Glamazon Girl (interview)

After dominating the Women’s Champion Candice Michelle at Unforgiven but narrowly missing out on the victory, Beth Phoenix has another chance to take the gold at WWE No Mercy, live on Sky Box Office this Sunday at 1am.

A few days before her big title match “The Glamazon” caught up with Sky Sports wrestling expert Richard Parr.

Skysports.com: In such a short time on Raw you have had a massive impact. How pleased are you with your WWE career up until now?

Beth Phoenix: I couldn’t be happier; this is the moment I’ve been looking forward to my whole life. After being away for a year through injury all I could think about was getting back and making an impact. This is a dream come true for me and I am ready and waiting to do everything I can to win that Women’s title.

Skysports.com: You mentioned you were out injured for a year. That in fact was A jaw-injury where you had to have a titanium plate inserted into your jaw. How does it feel?

Beth Phoenix: Well there are two permanent titanium plates and nine screws keeping together the three parts of my jaw split apart by Victoria. It’s permanent in my face and it will always be a reminder to me of quickly injuries can happen in this business. It also served as a reminder to me as to how badly I wanted to get back into the ring and achieve my dream and make everything happen for me.

I do have some lasting affects from the injury, I had a lot of nerve damage and I have lost a lot of feeling in the lower part of my jaw, face and lip. It’s just something I have learn’t to deal with and one of those battle wounds I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.

Skysports.com: Where does the name the Glamazon come from?

Beth Phoenix: It’s actually something I have named myself and is a moniker to describe the type of Diva I am, that I am different to everybody else. A Glamazon is a strong woman. I would call it an uber-diva: the next generation, the next step in the diva. I’m bigger, I’m badder, and I’m stronger than any of the other girls. It’s really my way of setting myself apart from everybody else.

Skysports.com: The WWE Diva Search has recently returned. What do you think of the competition?

Beth Phoenix: It’s great these girls want to give the WWE a try. If it is there dream I would certainly say chase it. But there in for a wake up call if they step into the ring with me because I am not going to take it easier on them. They’ll have a match of a lifetime and have a hell of a fight on their hands.

Skysports.com: One of your wrestling heroes was Owen Hart. What were his characteristics that you admired?

Beth Phoenix: Owen’s appeal in the ring was obviously that he was very entertaining and so athletic and that’s what drew me to him initially. I then got to hear a lot of stories about him when I got into the business about the person that he was and it backed up everything that I look up to. Whenever the chips were down or morale was low he would also put smiles back on people’s faces. And that’s a person I want to be too and a person I strive to be like. If I could be half the person he was that would be amazing to me.

Skysports.com: Talking of the Hart family you have been in WWE’s development company, OVW, with the next generation of Harts including Teddy Hart, Harry Smith and Nattie Neidhart. There have been rumours of a New Hart Foundation. Do you think the fans would enjoy that idea?

Beth Phoenix: Totally. As it’s been proven over the years the fans don’t forget. There is a huge history between their family and wrestling: it is embedded in their culture. A second coming of the Hart Foundation would be great for wrestling. I think they would be received well. And I know they have the talent and as a group they would be fantastic.

Skysports.com: The WWE returns to the UK this autumn for the Survivor Series tour. How much are you looking forward to your first UK tour?

Beth Phoenix: I’m so excited. In my whole career I haven’t been able to do too much overseas travel. I just got back from South Africa a few weeks ago. I’m so excited to meet the fans in the different areas and see how they react to us and see the crowds in the different areas. The UK is definitely one of the big places on my list I want to hit.