Five Questions for... Alpha Female (Issue 80; June 2012)

FSM: What attributes make a young wrestler easy to work with? Alpha Female: If a young wrestler can show a decent level of respect and listen to what the veteran is saying, it instantly makes them so much easier to work with. Also, if my opponent is honest and tells me about any concerns they have, I can change the match slightly to make them feel more confident. It is important that even if my opponent is playing the underdog babyface role, they feel confident in themselves, so that they can express some level of hope to the audience. If a wrestler is lacking confidence, often their brain will shut down, and they will forget things more easily. If they act like they know everything because they would rather look cool backstage, the match can go badly very quickly, and that is bad for both wrestlers in the end.
If I fake my CV and get a job as a pilot, even though I can't really fly a plane, something is going to go wrong. It's just better to be honest; in wrestling, you are in competition with no-one but yourself.

How much of your match you do like to plan in advance? If I work with girls or with beginners, I often plan pretty much everything, because it seems to make it easier for my opponents. They are normally less nervous if they know what is happening, as long as it's simple. If I know my opponent well, or know that he/she has good experience, I just speak about the finish and their hope spots (mini comebacks for the babyface during the match), and that's about it. The rest I normally leave until we are in the ring. It's more fun this way, because you can react better to the real atmosphere generated by the fans.

What would you say is the secret to getting noticed by promoters and gaining work worldwide? To me, there has never really been any sort of "secret", even though I know other wrestlers do believe there is. I have always believed that if you are unique, people will recognise you and want to have you on their show. If you have a unique gimmick or there is something special about you, people will want to see you, and that will make promoters want to have you on their show. I always think, if you act like a star, dress like a star, and be polite, people will want to be around you and work with you.
These days, many wrestlers look similar, so it's not hard to stand out if you just give it a little thought and effort. It's not just the work in the ring that counts, but ultimately what happens behind the scenes that is really important in getting you bookings.

What mistakes do you see young wrestlers making either in the ring or backstage that could be affecting their reputation or work? The first one that comes to mind is happening more and more, and it regards Facebook and Twitter. People seem to say the dumbest things in public. This stuff creates an image of you in the fans' eyes, and the promoters' eyes, too. If you go on there and say stuff that offends people, you can lose fans, and that will eventually lose you shows and money. I am often surprised at how few wrestlers, even in the bigger leagues, have not seemed to realise this yet. I try to speak to my fans with respect and honesty, but also with responsibility, even online. Without them, we would not be able to live our dream, and without their kind words to me on Facebook, many times I would have felt like I was alone in wrestling. The internet is now people's regular window into your life, so make sure the view they are getting is a positive one.

What advice would you give to someone who is looking to find a wrestling persona that gets over? I would say try to be the wrestler you would love to see in the ring yourself. Think about what influenced you to become a wrestling fan, and not just who you respected once you became a wrestler.
Also, do you have something outstanding about you? Are you seven feet tall? Are you the best high-flyer, with the world's most amazing moonsault? Did you have a really interesting upbringing? Sometimes the universe gives us the perfect character traits and gimmick - we just have to be willing to see it. Go for it, and make your own personality 10 times bigger than it is in real life. If you can't act, then don't, as people will not buy it. Just be yourself, but bigger!