Black Girl Magik is returning for it’s second year, and this time it will be in Brooklyn!
This is a wrestling show that is completely unique, as all the wrestlers on the show are black women. The show is brought to you by NYC wrestler Spice Spiegel and will take place on August 19. Last year’s show was one of my favorite wrestling shows of the year and featured such rising stars as Jordan Blade, Janai Kai, Jessie Brooks and Karen Bam Bam. It also featured a tag team match between the Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Champion, Trish Adora and the legend Jazz against Thick and Juicy 2.0, Brooke Valentine and Willow Nightingale, along with a title defense from Trish Adora against the rising star from the west coast Mazzerati.
The BGM shows include women of all different sizes, skills, and personalities, Spice Spiegel said that this was very important to her. Spiegel told me, “I feel like wrestling is supposed to have an array of different looks, sizes, shapes, and styles. We want to resonate with someone similar to us. So, if everyone looks the same than it’s not very fun. Everyone has different tastes so it’s great to appeal to everyone and not leave anyone out.”
Spice Spiegel said that she came up with the idea for BGM about two years ago when she thought about the lack of representation that Black Women had in wrestling. “My goal was to show that Black Women in wrestling didn’t fit in a box and that we all have different, looks, personality, body types, and fighting style” Spiegel says.
The first show felt different from other wrestling shows, as you had some great athletes but also had some amazing personalities that the crowd really got into and seems to have an incredible time.
“The vibe of the show and locker room was so friendly and positive. Which is what I love to push towards. Wrestling should be fun for the fans and everyone involved. I couldn’t ask for something better!” Spiegel also said that it was very important to have someone the stature of Jazz on that show. “Jazz is an icon and should have her flowers million times over. For her to not be in the HOF or have a guest spot during the Royal Rumble is a shame. She showed that there is a spot on television for us and that we belong.”
I asked Karen Bam Bam about what made the first addition of BGM so special, and she replied, “Black Girl Magic was one of my favorite appearances in 2021. The energy in the building was all the way up for the culture. It wasn’t just another wrestling show; it was an experience. Shoutout to Taye for being bold enough to bring her vision to life. People are out here being the change they wanna see and I live for it. It baffles me that we still have people who feel there are almost no black women wrestlers on the indies when BGM exists. Each match brought something unique to the event. Every woman from top to bottom is so special in their own way. And there are so many more amazing black women who couldn’t be there with us then. So that means there is enough talent for many more BGMs to come!”
On that show Karen Bam Bam defended her TOS title against two challengers, Joseline Navarro and Luscious Latasha. She came out on top in that match and has been rewarded with an even bigger challenge this year, as she will be taking on Trish Adora in the main event for Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Championship.
Trish Adora has been on an absolute roll since winning this championship, which is one of only 15 championships recognized as a world championship by PWI. She is also the only female that is holding one of these belts. Adora won this title in a 3-way match against Darius Lockhart and Mr. Grim and has defended it against the likes of Swole, Suge D and Eel O’Neal. She has made the Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Championship one of the most sought-after championships in wrestling, so this may be the biggest match in Karen Bam Bam’s career.
I had the chance to ask Karen Bam Bam about this match and she was very emotional in her response. “I’ve done many main events. Trish and I have met in the ring before. This time is different. I’ve spent most of my career being put in many boxes that could never contain all that I am. This match is my love letter to pro wrestling. This is my magnum opus. And yet, this event is so much bigger than all of us. For all the spectacle I have planned, what is front of mind is who will be watching. The young, black girls who will be in the audience. The many young ladies who have told me that I made them feel like it was possible for them to have a chance to follow their dreams. The many black women in this industry feeling held down, misunderstood, or as though there isn’t a place for their authentic selves.”
Karen goes on to say, “It is so much bigger than me, and at my size I don’t say that often! I don’t wrestle for ego. I sometimes think it would be easier. Maybe I’d defy my principles more often because then, the end would justify the means. But I am dedicated to my art. And I keep pushing because I feel my life’s work is to subvert. To tear down what doesn’t work outside of serving as a simple comfort zone.”
Karen says that she is honored to make violent art with Trish, for the culture, and ends by saying, “The world has spun the block far too many times to be this fucking cliché.” This match will be anything but cliché, as these 2 wrestlers break barriers, destroy stereotypes and open eyes every time they step into the ring.
I asked the promotor, Spice Spiegel, about this main event and she said, “Both women are incredible, Trish being one of the greatest right now, signed or not, while holding one of the most important titles on the indies. Karen is a gem in wrestling and has IT but because she doesn’t fit the in the ‘mold’ most women wrestlers are succumbed to she isn’t given many chances to shine like the diamond she is. Karen is just as much of an attraction as any of these others. People will see it and I can’t wait for them to see.”
In another match up we will have a 3-way match, as Ariela Nyx, Anastasia Morningstar and Scarlett do battle. At the last Black Girl Magik show Nyx defeated Strella, but she is going to have a very hard test if she wants to make it two wins in a row. She is up against two very powerful and mean opponents. Anastasia Morningstar has been destroying opponents everywhere she goes, most recently making a name for herself at Wrestling Open, where she has defeated the likes of JC Storm, Karen Bam Bam and Joseline Navarro.
Anastasia calls herself Satan’s Chosen One, but she may be in the ring with one of her biggest threats yet in Scarlett. Scarlett has been wreaking havoc everywhere she goes, including recently at Paradigm Pro, where she defeated Travis Huckabee and stood toe to toe with the monster Max the Impaler. Scarlett is very focused on this match and looks to show a new audience how dangerous she can be. When I asked her about this match she said, “It’s time to welcome these biddys to a new reality.”
Seeing Anastasia and Scarlett lock up against each other is going to be a sight to see. The question in this match may be if the veteran, Nyx, will be able to use her experience advantage to get the win or will these powerhouses be too much for her to handle.
We also have a pure rules match pitting Bonesaw Brooks against Jordan Blade. In a pure rules match there is a limited amount of rope breaks and the combatants are not allowed to use closed fists, among other rules that are there to make sure that we see who is truly the best wrestler.
These two wrestlers were both dominant at last year’s show. Jordan Blade won an incredible match with Janai Kai and that was followed by The Bonesaw Brooks Invitational, where Brooks defeated two opponents in a row. No disrespect to those opponents, but I think Brooks is going to have a much tougher time against Jordan this year. Jordan is a submission expert, who will look to make Brooks tap out, while Brooks will look to use her power and 13 years of experience to get the win.
In addition to these matches we have a very exciting tag team match, where Thick and Juicy 2.0, Brooke Valentine and Willow Nightingale return to take on the team of Mazzerati and Estralla. Estrella and Mazzerati are two incredible wrestlers from the west coast and they look to make the trip to NYC and upset Brooke and Willow.
We will also see two rising stars go one on one in Gia Scott against Damaris Dawkins. Gia is a product of the ROH Dojo and has really made a name for herself this past year in matches against Trish Adora, Darius Carter and an appearance in AEW against Willow. Damaris is another product of the ROH Dojo, who has been making noise and collecting championships on the east coast. She has also made recent appearances in Beyond Wrestling and faced off against Masha Slamovich in Impact.
This should be an incredible show featuring some of the best wrestlers in the country. Make sure that you make your way to Brooklyn on August 19 to support these amazing Black Women, see some great wrestling, and most importantly have a great time.
Buy tickets HERE
Twitter: @CatchMagik