King Silva
King of Kings
Number of posts : 32652
Age : 34
Location : Sacramento, California
Favorite WWE Wrestler : ---
Current and Former:
The Rock, JoMo, Ziggler, Edge, Orton, Y2J, Hardyz, + Rhodes!
Favorite WWE Diva : -------
ALL TIME
# 1} Lita
# 2} Trish Stratus
# 3} Mickie James
# 4} Gail Kim
# 5} Michelle McCool
Favorite TNA Wrestler : ----
Favorite TNA Knockout : ---
Registration date : 2009-09-30
 |  Subject: Saraya Knight Talks About FCW Diva Paige’s Transition to the US, Working for WWE etc Sat 14 Jul 2012, 5:41 pm | |
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http://www.tvchoicemagazine.co.uk/interviewextra/julia-knight-wrestlers-fighting-my-family
Together with her husband, Rowdy Ricky Knight, Julia Knight runs the World Association of Wrestling from the outskirts of Norwich. They both wrestle, and three of their four children also follow in the family tradition — their eldest gave it up as a teenager and is now a beautician. In this one-off documentary, viewers follow the ups and downs as youngest children Zak, 21 and 19-year-old Saraya-Jade try to get into the American entertainment industry, via the huge WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment)…
What do you think the public’s perception of wrestling is?
Wrestling has moved on from the Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks era of fat men in Lycra. It’s now gone full circle with what we call, ‘new school wave’, which means that the technique and the style has changed over the last 10 years and it’s attracting a different crowd. The 18-30s dominate now and full combat has come back in. If you’re not into wrestling, you still think of fat men in tights and that it’s all fake. Unless you come to see it, it’s a strong perception to have. But nine times out of 10, it’s the wrong one. I’ve broken most things in my body and I can guarantee you that it b****y hurts!
It’s interesting that you mention fakery, because we see you all working really hard in the program…
We do. We take it back to its pure form of short arm combat. Wrestling is about fighting against the joint, and anything that bends, we can take it down. It’s not about running the ropes and jumping off things and defying gravity. People come and see us and say, ‘Oh my God, I thought it was fake. How did you do this and how did you do that?’
My husband says that we’re sporting illusionists. But there’s no way of saying that the moves that we do are put on, because one move the wrong way and things are broken, pulled or torn. We hurt. It’s a difficult sport to be in, but it’s such an adrenaline rush. Only wrestling and ballet uses acting skills, facial skills, complete body language, as well as every muscle and movement a body can make. We’re the only ones to create a story with our bodies. There’s no other sport that does that.
How did you get involved in wrestling?
When I was 18, I was working at Pontins, and in walked this really muscular, and quite fit wrestler. They say there’s no such thing as love at first sight, but I wanted to rip his clothes off and jump on him as soon I saw him!
And that was nothing to do with wrestling?!
Nothing to do with it! It was quite a surreal experience for me to see a complete stranger and feel that I knew everything about him. He felt the same way about me and, six weeks later, he asked me to marry him. But he was traveling and it tore me apart to be away from him. So I became a wrestler, and I’ve never looked back. The kids have got the same kind of bug that we got out of it. It’s awesome to have them follow you in your own profession and to be so good at it as well. My husband has created such a dynasty of talent, and he’ll leave such a legacy in this business when he retires.
In the program, we watch your children Zak and Saraya try out for WWE. While it’s Zak who seems to want it more, it’s Saraya who gets in…
It broke his heart, but he was so proud of Saraya. Zak has always wanted to be a wrestler. He used to throw himself out of his cot at seven months and at nine months old, he was dropping elbows onto his dad. I felt Zak’s devastation that he didn’t make it. But they’ve told him there’s a place for him, so when he tries again in November (2012) he’s got as much chance as his sister. He was crushed, but he’s back on the circuit now and his heart is back in it, and he can’t wait. He and Saraya are so close. They talk on Skype every day. I thought Saraya going to Florida would break up the family unit, but it’s made us stronger and prouder. We feel like we’re walking on air. Zak and his brother Roy are only a short step away.
Roy says in the program that his dream of going to Florida was halted because he has a criminal record.
As far as we know, there isn't really an issue if you’re talented. If you can bring money into the country, there are no boundaries and if you’ve got a dream, there are no boundaries.
We see you waving Saraya off at the airport and it’s very emotional…
I haven’t seen it yet! I’ll probably end up crying all the way through it when I watch it. I remember howling like a banshee. Even talking about it now, my throat is constricting a bit. As a mum, I want to put her in a little box and wrap her up and protect her. But that wouldn’t allow her to be herself. This is her life now and I’ve done the hard bit. I’ve got her here safely and now it’s down to her to make her own mistakes. But I don’t think this is going to be a mistake. I think this is going to be the making of her.
And how is she getting on over there, because she was very homesick when she first arrived wasn't she?
Oh she was unbelievably homesick. We were getting around 16 or 17 phone calls a day. And I remember saying to her that I’d send money over and she could buy a ticket home. But she had friends going over to see her and then I was going over, and then it was Wrestlemania. So as much as she was homesick and wanted to come home, she was defiant and stubborn enough to say, ‘No, I only get one shot and I’m not going to come home and sit there regretting it because of homesickness.’ Within a month, she was sending us emails about how happy she was. She sent a beautiful email the other day and the whole family sat and cried. She said that she can’t believe at 19, she’s living her dream, which we made possible for her.
You can see how proud you are of her when you’re watching her first fight on TV…
That was so strange. She’s our little girl, our little princess. But now we’re seeing her transform from a teenager into a young woman. It’s amazing. Your stomach goes, your heart pounds and your head goes dizzy. Pride is such an amazing thing. She doesn’t belong to her dad and I anymore, she now belongs to the world. They’d better treat her right. She’s an amazing, amazing girl, and a b****y good wrestler, too. But they’re all great kids.
The WWE gave her a new name, didn’t they?
Yes. Her birth name is Saraya-Jade, and then we named her Britani Knight, which is an anagram of the word Britain, which we thought would be a good fighting name for her. But they wanted to put their stamp on her, so they named her Paige.
Where do you think the family will be in five years time?
I don’t think the Knight family will ever be forgotten. My husband always says we’re like Marmite — you either love us, or hate us. But I can see big things for this family. I’m hoping that our children will all find their niche in life and that they get enough money to make choices in life. Money doesn’t make you happy, but it just gives you a choice on what you want to do in life.
I hope the Knight name is never forgotten, and that the legacy will always be there. I’d love it if something came out of this documentary. Who wouldn’t like a series out of it and for my children to become household names? This is probably the biggest break the family could have, but it’s been a long time coming. People may not like the way we speak, or the way we act, but no one can take away the fact that our family has got values and that we genuinely love each other, and we’re genuinely close. We’d die for each other. We’ve brought the children up with morals and respect, and trust and honesty. They are the most amazing gifts you can give to a child.
Channel 4, Wednesday
Elaine Penn | |
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