Photo credit: @ThreeCountMedia
In an exclusive interview with PW Pondering’s Scott Mitchell (@ScottsScoop44), independent wrestling star Katie Arquette sits down to talk about how she got started in professional wrestling, some of her favorite matches, working with the likes of Britt Baker, Lufisto, Ray Lyn, and so much more.
When and why did you get into professional wrestling growing up as a kid?
“I love that question. My sister was a big fan growing up. She and I were 8 years apart. Whatever she wanted to do, I was obviously interested in. She would watch wrestling and I was really interested in it. Eventually, I asked one too many questions and she kicked me out of her room. I fell out of wrestling. As I got older and went to college, I met a bunch of people and they would watch wrestling too. We would watch pay-per-views, and I noticed a few people I remembered since I was little. I saw Kane who was my one true love with wrestling, and John Cena too. I was like wow, this is fantastic. Through a mutual contact, I found IWC where I trained. I always wanted to do something that was hands like Karate or fighting, and I thought wrestling could be that little segway. I had my first tryout, trained for a year, and fell absolutely in love with it.”
What inspirations did you have, whether it be for your move set, or character, that helped you become who you are today?
“I loved Lita. From a look’s perspective, I loved Kane, Lita, and Stone Cold. I loved their badass attitudes and they were so different. I used them for information about what I wanted to do. The move set came from what kind of style of wrestling I wanted to perceive. I’m not the skinniest girl, so there are a lot of things I knew I couldn’t do. I figured I’ll be the one to hold people up and throw them around. I got big inspiration from Stone Cold, Lita when it comes to moonsaulting, Edge with his spear, and just being able to take full control.”
When you started training did you have any mentors who helped you along the way?
“I was inspired by my entire class. I was at a point in my life where I was out of wrestling and didn’t really know anything that was going on. My first WrestleMania back was when Seth Rollins came out and cashed in his Money in the Bank. It made me hate him so much. Just having my entire class. There were 7 of us, we were like misfit wrestlers. We were all so different, body types, styles, everything. They were all really big inspirations. People like Jayme Jameson, Ziggy Haim, Calvin Couture, Dan Hooven, and a few others. It was us. Aside from them, I have my trainers. Chris LaRusso and Andrew Palace. It was like a big brother and dad figure. They all gave that inspiration for me to want to be there and feel like I fit in. Wrestling is not for everyone to be in this role, but if you’re trying to find a new path or new inspiration, this made me feel like I belong.”
You had the chance to work with Britt Baker very early on in your career. You won your first IWC Women’s Championship from her as well. What was it like working with her and seeing how quickly she took off?
“Britt was my very first debut match. If you know her, you can love her or hate her. But she is passionate, determined, and gets stuff done. She challenged me for sure. She pushed my limits and challenged me. Having that first match with her was very fulfilling. She pushed me and I didn’t come out on top, but a year later in our third or fourth match, that felt so satisfying. From the very first time to now, it made me feel like everything she’s instilled in me has been very beneficial. I hope she knows that too. She is an inspiration. Whether you love or hate her, she is very determined. It was a very satisfying and amazing experience getting to work with her from start to finish. Seeing her rise to the top felt motivating. People will say what they want about her, but she’s adapted and learned quickly. To see that we both started in the same place is really motivating. She did everything she said she was going to do. She finished college, finished dental school, finished wrestling training, traveled everywhere, and made connections. She knows how to communicate and how to network. That is where she thrives. To see her start where she did, and see the platform she’s now on, I’m incredibly happy for her.”
Early on in your career, you worked with Lufisto in a steel cage match. What was it like to work with her, and how did the aspect of the Steel Cage play into it?
“She’s definitely a legend. She’s been wrestling as long as I’ve been alive. Which isn’t a knock, it’s a full ego boost for her. When I found out I was working with her, I was terrified but very excited. I was only a few months in. She’s a legend and the queen of deathmatches from all over. Having that opportunity was really amazing. She inspired me. That helped me so much early in my career, working with people like Lufisto, Britt, and Ray Lynn, put me in a good position. Lufisto really pushed me, challenged me, and had my back the entire time. It was very rewarding to work with her, and I would love to work with her again. I was still trying to understand a basic match. Throwing a cage match in there is totally different psychology and everything. I made sure to do my homework. The best piece of advice Booker T gave to me is Tape Study. That’s what I did. I went back and watched all these cages matches, and watched a lot of her matches to try to piece it all together. It forced me to do my due diligence and be ready for this match.”
Shortly after that match, you had the opportunity to work with another wrestling legend in her own right, Madison Rayne. How was it working with her and how did that impact your career?
“It was great working with her. She was one of the sweetest people I’ve ever gotten to share a locker room with. Her story is also inspirational. Her family, like mine, wasn’t sure about her becoming a pro wrestler, she told them to give her one year, and in one year she was signed to Impact. Working with her really inspired me to do everything I can to make my name known. Her story and being able to work with her, learn from her, and look at her background and journey to use it as my motivation to be where I want to be, really hit home for me. It was amazing working with her. A lot of the women I worked with have been so rewarding and fulfilling. The fact that some of us were on similar levels, to watch them spike is awesome to see. I’m proud that I’ve had these opportunities. In my six years, knowing I got to work with people like Madison Rayne, she’s down to earth and she remembers you. We worked together twice, and my first time backstage at AEW, she remembered me. That meant a lot. It meant that I made an impression and that’s good enough for me.”
I also wanted to talk about your matches with Ray Lyn. You two put on some great matches, what was it like to work with her?
“My favorite frenemy. She will say how it is because she cares. She’s become one of my closest friends, closest allies, and just one of my closest supporters. She pushes me, challenges me, and gets me out of the house to go to training. Just being able to collab with her and have as many matches as we do, it’s cool to watch back and see how we really expanded both of our styles and everything. We’ve grown with each other in different ways. I look up to her so much. I’m very honored to share the ring with her and I can’t wait to do it again.”
Recently as WrestleRex, you got to team with Andrew Palace to take on Lady Frost and Victor Benjamin. What was it like working with Lady Frost and Victor Benjamin, and teaming up with Andrew Palace? Would you ever love to work with Lady Frost in singles competition?
“It’s great teaming with Andrew. Obviously, it’s no joke that we are a couple, inside the ring and out. Just being able to work with him on this type of platform. It’s been a lot of fun. He and I can set aside business and pleasure. Being able to go into the locker room, I know he’s my trainer. He’s going to give me feedback. Having the opportunity to work with one of my trainers in the ring, is exciting. We had a singles match which was also a lot of fun. But obviously, at WrestleRex we got to have a mixed tag match with another Pittsburgh couple, Lady Frost and Victor Benjamin. We both started around the same, but it was cool being able to collab with them. It’s fun, exciting, and really laid back. Being able to work with them was amazing. Having Andrew by my side is just a lot more exciting and being able to show what we can both do on that type of platform. I would absolutely love a singles match with Lady Frost. She hasn’t been wrestling much longer than I have. Seeing all the accomplishments she’s had, she’s done a lot, and it’s really exciting for her. That’s why I was looking forward to this tag match. I would love to see what a singles match between us could turn into.”
Let’s run it back @RealLadyFrost without the boys 👑 #QueenoftheSilverScreen pic.twitter.com/VeBLdyfUmU
— Katie Arquette (@TheKtArquette) March 24, 2023
Recently you also had the opportunity to work with Dani Mo and Revenge Pro. How was it working with her?
“Another favorite frenemy. She started as a manager, she has a whole other experience with wrestling just by watching. She was there living in the moment. Just watching how she’s grown from then to now is fascinating. She puts in the work and challenges herself. Being able to finally have a singles match with her was very exciting. We had our first match at a tattoo convention. Like many conventions, there are a lot of people and it’s fun, but not all the fans are wrestling fans. We had a killer match, but it just wasn’t the right crowd. The fact we had this match now at Revenge in front of this type of crowd was so satisfying. Seeing how much she’s grown, just since our interaction, was so much fun. I loved working with her, and I can’t wait to do it again.”
You are also no stranger to working on national television as you had the opportunity to work with both AEW and WWE. What was that like?
“It was so cool. It was so much fun. They both bring a lot to the table. They are both very different atmospheres in great ways. WWE is obviously more back-to-back setups, feedback, and production. When it comes to AEW, things are a bit more relaxed and chill. It’s a lot more free-flowing with ideas and you can be expressive with that. Being able to experience both was fantastic. Being able to wrestle at both of those companies was surreal. Obviously, the night I pulled a Rick Rude, I was on AEW Dark Elevation, and Raw. Dark was obviously pre-recorded. Earlier that year I was on Dynamite. Just being able to say I wrestled on live television with arguably two of the best companies on national television today, was pretty surreal and a moment I’ll never forget.”
If given the opportunity, would you like to work with IMPACT Wrestling on a bigger scale?
“Oh, 100%. I would love an opportunity with them. There is so much good talent coming out of there. IMPACT really made a change after COVID. They’ve evolved so much. I would love to be able to have an opportunity there. Deonna Purrazzo, Jordynne Grace, and Mickie James. I would love to be able to work with them. Obviously, Mickie is a legend, she’s someone who we don’t know how many years she has left, which is obviously not a knock towards her, it’s a time thing. I would love to share a locker room with her, and work with her one day.”
Coming up, you will be working with ESW, MCW, and IWC in April. What can you tell us about that?
“MCW is upon us. As is, ESW. There in April and I’m really excited. ESW is somewhere I worked a handful of times, and is somewhere I’m really starting to put my foot into. Same thing for MCW. I’ve only been a part of their lady’s night out shows which is incredible. But just being able to continue to make waves there would be fantastic.”
What’s next for you?
“Honestly, I think that’s what I’m still figuring out myself. Last year, my goal was quality, not quantity of matches. I think I checked that fairly well. This year, I have that same mindset, but I want to take a play out of Britt’s book and network more. At the end of the day, it’s not just who you know, but who knows you. Putting myself in a position where I am remembered, and I made a good impression is what’s next for me. That’s my goal and where I want to establish myself in this crazy wrestling journey.”
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