Interview: Ava Everett Talks Her Start, Blitzkrieg! Pro, Billie Starkz, and more!

Photo credit: @floodshot_

In an interview with PWPondering’s Scott Mitchell (@ScottsScoop44), Ava Everett sits down to talk about how she got her start in the wrestling world, her inspirations, and mentors, her time at Blitzkrieg! Pro so far, her upcoming match at the Blitzkrieg! Pro Luau show with Billie Starkz, and so much more.

When and why did you really first get into wrestling growing up?

“I actually did not grow up watching it, like most wrestlers did. I started watching around 2016/2017, with the Divas Evolution, and I watched Total Divas, so I began watching WWE. It was the triple threat between Sasha, Becky, and Charlotte, that I think a lot of girls experienced, that made them want to be wrestlers. It was the triple threat for me that just made me be like, wow I really like this. I was a musical theater kid growing up, and I feel like this is something I really wanted to get into.”

Did you have any inspirations growing up that helped make you into what we see today?

“Nikki Bella. Love Nikki Bella, she’s my favorite.”

Fast forwarding a little bit, when and why did you really want to start training?

“From watching the women’s matches when I first started coming back. When the Divas Evolution first kind of really started, it was so progressive for women’s wrestling. I remember vividly watching Attitude Era, WWE Bra and Panties matches, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t really understand why the girls and boys weren’t on the same level. When I started watching women get more opportunities, I got really invested like a lot of wrestling fans did. So, once I saw that women were getting the opportunities they deserved, I thought maybe this was something I should try to do.”

Did you have any mentors who helped you along the way when you first began training?

“Absolutely. In general, my trainer, Brian Fury at the time was a very well-known trainer. He’s incredibly talented, and he’s helped out at WWE PC, and he’s always been very supportive of me, coming up in wrestling. Also, I was very lucky, my best friend is Davienne, and without her, I would not be where I am at all. I think that my first 150 matches were probably with her. So, she really helped me get to that next level of understanding of how things work. She’s always been so supportive to me, and really pivotal to my career.”

You are also in one of my personal favorite tag teams, the Y2Kuties with B3CCA. How did that come about and what is that like for you?

“B3CCA and I are very similar people. She didn’t originally start at the New England Pro Wrestling Academy where I trained, but she switched over to our school, and we liked a lot of the same things. We have a very similar aesthetic. She likes to tell everyone that I was her first match ever at Chaotic Wrestling. So, we are really great friends, and it kind of developed when we were wrestling each other all the time. We found we had great chemistry in and out of the ring, so it was just a no-brainer of us working together.”

At the last Create-A-Pro show, you and B3CCA got to share the ring with another very talented wrestler in The Notorious Mimi, and arguably a legend of women’s wrestling, Angelina Love. What was it like to work with them?

“It’s always really cool getting to wrestle people that you grow up watching. Watching Angelina at TNA, then getting to share the ring with her is such an amazing experience because a lot of us are wrestling fans at heart. Even though I didn’t start watching when I was a kid, when I started seeing different avenues outside of WWE, like ROH and TNA. Being able to share the ring with someone you’re a fan of is so cool. It was a really cool experience, and we enjoyed it a lot.”

You made your debut for Blitzkrieg! Pro when you teamed with Angel Sinclair. What was it like to make your debut there?

“I feel like it was such a different character than what I’m doing now. I’ve had such a crazy evolution myself. It’s so funny to look back on all the matches I had when I was brand new. Blitzkrieg is a really special spot for me because it gave me opportunities that maybe I wasn’t ready for. But, I don’t necessarily know if someone is ever fully ready to do something. I think that Blitzkrieg giving me those opportunities to show who I was, at such a fresh point in my career where I didn’t really know who I was, up to now, is a really cool experience. I think that Blitzkrieg has literally seen every iteration of me.”

You got to work with Davienne when you made your return to Blitzkrieg after a year off. What was it like to team with Travis Huckabee and work with Davienne and Sammy Diaz?

“It’s always a really amazing opportunity for me to share the ring with Davienne. Inside and outside of wrestling she is my absolute best friend. I love being able to spend time with her doing whatever, and just knowing how important she’s been to me throughout my entire experience in wrestling. Whether we’re fighting or not, I love sharing the ring with her. She’s just a great person, and I love her.”

You got to return again in 2022 in one of my personal favorite matches in 2022, teaming up with Anthony Greene, and going up against BUSSY (Allie Katch and EFFY). What was that match like?

“I think it’s a really cool experience. I never worked EFFY but worked Allie a few times. It’s really cool to be able to work with people who are so incredibly charismatic. They have such a different perspective on wrestling, which I appreciate so much. It was such a nice experience being able to share the ring with them. I met them and hung out with them, and it was just a really nice experience. I had just come back from Germany at that point. It was really cool to get to work with them. They are such amazing people.”

Earlier this year, you made your return to Blitzkrieg where you got to work with Gabby Ortiz and Skylar while teaming with Haley Dylan. Tell me about how that match came about.

“I think it’s a really cool opportunity. I think working with Skylar is really cool because at Blitzkrieg I’ve even teamed up with her. I saw Gabby doing the Monster Factory show on Apple TV. Being with people who have been doing this for a while too is always such a cool experience for me. You get to learn the different styles and different ways how to wrestle. I think it was a great experience and it was nice for Blitzkrieg to showcase the women that they’ve been using.”

For the upcoming Luau show, what are you most excited about?

“For me, I haven’t done the Luau in a really long time, and it’s always such a fun experience. The last time I had a match at a Luau show I was in a tag match and dressed up as a hula girl. I think I will dress up like a hula girl again, but it’s always a really fun time. Blitzkrieg in general is a really cool atmosphere. The Luau show is just a showcase for everything that is so fun about Blitzkrieg. I’m really excited about the Luau show because it feels like I haven’t done it in forever.”

With Billie Starkz coming into the fray, what are your thoughts on your upcoming match that was actually announced with this interview?

“I think Billie is an amazing performer. I never had the opportunity to share the ring with her yet. She’s transcended wrestling in this way, she got so good so fast. She’s traveling everywhere, and I just love to see women be successful. I think this may be her debut for Blitzkrieg as well. I’m really excited for the fans to get to experience her at a show like the Luau.”

Is there anything else coming up for you that you’re excited about?

“I have a couple of really cool matches coming up. I have a WXW title match against Alisha Edwards. At the end of July, I’m in a Vacationland qualifying match against B3CCA, my tag partner, which is okay because I think she’s a really cool and ambitious woman, and even though we’re tag partners, it doesn’t mean we can’t fight each other.”

Looking ahead for you, what’s next that you’d like to accomplish? Do you have any future goals or opponents you’d like to face?

“I absolutely love spending a lot of my time in Germany. I hope I get to go back to some point again. It’s an incredible atmosphere there. I’m always so happy there. I’d love to do another tour of Germany. My ultimate goal at this point is Japan. I love Joshi wrestling and the culture is so fascinating. That’s a big attainable goal for me, right now. I think every female wrestler right now wants to wrestle Sasha Banks. Sasha trained at Chaotic which is now the New England Pro Wrestling Academy. She comes from my school, and she’s an incredible performer, I know she’s injured now, but I’m wishing her a speedy recovery. She’s my dream opponent right now. Please go to the Luau. You will have so much fun. It’s not a regular show, there’s pool toys and beer.”