TNA Impact Wrestling / Global Force Wrestling star and MMA competitor Lei’D Tapa recently appeared at WrestleCade V in Winston-Salem, North Carolina along with her manager and husband Big Red.
Tapa spoke about the status of her wrestling and mixed martial arts career, the appeal behind wrestlers being two sport athletes, and more:
Lei’D Tapa gives an update on her pro wrestling and MMA career:
In two weeks I’m going to Nigeria for a wrestling tour. I’m slowly getting back into wrestling after training this past year for MMA. This year coming up, me and this guy right here, Big Red, have a lot of things coming up in the wrestling world. We’re doing it as a power couple, so you guys will have to stayed tuned for that.
You would be considered a two sport athlete; both ofwrestlers like Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley have also entered MMA after pro wrestling. What do you think is the big appeal for doing so?
I think it’s because there’s no limits. If you want to try something like that, like me… I went from wrestling to MMA. CM Punk went from wrestling to MMA, and like you said, Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley. I just think if it’s something you want to do, you go try and do it. There’s no stopping as to what you can do, and I think it’s incredible for both of the sports. Right now, wrestling and MMA are the hot sports, so why not try it?
Is there anyone currently in wrestling that you think would be a good fit in MMA, or vice versa?
Tapa: I don’t know; I’ve never really thought about it. All I could think of is competing as a female, if anyone wants to challenge me, let’s do it. Anyone in the wrestling world that wants to step into MMA, let’s do it.
Actually, my friend from Germany, Alpha Female, she just debuted in her first fight in Germany. Both of us worked together in TNA when we worked in the UK, so I know her as a female wrestler, but I can’t really think of any other female wrestlers here off the top of my head. What do you think?
Big Red: That’s not something to think about right now, because Lei’D Tapa is the Queen of the Ring, and if she gets in a ring near you, she’ll make you bow down, before the ref steps in the way. I don’t care about those females, because we have something right here. I’m talking about power and pain; The Queen of Rings, Lei’D Tapa, that’s it. I get upset when I here people talking about these other females, because I really want you to go smash ‘em like you normally do.
