Gail Kim Feels WWE Is Trying to Create a Monopoly
Gail Kim spoke with the Wrestling Inc podcast for a new interview discussing the Knockouts Division, Impact’s move to Pursuit Channel and more. Highlights are below:
On the Knockouts division moving in a “sexier” direction: “I know people are going to be surprised to hear me say this because they think I’m such an advocate for women’s wrestling… But I truly believe that the best time in wrestling, for me, was when I first got into WWE and they had a strong women’s division and they also had girls who strengths weren’t in the ring and were more for entertainment. I think that giving that balance to fans is the most successful formula that you can have because you get a little bit of everything to everyone. So I don’t disagree with [Callis saying the division will move that way]. I think there’s room for everything.”
On Scarlett Bordeaux: “I think the fans are reacting in a positive way to Scarlett because she’s the one girl that really stands out because she’s not part of the Knockouts roster in terms of the wrestling division. But she’s still a prominent character on the show. She can wrestle, but that’s not her role for now and it’s good to give her a little bit of diversity.”
On the new regime in Impact: “I love it. I’ve seen this company go through so many ups and downs that I’m never really worried even when fans think we’re going out of business. So, my concern was I always felt that, is there supposed to be one leader? In my mind I thought, ‘What’s going to happen when we have four leaders? Five leaders?’…It really has been a family again and everyone gelling. No egos. No power struggle. Just people wanting to make this product great.”
On the company’s move to Pursuit Channel: “I think that’s the only downfall [with the move] – to find us. In terms of us with the company, nothing’s going to change and we’re just gonna keep doing what we’re doing which is turning the product around and entertaining fans. Hopefully we’ll add some more talent this year and everyone we’ve added so far has been great.”
On fan negativity toward Impact: “At one point, it was just all so negative where everyone just wanted to hate us. As a performer, I was like why is everyone being so negative? It’s nice to hear mostly, if not all, positive [reactions] and everyone is appreciating our efforts.”
On WWE’s approach to bolstering its women’s division: “WWE is basically scooping up all the talent and making it really difficult. They say they want competition and like competition, but I don’t believe that. They are trying to make this a monopoly…I don’t think that’s proven to be a successful formula. You should let people do it the old school way and let everyone chase after their dreams and give them good-money contracts instead of giving 50 low-money contracts. I think this way they’re doing it is not great for the talent out there.”