and both made it to the same place. I mean, hell,
she came all the way from Australia, which is you know,
more common now, but it's a lot harder for people
to do it, and she did it and she's killing it.
And it's nice to be around someone who I've been
through so much with has seen me at every level
of my life and career pretty much like in these
(09:03):
past few years, and you know, just have that be
able to work with her and everything that is very nice.
Same with Mara and all the other like Arianna Grace
when she comes by. These all girls that I had
worked with and really enjoyed my time with, so it's
nice to still be able to see them. And you know,
when people do come by from NXT or when they
if eventually they do come over to TNA. It's very nice.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
All right. In a previous answer, you say something about
Ryan Stone in your gear Atlanta, Yes, all right. What
inspires the fashion of your in ring attire? And is
there something special being cooked up with Slammiversary.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
There is definitely something special being cooked up for Slammiversary
as well as Lockdown in Chicago. So two big shows
coming up, two big gears coming out. But honestly, what
kind of inspires me, I feel like is kind of
just what I like to wear in regular life, and
then I kind of turn it into to a wrestling version.
(10:03):
I think in the beginning, you know, when I first
started out in NXT, I was I was I've always
been like kind of dressed like a tomboy, wearing Converse jeans,
you know, stuff like leather jackets, stuff like snap back
stuff like that. So that was very easy for me
to kind of go with that at first because that's
just who I was. And then as my style has evolved,
as I've grown just as a person outside of wrestling too,
(10:24):
I think my style in wrestling has changed too. But
I definitely get a lot of inspiration from like the
music world, I love music. I have a crazy variety
music taste. I'll listen to pretty much anything except country,
but hip hop is like my go to and I'm
a very big future fan. So a lot of times
(10:46):
I'll kind of look and see what he wears on
tour or what he wears two events, and I just
think he always looks cool and like he has a
he has his vibe, and I think I think it's
cool when someone has like their signature looks. So a
lot of times I'll get inspiration for stuff that he wears,
or like different album covers, or if I hear a
song that kind of like sparks something in my head,
I'll be like, oh, that's kind of makes me think
(11:07):
of this, like let me drop this down. But yeah,
a lot of it just comes from my personal style
and also just getting inspiration from things I enjoy.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Ooh nice.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Speaking of speaking of styles and your inspiration, this one's
a different one. I want to ask you throughout your journey,
what lessons have you learned through through your journey in
professional wrestling that helps you now in these days? If
you could talk to a younger Helena Black, what I
know your story is so far from complete, But what
would you tell yourself at this moment?
Speaker 2 (11:40):
It's a very good question, honestly, I think, and this
is something I've thought about just recently, reflecting and everything
like that, because I feel like I'm at a good
place in life in my career, so I try to
just reflect and be grateful and everything like that. But
I feel like the hardest you said that was the question,
(12:01):
the hardest thing.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
The hardest, Well, what would you what kind of advice
would you give yourself?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
I would say, Yeah, I feel like I would tell
myself to slow down, because I think that's something for
a long time I didn't do because I was always
not that I wasn't enjoying it, but I was always
worried about what's next or what's coming after this, or
not really enjoying the moment and realizing how cool some
(12:28):
of the things that I was doing really were until
after they were already over, because I it was just
life moves so fast, and especially in this business, it
gets chaotic and can be stressful at times. But I
think I would tell myself to just slow down and
enjoy it, because this is all I ever wanted to
do since I was eight years old, you know, I
would lay in bed and dream about this stuff. So
(12:48):
I think a lot of times for a few years
I was I would let the stress overtake me, and
I wasn't really appreciating it and enjoying it in the moment.
And that's what I've looked back on. And I don't
want to say regret, because I have no regrets and
I think everything happens for a reason. But I would
definitely tell myself to slow down and enjoy it because
you never know when it could end. And you know,
(13:09):
life is great. You know the good and the bad,
it all makes it all, makes life what it is.
So I think that's that's what I tell myself, to
slow down and enjoy it, which is what I'm telling
myself now too. But if I could definitely tell my
younger self that, I would.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
You're in the gratitude stage.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
One hundred percent. I think it's I think it's very
good to be in.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
Yeah, I'd love to hear that.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
All right, Atlanta, you are a big time talent and
you're being being propped up. You're being propped up to
be a top tier carrier of the tea in a flag.
So what do you do to unwind or to prepare
for a big moment as of slammerversary, maybe an hour
or two before a big match or performance.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Hmmm, Honestly, I like to, I think because I I
tend to get very stressed out before my matches. I
think just because I care so much, and I don't know,
I've always thought with time and as I've gotten older,
I've been doing this long enough, you know, I've been
doing this. I started training when I was fifteen. I'm
twenty five now, so it's been about ten years of
me being involved in this. I kind of thought that
(14:13):
the nerves and stuff would go away as time goes on,
but at least for me, it hasn't. And I think
that's just because I care so much and I want
it to be good, and I want to be proud
of my work, and I want to be able to
look back and look at stuff I did and be
happy with it. So I think a lot of times
I'm so nervous that I don't like Again, like I said,
I don't let myself just sit and slow down and
(14:34):
you know, kind of appreciate what's going on. So lately
I've really been trying to do that, you know, before
my matches, I'll I'll go sit and find a corner
in the arena that is quiet and you know, no
one's in, and I'll just put my headphones in. I'll
stretch for a little bit, and I'll try to just
lock in and zone in and kind of put myself
in the Elena Black mindset, because when I'm me, I'm
(14:57):
just brief and I'm very quiet, and i'm you know,
I just love wrestling, and I keep to myself and
I'm just I'm just me. So I have to kind
of force myself to turn on that switch right before
I go out and kind of put myself in the
mindset of all right, this is this is time for
Elena Black, Like I'm about to go out there and
kill this and be the best version of me and
(15:18):
everything like that. So it's sitting for a little bit
kind of getting inspiration, feeling feeling zoned in from whether
it's a song or you know, a good inspirational video,
and just reminding myself that, hey, I'm about to go
out there and I'm gonna be curtain and BBRI and
put my sweatpants back on and go back to my
(15:40):
little little corner.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Right right. Let me let me ask this question here,
what what do fans misunderstand about Alena Black? I know
you mentioned about you being to your serve reserve, Well,
what is that? Why do why do fans misunderstanding?
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Good question? I think I think the most obvious answer
is because I have an OnlyFans platform, which is a
very I don't know if it's taboo this is the
word you would say, or stuff like that, but I
(16:21):
think a lot of people look at that and immediately
I don't know if it's a lose respect for me
or don't take me seriously or whatever that is just
because they have misconceptions of it or whatever. But I
think if you have the ability to and you're comfortable,
and it's your life and your body and you are
allowed to do whatever you want with it, and if
you're not harming anybody, and you're I like to have
(16:42):
fun and do cute photo shoots and post it and
stuff like that, and I don't see any harm in that,
you know, And if you want to support that, that's
great and I appreciate it. But if you don't, that's
fine too. You know, no harm, no foul. But I
think a lot of the misconception is that I don't
love wrestling because I have an only fans or or
I don't take it seriously or anything like that. And
I think that that's just so ridiculous because I absolutely
(17:06):
love wrestling so much and I'm blessed to be able
to make a living with the income from another source
as well, which I think a lot of people if
they could, they would, and I think a lot of
it also just stems from that, and you know, people
people like to talk about what they don't understand, and
add not to the point in my life where I
really don't care what people say either, So you know,
it is what it is. I appreciate the support, but
(17:28):
if you don't support it, that's totally fine too. And
I think I would say another misconception is I think
I'm just very blunt and I tell it how it
is and I just like to be very real. And
I don't know if everybody always likes that or likes
to hear that, or you know, I think maybe it
kind of makes some people uncomfortable, but that's just kind
of always how I've been and I don't plan on
(17:48):
changing anytime soon. So again, like I said, if you
support me and you ride with me. Thank you. I
appreciate it. And if you don't and you don't get it,
that's fine too. But you know, I think I think
it's important that we all in life just try to
take a step back and see someone's whole life and
story and everything like that before you judge them. My opinion,
(18:11):
I find a.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Question house, all right, Atlanta. I think Slimmer Vershy is
going to be a big spectacle for new fans to
find out who you are. I would like them to
find out what's the mindset that goes into the finishing
move that you chose to knock people out with? And
(18:33):
how does it define the aura of Alana Black?
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Lots of good questions. So I think my finisher now
is kind of just kind of a I don't know,
I want to say, an elevation or just like a
different version kind of of what I was doing before,
because I used to do the double underhook DDT, and
I started doing that because I was a huge Shield
fan growing up. I loved John actually now, but at
(19:00):
the time Dean Ambrose, I was a huge fan of him,
So I knew when I started wrestling I wanted to
kind of which I think I had implemented a little
bit here and there. I wanted to do something as
like an ode to him because he inspired me to
be a wrestler so much, so I knew I wanted
to add in something is like a little thing to him.
So I was like, I'm not super athletic. I can't
do a mood salt, I can't do a lot of
(19:21):
crazy stuff. So I was like, hey, that seems easy enough.
It looks cool, it's devastating, you know, it's his signature thing.
It make me feel like I was, you know, doing
this for John Mossley when I first started wrestling and
stuff like that. So that was when I first started
doing it. That was kind of the mindset. I thought
it was just a badass move. You could do it
to everybody. And then, just as though I've evolved with
(19:43):
time and as the years have gone on, I was
just kind of trying to evolve it a little bit.
I didn't want to keep doing the same thing, but
I did. I think it's a great you know, you
hook someone right there, they're not moving, So I liked
having that position, but I wanted to kind of try
to find something that was a little more maybe devastating
and kind of knew and unexpected, and you know, people
hadn't seen me do it before, so I was like,
(20:05):
what can we do here? Fucked turn it into a
neck breaker and they're done. So that that's what we
got right now. I'm loving it. I hope people are
enjoying watching me win with it. And I don't plan
on losing anytime soon, So keep keep getting ready to
see that move because it's the era of Lena and
that's what it is.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
You do it with swagger, in a level of smoothness.
So you have made it your own.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
Thank you so much, and we'll be watching Elena the
world and on this summiversary and legal lockdown. I hope,
I hope you go into Chicago with the knockouts title.
So all the best of luck. We appreciate your time
here on the Sports Jedi Network. Again from my wife says,
wanted to say, hello, we've been watching your career from
NXT and all the year. When you want acting gold
(20:51):
with with.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Roxy at that time, we yeah, there is right there.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
There, it is there, it is. We're in the building
chair cloud. Yeah. We used to sit behind a guy
with the Mets with the Mets gear and when you're
on the other side. But all in all, we appreciate
the time and thank you so much. Again. That is
Elena Black here on the Sports Jedi Network. We'll be
watching and we'll be rooting always. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
The sports be with you.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Thanks you, Tom Alina
Welcome everybody. Welcome to the Sports Jedi Network to go
stand as a true fan. Heerie. I'm your host b
Sports Jedike along with haus knuccle Brew, and today we
have a special guest, not just for myself on a
personal lever. Me and my wife both been fans of
this young lady. We've seen her journey every Tuesday for
two years when she was in her other previous place.
(00:25):
I want to welcome the one and only Elena Black
joining us here. Good afternoon, miss Black.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
How are you hello? I'm good. Thank you so much
for having me and for your support. I appreciate it absolutely.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
And Hass is with us. This is my partner co host,
has nuncle Brew.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Awesome, I'm happy to be here. Nice to meet you guys.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
All right, nice to meet you, Elena.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Hue. I give you the honest with the first question, let's.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Do it all all right? Well, Leno, this is a
health related question. Okay, okay, we're getting ready for Slammiversary
and fans would like to know what's the day in
life for you? Going with with a meal plan, workouts
and sleep schedules. How does that work?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Oh? Okay, very good question. Honestly, starting number one. My
sleep schedule, I'll be honest, is not great. I'm a
I'm a night owl, so I like to stay up
pretty late. Uh. But I've been trying to become a
morning person, so you know, we'll try to switch that
up and see how that goes. But a typical day
for me is pretty pretty chill, especially you know at
(01:28):
this time of the year gearing up for Slam. We
got locked down in Chicago coming up shortly after two,
which is my hometown. It's gonna be a big show too.
So uh, just when it gets to this time of
the year when you got to lock in and really
focus and everything like that, it's it's about waking up,
going to the gym, eating good.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Personally me, I try I struggle to gain weight. I
just have a fast metabolism and I've always been like
that my whole life. Uh, but I'm trying to put
on muscle and you know, work on getting into some
more calories and gaining size and you know, being the
best version of me possible for not only Slam, but
for the rest of the year. So that's kind of
all my day's been. I wake up, I make a
good breakfast, go to the gym, come back, hang out
(02:08):
with my dogs, eat again, and you know, try to
watch some wrestling, top some ideas. Rhyanstone my gear and yeah,
the wrestling is my life right now, so I'm pretty
locked in, all right.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
So what's more breakfast for you? Steak and eggs?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Honestly, I'm trying to work up to that. I'm so
bad at having an appetite in the morning, So right
now it's been a bacon, egg and cheese because you know,
it's easy, quick all you know, protein, bat carbs all
together in one thing. Then I hit the gym. It's
a perfect thing to go to. But I do tend
to when I like something, I wear it out until
I hate it. So I'm sure I'm gonna be eating bacon,
(02:45):
egg and cheeses for a few more weeks and then
I'll never touch one again. But we'll see.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Gotcha sounds delicious?
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Now I want to ask this question. I know you
were talking about your looking into Simon Roshley and leap
a lout down to Chicago. I've seen the different version
of you. Can you describe the current version of the
name of Black. I've seen your past and believing we
have really enjoyed it, but I'm excited to hear the
terment version of this imageration. You're in TNA.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Yeah, you know, I think obviously there's still bits and
pieces of who you are, you know, as the years
go on and it just builds to your character. But
I think in the beginning of my career, not only
in the Indies before I got to WW, but even
in my beginning times NXC, I think it was about
(03:38):
just kind of figuring out who I was. And I
think I have always been a very creative person, and
I try to think outside the box and look at
you know, maybe what's not being done right now that
I could be doing, or you know, something that I
think that fans would enjoy. I think I've always kind
of been good at navigating that. But you know, in
the beginning, I got signed very young. I was nineteen
years old. I dropped out of high school to be
(04:00):
I'm a wrestler, So wrestling was, you know, my whole life.
So getting there that young and kind of trying to
navigate not only being in that big of a spotlight
and a career and everything like that, but also just
navigating life as a teenager. Early twenty twenty one years old.
You know, it's it's very difficult, but it was also
such a great learning experience and I think it made
(04:21):
me who I am. But in the beginning, I think
I lacked confidence in regular life and on character, and
I think it showed a little bit. And as time
has gone on, I think I've really found out who
Elena Black is and what I bring to the table
and what I you know, do well and what I
don't do well, and how to connect with the fans
and what works for me and everything like that. So
(04:43):
I think the big difference right now is I know
who I am, I know what my goal is, and
I'm very confident and that's something that I think I
hadn't felt in a very long time. So it's a
nice place to be.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
In, all right, Atlanta. This kind of character that you
have has a certain level of arrogance or if you will. So,
how does the Knockouts locker room? How should they be?
How should they be ready for you to get prepared
for you, especially for Slam Aversary when they have this
championship title on the line, But they should be really
(05:14):
should be prepared for you. Why this should be happening exactly.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
You know, you said all the right things. You know,
I will say, I think TNA has an incredible knockouts division.
I think every single woman in that locker room is
extremely talented. I think we all have a very common
goal and kind of unspoken understanding of that. We all
love wrestling, we all love TNA. We all want TNA
to succeed, and we all want to go out there
and you know, be better than the next girl who
(05:42):
is out there earlier in the show, you know what
I mean. So I think it's a very healthy competition environment,
but also we all just want to see each other succeed.
But with that being said, I will say, and I've
said this before, I gave these girls a long time
with that help me, you know, to prepare for me
to come through. You know, I stopped by for a
(06:04):
little bit when I was with NXT and kind of
gave them a taste of what it would be like
if I were to be here full time. And hey,
that was about a year before I actually signed here.
So I gave them a long time to prepare for
Elena Black and to get better than me. And I'm
being honest, I don't think that that's been the case.
So I'm here now, I'm here to stay. I'm here
to take over the division, and if anyone wants to
(06:25):
try to be better than me, the floor is yours.
I'm all here for the competition. But the bottom line
is it's the era of Leida on That DNA knockout
title is going to be mine.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Statements have been made, Knockouts Division.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
You are unnoticed now, exactly absolutely. Now let me ask
this here, knowing you're talking about your time seeing some
familiar faces in the locker room. How easy was in
transition with a lot of the different knockouts, you know,
like Heartwell like Mars i'd eight and others. How easy
was it that transition just to get into the TNA
locker room itself.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, honestly, it was a lot easier of a transition
than I thought it would be, just because me as
as a person and just who I am. I'm very
very I don't know if the word is shy, but
it takes a while for me to open up, and
I kind of keep to myself for a while and
just kind of observe and stuff like that. And you know,
so I didn't really know like how I was going
(07:20):
to fit into the Knockouts division, especially, you know when
you're around I was around the WWE girls for for
almost five years, So just coming from a whole entire
different group and kind of hoping that you're going to
be welcomed into this new family is a little bit
nerve wrecking, but honestly it was. Could it have been better?
Like the girls are so so welcoming, and you know,
(07:41):
the girls that have been there forever and have been
there for years and kind of know how how the
locker room works and everything like that. They were very
you know, welcoming to me and were always there to
help me if I needed anything and stuff like that.
So it's been very nice to just kind of be
welcomed like that. With that being said, I still am
better than all of them, but I will say that
(08:03):
I appreciate how open and welcoming and everything that they
have been, but it is nice to have the familiar faces.
Like you said, you know in Indie heartwell, I don't
even know if I want to get into that because
she's been irritating me lately. Me and her are going
through some things. But as all friends do, you know,
every every friendship has some bumps in the road, So
(08:23):
maybe we'll get through it, maybe we won't. I don't know.
She's she's on my she's on my SHI T list
right now, but maybe we'll move past that. But besides that,
she is somebody who I had been friends with before
I had even gotten to w B and we both
have a very similar story of just two kids who
were nerds who loved wrestling and just wanted to be wrestlers,
(08:43):
and both made it to the same place. I mean, hell,
she came all the way from Australia, which is you know,
more common now, but it's a lot harder for people
to do it, and she did it and she's killing it.
And it's nice to be around someone who I've been
through so much with has seen me at every level
of my life and career pretty much like in these
(09:03):
past few years, and you know, just have that be
able to work with her and everything that is very nice.
Same with Mara and all the other like Arianna Grace
when she comes by. These all girls that I had
worked with and really enjoyed my time with, so it's
nice to still be able to see them. And you know,
when people do come by from NXT or when they
if eventually they do come over to TNA. It's very nice.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
All right. In a previous answer, you say something about
Ryan Stone in your gear Atlanta, Yes, all right. What
inspires the fashion of your in ring attire? And is
there something special being cooked up with Slammiversary.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
There is definitely something special being cooked up for Slammiversary
as well as Lockdown in Chicago. So two big shows
coming up, two big gears coming out. But honestly, what
kind of inspires me, I feel like is kind of
just what I like to wear in regular life, and
then I kind of turn it into to a wrestling version.
(10:03):
I think in the beginning, you know, when I first
started out in NXT, I was I was I've always
been like kind of dressed like a tomboy, wearing Converse jeans,
you know, stuff like leather jackets, stuff like snap back
stuff like that. So that was very easy for me
to kind of go with that at first because that's
just who I was. And then as my style has evolved,
as I've grown just as a person outside of wrestling too,
(10:24):
I think my style in wrestling has changed too. But
I definitely get a lot of inspiration from like the
music world, I love music. I have a crazy variety
music taste. I'll listen to pretty much anything except country,
but hip hop is like my go to and I'm
a very big future fan. So a lot of times
(10:46):
I'll kind of look and see what he wears on
tour or what he wears two events, and I just
think he always looks cool and like he has a
he has his vibe, and I think I think it's
cool when someone has like their signature looks. So a
lot of times I'll get inspiration for stuff that he wears,
or like different album covers, or if I hear a
song that kind of like sparks something in my head,
I'll be like, oh, that's kind of makes me think
(11:07):
of this, like let me drop this down. But yeah,
a lot of it just comes from my personal style
and also just getting inspiration from things I enjoy.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Ooh nice.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Speaking of speaking of styles and your inspiration, this one's
a different one. I want to ask you throughout your journey,
what lessons have you learned through through your journey in
professional wrestling that helps you now in these days? If
you could talk to a younger Helena Black, what I
know your story is so far from complete, But what
would you tell yourself at this moment?
Speaker 2 (11:40):
It's a very good question, honestly, I think, and this
is something I've thought about just recently, reflecting and everything
like that, because I feel like I'm at a good
place in life in my career, so I try to
just reflect and be grateful and everything like that. But
I feel like the hardest you said that was the question,
(12:01):
the hardest thing.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
The hardest, Well, what would you what kind of advice
would you give yourself?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
I would say, Yeah, I feel like I would tell
myself to slow down, because I think that's something for
a long time I didn't do because I was always
not that I wasn't enjoying it, but I was always
worried about what's next or what's coming after this, or
not really enjoying the moment and realizing how cool some
(12:28):
of the things that I was doing really were until
after they were already over, because I it was just
life moves so fast, and especially in this business, it
gets chaotic and can be stressful at times. But I
think I would tell myself to just slow down and
enjoy it, because this is all I ever wanted to
do since I was eight years old, you know, I
would lay in bed and dream about this stuff. So
(12:48):
I think a lot of times for a few years
I was I would let the stress overtake me, and
I wasn't really appreciating it and enjoying it in the moment.
And that's what I've looked back on. And I don't
want to say regret, because I have no regrets and
I think everything happens for a reason. But I would
definitely tell myself to slow down and enjoy it because
you never know when it could end. And you know,
(13:09):
life is great. You know the good and the bad,
it all makes it all, makes life what it is.
So I think that's that's what I tell myself, to
slow down and enjoy it, which is what I'm telling
myself now too. But if I could definitely tell my
younger self that, I would.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
You're in the gratitude stage.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
One hundred percent. I think it's I think it's very
good to be in.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
Yeah, I'd love to hear that.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
All right, Atlanta, you are a big time talent and
you're being being propped up. You're being propped up to
be a top tier carrier of the tea in a flag.
So what do you do to unwind or to prepare
for a big moment as of slammerversary, maybe an hour
or two before a big match or performance.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Hmmm, Honestly, I like to, I think because I I
tend to get very stressed out before my matches. I
think just because I care so much, and I don't know,
I've always thought with time and as I've gotten older,
I've been doing this long enough, you know, I've been
doing this. I started training when I was fifteen. I'm
twenty five now, so it's been about ten years of
me being involved in this. I kind of thought that
(14:13):
the nerves and stuff would go away as time goes on,
but at least for me, it hasn't. And I think
that's just because I care so much and I want
it to be good, and I want to be proud
of my work, and I want to be able to
look back and look at stuff I did and be
happy with it. So I think a lot of times
I'm so nervous that I don't like Again, like I said,
I don't let myself just sit and slow down and
(14:34):
you know, kind of appreciate what's going on. So lately
I've really been trying to do that, you know, before
my matches, I'll I'll go sit and find a corner
in the arena that is quiet and you know, no
one's in, and I'll just put my headphones in. I'll
stretch for a little bit, and I'll try to just
lock in and zone in and kind of put myself
in the Elena Black mindset, because when I'm me, I'm
(14:57):
just brief and I'm very quiet, and i'm you know,
I just love wrestling, and I keep to myself and
I'm just I'm just me. So I have to kind
of force myself to turn on that switch right before
I go out and kind of put myself in the
mindset of all right, this is this is time for
Elena Black, Like I'm about to go out there and
kill this and be the best version of me and
(15:18):
everything like that. So it's sitting for a little bit
kind of getting inspiration, feeling feeling zoned in from whether
it's a song or you know, a good inspirational video,
and just reminding myself that, hey, I'm about to go
out there and I'm gonna be curtain and BBRI and
put my sweatpants back on and go back to my
(15:40):
little little corner.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Right right. Let me let me ask this question here,
what what do fans misunderstand about Alena Black? I know
you mentioned about you being to your serve reserve, Well,
what is that? Why do why do fans misunderstanding?
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Good question? I think I think the most obvious answer
is because I have an OnlyFans platform, which is a
very I don't know if it's taboo this is the
word you would say, or stuff like that, but I
(16:21):
think a lot of people look at that and immediately
I don't know if it's a lose respect for me
or don't take me seriously or whatever that is just
because they have misconceptions of it or whatever. But I
think if you have the ability to and you're comfortable,
and it's your life and your body and you are
allowed to do whatever you want with it, and if
you're not harming anybody, and you're I like to have
(16:42):
fun and do cute photo shoots and post it and
stuff like that, and I don't see any harm in that,
you know, And if you want to support that, that's
great and I appreciate it. But if you don't, that's
fine too. You know, no harm, no foul. But I
think a lot of the misconception is that I don't
love wrestling because I have an only fans or or
I don't take it seriously or anything like that. And
I think that that's just so ridiculous because I absolutely
(17:06):
love wrestling so much and I'm blessed to be able
to make a living with the income from another source
as well, which I think a lot of people if
they could, they would, and I think a lot of
it also just stems from that, and you know, people
people like to talk about what they don't understand, and
add not to the point in my life where I
really don't care what people say either, So you know,
it is what it is. I appreciate the support, but
(17:28):
if you don't support it, that's totally fine too. And
I think I would say another misconception is I think
I'm just very blunt and I tell it how it
is and I just like to be very real. And
I don't know if everybody always likes that or likes
to hear that, or you know, I think maybe it
kind of makes some people uncomfortable, but that's just kind
of always how I've been and I don't plan on
(17:48):
changing anytime soon. So again, like I said, if you
support me and you ride with me. Thank you. I
appreciate it. And if you don't and you don't get it,
that's fine too. But you know, I think I think
it's important that we all in life just try to
take a step back and see someone's whole life and
story and everything like that before you judge them. My opinion,
(18:11):
I find a.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Question house, all right, Atlanta. I think Slimmer Vershy is
going to be a big spectacle for new fans to
find out who you are. I would like them to
find out what's the mindset that goes into the finishing
move that you chose to knock people out with? And
(18:33):
how does it define the aura of Alana Black?
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Lots of good questions. So I think my finisher now
is kind of just kind of a I don't know,
I want to say, an elevation or just like a
different version kind of of what I was doing before,
because I used to do the double underhook DDT, and
I started doing that because I was a huge Shield
fan growing up. I loved John actually now, but at
(19:00):
the time Dean Ambrose, I was a huge fan of him,
So I knew when I started wrestling I wanted to
kind of which I think I had implemented a little
bit here and there. I wanted to do something as
like an ode to him because he inspired me to
be a wrestler so much, so I knew I wanted
to add in something is like a little thing to him.
So I was like, I'm not super athletic. I can't
do a mood salt, I can't do a lot of
(19:21):
crazy stuff. So I was like, hey, that seems easy enough.
It looks cool, it's devastating, you know, it's his signature thing.
It make me feel like I was, you know, doing
this for John Mossley when I first started wrestling and
stuff like that. So that was when I first started
doing it. That was kind of the mindset. I thought
it was just a badass move. You could do it
to everybody. And then, just as though I've evolved with
(19:43):
time and as the years have gone on, I was
just kind of trying to evolve it a little bit.
I didn't want to keep doing the same thing, but
I did. I think it's a great you know, you
hook someone right there, they're not moving, So I liked
having that position, but I wanted to kind of try
to find something that was a little more maybe devastating
and kind of knew and unexpected, and you know, people
hadn't seen me do it before, so I was like,
(20:05):
what can we do here? Fucked turn it into a
neck breaker and they're done. So that that's what we
got right now. I'm loving it. I hope people are
enjoying watching me win with it. And I don't plan
on losing anytime soon, So keep keep getting ready to
see that move because it's the era of Lena and
that's what it is.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
You do it with swagger, in a level of smoothness.
So you have made it your own.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
Thank you so much, and we'll be watching Elena the
world and on this summiversary and legal lockdown. I hope,
I hope you go into Chicago with the knockouts title.
So all the best of luck. We appreciate your time
here on the Sports Jedi Network. Again from my wife says,
wanted to say, hello, we've been watching your career from
NXT and all the year. When you want acting gold
(20:51):
with with.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Roxy at that time, we yeah, there is right there.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
There, it is there, it is. We're in the building
chair cloud. Yeah. We used to sit behind a guy
with the Mets with the Mets gear and when you're
on the other side. But all in all, we appreciate
the time and thank you so much. Again. That is
Elena Black here on the Sports Jedi Network. We'll be
watching and we'll be rooting always. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
The sports be with you.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Thanks you, Tom Alina
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