By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Insight With Chris Van Vliet with guest Chelsea Green
Host: Chris Van Vliet
Podcast available via Podcasts.Apple.com
Video available at Chris Van Vliet’s YouTube Page
On her recent WWE release: “At first I was kind of emotionless and I guess confused. My way of handling that has always been to go into overdrive with what’s next? That’s always the way my brain has worked with everything. So even when I became the Impact Champion, literally that night, what’s next? What am I going to do next? I’ve always been that way, but it’s kind of not been a good thing for me also. I do feel like it’s been good for me this time around. It’s been good, I’ve just focused on what is next, how am I going to get my name out there? What do I need to do to kickstart my career back into the wrestling world and everything. I feel really good now. It’s crazy, it’s only been a couple of days but it feels normal now.”
On how her fiancé Matt Cardona helped her through the process: “He has been so, so great. First of all, he warned me that this was coming. Not necessarily to me, that I was going to get fired. But he did call me and give me a 10-minute gap between the time he told me people are letting go and me getting let go. He gave me that warning then I texted him and said ‘OK, I’ve been released.’ I’m not joking he was home within 30 minutes. My Pro-Wrestling Tees store was up, he’s all go go go! Even harder than I was. I think that’s kind of the same way I felt when he was released. I was like what do we need to do? It’s nice to have someone on the other side of things keeping my head clear. But he’s so positive it’s been really nice. I’m able to bounce my ideas off of him.”
On needing to get a Green Card to live in the United States now: “When I was released, a lot of people were like ‘Hey you’re ok, you’re a good hustler.’ But I’m like, yeah but I’m Canadian. I have to get a Visa and a Green Card. I have to figure out a way to live here. [Chris mentions getting a Green Card via marriage]. Oh, trust me, I’ve already talked to Matt [Cardona]. I was released on Thursday night, and on Friday morning, Matt is on his way to Wisconsin. I texted him saying ‘We need to get married so you need to think about when that’s happening.'”
On missed opportunities in WWE: “I think not being able to see me talk and not being able to see the character side of me. If people didn’t watch Impact, they didn’t know that side of me. I’m excited to show people that, which is I’m not that person on social media. I’m not just that girl in a bikini I’m a completely different person.”
On constantly trying to get on WWE TV: “Here’s the funny thing, I am ruthless. I show up nonstop when I’m not booked, on the off chance. Lance Storm taught me always show up ready. I would always show up with my gear in the car, have my spray tan and make up on. There have been times where people have been needed last minute. I would send emails saying I would be there Friday, so if you need anyone. I would be the perfect post Mania debut, I’m your girl. I want them to hear me and see me, I haven’t stopped thinking about this. I was in their ear every week.”
On her various ideas for her character: “I can’t tell you how many ideas I came up with. If I think about it, they all led back to The Hot Mess. But with that being said, it wasn’t The Hot Mess like you saw at Impact. I tried to pitch a darker, creepier Hot Mess that you could relate to. Not just like the girl at the bar, more so any psychotic person you’ve had in your life. It could be anyone. I was always working on ideas that led me turning into The Hot Mess. It’s what I love, I just want to do character work. I don’t need to wrestle. I’m totally cool with not wrestling, I want to tell a story.”
On her time in Tough Enough: “I do think my downfall in Tough Enough was that I was so tunnel vision on getting the contract, that I forgot about entertaining people. That show, we needed to entertain. I wasn’t going to be involved in drama or get involved in a silly storyline. If I could re-do it, I would go in all guns blazing. That was why Mandy [Rose] was so perfect for that show. She entertained us and came out with a contract.”
Her proudest moment as a wrestler: “I would love for them to look up All In. Because I was so proud of the way I felt during that match. It was such a bonding moment between everyone in the background, all of the indie wrestlers, and the fans. The fans have been so diehard and want us to succeed. Going from wrestling in front of 100 to wrestling on PPV and TV and filling an arena. All in was the best moment of my career. I think All In was the biggest crowd I had wrestled in front of to that point.”
On how Cody and Brandi Rhodes set up herself and Matt Cardona: “Cody and Brandi set us up. Who knows what Cody did, but Brandi definitely planted all of the seeds. I will never forget when they came to Impact and every day for three days in a row, Brandi said something about Zack Ryder. At the end of the tapings I was like, what’s going on? I remember I was already following Matt on Twitter, so I went and unfollowed him. Then when he looked, I wasn’t following him and didn’t look like a fangirl. I did not want to date a wrestler. I told all the girls that I would never date a wrestler. First wrestler I date, we fell madly in love. I was pretty standoffish after our first date, because I didn’t want to date a wrestler. But he was pretty persistent, he did message me every day until our second date. After our second date, I’m like I love him, this is it. We had our first date at a sushi restaurant and I had to go to Canada for a month, because I had stunt work.”
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