Gisele Shaw is excited to be part of the next chapter in TNA’s history.
WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard recently spoke with Gisele Shaw about the TNA name coming back and how she hopes to establish herself in a new era. Shaw is already a Knockout, but she says she doesn’t take that honor lightly, no matter what name is in front.
“Being called a Knockout for sure is such an honor. People worked so hard, broken barriers, and they’ve done so much for us. I think it’s just amazing to be even called a Knockout. Being an IMPACT Knockout and also being called a TNA Knockout,” Shaw noted, “I definitely don’t take that lightly. It’s just so amazing. I’m really excited about it.
“But also, I think that being the first trans-woman IMPACT Knockout and TNA Knockout, I feel like I have such a huge responsibility now for people, for the next generation,” Shaw explained. “Hopefully I’m doing them the service that the people that came before me paved the way for me and for other people too, but I hope that I can do that for the next generation.”
Climb the ladder
Gisele Shaw made her name through her work in the UK and got her first opportunity with IMPACT Wrestling in 2018. She knows she wasn’t ready for the opportunity back then, but now she knows who she is and she’ll make sure people take notice.
“At that time, I personally felt like I was like, ‘Oh, I’m ready. I’m really ready.’ But to be honest, I wasn’t. I really had to hone my craft, be sharp at the tiny little details, and work on those things, and make a name for myself and get a buzz for myself. So that’s when I decided to go to the UK. [I] lived there for three years and I put the work in,” she explained. “I started from the bottom and literally climbed the ladder and made sure that other companies out there, the big companies, noticed who I was and that they would give me opportunities. And that’s all I’m asking for is just one opportunity and I’ll show you why you want to keep me.”
Push the envelope more
Gisele Shaw was asked if there’s something she’s looking forward to about TNA that might not have been possible in the current era. Shaw noted how TNA normalized women being in high-profile spots, and she wants to keep pushing things even more in that direction.
“They’ve normalized women doing steel cage matches and hardcore matches. And there’s just so many things that other companies didn’t do and normalize per see. So I’m just kind of looking forward to see what we can offer in this generation,” Shaw said. “Because that is such a big shoe to fill. I think that we just want to focus on how we can maybe push the envelope more.”
Shaw has primarily been seen as a heel on television, a contrast to her real-life personality. One way she’s been able to branch out and improve her brand is through TikTok. Shaw says that allows her to show another side of her personality, one that fans don’t always get to see.
“I don’t really put out a lot of personal stuff out there in my social media. So I feel like some of the fans want to get to know you on a personal level. All they see is the Gisele Shaw on TV who’s just like rude, mean, and whatnot. So I feel like TikTok really helps me in a way to just show my the other side of me, the real me. I’m funny, or I like to think I’m funny anyway. I like to have fun and dance and just be positive. It’s almost kind of showing the other side of me that I don’t really show or people don’t really see on TV.”
IMPACT Wrestling airs weekly on AXS TV. The company will officially rebrand as TNA Wrestling starting with the January 13 Hard To Kill pay-per-view.
Check out our full interview with Gisele Shaw below:
