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IMPACT Wrestling legend Gail Kim on why Tessa Blanchard is "the future"

Posted: Jan 6th 2019 By: Tony Quant

IMPACT Wrestling legend Gail Kim promises to be impartial when she referees Tessa Blanchard's title clash with Taya Valkyrie at Homecoming.

Kim, 41, will return to the ring for the first time since her retirement to officiate Blanchard's defence of the Knockouts Championship against her fierce rival.

The seven-time Knockouts Champion hung up her boots in July 2017 and has since worked behind the scenes at IMPACT as a producer and agent.

But the IMPACT Hall of Famer was thrust into this match-up after stopping Blanchard from choking the life out of a referee on an episode of IMPACT on November 29 last year.

The two nearly came to blows, before the 'Queen of Lucha Libre' Valkyrie intervened with a huge spear to send the third generation wrestling star Tessa packing.

Kim, from Ontario, Canada, spoke exclusively with Mirror Sport's Tony Quant about her upcoming role, thoughts on the two title rivals, the Knockouts division going forward and her memories of 'Mean' Gene Okerlund.

This Sunday at Homecoming you have a unique role as special guest referee. How do you prepare to referee a match and is it something you've done before?

I've been told in the past that I'm a terrible referee! The first guy who trained me, Ron Hutchinson, had me referee a match and when I got to the back he said "you are a terrible referee" and it always stuck with me. But I hope by now I would have got a little better! Any time I have refereed, I have way more respect for these guys who do it. Obviously as a wrestler you have a natural instinct in the ring, but as a referee you mostly have to stand out of the way and in this match I will call things fairly and down the line.

When the announcement was made that you would be the special guest referee, IMPACT Knockouts Champion Tessa Blanchard wasn't best pleased. How difficult will it be to remain impartial if she gets in your face?

I don't think it's going to be difficult at all. I feel grounded and feel like, hey, I was a wrestler once too. I don't feel intimidated by her. I feel really fair about it and everyone knows how invested I am in the Knockouts division and bringing it to another level. I want to continue with how well the girls are doing and being the backbone of it. I feel like the girls have a level of respect for me and hopefully Tessa will have it that day. I'm really looking forward to the match to be honest, their previous two matches have been unbelievable.

Looking at the two competitors, what are your impressions of both Blanchard and Taya Valkyrie?

Taya was the first one on my radar and as a fellow Canadian you have that connection. She was trained by Lance Storm and everyone that has come out of his school has been outstanding and all of them have the potential to succeed. Taya really impressed me and I got to work with her and it was really easy, we had great chemistry. Since she has come back and worked at IMPACT, she has a new attitude and I love this new Taya. In terms of Tessa, it's so funny because I had never seen her work until shortly before she came to IMPACT. I had heard a lot about her and other females had told me how great she was. I didn't know until she performed in front of me at IMPACT. This girl is the future, she reminded me in a lot of ways of me. She has a passion to be the best and to do the best for women’s wrestling. You can see it and as long as her attitude stays in check, she will make it. She will be the best in the future.

With Tessa and Taya at the top of the division, what other names do you feel will be key in driving the Knockout division forward in the coming years?

Well I don’t even think we have seen the peak of Tessa, at all. Jordynne Grace, she is really young and we saw her at ALL IN competing with some of the guys. In fact all of the girls that were part of the show were great. With Jordynne she is quite impressive and she will find her comfort zone soon and build her confidence. I have seen some great international talent also. In Mexico, Keyra who wrestled Tessa, it was a short match but from what little we saw from her, she was impressive. Shotzi Blackheart is another name from the independents, she did a stint on IMPACT, but then she got injured. I love hearing from fans about other girls on the independents. Lots of female are becoming fans and wanting to become wrestlers which is great. When I started there was me and two other girls to train with. It is a great time for women in the future.

We've seen other promotions host shows headlined by women and some even put on all women’s pay-per-views. How far away realistically do you feel IMPACT is before we see the Knockout division headlining shows?

IMPACT had women in the main event in the past quite frequently, I have been trying to tell people that we are in the stage of rebuilding. Literally when I retired, I felt like a stranger in the locker room because they had recruited a whole new generation of Knockouts. It is happening and we are seeing some great potential talent. I feel like it is all coming together.

You talk about being a stranger in the locker room. Lots of things have been changing at IMPACT over the last 12 to 18 months. What do you make of the current product and what is the vibe like backstage?

I have seen this company go through so many ups and downs where fans were for years saying stuff like "oh they are done, they are over", I have heard it for years. You kind of just look straight ahead and be positive. We are past the point where people were leaving and now we have found that stride I believe. I must admit once Sonjay [Dutt], Scott [D'Amore], Don [Callis] and that set-up came together, I am not going to lie, I was a bit worried. I have always been a believer in one true leader, but I have to say, the team effort has really been successful. Everyone has such a positive outlook and everyone wants IMPACT to succeed as a whole. It’s happening, you just have to give it time.

We recently had to say goodbye to the legendary wrestling interviewer 'Mean' Gene Okerlund. Do you have any nice stories of thoughts on any interactions you had with him?

It's so nice that everyone was saying the same thing about him and that was that he was always a pleasure to be around. He was just so fun and approachable and kind and classy, I have so many positive things to say. I truly think everyone's heart was broken when the news was announced. There will never ever be anyone like him - ever. He truly is irreplaceable and has left such an impression on everyone. It was certainly an emotional day when he passed.

IMPACT Wrestling Homecoming will be shown live on Fite.tv . Fans in the UK can watch the show, at 1am on Monday, January 7, for $19.99 (around £16).