By Canadian Press

Toronto’s Taylor Wilde finds her authentic self in an Impact Wrestling ring

Jan 12, 2023 | 4:01 AM

TORONTO — It took a nearly decade-long absence from professional wrestling for Taylor Wilde to find herself. Now she’s back in the squared circle as her most authentic self.

The Toronto native is facing Deonna Purrazzo, Killer Kelly and Masha Slamovich on Friday in a four-way match to determine the No. 1 contender for the Impact Knockouts World Championship. Josh Alexander of Bolton, Ont., will defend the Impact World Championship in the main event of the Hard to Kill pay-per-view.

Wilde said that she has a deeper connection with the fans since returning to Impact Wrestling in 2021 because she gained much-needed perspective on who she is.

“I’ll be 37 at the end of this month. I’ve been a full-time firefighter for nine years. I’ve collected a few divorces. I’ve had a child, so I know who I am now,” said Wilde. “I get to bring that to this larger-than-life audience and stage and platform.

“That’s what makes a successful wrestler: being you turned up to 11.”

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In Wilde’s case, that means ditching her presentation as a squeaky clean all-American Canadian — “which was very confusing” laughed Wilde — and embracing a darker, witchlike persona. Not a hero but not quite a villain, she said that being the so-called Wilde Witch or the People’s Witch has helped her forge a stronger connection with fans.

“Anyone that follows my social media, that knows me as a person, knows that this is who I am,” said Wilde. “This is not a gimmick. This is me turned up to 1,000.

“My 14-year-old self is so proud of me for watching ‘The Craft’ one too many times and being the cool goth girl I always wanted to be.”

Wilde caught her first big break in 2006 when, at the age of 20, she was hired by World Wrestling Entertainment to perform in their developmental territories. She was released from WWE in 2007 and joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling within the year. She worked for that promotion for four years before retiring from competition in early 2011.

When she decided to dust off her wrestling boots Wilde said there was never any doubt that she would return to Impact Wrestling, the new name of Total Nonstop Action. She made her return at the Rebellion PPV on April 25, 2021.

“I’ve always had my loyalty to Impact because the women’s division has always brought something a little different,” said Wilde. “They’re always pushing a diverse lineup and it’s not just aesthetic, it’s a high calibre of wrestling.”

The winner of the four-way match between Wilde, Purrazzo, Killer Kelly and Slamovich will face either Jordynne Grace, the current champion, or the legendary Mickie James. Grace and James are wrestling on the Hard to Kill card in a title vs. career match.

“Bring it. I’m up for all of it,” said Wilde when asked if she’d prefer to face Grace or James. “I think every match that I have in this new character is going to continue the character development and give the fans a little something extra so every opponent is just another notch in my belt.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 12, 2023.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press