Facts About Jade Cargill Only Hardcore Fans Know
Jade Cargill made a huge splash in AEW by becoming the first ever TBS Champion, while holding on to an undefeated streak spanning a wide range of opponents. Cargill seemingly came out of nowhere, as her formal wrestling training before appearing on AEW lasted a little less than a year. Jade had more of a fitness/athlete background than a wrestling background when she entered the professional wrestling scene. Since then, Jade Cargill has become a dominant and flashy champion on weekly AEW television and has shown great improvement in her character both on the microphone and in the ring.
Cargill keeps a pretty low profile outside the wrestling spotlight and likes to keep her professional and personal life as separate as she can. However, over the years, Jade has come out of her shell a bit and has begun to pull back the curtain of all the work she has put into her character. It is not often that a wrestler can achieve a low profile in their personal life, but since Jade does this so well, there are many lesser known facts about the first ever TBS Champion.
Jade was a basketball player in both high school and college
Jade attended both Sebastian River High School and later, Vero Beach High School, where she played on the basketball teams of both schools. She helped both high school teams secure a spot in the basketball district championships and was named MVP as a senior at Vero Beach High School.
Jade didn't stop there, she continued to play basketball during her studies at Jacksonville University. As a first year student, she received honors for Team MVP and "Freshman of the Year." This early success helped her build the confidence to continue with basketball for her entire college career. By her senior year, Cargill was named the Atlantic Sun Preseason First Team. With all of her success in basketball throughout her high school and college career, it was very poetic that Jade Cargill had her debut match years later alongside NBA Hall of Famer, Shaquille O'Neal.
Brandon Phillips and Jade Cargill have a daughter together
Jade Cargill likes to keep her personal life private, but that can be hard to do as a professional wrestler. It is even harder when your partner is former Major League Baseball Player, Brandon Phillips. Phillips has made his rounds on a few different MLB teams during his career, but he is most known for being the second basemen for the Cincinnati Reds between 2006 and 2016. Cargill and Phillips have been together for over five years.
Phillips and Cargill share a daughter, Bailey Quinn. Bailey was seen on AEW "Dynamite" right after Jade won the TBS Championship. Jade had an interview with TV Insider and talked about what it was like to have her daughter by her side, through her training, and in the crowd for her big championship win: "She gave me pep talks, and we cut promos with one another. Just having my daughter there inspires me a lot because I'm here for the next generation." Jade went on to say that she is very open to the idea of her daughter pursuing wrestling in the future and she wants her to feel empowered to enter an industry like professional wrestling.
Jade Cargill has a Master's Degree in Child Psychology
The higher education of wrestlers can vary based on the route they took to get into the business. Jade Cargill is one of the few full time wrestlers in the industry who holds a Master's Degree. Cargill started by getting her undergraduate degree in social science at Jacksonville University and continued her education from there. Not too long after, Jade pursued and achieved her Master's Degree in child psychology.
Shortly after graduating, Jade began putting her degree to use by working as a psychologist with children in Florida schools. However, in an interview with "The State of Florida Sports" podcast, Jade mentions that she wasn't "mentally mature" enough to be in the position that she was. She went to explain further, saying that when you work with children in that setting, you have to "take your heart out of your chest." Jade felt the emotional strain that working in the child psychology field can take on someone. At the same time, Jade was in talks with Mark Henry about getting herself into the wrestling business and she felt it was time for a change.
Jade was mentored by Mark Henry and trained by Heath Slater
After Jade Cargill realized that child psychology was not the path she envisioned it to be, she began to pursue professional wrestling along with the help of Mark Henry and former WWE wrestler Heath Slater. Finding a starting point can be tough in professional wrestling, but Mark Henry recommended that Jade checked out the Face 2 Face Wrestling School owned by Richard Borger and Slater.
In an episode of the "AEW Unrestricted" podcast, Jade said that Slater would come in a few times and help her train. Jade Cargill did not spend much time in the Face 2 Face wresting school before she moved on to the Nightmare Factory, where she would train more specifically for AEW. Despite a short training session at Face 2 Face, she credits both Heath and Henry for getting her fully prepared to not only join the AEW roster, but also her training sessions at the Nightmare Factory.
Jade turned down a WWE contract
Since 2019, wrestlers have to consider whether they feel their talents would be better used in AEW or WWE. For Jade Cargill, this was never a question. Jade went on an episode of "Talk is Jericho" and spoke about the opportunity that WWE presented her. She mentioned that, at first, WWE questioned her commitment to the industry. On the podcast, Jade mentioned that she was rich and didn't need wrestling, but she did it because she loved it. WWE read this attitude as not willing to go all in on their brand. Despite the hesitations, WWE still offered her a contract, but Jade was put off by one more thing.
The major red flag for Jade was the fact that they grilled her about having a daughter. WWE was concerned about how Jade would manage a young child and her wrestling career. Jade gave WWE many potential scenarios such as a 24-hour nanny or how her partner could watch her daughter. Regardless, Cargill felt like WWE didn't trust her right off the bat. Ultimately, Jade decided to sign with AEW, stating that, "It made me feel at ease about the decision I wanted to make. I didn't have to relocate, I felt at home." Obviously WWE was upset by Jade's choice, but she feels like she made the best possible move for herself and her family.
Jade Cargill's wrestling inspiration was Chyna
Jade Cargill is one of the most built and muscular female wrestlers on the circuit today. Cargill talked with Aubrey Edwards about it on an episode of the "AEW Unrestricted" podcast, saying that she always had a muscular frame. However, her muscular look always got her teased in school and other students would mention that she looked "like a man." Jade mentions that she looked up the Chyna in the 1990s because Chyna always embraced her look: "I remember growing up and watching Chyna and seeing how she just embodied, just loved how she looked, and it just did nothing but empower me and make me say, 'You know what? I look good.'"
Thanks to heroes like Chyna, instead of shying away from her body type, Jade Cargill leaned into it. The physique of Cargill is one of the major pieces of her character that gives her that "wow" factor to fans who may be tuning into AEW programming for the first time. Her commitment to her body image has also helped her go down different career avenues of fitness modeling and work out entrepreneurship.
Jade Cargill owns a workout based subscription company
Diamond Dallas Page was a trail blazer in taking his workout routines and yoga practices that he mastered while on the road, and helping others get in shape after his wrestling career came to an end. Jade Cargill started a business that is similar to what DDP has done, but Jade is in the prime of her career while she's doing it.
Cargill runs a business called "Jade Cargill Fitness" where clients can sign up for a workout subscription depending on what they want to work on with their fitness. Along with a fitness guide, each program includes a meal plan that accompanies your workout.
There are two major programs offered: "Jade's 8 Minute Abs" and "Move 30 Day HIIT." You can choose to purchase both of those subscriptions for a discounted price. Jade's goal with her fitness program is to guide her clients into a better physical and mental state in their lives. Jade uses her tenacious attitude in her advertising by motivating customers with the tagline, "You are not a product of your circumstances, you are a product of your decisions. Are you ready?!"
Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall has worked closely with Jade
After leaving wrestling school, Jade Cargill began to train hard for the AEW roster. When she became familiar with the ins and outs of AEW, Jade was assigned QT Marshall and Dustin Rhodes as coaches. Cargill credits QT and Dustin for making her debut so smooth. During her interview with the "AEW Unrestricted" podcast, she explained that they rehearsed the whole segment with her and made sure that everything was perfect before it happened. Cargill went on to explain that they made her instant exposure to the wrestling business "very relaxing."
Jade loved that Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall gave her different parts of what she needed to be ready for AEW television, "Dustin is all in when it comes to the women's division as well as QT. Dustin is very honest. If you are out there looking crazy, he will definitely tell you that you're out there looking crazy." Cargill admits that coming from an athletic background, she will take all the coaching she can get when it comes to the world of wrestling. Jade continues to use the advice of her coaches and mentors, improving her character on a weekly basis.
Shaquille O'Neal helped make Jade Cargill's debut a Big deal
Jade Cargill exploded onto the AEW scene by having her debut match in a tag team with none other than Shaquille O'Neil. With Jade coming from a basketball background, it was fitting that she found a tag team partner in Shaq. They took on the team of Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet. On an episode of "The Zaslow Show," Jade talked about the teaming with Shaq as a "dream come true" as she remembered watching him when she was growing up and going through her own basketball career.
Shaq and Jade exchanged words before going out to the ring, and Jade recalls a specific part of the conversation that really jazzed her up, "I said 'you ready?' He looked at me and said 'no. Are you ready? This is my world. I work in entertainment. Are you ready? Don't embarrass me.' That lit a fire under my ass. It was a surreal moment. This is a moment when people can see me. This is the time for me to make my mark." Both Shaq and Jade impressed the audience with an array of offense and spots that usually does not come from newcomers in the ring. Of course, Cargill picked up the pinfall victory in her debut match, hitting the wheelbarrow facebuster on Red Velvet.
Jade's ring attire is inspired by X-Men's Storm
When Jade Cargill found herself in the finals of the TBS Championship tournament on AEW "Dynamite," Cargill came to the ring dressed as Storm from the X-Men. Complete with white hair and some Wind Rider inspired ring gear and cape, Jade overpowered Ruby Soho to become the inaugural TBS Champion. This attire excited fans of both comic books and wrestling alike, but not all the aspects of the cosplay were for just one night. Jade continues to rock the signature white hair of Storm with each appearance she has on AEW programming.
On an episode of the "AEW Unrestricted" podcast, Jade talked with Aubrey Edwards about how the idea of the Storm inspired look came about. Jade explained that her friends prompted the idea: "'You know, you look like a Storm. You really should try it.' And so everybody knows Storm. Why wouldn't anybody know Storm? I was like, all right, and I tried it, and I loved it." Ever since debuting in AEW, Jade's look has been a huge part of her character. She also came out in She-Hulk cosplay during the All Out 2022 pay-per-view event. With Jade's strong connection with certain comic book characters, what other crossover comic book characters will we see the TBS Champion grab inspiration from in the future?
Bryan Danielson has helped Jade improve her in-ring skills
Jade Cargill entered the wrestling business at a disadvantage. Most wrestlers train for years and compete in different independent wrestling circuits around the globe. However, Jade had less than a year of formal wrestling training before moving into the ranks of AEW. Jade was assigned coaches and mentors upon entering AEW, but Jade needed some extra help inside the ropes too. Who better to help someone's technical wrestling skill than Bryan Danielson?
When Jade reached the 10 month mark with AEW, Cargill was assigned Bryan Danielson as her in-ring trainer/coach. She was completely floored and humbled to be working with such a legend so early into her career. Jade felt like, with the mentoring of Danielson, the "sky is the limit" for her potential in AEW. Tony Khan did an interview with Sports Illustrated where he explained the partnership of Danielson and Cargill, "I think Bryan is the world's greatest pro wrestler, and he has such valuable insight. Jade is incredibly driven, and Bryan's been a great mentor to her so far." Jade Cargill's improvement in the ring from the beginning of her career to now is a testament to how well this teacher-student combo has worked.
Jade has considered getting into acting
Jade Cargill is a woman of many trades. She has been a high school and college basketball star, a child psychologist, an entrepreneur, and, most recently, a wrestler. Jade likes to capture the X-Men universe in her ring attire, making fans fantasy cast her for many different future Marvel projects. In an interview with Bleacher Report, Jade said that although she hadn't been to the movies since the start of pandemic, she was torn between "Titanic" and "A Nightmare Before Christmas" being her favorite movies.
When asked whether she would consider a starring role in a blockbuster film, Jade responded with, "I've actually been taking a lot of acting classes to pursue something like that ... If my schedule permits me to do things like that, I would love to. I just know getting into anything Marvel or DC, it's tough. It's really tough." It is not out of the question that we see Jade take on a major role in the comic book category of movies. The major question here is, where would Jade Cargill be cast most effectively in the DC or Marvel Universe?
Enpowering a future generation of black women wrestlers is a major goal for Jade
Jade Cargill admits that when she was growing up, she was tomboy who found herself in a lot of fights in their neighborhood. She felt like she didn't fit the mold of some of the girls around her, who were more "dainty." Jade felt like she had to prove herself to the boys around her because she had more in common with them than the girls. In an episode of the "AEW Unrestricted" podcast, she explained how she had to demand respect from the boys around her to take her seriously, "I had to prove myself to the guys because they never wanted to wrestle with me, play with me or do anything with me." Cargill said that playing school sports really helped her shift her mindset in how to go out there and prove yourself.
Jade Cargill says she wants to pass this mentality of "proving yourself to anyone no matter what" down to future generations of Black women wrestlers. A huge inspiration for this journey is her daughter, who may one day enter the professional wrestling business as well. Jade made her philosophy simple: "I believe in paying it forward ... and that's what I want to do for the next generation."