Red Velvet On How She’s Preparing For Tag Match Against Shaq And Jade Cargill

AEW star Red Velvet was on a recent episode of the AEW Unrestricted podcast with Aubrey Edwards and Tony Schiavone. Velvet is set to tag with Cody Rhodes to go up against Shaq and Jade Cargill on Dynamite, and she talked about how she is preparing for the big match.

"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," Velvet explained. "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."

Velvet is replacing Brandi Rhodes after she and Cody revealed that Brandi was pregnant. She talked about her reaction to replacing Brandi and her motivations heading into the tag match.

"When I first found out about it, I was definitely stoked because this is the biggest match, up to date, of my career," Velvet pointed out. "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."

Velvet was officially inserted into the match after being introduced on Dynamite by Arn Anderson. Velvet described her internal thoughts when she cut her promo on Dynamite.

"They say sometimes that when you either get really really upset or when you're really really happy that your ears get super hot. That was what was happening to me," Velvet described. "It was so far that I couldn't hear what Arn was saying. I just know he was kind of going back and forth with Cody, and then when it was time to come out, it was just like tunnel vision.

"I couldn't specifically hear what people were saying. They were yelling things. I couldn't hear what they were saying. I just was straight tunnel vision, and I just wanted to get the point across that I had had it with her ass. Then later, I was able to watch it back and hear all the great things that he said about Cody and even myself, and that was really humbling, but before that, I couldn't hear anything. I would just hear the mic and what he was saying, but my intention was just go out there, get your point across and just say how you really feel.

"I was nervous because it was the first time anyone was going to hear a peep out of me. The whole time I've been there no one's ever heard me talk. I never cut a promo. I had never said anything. So I wanted to make sure that I expressed exactly how I felt and say too much. I had one point and that was that I'm about to stir that ass up. So let's go."

Velvet is officially billed from "Straight Outta Yo Momma's Kitchen". She explained the origins of that as well as the origins of her in-ring name.

"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," Velvet recalled. "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.

"My sassiness, my sweetness because I am a very sweet person, but when you piss me off, I'll give you cavities. Then it just started kind of taking off. My trainer was making jokes about it like, 'Where are you going to come from, hail out of?' I was like, Miami, Florida, where I'm from, and he's like, 'How about Straight Outta Yo Momma's Kitchen,' because that's when 'Straight Outta Compton', the movie had came out. So everyone was 'straight out of this', 'straight out of that', so he's like, 'How about Straight Outta Yo Momma's Kitchen?' I was like, I like it, and then it just took off. Now, that is just my whole persona."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit AEW Unrestricted with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.