Jade Cargill says Shaquille O’Neal lit a fire under her before her in-ring debut on AEW Dynamite.
AEW TBS Champion Jade Cargill was a recent guest on The Zaslow Show via AM 560 Sports WQAM to discuss a wide variety of subjects. When asked about All Elite Wrestling owner Tony Khan, Cargill had high praise for her boss. She went on to share her belief that she’s been a player in the game from the start because she stands out.
“I feel like TK [Tony Khan] is a phenomenal man and leader,” Cargill said. “He always saw something in me, and that’s what I appreciated from him. He’s very transparent, open, and knows what he’s doing. He’s a student of the game, but he loves wrestling all his life. He knows what sells, looks good, and he’s going to put his best foot forward for his product. I felt like I’ve always been a player in this game.
“One thing I know about myself is that I look different, so I have to play on what makes me different. I understand that a lot of people have years on me, and that’s something I can’t control. It’s something I have to work with throughout the years that I’m going to get in this business. I’ve always been a player in the game. I knew I was a big deal when I stepped foot in AEW regardless of how fans and everybody felt. There’s something about me that’s just different. I always knew I was a big player.”
Cargill had her first match on TV with NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal. When asked about that memorable night, the TBS Champion revealed the pep talk that Shaq gave to her before they went out for their match.
“It was a dream come true. This is a man that everybody watched growing up,” Cargill said. “I think every commercial break, you see an advertisement of this man. For me to even be in the same room, and share conversation, share a ring, with this man, it was a blessing in disguise. Who gets a debut match with Shaquille O’Neal on prime time T.V? I remember before going out, I said, ‘You ready?’ He looked at me, and said, ‘No. Are you ready? This is my world. I work in entertainment. Are you ready? Don’t embarrass me.’ That lit a fire under my ass…It was a surreal moment…This is a moment that people can see me. This is the time for me to make my mark.”
READ MORE: Mark Henry: Jade Cargill And Bianca Belair Will Be The Future Of Wrestling
