Taylor Wilde can’t wait to write the next chapter of her career with IMPACT Wrestling.
Wilde made her return to IMPACT Wrestling as a surprise participant in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet at Bound For Glory this month. She spoke with WrestleZone about what she’s been up to after a year away, as her last match for the promotion took place at Victory Road 2021.
“Well, here’s the thing. I am 36 years old, so there is no time for downtime. [laughs] I have been continually training, both in the ring and in the gym. I have my podcast and YouTube channel, Wilde On, in which I highlight all my sisters and my brothers in the wrestling world, telling their stories,” Wilde explained, “which is this really cathartic thing because I get to relive the stories that maybe I’ve forgotten, but at the same time, it’s equal parts motivating. Sometimes you get tired, you get burnt out, and you really remember why you do this and it’s because of the people you work with.
“I’ve been at home, I’m a firefighter full-time. I’m a single mom, and like you touched on, indeed, due to COVID and my personal life getting a little bit messy. It sidelined me but I’m back. I’m back, and I’m back for good. Everything happens for a reason, as cheesy as it is. I’m pretty much in the best mental and physical shape I’ve been in my entire life. I’m so happy. And yeah, that’s all I can say. It sounds so cheesy, but I really am just so happy and I’m glad to be back. And you know that the fans and my IMPACT family welcomed me back with open arms.”
Bound For Glory took place in Albany, New York, which is not too far from Wilde’s home in Toronto. Wilde said that the location was a coincidence, adding that while she was ready to come back, she had to wait for IMPACT to be ready for her return.
“No, [Albany was not always the plan]. Absolutely not. When has wrestling ever made sense? [laughs] No, like I said, I’ve had a lot going on in my personal life. And basically, that stabilized a few months ago. But just because my life was settled didn’t mean that IMPACT was ready for me to come back. And it was actually a little bit last minute, but like I said,” she explained, “I’ve never let myself get out of shape in the ring or in the gym, or mentally. I’ve been training for this comeback, because I kind of got a false start there. So I’ve been ready for the coach to put me back on the ice.
“It kind of came out of the blue but in the best possible way because you know it was like a big family reunion, that Call Your Shot gauntlet. It was people I was in Deep South in developmental with, it was people I was in TNA with, it was New Age wrestlers from IMPACT,” Wilde noted, “so I couldn’t think of a more exciting way to get back in the game.”
Tommy Dreamer previously confirmed that Wilde was under contract with IMPACT Wrestling, speaking to her on his House Of Hardcore podcast prior to her return. Asked how much fans could expect to see her on television, Wilde didn’t confirm exact details but said, “I’m back, period.”
Taylor Wilde is in action on the October 20 episode of IMPACT Wrestling against Mia Yim. Check out our full interview with Taylor at the top of this post.
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