Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Ivelisse on Her Time in AEW and What's Next For Her

Episode Date: September 6, 2021

Ivelisse Vélez is a professional wrestler known for her time with WWE, AEW and Lucha Underground. She joins Insight with Chris Van Vliet from her home in Tampa to talk about her time in AEW and being released by the company, her issues with Thunder Rosa, why she feels she is misunderstood, the evolution of women's wrestling and much more! If you enjoyed this episode, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and makes a huge difference in helping to spread the word about the show and also to convince some hard-to-get guests.  For more information about Chris and INSIGHT go to: https://chrisvanvliet.com Follow CVV on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisVanVliet Twitter: twitter.com/ChrisVanVliet Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisVanVliet YouTube: youtube.com/ChrisVanVliet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All systems are going. Ladies and gentlemen, Chris. Well, here we go. Welcome back to another audio adventure on Insight. I'm Chris Van Plea. Thank you so much for coming back each and every episode. And if it does happen to be your first time here, thank you so much for being here.

That's amazing. I hope you stick around and check out some of the other conversations that we have in our back catalog of 250 episodes. Yeah, this is episode 250, right? now. Amazing. If you're not already subscribed, take a second right now to click subscribe or follow on whatever platform it is that you're listening on right now. The last time we saw Evalise in the ring was back in February when she wrestled a match on AEW Dark. Then a few months later in April, she went on Twitter to say that she'd been released from AEW. And we really haven't heard

much from her since then. So there's a lot to get into with this conversation, not just with the AEW situation and Thunderosa, although we do talk about that, but just about who Evalice is as a person, because I feel like she's really misunderstood. And hopefully this interview can shine some light on who the actual Evalise is,

not the character that you see in the ring. And I really appreciate her trusting me with this interview. and for opening up about so many different things during this. If you're not following her on Instagram, you can do that. She's at Evalise Veles. On Twitter, she's at Real Evalise. And you can find me.

It's just at Chris Van Fleet. Let's dive right into it. Please welcome to Insight. Evilise. Well, here we go. How are you? I'm all right. How are you?

I'm doing great. I like that you match. your hoodie to the color of your hair. Oh, yeah. Red, red. All everything red. Is your entire closet just full of red clothes? No, no, but it's a lot. It's very predominant.

What was the last time you had a hair color that was not red, by the way? Probably like two years ago was the little ish, when I had it brown. And then even before that, I was like brown for a little bit. And before that was like around another two, three-ish years with the red. Yeah. But you're sold on red. It's going to be red for a long time here. Yeah.

It was first blonde because I'm technically a strawberry blonde. That's my color that I was wearing with which is rare for a Puerto Rican. But anyway, and then it was blonde. And then I wanted to change it to brown when I was in WWV. They didn't want me. They said that I would look too Hispanic if I died my hair brown. The first time I ever heard that. But after I was relieved, then I was like, all right, here I go.

And then brown. And I like, I do. I actually do like the color brown a lot. But my whole life, I always felt like, like, man, I want to go red. But once I got past the courage to go brown, then I was, I passed on to the ultimate courage of going red. And now I'm, like, trying to keep it red as long as I possibly can. Well, no complaints for many of your fans.

I can assure you of that. How have these last few months been for you? We haven't heard from you in a while. Yeah. I've kind of purposely done it like that way. Even though before I never really did a lot of interviews because I'm like so more invested in just like the pure performance aspect of pro wrestling. that for me these past months have been really difficult to process emotionally, mentally,

in every way, shape, form. More importantly, because of what happened a couple of months ago with the release and whatever, everything surrounding it. And even like before, just the combination of a lot of things, even like before being signed at AW, like I had a fire where I lost everything that I worked. for against all odds. And then it was right before, actually during, it was actually during, I think it was,

actually it was right before the Dynoite match. And then after that happened, it continued into the tournament, the texting tournament. And all that was happening. It was just all of it. And then it was just like nonstop, nonstop, everything kind of accumulating, dealing with everything.

on how that affected my household, how that affected having my puppy that I had just gotten, everything going like, you know, with the stress of like dealing with everything that was going on. Inside AEW with, we already know, the person I have already mentioned this before, just everything altogether. It was like a big combination of that once when it's happened. And then, of course, the cherry on top, all the madness from, online Twitter, that's cool.

So mentally and emotionally and spiritually, any kind of illy department of my existence. It was a massive putting everything possible to process it in a healthy way to still manage to keep moving forward and get back everything I've lost and just like just everything. So that's the main reason why I felt compelled to stay away. more so than ever from interviews to kind of maintain my mental stamina enough to keep pushing forward.

Well, and all of this is compounded by the time that we're living in right now. And that, yeah. Right. The last, you know, 20-ish months with COVID-19 has changed everything. Yep. So how have you been processing everything that's been going on? Um, it's, uh, it's been a pretty, pretty crazy. Um, but, uh, I, I, I myself, I don't even know how. Like, I've done it. But I mean, it's something that I've been doing since, since I was a teenager when I went off on my own and, you know, trying to, uh, move to the States with nothing. thing, start from scratch. That's something that I've been doing for my whole life, like learning to

start from literally ground zero. I've done many times. So I guess that helps me kind of cope or kind of, you know, kind of second nature type, at least two degrees. But it's been incredibly difficult. But thankfully, it's kind of like why I say, why I always say whenever, whenever anyone has asked me how I'm doing or anything like that, just writing them weights, writing them. Wraiding them waves till they're smooth sailing. There will be more waves eventually, but just riding the waves until, you know, until it's just that much easier. Well, I imagine wrestling for most of your life has been the escape from all of this.

And there hasn't been a ton of wrestling over the last year or so. Yeah. Yeah. And, but again, in that part, because, you know, the pandemic, right, it keeps you away from reading what you love. But thankfully, you know, even though everything

that's been going on, all the negativity and the pandemic as well, thank God. I've still had enough bookings and enough like things going on that have kept me afloat. Thankfully.

And, man, and I lost my train of thought. Just riding them waves. That's what you're doing. Riding them waves. Riding them waves. It just,

seems like, I guess what's happened recently, but throughout a lot of your career, just seems like you're kind of misunderstood. Do you also feel like people don't understand who you are at your core? Yeah. And I know, and yes, definitely. The only thing is that, again, because I'm the type of person that I come from nothing, and literally, like, I'm a female, I have so many, like, components against me, like in my journey towards success, in my journey towards achieving things and stuff like that, that it, like, it doesn't even give me the time to even be able to explain myself to be even better, like, to be understood better or anything like that. It's because, like, I'm in hustle mode. My entire life I've been in hustle mode. So I don't even

have a chance to even, like, you know, try to fix a misunderstanding. You know, know, things like that. And it's just like, that's number one. And number two, again, all the factors, like, again, I'm a female, there's still a lot of progress to, like, to happen in the world in general when it comes to sexism. That's like the biggest number one, I feel, one of the biggest number one issue that is very far behind. And being a female in a predominantly male dominated business, like, it's still, I feel there's still

so, so, so, so much to go. So I feel like that's a number one big component towards that misunderstanding, at least in the major part of it, which is the pro wrestling. Number two, being a minority. There's a lot of things about who I am and my identity that a lot of people won't understand. And that is kind of what helps me a little bit not take it so personally or not take it so, like, where it affects me so much that I can't cope or something like, you know, or something like that, but I just keep pushing to fight for all that I stand for.

Do you feel like for you it's constantly an uphill battle because of some of the things that you listed, you know, because you're a woman in this industry, because you're a minority being from Puerto Rico, do you feel like you're constantly fighting this battle? Yeah. Yeah. And again, even that itself is misunderstood as well. in many ways like

it could be perceived in many different ways like that I'm a problem or that I this or that or whatever which I again I don't even have the time to even try to fix

that perception or misunderstanding whoever or however it is because I gotta keep hustling for my life from my things from my people from my like now my dog is like my son

so like you know at least that's how I feel Like getting rid of him is not an option for me whatsoever. I mean, to each their own, how they view, you know, their pets or whatever. But to me, it's like once I have him, he's like my baby, he's my family. So he's also a big reason now for me to keep moving forward. And, you know, like when this massively negative thing happened, I'm going to admit that I would say that it's like throughout my career, my life.

I would say it was the one with the most impact on me, on a mental, emotional sense. Like, literally, I felt like my entire life was a waste. Like, my entire career was a waste, pretty much. At that point, of course, you know, you're affected. That was my mentality. But what helped me pull myself out of that negative state of mind was realizing that if that, even if that was a reality in a, in a, it would only be in a material sense.

It will only be in a wealth sense. And, you know, like, if I have gotten this far and I, you know, because of whatever reasons or all the reasons, whatever that would be that at this point, I have not reached the wealth, theft, et cetera, that I feel that I deserve. That's okay. Like, I accepted that, I am, you know, accepting that reality.

And be like, that's okay with me because, even though yes it sucks and that's what I want and you know it's a big part of motivation et cetera but at least like to me and like well I may not get that but at the end of the day I still have all this wealth of knowledge in here so even if I don't get to get that wealth that I feel I deserve that I've worked for et cetera blah blah blah then at least I'll do something valuable in a different way and that's where I feel okay so then I'll just just try to do everything I humanly possibly can to just keep contributing towards women's wrestling with what I have here that no amount of money in the planet can buy.

So like, and at least then I feel like my life wasn't for anything. You know what I mean? Or, you know, or my career, everything that I've, because again, I've given my entire life to my career. Like, that's all I've ever given my, invested all my energy and everything to. So that way I don't feel like it was all for nothing. You know what I mean? So that's what I'm pouring my heart out now to just in every way.

I did before, but now even more because I feel like that will be my legacy. That will be what was worth it, you know? Well, I mean, you've been doing this now coming up on 18 years, which is incredible. Congratulations. You spent more than half your life doing what you're doing, which is amazing. How much have you seen it shift? How much has women's wrestling changed over these last 18 years? Well, I mean, of course, you know, it's inevitable to.

to say that there's been a lot of progression, there's been a lot of progression. The only thing is, like I mentioned before, that's the only part that's still very far behind. Like, the treatment towards, like, towards female veterans, which are such an important part towards propelling all those changes, because technically the changes towards the women's wrestling is, like, giving more time, giving more, like, opportunities and, like, giving more chances to like shine and this and that so the exposure part it is where the changes are happening but there's only so much that will do if the other change is all behind you know behind like uh everything but behind that like in a not politics sense but like everything behind that

like how you treat females like how you treat the female veterans that have put in a lot of work as well, like how you value them, how you perceive them, how you perceive the women in general, like the system you're creating for them in order for these, in order for when they do actually go out there and these chances that you're giving them, they cannot get out of the park, et cetera. So like things like that, that's what's missing. Like the part where they're getting more opportunities, getting more time to shine, getting more exposure, that's there. And that's awesome. That's fantastic. Now, the most important thing, part is the structure behind it in order for it to propel and actually, you know, keep moving

forward the most impactful way possible. And that, again, that falls on that sexism part where a massive part of that is not giving not the right, I would say, credit or the right value, I would say, I guess, towards the women who have gone, like, who have gone to that already tried through and tested and have that female perspective, that female perspective for these, you know, for these things is what's missing. And you are only going to get it if you put the female, female that have gone through it, that have experienced the female world in pro wrestling in every sense, in every sense. And I mean, in like the interactions between girls, well, you know, the system.

them in how rules have, you know, like, just how they are and, like, the common problems in, in the female world or, or, like, or who's who in wrestling, because, like, 90% of time, if you have a female vet who's been in these forever, then that means they literally quite worked almost everybody in the scene so they know who's who, or they know how to bring out the best in who, or, you know, et cetera, like all those things. that you see in the male department is what's missing in the female side. So if I'm understanding this, you're saying it's great that women are made eventing WrestleMania.

It's great that women are getting more time on TV. But behind the scenes, there's some changes that still need to be made. Yes. Definitely. Where do you think those changes start then? And again, that's what I said. Like, giving the right, first of all, the credit, you know, and number two, the value, and when I mean value is like recognizing that value

like of all the things I had just mentioned. Like when you have a veteran, again, tried true and tested that has experienced already being a female. That female perspective is something that no man in the business will be able to understand, comprehend. And again, and I mean like in every element of like who's who, not just in the ring, outside of the ring.

like, you know, just have experienced even like just all those elements, all those elements that you see so easily in the male department where they see the obvious value in the male veterans obviously puts the same thing. It's just females. So giving that value to the female veterans, especially when there's very few left, like that will help create an incredible foundation and structure to be able to propel those, so to propel like the the current talent and future talent, so that when they do have these, when these things are happening, like, you know, the opportunities happening, like whether it be a pay-per-view or this or that, that, then that will

presented the most impactful way possible because the veterans will be able to help guide the other ones. What do you think about like what Mickey James is doing is the executive producer and empower? Is that a step in the right direction? Yes. Yes. That's one. Yes.

Which is why I was very excited when I saw, you know, finally a female veteran who has experienced, who has seen it, who has a tried and true tested warrior that knows the inner workings of the entire world of. women's wrestling, then it's like, awesome. That is definitely a step into the right direction. You know, you know that as some, you know, you know that politics will always try to find their way in in anything, right? But at the very least, when it's a female veteran for that caliber, you know what I mean?

Like, it's still that much of a bigger component than politics. I feel like it will definitely override that. enough to where that progressed and that needs to happen will keep moving forward. Well, as you keep talking about female veterans, it's so interesting because I had a conversation with Mickey James about this recently. And there's like, there's a real ageism in wrestling when when you're talking about men and women. A man whose age begins with a four. And we could think about a ton of them who are, you know, every different organization across the world. They're seen as veterans. And if there's a woman like Mickey James, for example, whose age begins with a four,

just seen as old. And it's just so funny how that's perceived. That's, that's ridiculous. It's, it's insane, especially when that's the thing. She doesn't even look crazy. She looks amazing. She looks great. And she can work better than anybody. Yes. That's exactly. That's another thing. That's even crazy. That's even crazier. Um, but yeah, that's also too. That's, and that's really sad because, uh, that, like, when you have these incredibly important components, like a female veteran like that, like the caliber, female veterans in general, like, um, when you at, you know, again, and this is male perspective in a male perspective and, and also kind of sexism as well, because you see, you see the value of this female veteran, right?

And this is, again, in a general sense, if you see the value of this female in general sense, there's no way, shape, or form that you can be like, oh, she's just another number, she's just another one of the girls, like, you know, and then you just treat her like that. That's insane. You have any idea what a missed opportunity, like, what a missed opportunity for both. Because again, female veterans, like, are such an important tool. That's the thing. Such an important tool.

Like, even if you don't plan on, like, making her your biggest, you know, your champion and your biggest star, et cetera, blah, blah, blah, blah, at least recognize the value that she could have towards your division in every sense. Like, first of all, the knowledge she already has of, again, all the females that she's already probably wrestled. How, like, how to, she'll obviously know how, what are the weaknesses or strengths of those particular people who's wrestled? She'll know how to best, like, you know, bring the best out of it. Or just all those things that a male vet would do in their world is, like, it's very sad that you. would not recognize that just because she's a female. You know what I mean? So that's, I feel that's a big

major component that that there needs progression towards. And, um, but, uh, but again, like, that's why when, when, uh, Mickey James was announced for that and it's like, I'm like, at least there's something happening. So I was like, okay, that is a good relief. And, um, I really hope that it keeps going and that, dear God, that politics doesn't ruin it along the way at some point, which never, never ceases to amaze how it just always find the way. Again, in my almost two decades of wrestling, whether it be a small company or a major company, it's always, like, even with Lucha Underground, like at first, it was like, oh, it's going to be so different and this and that. And then somehow along the way, like, fourth season in, it's like, oh, look at

all these things that really happened, all due to politics, all due to, like, everyone always, wants to get a piece of the pie. Something starts getting like attention and this and that and everyone wants to get a piece of pie. Everyone gets gets in and then it just something that was meant to be revolutionary. Some it just gets torn apart by everyone trying to pull in different directions for his own agenda, et cetera. And it just sucks. But hopefully that doesn't happen. Well, for you personally, as you're putting everything behind you behind you, what direction are you pointing yourself in now for the next six months or six years from now. Technically, I kind of didn't really ever visualize myself past 40 wrestling.

But that's just me. There's nothing like, that's just me, though. You know, who knows? Maybe I will be. I can't predict the future, but at least I never. But 40 would be 25 years of wrestling. Amazing. Yeah.

Yeah. I never visualize that for myself. but who knows? But, uh, so I would say, um, that I have,

I'm going to turn to agree this month. So I guess I would say roughly, uh, estimate of seven years. And like I said, like I'd mentioned before, again, at this point,

I'm, I'm done, like, I'm not done, but like, uh, if I don't get in those steps, what's left of my,

of what I feel was left of my career, uh, if I don't achieve that wealth that I, you know, that success, that wealth that, that, that I,

felt that I feel I deserve, then again, I'm just, I'm, I'm in that mode of like, regardless, I want to try to give every ounce of, or every bit of me towards creating those changes that I hope to see in women's wrestling, in every shape, in every way. And I'll be, and I'll be doing that through the opportunities that I get in these, like, thank, thank God, regardless of all the negativity and all the sabbatars, all the blah, blah, blah. I'm a shrine champion. I plan to do as give as much as I can't continue because technically been there for so long. To continue to give in that way as much as possible with the time I have left. Also with Ladies Night Out, like all these all-woman wrestling companies, I'm now with SWE. Every chance, every chance,

every opportunity that comes where I can make an impact in any way, whether it be helpful, out whoever, like for an example, like last, this weekend, I was my first title defense with SWE with Maddie Brankowski. Like, the more her, she, like, to pick my brain or give her as much as bias as I possibly can in and out of the ring and like things like that. Every way, shape, or forth to completely and utterly give myself entirely a tool to just, you know, help. Then, once I'm done, that's my legacy. That and, and, and, and, and. And I'll be able to feel like, okay, that was, that's my, that's my legacy. I can look back and that's be happy, you know.

Yeah. It seems like there's a lot of frustration about what happened earlier this year with AEW. And I'm curious, do you put some of the blame on that on yourself? Do you look back and go, man, if I had done this differently, I might still be there? No, I don't, I don't have that perspective. Like, to me and my mind, I'm actually like, I don't, like, the blame of who is, like, irrelevant. Like, to me and my mind, because it's business, like, the way I always view things is like,

okay, communication is the solution to everything or anything. Like, that's, I feel like that was the most disappointing part of all, because I'm the type that arguments can have. Anything can happen. And at the end of the day, I know in my mind that it's just a matter of a misunderstanding, misunderstanding from two individuals or three or four or whatever it's just a misunderstanding

and the only way to move forward from that from all parties involved is talk and if you don't talk and then nothing gets resolved nothing you know so that to me was the most disappointing part of it

that I didn't get to because again in any business like any business turns out like if you and me are doing business right now and something just kind of went south, then eventually we have to sit down, talk, try to figure out where we went wrong, and then find a way to mutually agree something that's comfortable for both of us to keep moving forward. That's just business one-on-one, you know, mutually respectful, like, you know,

but that was just the most disappointing part that that didn't happen. And there was a lot of reasons why that didn't happen or whatever. Hopefully it gets to happen eventually. but to me that's how I view it. It's just a matter of resolving the misunderstanding somehow, some way. To finally have a chance to sit down and have a dialogue about it. Yeah. And not with, not with TR because that's not the, you know, I was employed by TR. I was employed by, you know, A.D.

you. Like, that's where the, that's where the business is at. That's where the, you know, the commitment, the, you know, the most important aspect of that, of that mutual commitment. Yeah. Is this a personal issue with Thunder Rosa? Or is this just a business disagreement? Uh, it's a culmination of a lot of things from her part, uh, in the past. It also, it also. started in the past in Lucha Underground. This literally the exact same thing that happened in the match happened in Lucha Underground. I thought that was learned because when we

encountered again in the Indies, because in Lucha Underground, it was Cobra Moon. In the Indies, it was, like, as for so. In that match, she didn't do any of that. So I was like, okay, so I thought in my mind, Okay. Well, there were a lot of other things outside of little heavy. It's a cameo from your dog? Yeah. He's like, come on. He's like wondering what's happened to me.

Sorry. Sorry. Outside of that, because I'm the type that when it comes to anything personal outside, you just let it go. But once you're in the ring, you're in the ring. All of that needs completely and utterly disappear. and you just focus and do what works for the match, period. No ifs and buts. But outside of that, after that Lucha Underground incident in the ring, outside of that throughout the years,

I heard a lot of things. And that's the thing, people think that because I stay quiet, I don't care about drama, I don't care about negativity. I just keep working, working, working. People think that I don't hear things, that nothing comes to me, that nothing like, you know. But, like, I heard a lot of things.

But in my mind, like, well, we're not working, so I don't even worry about it. You know, ignore. I ignore negativity. But then that match happened outside, and I didn't feel like it happened again, like the same thing in Lucian Underground in the match. I was like, okay, so maybe she did learn, like, from,

and it didn't, and it's just like an outside-the-ring thing. So I was like, okay, cool, whatever. I don't. But then hate that becomes, and never in my wildest dreams, never in my wildest dreams would I ever think that that would happen. and it did. But I think that I don't know why it didn't occur to me

that maybe because she was camp, maybe that gave her a little bit more liquid courage, as you would say, for, like, to go back to that. But that, I mean, I know I don't like to like, but like at the end of the day, you're still, it's still pro wrestling. You're still wrestling a veteran.

Number three, and you still, like, that's the only difference, but like that, that doesn't mean you get to be unprofessional just because you have a championship. Like, it just, I don't know. That was just like, but, I think there's a lot of people that look at that match, and I'm sure you've heard it. There's a lot of people that think that you were unprofessional, no selling, you know, some of the stuff that she was doing.

I mean, how did you react when you saw that? Of course, because, and it's just Twitter, again, of course. And Twitter for a very long time. And this is not even new. It's just they took advantage of that, that vulnerable moment to just all these years of pent up, gunning for me in Twitter for like, but again, that's the thing I ignore.

And I feel like maybe that may be something that contributes like growing people's misconceptions or whatever. But like I said, I don't even have time because I'm always hustling. I don't even have time to even like, you know, try to explain to you why you're wrong about your perception of me, you know, wrong, you know, or whatever. So, um, so yeah, it was kind of crazy. That was like very crazy how they turned that into me, the bad guy, or medium professional. Like, anyone with a brain

looking at the situation that wouldn't allow that to coerce their intelligence, if they And we've seen it for themselves. They would say, well, first of all, you don't disrespect a bet by doing any of those things, number one. And number two, I was the signed talent at that time. And you're coming from an outside company. That's number two. Number three, in those, erese. And number three, in the match, again, anyone who's seen and knows what they're watching,

they could see the things for themselves, like how it starts, how it, almost kind of like the whole thing that happened yesterday in the match with Charlotte and Nia. You're talking about a Monday Night Raw, yeah. Yeah, like I'm watching, I was like, what's going on? So I watched it as neutral as possible, knowing what I know about pro wrestling.

So I could kind of have an idea of what may most probably have happened. May most probably have happened. I'm not going to comment at what or whatever because that's not the point of why I'm trying to like grab that. But like my point is that as a professional or as a knowledgeable person of pro wrestling, I can look at that in a neutral way and kind of have a understanding of what may have probably happen more accurately. But yeah, that's kind of why it was so baffling to me. But again, it's Twitterists, and I knew that a lot, massive chunk of that group that was doing that online was part, was just simply taking advantage of a vulnerable moment.

So what we're seeing in that match is a bunch of frustrations, what you're saying. This is the build up a lot of frustration. That precise moment that people keep, like, fixating on was, like, the culmination of, like, my brain stopped working for, like, three seconds because I couldn't believe what was happening. I literally, like, I did that, and I looked at my partner because I couldn't believe what was actually happening. And at that precise moment, I was even telling, this is something actually, like, I was even talking about this recently, like, leading up to that match, I was so exhausted, like, mental. because, again, like, the whole thing about, like, the fire, like, for the tournament, like, one of the matches, I think it was the first, like, I had, because of the fire, like, I, my gear was ruined, so I had forgotten gear so that when I got there, I had to actually

buy with the very little money I had left because the insurance, like, was screaming over because it was a pandemic and everything was a mess. Like, I had to buy gear out of nowhere to wear for the tournament. Like I was like at like I had lost everything and I did that. And then again, like I said, it was just a nonstop from losing everything from going from hotel to hotel to hotel with a puppy with this and that and like just driving back and forth and like finding away like and it was like a constant like week, week, week, week, week, week, so then that night was that was it.

That was like, okay. finally I get to like just kind of mentally breathe and process and then I don't know where they're like, hey, so tomorrow you're wrestling so and so. I was like, oh man, I don't know if I have the mental stamina to go through that right now. But I was like, okay, but okay, all right, whatever left you got in the tank, you got to do this, you got to pull yourself together and get the people what they want, especially. That was a big motivator for me to pull whatever I had out and like get this done. Because when they announced it, everyone went crazy, everyone was excited. Everyone was excited. So I was like, all right, push everything personal aside,

even with this person and just execute as much as you can. But when the day came, she didn't even want to do anything. Like, I was the one who was pushing for this match to be amazing, like how everyone was wanting and everyone was expecting everything like that. Of course, I don't mention that, of course, because I don't like to add to negativity. but people feel it's okay to like go crazy and try to make me the bad guy. But, um, even something is that, even something like that is, that started with the disrespect, you know, basically, oh, yeah, I don't want to do anything.

Wait, what? No, we're going to have this match be awesome. So, um, and there's just other things, like more and more and more. But in my mind, all that I had in my mind is like, it's the last thing. Come on. Just get it done. Just get it done. Knock it out of a party any way possible, any way possible.

And even in the beginning of the match, when, because it was the thing about the slap, right? I guess that was like the thing that set the tone for everybody. Like, oh, my gosh, something's going on here. That, we went over that a million thousand times, a million thousand times. He knew it was part of the match, right? Then, so right, so after I do it, after, she forgets what comes after. and but I had no choice but to nudge her face,

then that's when the shoot, I felt the shoot stuff. And the whole, I've trained MMA as well, so you can't prove that on me. Number one, again, it's disrespectful because I'm a vet. Number two, I'm the last one you want to try to do that with. Please, come on. But I just didn't want to allow that negative or unprofessional side. all I was focusing on is to not allow that for me to be pulled into that.

And I felt like she tried and tried and tried and tried and tried and tried. And then I feel like I did a pretty okay job in not allowing her to pull me into that unprofessionalism or negativity or whatever. Because I did not retaliate. More importantly, I was already signed. So why would I even do that? But that's the crazy part on how it all, I did everything possible to not be pulled into that negative way. But somehow I was made into the bad guy.

So there's really nothing that can be done about that. That is pretty much ancient history now. But I feel like that would be a definite total different issue aside from. the bigger issue for me, which is the misunderstanding in terms of clearly you, clearly you weren't understanding what type of tool or asset I was to you as a female veteran. And not just me, but the other, because not long after I was let go, I see that happen with another veteran that was there. Like with another girl.

I don't know, they didn't make that big of a deal with that match, but it happened again shortly after I left. And even while I was there, she pulled another thing after the match with a Diamante where she hurt her jaw. Nobody talked about that. Nobody made a big deal about that. Nobody nothing.

So it's like, it's clearly a problem beyond just that one purpose. The United States Soccer Federation present the U.S. soccer podcast. My name is David Goss, and I'm joined by my co-host, Megan Clemenberg. And now we're giving people an insight look at the World Cup.

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Follow and listen on your favorite platform. Do you think that there's like something you need to do to like repair your reputation? Because people online definitely feel a certain way. about you. Yeah. And honestly, as always, I feel like the only way that I could handle that, kind of like how I've always handled it, but I tried to be very careful from when that happened. Like I said, I didn't do many interviews, number one for myself because of the healing process that I was doing for myself from the trauma. But also to not give them ammunition.

But I feel like it's almost there will all, like no matter what I do or don't do, whoever wants to do that is going to do that regardless. So I can't control them. I can only control me. So that's why in my mind is I'm not going to act like they don't exist. so I will be careful a little bit to a degree to not give them ammunition. But at the same time, like not allow them to impact what my goals are, what I stand for, what my purpose is, and, you know, just who I am in general and what I want to contribute to women's wrestling. And that's pretty much what I've been doing and what I'm doing and what I plan to keep doing,

to continue and utterly be myself and continue to stand for what I've always. always stood for to keep fighting for it, regardless of that. So what's next? I mean, where do you point? What direction do you point yourself in now? Well, obviously, I just got to keep making as much. I have the Indies. That's the floor that I've had when I, when I'm not in major companies, I'm in the

Indies. So that's pretty much like how it is for anybody. Just continue to do as much as possible in the Indies. like the biggest component to why I haven't been in major company, like long enough to create meaningful impact, again, is because I refuse to succumb to politics and all the negativity that comes with it. So I'm okay just doing that in the Indies,

and as much as possible. That way I don't get driven insane. you know, while I'm over here, you know, trying to give myself to a good cause, and that is to be whatever possible to improve anything and everything regarding women's wrestling. Well, if you said, you know, you didn't ever envision yourself wrestling after 40, what does life look like after that? Do you think about life after wrestling?

Like, my body does not like it right now. Yeah, wrestling is not a natural thing for any human to be doing. Exactly. And, yeah, my body, my body has. complaints quite a quite a few times and it still is but again I've I've been entirely committed to everything surrounding this um so I've been very committed to try to stay as healthy as possible as as well and even including like I I will uh I've adjusted my my wrestling style as well for that as well um and stuff like that so like um yeah I'm just so what's

What's after wrestling? Have you thought about that? I, yes, no. I mean, I have, but remember, like, it's changed so many times throughout my life, because again, I hit rock, rock bottom and lose everything. I've lost it a bunch of times and have to restart over again from ground up so many times that I've had to adjust that as well, like, in a realistic sense, I mean. You know what I mean? So I'm still in that process of creating that realistic future of what now. So I'm still coming out of that bottom trying to create that reality future there of what is outside of residence.

But it definitely still like I'm not, I'm never going to like completely and utterly walk away away. Like I can't like this is like I can't say it's all I know, but it's mostly what I know. It's what's your great at. Thank you. But, like, I will still, even after I, I stop wrestling or whatever, I still would want to continue helping female or women's wrestling somehow, some way, whether it be training, whether it be mentoring, whether it be anything, even if I don't get anything out of it, whatever.

Like, I know for a fact that that's always part of it. Yeah. And, yeah, so thank God. I have a foundation now. with, you know, being the face of a couple of women's division of women's companies in the independent wrestling, but still, it's still impactful, it's still influential, and I just want to keep just contributing in every way, you know, towards the female talent and also, you know, performances and things like that, just in every way. What do you think's been the biggest thing that's helped you get through what you've been going through this year? I would say honestly

sometimes I struggle to answer that question for myself. I'm not going to lie because again I'm a human being like everybody else but like I said a big part of that falls under just wanting to see those changes for women's wrestling

that's the first thing that ever motivated me to actually make that commitment to get into professional wrestling was, you know, back on the beginning when I saw Lita and Trish main event for Raw and I'm like, whoa, I want to, I want to keep seeing all those changes that happen all the way, you know, to like where it's not, not equal in the sense, like, just equal in the sense of like the respect that they get for the work they put in. That's the equal part that I say to get credibility and respect that comes. with the work you put in, regardless of gender.

So that is a main, a massive, motivated for me. And in a personal sense, I don't know, because like you said earlier, wrestling has been as much of an escape for me. sometimes I realize that and then I forget, but like it kind of was a little bit of a It almost sounds like wrestling is both the cause and also escape from all of your problems. Yeah. Like it causes a lot of issues and then it's also the escape from those issues. But it's also, yeah.

It's an escape from my personal. Sure. It's like this double-edged sword. Yeah. But, um. which is why sometimes it or I mean sometimes would be like at that time where it felt completely hopeless

because if I can't go either way for an escape then that's when like I was going to lose my mind but thank God too a big factor as well which I would say would be the third major factor too is throughout all my life I've tried to educate myself a lot in psychology and things that are self self-help stuff for managing traumatic experiences, et cetera, and stuff like that.

And of course, absolutely no one is perfect. Of course. But I've tried as much as possible with the best intent for myself and for others to use as many psychology techniques as possible for myself, for my own sanity, for my own, you know, pushing forward for everything and sometimes even to try to help others well, but there's a lot about me as a person that nobody, like, no. Yeah, I feel like we don't, I don't know if we really know you the person. We know you the character.

Yeah, exactly. Are you cave-fabing us all the time? Uh, no. I feel like that's a major thing or I feel like that's a major reason. reason too why people take the easy route to just think, oh, that's I Belize, the character. Like 99.9% of the time what I present to the world is Ivelis La Cicaria. It's not me. I believe, Vales.

I guess the most human part that I've shown the world lately is Ares, my dog. That's been like the first step towards showing my who he belies is really as a person. And like it was really hard. And that's actually like something I worked very hard at when I, I was in AEW, which like to open up myself like that as well. That was the first time ever in my career and in my life that I felt that I was actually beginning to open up as a person, was in AEW. And that's why I guess was another reason why it hurt bad because like that was another

part as well because I like trusted myself enough to open up. But then that it almost felt like all for nothing as well. Like a lot of it felt all for a lot. At that moment, a lot felt all for nothing. But all I had to do was apply everything that I've like, you know, studied and everything. Like it was hard, but to apply all the psychological techniques and everything to change my perspective.

Once that perspective changes, then it's just a lot easier to move forward in a better, in a better, like, Well, it sounds like you're in a better headspace now than you might have been three or four months ago. Yes. Which is exactly why we're having this conversation right now. Yes. Do you have, like, what goals do you have for yourself as we close out the year?

Hopefully I can add a little bit more to that gold mine collection I got. That's in a career sense, I would say, because I have no idea. what's going to happen in a major company career. So that's why I just got to keep focusing, seeing what the cars I have dealt with what I've done my whole life. So the cars I have dealt right now is indie. So I'm just going to, again, continue to try and strive to keep pushing forward with that is wherever the limits are.

And hopefully next year, there'll be better payoffs. Well, you've been in major companies, like you mentioned. Do you think the door is still open at any of these? I mean, I guess, you know, in pro wrestling, you can never say never. It's kind of like when I hear someone say they're retiring, I'm like, no, you're not. No one retires in wrestling. Exactly. So that's why I guess you can never say never in wrestling.

But my 1,000% focus outside of, you know, pro wrestling is to stay as healthy as I possibly can mentally and emotionally so that whenever something does come along, I am ready for it. What is one thing about Ivelace, the person, not the wrestler, that we don't know? I don't know. I'm trying to... You're like, there's so many. Which one should I tell them? Yeah, there's too much to pull from, so maybe... maybe be specific. Then I like that.

Well, I think, I mean, I've met you many times. I think you're a lot sweeter in person than anyone gives you credit for. Exactly. You are. You are. And I feel like, you know, maybe there's like this pent-up frustration, like you're fighting this battle all the time. But when you strip that all away, you are very nice and sweet. Yeah.

Well, there you go. There's one. Maybe like, maybe unclench your fists sometimes, you know? No, but like, um, like, um, you're nice and sweet. A lot of the, since that's what you touched on, I'll touch on that on my feet from that. All of it has to do with a person's demeanor towards me. You've always been nice, respectful. I've never felt anything negative from you whatsoever.

So that automatically, like, what reason do I have to be like, you know, negative or anything towards you? I don't. But obviously, if someone in front of me has the audacity to belittle me or disrespect me or whatever, then obviously they're not going to see the sweet side no more. So that's just it. There's really no more to it. Or and not just me, but I'm very, like, protective. I mean, obviously, if I'm very self-protective, then obviously I will be very protective with people I care about.

So I also do that people I care about as well. If someone does something, like, bad to someone I care about, I'm going to. to defend them as well. So it's like, there's no more two, those two components about me. That's it. Well, I'm, I put it out into the world so that everybody knows. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Is there anything else that you want to add in? Uh, whoa. Oh, yeah, shine. This month. We mentioned a little bit, but yeah, please. Yeah, uh, this month. This month, then I, uh, this month, then I, uh, This September, actually, it's not even September.

It'll be September when this comes out. When this comes out. Okay. So September, not only is it my birthday month. Happy early birthday. But it's also, yeah, it's also the month that I turn 18 years before wrestling. And in September 19th, it's Shine, a sign 68, I believe. And I will be wrestling.

Allison K in a steel K's match for the Shine Women's Championship and I think that October is when I have I'm not sure if it will be the last shot but it'll be another shot maybe the last shot but another shot to maybe possibly add to the collection to the gold mine I'm calling it the gold mine

So we'll see what happens. Let's see how I can close up 2021, despite all the sabotage, et cetera, and things like that. I hope that this inspires other people as well to know that even when you're having a lot of adversity to push through and you can still finish strong, regardless of whatever, whether it be internal or external to be able to push through.

Well, you are not the thing. that happened to you. I think that's so important for everybody to realize. You are not the things that happened to you. And you can control only how you want to react to the things that are happening around. You have no control over what actually happens. Correct. I end every interview talking about gratitude. You see it behind me here. Be great. Be grateful. What are three things in your life that you are grateful for right now? And this is something that I've been saying and repeating almost every day since, like, throughout the entire year, I'm grateful for life, number one. And there's also a very massive reason why I say that.

So I feel like I cannot stress enough of the importance of that first one that people take for granted so much. So number one, grateful for life. Because a lot of people get that taken away from them. And a lot of people think there's no solution to their problems and they think that taking that will just end it or end the pain. So number one, grateful for life. I'm grateful for health. Number two, without health, I can't do anything. And that's mental or physical.

Without that, we can't do anything. And number three, I'm going to say, and these are things that are outside of me, now looking at. outside of me. I'm very grateful for the support that I didn't even knew existed that has been coming out throughout all this madness that's happened. The support that has come out from other people, like, you know, whether it be promoters or other wrestlers or anything like that, that I didn't even know existed. I'm incredibly grateful for that. And like just even you, like, you know, mentioning, hey, that's the lies. You've actually lost him from never giving me any. any grief or anything like that.

Like, that was so helpful. And I'm really grateful for that. I really think that there's a lot of things about you that might be misunderstood. And everybody has their own opinions of everybody. But I just think there's a lot of things that might be misunderstood. Yeah. And I feel like regardless of anything, like even if I perceive something from somebody else, Like, that does not give me a right to disrespect them to put them down, et cetera.

Like, that's just your opinion. That's just your perspective. There's a thousand different perspectives given whatever information it has, et cetera. And even if so, let's say if your perception of whatever you're seeing from somebody or from a situation, maybe it is correct. Still, you have no right to demean disrespect, et cetera, or try to, you know, go on a rampage or trying to tear their name down. et cetera or whatever or ridicule them or whatever anything like that there's no right you have no right to do that to absolutely anybody much less people you don't know you don't know in full situations of or anything like that you just do not have the right to do any of that um is also my opinion as well

and also maybe it was a misunderstanding of perceptions of multiple people so like that doesn't help uh you know when people go on a on a on a ramp page it doesn't help the situation or or the people involved to be able to to to um to explore how that was a misunderstanding it just probably they did perceive things incorrectly it ended up in a in a problem a negative thing that happened but it still was a misunderstanding the intent may not have even been there so it just it just sucks i'm a i'm a big believer of oh it's just the misconduct, even people who have disrespected me in a way, like,

in my face, yelling a thing. Like, I have gone through, like, crazy things. And even that, I'll be like, I'm still open to hearing if that person, like, what caused this? To find

the solution to the problem, what caused that? Why did that happen? Find a way to talk. The whole point and goal is to find a way to move away from that, to make sure it doesn't happen again, period. That's it. Whatever it is, whatever it is to find a way to make sure it doesn't happen again, period. Well, look, I'm looking forward to what's next for you. All this is behind us. All this is behind us. So I'm excited to see what's next for you.

Yes. I'm excited to. Thank you so much for this. Thank you. Thank you, Chris, for having it. Well, there we go. Evil-Ease really hasn't done a lot of interviews this year. So a big, big thank you to her for opening up to us in this one. And thank you to you for opening up your ear holes to this conversation. Take a screenshot, share it on social media so we know that you're on this ride with us. Tag us so we can share it as well. Evalise is at Evalise Veles on Instagram, on Twitter. She's at Real Evalise. And you can find me. It's just my name at Chris Van Vleet. And please take a second to subscribe and also rate and review the show if you happen to be listening on Apple Podcast.

I know you've heard me talk about it a lot, yet reviews are super duper important. And yes, I just said super duper. But if you are listening on Apple Podcasts and you haven't left a review yet, please take a few seconds today. Leave a few words or a few emojis on there. It would be so incredibly greatly appreciated. I'll leave you with this from George Washington Carver. What a quote this is. When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention.

of the world. Be great. Be grateful. We'll see you on the next one for some more insight. Woo! Jim Rome takes on sports. Why? Because I have a job to do. With rapid fire takes. So I don't want to hear from you lava pigs on this notion today. No idea what you're talking about. You're complaining more than you like to breathe air. It's like you get up in the morning only to complain and cry and moan on social media about things that you don't even understand. He's the spitfire of sports smack. Take advantage of it, get up in here.

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