Traci Brooks Talks IMPACT! Wrestling Hall Of Fame, Preparing for IMPACT 1000 and More

WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:10.960 Why From the Parts Unknown Studios to the Double Battle Crown, the Battle Round, 2 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:18.120 the Battle Crowd. Welcome to the Battleground Podcast, your place for all 3 00:00:18.199 --> 00:00:27.440 things pro wrestling, The Battle the Battle Round now making their way to the 4 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:32.240 microphones. Give it up for your hosts. Welcome to the Battle Crown. 5 00:00:36.679 --> 00:00:41.679 What is up? Everyone? Welcome to battle Ground Podcast. A very special 6 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:46.359 episode for the Shaiker's Den. Of course, the Salt Shakers are here, 7 00:00:46.479 --> 00:00:50.560 myself Nikki Bougie and when you see me, you see her of course. 8 00:00:50.679 --> 00:00:54.560 Drean Santana. How are you doing today? Love? Oh my god? 9 00:00:54.640 --> 00:01:00.039 Hey we use their word, but I am great good. I mean we 10 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:04.920 we have an amazing uh legendary kiss in the shake is in and Batleground pockets. 11 00:01:04.920 --> 00:01:08.879 I mean you got the original knockout in the building. Like you don't 12 00:01:08.879 --> 00:01:15.760 get too medio those? Okay, yes we do. Tracy Brooks is in 13 00:01:15.799 --> 00:01:19.519 the building, Miss Tracy, how are you doing? Email? Well, 14 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:23.000 after that introduction, I'm flattered. I always say it makes me sound old 15 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:27.840 like now it does before, like, okay, she's a verse. Now 16 00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:32.239 it's like I'm just old. But thank you so much, thanks for having 17 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:34.879 me, you guys, this is a pleasure of course it's no problem. 18 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:38.359 I mean, it's it's great to have. Like like, like I said, 19 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:41.280 you're a legend, You're an icon, you are the original knockout. 20 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:44.840 You have you have to hold on to that title forever and there's no more 21 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:48.359 that does, like Miss Tracy Brooks. But of course let's let mean, 22 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:51.280 let's go ahead and dive in. I mean, you return to the ring 23 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:55.959 at uh Impact one thousand, I mean with your husband Frankie and you guys 24 00:01:55.959 --> 00:02:00.000 defeated Alicia Edwards and Idiot Wards, which I know you like UK biggest slam 25 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:05.079 of ver three in your hometown. Let's sing, and I mean you really 26 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:08.319 got in there on Miss Alicia Illworth like in so many different ways. But 27 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:14.000 what emotions were you going through stepping back into the real mean, you haven't 28 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:15.680 been in a ring more than like eleven years, so like talk about that. 29 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:24.560 The emotions that were you were going through within the entirement fear. Fear 30 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:28.280 was a big one going back. It had been twelve years since I had 31 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:31.919 been in an Impact wrestling ring. It's one of those things. It's not 32 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:37.240 like riding a bike. I don't care what anybody says. It's a little 33 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:42.360 worried if I was gonna get injured. I stepped away to be a mom 34 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:46.479 and I was happy with that, and I wanted to do that. That 35 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:47.719 was why. One of the reasons why I did it was for my son 36 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:52.120 to be able to watch me, because it's different. He sees videos or 37 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:55.039 post matches, past matches, but it's the first time we went down to 38 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:59.680 a ring. Frankie and I were in the ring wrestling around and my son's 39 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:01.599 face his like jaw drop to the floor. He's like, oh, I 40 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:07.360 didn't know, You're like pta mom, like what And he had no clue. 41 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:09.439 I knew how to, you know, do any of this stuff. 42 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:14.280 So that was it made it was all worth it. But fear. I 43 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:19.240 had a panic attack before I went through those curtains. I just kept saying 44 00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:21.800 to Frankie, I can't feel my legs. I can't feel my legs, 45 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:23.120 like I just can't, and he's like, you're fine. And then the 46 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:25.599 music hit and it was one of those like he had to shove me through 47 00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:30.800 the curtain, and but it was fear fear, but after it was relief 48 00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:37.919 that I wasn't injured. I just like just joy, so much joy that 49 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:39.479 my son got to see that and I got to do it with my husband, 50 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:44.960 who gets who gets this ending? Like I got to end and against 51 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:49.000 Eddie and Lish, which was just an amazing storyline to begin with and and 52 00:03:49.000 --> 00:03:52.919 And as much as we don't like Eddie and Lish, they're just incredible professionals 53 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:57.159 that are so good at their job. And it was just great for my 54 00:03:57.199 --> 00:04:00.919 son to be able to be front row and watch it. Fear relief, 55 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:12.000 joy I love that. So I actually happened to love Eddie. I I 56 00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:15.759 gotta ask because there's been so many different table spots going back to Eddie when 57 00:04:15.800 --> 00:04:20.759 he put Trinity through the table. Now last week your husband putting Lish through 58 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:26.839 that table. Talk about those moments and how important it is to the growth 59 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:30.720 of Impact Wrestling. So actually it's funny. So my husband was in Australia 60 00:04:30.839 --> 00:04:34.519 when that match aired, and I facetimed him crying after that match because that 61 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:41.560 match was so beautiful, That match was so emotional and it was such That's 62 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:44.480 what Impact does the best, and that's what the talent does the best. 63 00:04:44.519 --> 00:04:48.959 Storytelling, long term storytelling, getting Lish involved and now the wives are involved, 64 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:54.439 and it was just I got Goosewalk saying it. I just I cried, 65 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:59.399 But those spots are So that's what makes Impact so great. It honestly 66 00:04:59.399 --> 00:05:02.600 does, and that's what sets us apart, are these long term storytelling and 67 00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:08.160 the incredible talent. So yeah, all those little things, especially with Lish, 68 00:05:08.199 --> 00:05:12.199 but I think Lish came up lysh found herself, like Lish is a 69 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:15.920 bona fide star, and Eddie is well, Yaddie's great whenever. But you 70 00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:18.680 know, they are too talented people. And then my husband is just the 71 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:23.879 best. He's just fantastic. So to see those two in that story, 72 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:27.480 killer Kowalski, you know, Lish getting involved, the White's getting involved, 73 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:30.720 and then the final, you know, final match. So yeah, I 74 00:05:30.759 --> 00:05:32.319 called him. He was in Australia. He's like, what's wrong. I'm 75 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:40.199 like, kind, I was just falling because he just and I hadn't felt 76 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:43.160 that in a long time, so it was just But yeah, I think 77 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:46.959 that's what makes Impact special is those matches and then how they you know, 78 00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:50.800 involved Lish and and and the announcers Tom and Matthew, Oh my goodness, 79 00:05:50.920 --> 00:05:56.560 just incredible to add to the story. So I could go on and on 80 00:05:56.600 --> 00:05:59.279 all day about Impact. So there's, honest to god, if you're not 81 00:05:59.319 --> 00:06:01.279 if you're not watching impact your messing out. If you love good wrestling, 82 00:06:02.680 --> 00:06:04.959 that is very true. I mean a lot of people like to say a 83 00:06:04.959 --> 00:06:08.600 lot of things about impact, but if you're not there in the building. 84 00:06:08.600 --> 00:06:12.160 Because me and Nikki we were there for Frankie and Eddies Magic and we were 85 00:06:12.199 --> 00:06:15.959 there live to see Liz go through that table and it was just like, 86 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:17.680 oh my god. I was like, I wonder how Tracy's gonna feel. 87 00:06:17.720 --> 00:06:21.360 But it's like you tweeted about it on Twitter and everything, and it was 88 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:26.240 like Liz, I think Tom said too, that was for Tracy Brooks. 89 00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:30.560 I was like, yeah, what afraid of what? I loved it. 90 00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:33.199 I'm gonna cry now. It was awesome. It was awesome. I loved 91 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:39.199 it. Of course, we're on the heels of glory. I mean like 92 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:43.279 literally, I would say, like kind of like a big, big moment 93 00:06:43.399 --> 00:06:46.120 for Impact Wrestling while bound Floyd is one of my favorite pay per views to 94 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:50.319 say, but we got to get to the real thing. You are about 95 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:54.519 to be a Hall of Famer, Tracy. Like I mean, like, 96 00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:57.560 I know it gives each hells. I know I make Shaghidi and everything, 97 00:06:57.639 --> 00:07:01.480 but to find out after the that you had with your husband or your son 98 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:05.920 being there, the emotions seeing the video package of you being the one to 99 00:07:05.959 --> 00:07:11.240 be inducted into Impact Wrestling's Hall of Fame. I mean, what was going 100 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:14.319 through your head? What were your emotions? Like, like, how are 101 00:07:14.360 --> 00:07:16.720 you? Like, how are you feeling? Well? You saw my emotion 102 00:07:16.920 --> 00:07:20.519 I was asking. I was and that was legit. Like I I didn't 103 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:24.240 know what was happening. I remember when there's like one, two three, 104 00:07:24.279 --> 00:07:28.079 I'm like, I remember being on the ground and I remember thinking this is 105 00:07:28.120 --> 00:07:30.800 not a flattering position because I and I'm like, get up, So I 106 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:34.879 like, I remember getting up and then you know, celebrating with Frankie and 107 00:07:34.920 --> 00:07:38.199 then all of a sudden, Frankie grabs the microphone. I'm like, what 108 00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:41.079 are you doing? Like and then I'm like, what's happening? And then 109 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:43.600 I'm like, why is my Like it was my butt, I think the 110 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:45.639 first thing you saw. And I'm like, why is my ass on the 111 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:48.680 screen? What's happening? And then rebels in the ring my son and I'm 112 00:07:48.680 --> 00:07:51.680 like and then they said it and it was just I'm gonna cry again. 113 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:58.480 I'm an emotional mess. It's just you know, I don't know how this 114 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:01.360 is my life, Like I who gets this ending, who gets to come 115 00:08:01.399 --> 00:08:07.399 back after twelve years, wrestle against two incredible talented people like Lisia Eddie, 116 00:08:07.800 --> 00:08:11.639 against my husband who's one of the greatest in the business, and then have 117 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:13.800 my son in the ring, and then I get announced for the Hall of 118 00:08:13.879 --> 00:08:18.079 Fame. It's just I was like, I was a retired school mom PTA, 119 00:08:18.279 --> 00:08:22.279 you know, member baseball coach, and that was my life. And 120 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:24.439 now all of a sudden, I'm like, oh, okay, things have 121 00:08:24.519 --> 00:08:28.079 changed a little bit. I never thought of my wildest dreams though. I 122 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:31.639 mean, I love this business. I got in it to be a wrestler, 123 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:35.200 and I never thought past that. Like I never thought, especially again 124 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:39.000 when I was at stay at home UM for almost eleven years, I never 125 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:43.039 thought that there'll be a lot of tears. Bring your kleenics. I'm a 126 00:08:43.080 --> 00:08:48.159 hot mess, just a I can't even say my speech without crying, like 127 00:08:48.279 --> 00:08:52.720 dn't by myself. A funny story, I texted my I was telling Frankie 128 00:08:52.759 --> 00:08:56.240 a little bit. I don't want to tell him too much, but I 129 00:08:56.279 --> 00:08:58.519 needed a little bit of advice and I couldn't get it out without crying. 130 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:07.000 So I texted it to him because I could not I know, you talk 131 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:11.679 about wildest dreams. I mean, there's been so much going on. We're 132 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:16.840 getting ready for Gloria san Tanda, said Mickey James. Versus Trinity such an 133 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:22.720 iconic match. Is there any knockout pastor president that you never got in the 134 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:26.879 ring with that you would have loved to go toe to toe with? You 135 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:31.840 can give me a couple. Trinity, for sure. She was someone I 136 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:37.039 watched when she was coming up, and I was like, I said, 137 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:39.399 I remember he said to the Sprankan, like she just gets it. She 138 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:46.720 understands that she looks like a million bucks. She's talented, but she gets 139 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:48.799 it. And I so the fact that I got to do something with her 140 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:52.679 was kind of like a little bit of a like fan moment for me too. 141 00:09:56.120 --> 00:09:58.840 You know who I've never been in the ring with Lisa Marie Victoria t. 142 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:03.879 She is a huge part of my career for other reasons, but I 143 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:07.960 had never got to be in the ring with her. And it's funny because 144 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:09.840 I had to try out way back in the day two thousand and two, 145 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:15.480 like like when she was doing the Crazy Woman and she was standing beside me. 146 00:10:16.919 --> 00:10:20.519 She didn't know me at all. I was an indie worker and she's 147 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:24.200 just like, they think we look like sisters, so maybe we could be 148 00:10:24.279 --> 00:10:26.600 like sisters on TV and be crazy. And so she was pushed. She 149 00:10:26.679 --> 00:10:31.320 was pulling for me to get hired, and back then that was unheard of 150 00:10:31.799 --> 00:10:35.919 because there wasn't a lot of women's spots and so it was That's why Lisa 151 00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:37.919 Marie will always have such a That's who she is, though, but that's 152 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:41.840 why she will always have a special place in my heart. But I never 153 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:45.799 got to get in the ring with her. Yeah, so her Trish, 154 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:48.840 because I trained with Trish. I started training with Trish and then she went 155 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:52.240 off. So I would have liked to both in our prime to have been 156 00:10:54.279 --> 00:10:58.799 to have a match. But I mean I got to work Gail kim Odeb 157 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:03.200 like all these awesome cong I got the beautiful people. I got to work 158 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:07.200 Luna. I got to wrestle in front of Sherry Martel, which was my 159 00:11:07.320 --> 00:11:11.720 absolute idol. Like I got to Ricky Steamboat actually agent one of my matches. 160 00:11:11.799 --> 00:11:16.000 So I lived a storybook career, Like I just lived this incredible career 161 00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:20.840 that got to do some really cool that's amazing. So like, of course 162 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:24.600 we know that another Hall of Fame with guil Kim will be the one to 163 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:28.440 induct you into the Hall of Fame. I mean talk about like you know, 164 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:31.799 of course, you know you've had your your fuse whatever with Gil Kim, 165 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:35.919 and like also their real like friendship too. When her being the first 166 00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:39.679 one to be inducted into the Hall of family. Talk about that moment there, 167 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:43.360 you know, having someone like a Gail Kim still being a part of 168 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:46.320 the Knockout's Division, her coming back to the ring too for the first time 169 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:52.240 in such a long time. Just just all around that moment there and how 170 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:54.840 special that is to help her be the one to induct you. Oh, 171 00:11:54.879 --> 00:12:00.600 she's my best she's my sister, and I mean she's Auntie Yaleel. We 172 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:05.679 FaceTime almost every day. Literally, it's like hi, Auntie Gail. You 173 00:12:05.720 --> 00:12:09.720 know, there was no one else. She had to do it. And 174 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:13.320 I mean she because I was like, does Sprinky do it? But I've 175 00:12:13.320 --> 00:12:18.759 known Gail for so long and Gail was my first marriage in wrestling. Like 176 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:22.600 her and I trained together, we traveled together, you know, she went 177 00:12:22.759 --> 00:12:26.759 her own way, I went to Impact and then we were back together again. 178 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:28.759 We were roommates, made of honors, like we were everything in each 179 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:35.279 other's lives. So I'm just a little worried she might be mean. I'm 180 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:37.480 like, you have to be nice to be, you can't be mean to 181 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:41.919 be. But she's that and the fact that she's those knockouts are so lucky 182 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:43.879 to have her because even Dad's Gail as a friend, no one will fight 183 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:46.759 for you harder or even when you don't want to fight for yourself, she's 184 00:12:46.799 --> 00:12:50.200 the one fighting for you. Or no one will support you, or she 185 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:54.879 doesn't baby you, that's for sure, but she's your biggest cheerleader. And 186 00:12:56.559 --> 00:13:01.879 that also goes over to her relationship with a knock So those knockouts are so 187 00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:05.559 lucky to have her, like just incredibly lucky. And to see her back 188 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:07.840 in the ring, like, seriously, you didn't miss a beat. She's 189 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:11.919 annoy Like you can't like, you know, stumble or something. No, 190 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:16.360 you're just this high flying cruiser weight that's flipping and flopping everywhere and just you 191 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:20.720 know, picking up where she left off. So but she's always been she. 192 00:13:20.919 --> 00:13:22.320 I was always her base. She flew around me. I made her 193 00:13:22.360 --> 00:13:26.759 do that stuff, and I just caught her. That is absolutely beautiful. 194 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:31.759 Well, we want to thank you for everything you've done. For not only 195 00:13:31.799 --> 00:13:37.879 women's wrestling, but with wrestling as a whole. We want to congratulate you 196 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:43.159 for being inducted into the Hall of Fame and we cannot wait to watch. 197 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:46.080 Now before we get out of here, let everyone know where they can find 198 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:50.120 you on all the social medias. Oh god, okay, well, I 199 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:52.279 just joined Instagram. It's a big thing. I keep calling Instacart too, 200 00:13:52.399 --> 00:14:01.679 So Instagram I am og knockout Tracy Brooks, right, and I'm the Tracy 201 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:07.279 Brooks on Twitter. I think nice. But I just joined this week, 202 00:14:07.320 --> 00:14:09.360 so I'm posting lots of old pictures that kind of helped me through my career 203 00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:15.080 and people like that. Oh well, y'all will definitely have to check that 204 00:14:15.159 --> 00:14:18.799 out. We thank you for tuning in to Battleground Podcast and a special episode 205 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:22.720 of The Shika is Den. Of course, you can follow us all on 206 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:26.960 social media as well. Make sure you check us out on Twitter and all 207 00:14:26.039 --> 00:14:31.080 the good social media platforms. Of course, thank you again, you have 208 00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:35.919 been tuned in and we will see you guys next time. Thank you, 209 00:14:37.000 --> 00:14:41.200 guys. We hope you enjoyed today's episode of the Battleground Podcast. Make sure 210 00:14:41.240 --> 00:14:45.159 you give it five stars and a nice review. To stay up to date 211 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:58.679 with the show, follow them at Battleground Podcast on Instagram,