MICHELLE - THE FIRST LADY OF WA WRESTLING
**Interview from Issue 9 of Westside Pro Wrestling Newsletter - May 2010**
Michelle Hasluck debuted on the WA wrestling scene with Explosive Pro Wrestling in September 2003, and for the past six and a half years has traveled the country in the quest for competition. Early 2010, saw the former AAW Australian Women's Champion and 2009 WPW Women's Wrestler of the Year, leave WA for the greener pastures of the Melbourne and Adelaide women’s wrestling scenes. WPW’s Tez caught up with Michelle when she returned to Melbourne, after a grueling bout with KrackerJill for Adelaide’s Snakepit Pro Wrestling.
WPW: Your debut with EPW caught the attention of Channel Ten News, who did a profile on you being the only female pro wrestler in the State. Was it difficult for you to have the spotlight on you as you were still a teenager, just starting out in the business?
MICHELLE: I think the main problem for me was that I didn’t want to be a failure to the people who trained me at that point. That kind of thing was a big deal, and I wanted to do right by everyone involved. In my head I didn’t think I really deserved that attention and to this day think there were people who were deserving of getting that kind of exposure.
It was very difficult, because you didn’t want to upset anyone or fail the people who trained you. It was hard, yes. The worst thing to happen from that was the exposure and then…very little happened (laughs).
WPW: 2004-2005 saw you morph from the smiling fan favourite, to the “Blood Bitch”, where you became infatuated with Bobby BadBlood, and followed him even though he treated you badly. This led to the shocking incident in which an out of control fan tried to physically attack you at Playing for Keeps in 2005. How frightening was that for you personally?
MICHELLE: That was single handed the most scary thing that has ever happened to me personally or professionally. I was very lucky that I had people there who looked after me… and that she wasn’t a very good kick. Honestly, who attacks a girl in high heels and full length gold dress? Not very nice, and the fact that I had to go out for a rumble later that night made it a very… weird night for me.
WPW: You were the only professional Women’s wrestler in WA for nearly six years. How frustrating was that situation for you?
I was very frustrated. It’s frustrating because there were girls who trained in that time, but didn’t stick with it for whatever reasons they had. So I would get my hopes up to have another girl to train with then, BAM! they would be gone. I do think that made me a bit tougher though, I had to keep up with the guys.
But wrestling wise, so frustrating. If there are any girls out there who want to do, do it. Don't let your mouth do the talking, let your training do the talking for you. The amount of girls who said they would train then don’t is so high. Don’t let the guys be intimidating, just do it.
WPW: Early on in your career there was interest in you from the Eastern States, with PWA in Melbourne and JPW in Adelaide booking you on a consistent basis against their female talent. You ended up moving to Melbourne for the first time after your run with EPW. Can you tell us about that time in your career?
MICHELLE: Wrestling wise it was amazing. I learnt from a lot of different people I wouldn't have had the chance to before that, people like Lobo and George Julio.
PWA had an amazing feel to it, I loved every second I managed and valeted there. I was very fortunate to have matches with people like Tenille “Valentine” Taylor and Vixsin. I also made a lot of friends on that trip who I have kept contact with over the years. To me, that four months was amazing, I learnt a lot in that time.
WPW: When you returned from living in Melbourne, you had a short stint in SHWA. You then made a move to AAW in late 2009, where you captured your first ever title. What was the feeling like to win a championship after all that time?
MICHELLE: I was so excited! I never really thought it possible to win a belt in WA. I was so happy that firstly AAW had the belief in it’s girls to bring in a belt and for me to hold it was amazing. And being able to carry that with me interstate as well, it meant I was the best girl at the time to hold that belt and represent the company. It was an honour.
WPW: 2009 was a successful year for you, capturing the AAW Women’s Championship and being voted WPW Women’s Wrestler of the Year. Was it a difficult decision to leave WA?
MICHELLE: It always is. WA is my home in every sense of the word. My family is there, my wrestling family is there. My friends are there. But sometimes you really need to jump out of your comfort zone, that’s what it is over here. New people, new feds. And I’m learning more about the wrestling here, and the new people on the scene. Bottom line is, I miss a lot of people in Perth like they do not know, but I have to do this for myself... and it’s a pity I can’t just pack em all with me when I leave.
WPW: You have the distinction of being the only female, along with Mana as the only male, to have worked for all four WA companies in some capacity. You made an appearance at the last NHPW show in October, interfering in the Jarek Matthews /Jake Paragon match. Would you like to wrestle for NHPW in the future?
MICHELLE: Of course! They have some amazing talent coming over in the following months and having a great women’s match on my home turf is always something I like to do.
WPW: How are things going in your career at the moment over in Melbourne and Adelaide?
MICHELLE: Pretty good. In Adelaide I'm appearing about once a month for Snakepit Pro Wrestling, which I love. Those guys are good eggs...double yolkers even. And in Melbourne I have done a few Swan Hill Slam Factory shows, but I’m always happy to pick up the extra work when it comes along. There are some excellent
women’s wrestlers over here, obviously I would love to work with as many of them as possible.
WPW: What been some of the favourite matches/moments in your career so far?
MICHELLE: vs. Vixsin, SHWA Breaking Ground: Because this was my first women’s match in the state against one of my personal favourite workers in the country. I love her hard hitting style, and I thought the match went over well. Having my first women’s match with her in WA was an absolute honour.
vs. Devlin Reeves, EPW House Show #3: My first ever match at a EPW house show. Match is probably one of the best I have had and having someone like Davis Storm come into that ring after the match and say I did a good job and hold up my hand... leaves a nice, gooey feeling in my stomach it does.
vs. Valentine, PWA Melbourne: I just like the match. It was good, solid, crowd was into it. Like it a lot.
vs. Imogen Jane, AAW SuperClash 2009 - Women’s Title Match: For obvious reasons, I like it. I won it in a wrestling match. Proved I was the best. And my first ever belt.
BATTLE ROYAL, EPW Re-Awakening II: First big show appearance for me, and it was amazing. Start of a great run with GST and Mr. BadBlood, and wouldn’t change that time for anything.
WPW: Would you like to wrestle overseas in the future or are you happy to just compete Australia Wide?
MICHELLE: I would like to eventually, but I don’t see it happening in the near future.
WPW: Thank you for speaking to WPW, Michelle, and we hope to see you back in Perth soon.
MICHELLE: I’m sure you will, and I would like to thank everyone I have met in WA's wrestling scene. Especially the EPW crew, without you guys I wouldn't have had a start, and I love you all for that. And thank you Tez!
Michelle Hasluck debuted on the WA wrestling scene with Explosive Pro Wrestling in September 2003, and for the past six and a half years has traveled the country in the quest for competition. Early 2010, saw the former AAW Australian Women's Champion and 2009 WPW Women's Wrestler of the Year, leave WA for the greener pastures of the Melbourne and Adelaide women’s wrestling scenes. WPW’s Tez caught up with Michelle when she returned to Melbourne, after a grueling bout with KrackerJill for Adelaide’s Snakepit Pro Wrestling.
WPW: Your debut with EPW caught the attention of Channel Ten News, who did a profile on you being the only female pro wrestler in the State. Was it difficult for you to have the spotlight on you as you were still a teenager, just starting out in the business?
MICHELLE: I think the main problem for me was that I didn’t want to be a failure to the people who trained me at that point. That kind of thing was a big deal, and I wanted to do right by everyone involved. In my head I didn’t think I really deserved that attention and to this day think there were people who were deserving of getting that kind of exposure.
It was very difficult, because you didn’t want to upset anyone or fail the people who trained you. It was hard, yes. The worst thing to happen from that was the exposure and then…very little happened (laughs).
WPW: 2004-2005 saw you morph from the smiling fan favourite, to the “Blood Bitch”, where you became infatuated with Bobby BadBlood, and followed him even though he treated you badly. This led to the shocking incident in which an out of control fan tried to physically attack you at Playing for Keeps in 2005. How frightening was that for you personally?
MICHELLE: That was single handed the most scary thing that has ever happened to me personally or professionally. I was very lucky that I had people there who looked after me… and that she wasn’t a very good kick. Honestly, who attacks a girl in high heels and full length gold dress? Not very nice, and the fact that I had to go out for a rumble later that night made it a very… weird night for me.
WPW: You were the only professional Women’s wrestler in WA for nearly six years. How frustrating was that situation for you?
I was very frustrated. It’s frustrating because there were girls who trained in that time, but didn’t stick with it for whatever reasons they had. So I would get my hopes up to have another girl to train with then, BAM! they would be gone. I do think that made me a bit tougher though, I had to keep up with the guys.
But wrestling wise, so frustrating. If there are any girls out there who want to do, do it. Don't let your mouth do the talking, let your training do the talking for you. The amount of girls who said they would train then don’t is so high. Don’t let the guys be intimidating, just do it.
WPW: Early on in your career there was interest in you from the Eastern States, with PWA in Melbourne and JPW in Adelaide booking you on a consistent basis against their female talent. You ended up moving to Melbourne for the first time after your run with EPW. Can you tell us about that time in your career?
MICHELLE: Wrestling wise it was amazing. I learnt from a lot of different people I wouldn't have had the chance to before that, people like Lobo and George Julio.
PWA had an amazing feel to it, I loved every second I managed and valeted there. I was very fortunate to have matches with people like Tenille “Valentine” Taylor and Vixsin. I also made a lot of friends on that trip who I have kept contact with over the years. To me, that four months was amazing, I learnt a lot in that time.
WPW: When you returned from living in Melbourne, you had a short stint in SHWA. You then made a move to AAW in late 2009, where you captured your first ever title. What was the feeling like to win a championship after all that time?
MICHELLE: I was so excited! I never really thought it possible to win a belt in WA. I was so happy that firstly AAW had the belief in it’s girls to bring in a belt and for me to hold it was amazing. And being able to carry that with me interstate as well, it meant I was the best girl at the time to hold that belt and represent the company. It was an honour.
WPW: 2009 was a successful year for you, capturing the AAW Women’s Championship and being voted WPW Women’s Wrestler of the Year. Was it a difficult decision to leave WA?
MICHELLE: It always is. WA is my home in every sense of the word. My family is there, my wrestling family is there. My friends are there. But sometimes you really need to jump out of your comfort zone, that’s what it is over here. New people, new feds. And I’m learning more about the wrestling here, and the new people on the scene. Bottom line is, I miss a lot of people in Perth like they do not know, but I have to do this for myself... and it’s a pity I can’t just pack em all with me when I leave.
WPW: You have the distinction of being the only female, along with Mana as the only male, to have worked for all four WA companies in some capacity. You made an appearance at the last NHPW show in October, interfering in the Jarek Matthews /Jake Paragon match. Would you like to wrestle for NHPW in the future?
MICHELLE: Of course! They have some amazing talent coming over in the following months and having a great women’s match on my home turf is always something I like to do.
WPW: How are things going in your career at the moment over in Melbourne and Adelaide?
MICHELLE: Pretty good. In Adelaide I'm appearing about once a month for Snakepit Pro Wrestling, which I love. Those guys are good eggs...double yolkers even. And in Melbourne I have done a few Swan Hill Slam Factory shows, but I’m always happy to pick up the extra work when it comes along. There are some excellent
women’s wrestlers over here, obviously I would love to work with as many of them as possible.
WPW: What been some of the favourite matches/moments in your career so far?
MICHELLE: vs. Vixsin, SHWA Breaking Ground: Because this was my first women’s match in the state against one of my personal favourite workers in the country. I love her hard hitting style, and I thought the match went over well. Having my first women’s match with her in WA was an absolute honour.
vs. Devlin Reeves, EPW House Show #3: My first ever match at a EPW house show. Match is probably one of the best I have had and having someone like Davis Storm come into that ring after the match and say I did a good job and hold up my hand... leaves a nice, gooey feeling in my stomach it does.
vs. Valentine, PWA Melbourne: I just like the match. It was good, solid, crowd was into it. Like it a lot.
vs. Imogen Jane, AAW SuperClash 2009 - Women’s Title Match: For obvious reasons, I like it. I won it in a wrestling match. Proved I was the best. And my first ever belt.
BATTLE ROYAL, EPW Re-Awakening II: First big show appearance for me, and it was amazing. Start of a great run with GST and Mr. BadBlood, and wouldn’t change that time for anything.
WPW: Would you like to wrestle overseas in the future or are you happy to just compete Australia Wide?
MICHELLE: I would like to eventually, but I don’t see it happening in the near future.
WPW: Thank you for speaking to WPW, Michelle, and we hope to see you back in Perth soon.
MICHELLE: I’m sure you will, and I would like to thank everyone I have met in WA's wrestling scene. Especially the EPW crew, without you guys I wouldn't have had a start, and I love you all for that. And thank you Tez!