Red Velvet understands that she is the underdog when compared to Jade Cargill, but cannot wait to see whether Jade can back up her mouth.
AEW star Red Velvet was on a recent episode of the AEW Unrestricted podcast with Aubrey Edwards and Tony Schiavone talking about her upcoming tag match with Cody Rhodes against Shaq and Jade Cargill on this week’s AEW Dynamite.
Velvet (real name Stephanie M. Cardona) knows the challenge that awaits her, revealing that training is going very well and she’s preparing to go ‘against the odds’ in matching up against Jade.
Of course, in-ring training, just keep my cardio going, and mentally, I’m trying to get myself ready because it was a big thing to not let myself get caught up in how big this match is going to be, or who’s in the match or how much attention the match is going to get.
So I’m trying to really just mentally disconnect from all of that and just focus on the task at hand, and that’s to put all that anger that I have built up towards Jade in the ring to get that win and make a huge huge statement because the majority of the world is already thinking that I’m at a disadvantage due to the height, but that’s always the case with me.
I think I’m very underrated and always, I don’t want to say take it for granted, but I’m always the underdog. That just makes the story better and the comeback better. So just trying to get myself all prepped up. She’s a great athlete, body is impeccable. So that’s the first thing people see, and they’re like, ‘Oh, you don’t stand a chance,’ but I’ll show them what I’m really about.
Brandi Rhodes was meant to be taking part, but after she and Cody revealed that Brandi was pregnant Red Velvet stepped up. She talks about her reaction to replacing Brandi and wanting to finally shut Jade up for her recent outbursts.
When I first found out about it, I was definitely stoked because this is the biggest match, up to date, of my career. So that was an excitement. I was definitely grateful for the opportunity. They say when one door closes, one’s open and then Brandi stepping into the beautiful journey of motherhood.
So I think it was only right for me to step in and have her back because I just kind of was over the bullying, how they were getting on her because she was pregnant and the attacking, and then they attacked me.
I just wasn’t going to stay quiet about it. I’m excited, and I’m excited to finally shut Jade up because all I’ve seen her do is run her mouth. I’m kind of excited to see if she’s really going to throw down in the ring or what she’s about.
Aubrey and Tony were curious where she got her unique name, interestingly it turns out it was by cutting promos at a friends house that she landed on the idea of ‘Red Velvet’.
In college, I had, I guess, my first life changing relationship, put my life upside down [and] changed my life. It changed me as a person forever. I went through this stage where I just dyed my hair super, like how your hat is, red, and I said, I’m like getting rid of everything in the past.
I’m a new person, and I had this red hair. My friends would always say that was my alter ego. They were like, ‘Oh, when Velvet switches mode, she’s like red violet.’ So they were just calling me ‘Red Violet’, and then there was a show that came up asking for wrestlers. Anyone can do it and I had to cut a promo.
So I went to my friends house, and I was like, alright, I’m gonna cut a promo. I’m gonna be a wrestler, and he said ‘Well, what’s your wrestling name?’ He’s a huge wrestling fan. I’m like, ‘Oh, Red Violet,’ and he’s like, ‘Ew, that’s not good.’ I have nothing. That’s my alter ego.
He’s like, ‘Well, you’re small, petite, spicy. You’re very elegant in the way you do things. Your hair’s super red. Your skin’s beautiful chocolate. I don’t know you kind of remind me of a red velvet cake,’ and I was like, alright, let’s just wing it. Let’s use it.
So in the beginning, it was more of just a comparison that he said that I was. Then velvet, the fabric as well. So I started really putting my thought into it. Then it just kind of flowed.
You can see how Red Velvet gets on alongside Cody this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, all the build-up of which you can follow with us at Inside The Ropes.
Credit AEW Unrestricted & h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.