Taya Valkyrie On Running Into The Undertaker At SHOT Show, If Impact Is Trying To Appeal To Hunters
Taya Valkyrie joined Impact Wrestling in late 2017 and had a pretty successful first year with the promotion. But her second year is off to an even better start after she won the Knockouts Championship at Impact Homecoming.
It is Valkyrie's first championship with Impact, and as a result, her profile has been raised within the company. Because of that, Valkyrie was sent by Impact to the NSSF SHOT Show in Las Vegas this week where she ran into a familiar face to wrestling fans – The Undertaker.
"It was absolutely completely random [laughter]," Valkyrie said on the WINCLY about bumping into The Deadman. "We were standing at our booth and he just appeared like in a puff of smoke. He was there and he was super nice and took pictures with us. Then he went on his way continuing around the SHOT Show."
She was then asked if Taker knew he was posing with members of a rival promotion.
"I'm sure he knew we were with Impact Wrestling, 'Oh wrestlers,'" Valkyrie said while imitating The Undertaker. "But he was very nice and we just introduced ourselves to him and that was it. It's always nice when you meet people and they're very nice people."
Taya represented Impact Wrestling at the SHOT show with Eli Drake. The SHOT Show is the largest trade show for target shooting, hunting, outdoor and law enforcement products. Meanwhile Impact moved to the Pursuit Channel earlier this month, which is geared towards outdoor programming. Valkyrie disagreed that Impact is trying to appeal to hunting enthusiasts.
"I don't know if that's exactly the way it should be perceived," Valkyrie responded when asked about trying to appeal to hunters. "Yes, it's an outdoor network and hunting network, but I don't think it should be pushed towards the gun stuff because I don't support any of that kind of behavior.
"It's just a different crowd for us to be in front of. We were well-received and everyone knew who we were? It's just a different network and sometimes you have to go to where you think you have a better fit and right now that's where Impact is."
Valkyrie and Impact Wrestling will be back in Las Vegas next month for some tapings and the current Knockouts Champion is looking forward to continuing her good momentum.
"We'll be back in Sam's Town on the 15th, 16th and 17th in Vegas which is great," stated Valkyrie. "We were just here a few months ago and the fans here are so great and supportive. I'm just really looking forward to coming back and presenting myself to them again and hopefully be retaining the Knockouts title and continuing this positive beginning to 2019."
You can listen to Taya Valkyrie's full exclusive WINCLY interview in the embedded player below. In it she also discusses her big Impact Wrestling Knockout's Championship win at Homecoming, Tessa Blanchard being "suspended" by Impact Wrestling, Killer Kross' recent attack on her, what separates the Knockout's division from other women's divisions and more. Subscribe to Wrestling Inc Audio on iTunes to get our latest podcasts as soon as they are released: