Britt Baker talks Mercedes Mone, health issues, 5 years of Dynamite, more

[Chris]

AEW Star Britt Baker on Health Struggles, 'DWTS' Hot Takes & 'Dynamite' 5th Anniversary

The wrestling dentist also talks acting and reflects on her dream match with Mercedes Mone.

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We haven’t seen you since your big match against Mercedes. How do explain your absence the last few weeks?

Britt Baker: I guess in a lot of ways I can’t other than I lost, so back of the line. I can’t think of how many times I’ve said that to girls in my promos when I was champion. Back of the line. It’s a harsh reality when you’re in that position.

How do you look back on that match with her?

Mercedes is absolutely one of my role models. Someone I always dreamed of wrestling in the ring. I can’t lie. My experience working with her was awesome. She was so cool to me. She always treated me like her equal. Mercedes is iconic. She has done it all, wrestled everywhere. Her WWE matches I will study until the end of time. Ones I will always show to people getting into wrestling. The Bayley and Sasha Banks (Mercedes) TakeOver match, at one point I think I memorized the match from start to finish. I look at it as I got to share the ring with one of my idols. I hope it’s not the last time either. I’m thankful for the experience because a lot of people don’t get those opportunities. You get asked what your dream match all the time, but do you ever get to have it? A lot of people can’t say they have.

It’s always said getting in shape is one thing, but ring shape is another. Talk about what it took to get back to where you wanted.

I’ll tell you right now you can work out in the gym all you want, but nothing prepares you for in-ring action. AEW has a pretty intense protocol to get cleared. I would say when I was three months out from returning, I was in the ring twice a week with Bryce [Remsburg] in Orlando doing blow-up drills with Serpentico. God bless him, he works so hard and always killing himself helping people get cleared and return to action. He doesn’t get enough credit. Also, I would go to Atlanta and train in the ring with some wrestlers there. Darian Bengston, Carlie Bravo, The Renegade Twins, just to have bodies to train with,

I’m so thankful for anyone and everyone. They will always have a special place in my heart. My match against Mercedes was my second match in about a year. It’s a hard adjustment. You don’t get to practice live wrestling matches. You have reps when you are on TV. If you’re not on TV, you don’t get the reps. I’m actually excited and anxious to get back in the flow of things and back to being a regular TV wrestler. I want to be the face of the women’s division and top of the women’s division again.

Being this public figure everyone seems to have an opinion or idea of your life, even relationships, and all these personal things. How do you manage all that noise, especially as you’re going through what you did?

Yeah, it’s tough because we live in a world where people see one thing from a troll account. It could be the most asinine, made-up, wild rumor to me, but the second someone puts it out there, there is always that group of people who believe it. They say I said, did it, whatever it is. It doesn’t matter what I say or what I don’t say, there are people who will run with whatever narrative they want. You have to have peace with the fact you can’t control that. There are so many things. It feels sometimes on a weekly basis where I’m accused of something I said or did or didn’t do.

It’s heartbreaking because, at the end of the day, I love pro wrestling and AEW’s women’s division. I’ve never ever in my life nor would I ever do anything to sabotage it. I want to help the AEW women’s division grow for a long time, to infinity and beyond. That’s my passion and goal. Unfortunately, you have to let this noise and other static be and learn how to live with it. Some days are easier than others, but it’s the nature of the business. I have a lot of passionate fans too I’m super thankful for. When it comes to fans who are just criticizing, I welcome criticism. I just wish a lot of fans had a healthier way of expressing it. As far as the people who make up things or run with rumors or he said-she said, they have to do something to put food on the table. If I’m able to do that, hey, you’re welcome.

There is chatter that you’re going to be in Cobra Kai. What’s the situation?

I will say I can not confirm or deny. But if I were in Cobra Kai, that would be really cool because it’s one of my favorite shows. I’m also a massive Karate Kid fan. That would be really cool. I’ll leave it at that.

You do have a credit in the Queen of the Ring film about women’s wrestling trailblazer Mildred Burke. I’m excited about her story being told with so many familiar faces in it.

I’m really excited to see what the final product will look like because, like you said, it’s a story about women’s wrestling. We’ve seen so many crossovers from mainstream media stories about men in wrestling. Finally, here a female gets to take center stage. I’m excited for that story to be told and for the actors and actresses involved to be able to showcase that too.

I have to get your thoughts on this season of Dancing with the Stars and Anna Delvey’s elimination.

What an iconic departure from Anna Delvey. “What was your takeaway from this?” She responded with, “Nothing.” That was one of the most iconic Dancing with the Stars departures of all time. I love that show. I still someday hope to be on it. I feel every year it seems like they get better and better. I’m like are these people training their whole lives to be on Dancing with the Stars? I need to catch up if so. I need to make sure I’m a mildly professional dancer by the time I get on.

Were you shocked at Tori Spelling’s exit?

I was. I feel like the first few weeks I’m always surprised. I remember when Mel B. from the Spice Girls got eliminated. I was shocked. It still haunts me. I thought she was a contender to win a couple of seasons ago. It’s the nature of the beast. You have to have the fan vote and the judge vote. I think I would have to rely heavily on the judges because I don’t know if I would get a lot of wrestling fan votes. That is for sure.

Who do you think will take it this season as an early pick?

I don’t know. Every time I say this I’m wrong. I’m going to decline to comment on this for now. I don’t want to judge it because I’ve placed a bet on this. I love friendly gambling and friendly wagers. But I will say a male will take the cake. It may or may not be paired with Jenna Johnson. Who knows?

I see what you did there. If you were on, did you still have your ideal partner picked out?

I love Derek Hough fan, but I think Val [Chmerkovskiy] right now. There is something about him. He must be a great teacher or he has this ability to pull the magic out of all his partners because they are always amazing and fascinating.

This is a big week for AEW with its fifth anniversary. The show will be in Pittsburgh or should I say “Brittsburgh.” As the first female wrestler signing in AEW, what does coming back home and facing Serena Deeb mean to you?

It’s surreal. Five years, it’s crazy. I feel like just yesterday was our first Dynamite. I feel like it was just yesterday we had the presser to announce AEW in the Jaguars stadium. Thinking about all the milestones since then, just the roster now and what it looks like compared to then. It’s crazy. I’m thankful to be a part of it. I’m thankful that whatever happens, who goes where, when, and why, there is always this core group of people that will be such a special part of my life and pro wrestling journey. I think moments come and go, people are in your heart forever. That’s where I am in my life. With the highest of highs come the lowest of lows, but if you have people in your corner, you can keep a level head through all of it.

What do you think of the state of the women’s division since you’ve been back?

I think the storytelling is key. You have to set the women up for success, just like the men. Like any other thing in pro wrestling, people want stories. They want a reason to care about a match. We’re at a time in pro wrestling where there are so many fantastic, amazing, incredible wrestlers that can go out there and have a match of the year any day of the week. You have to get people involved in more than just the spectacular wrestling caliber we’re living in now.

There has to be a reason or story. Who am I cheering for? Who am I booing? It’s a tale as old as time most of the time, good versus evil. I think we’re seeing so much with the women’s division. Kudos to Tony Khan for really building and seeing these storylines out. We have as many women’s stars now as ever. I’m so happy and proud of that. I remember our humble beginnings when we didn’t have a lot of female signed period, let alone major stars who can be real draws and needle movers and can really get that roar from the crowd. Our girls are either beloved or hated, and that’s what we want. That’s what we are building toward. I think the division is in a good place and only going to better places.

As you’re looking forward, has your mindset toward your career changed given the struggles you’ve endured?

Yes and no. My goal, vision, and passion are AEW as a whole and the AEW women’s division. I always want to help grow it. Any time there was a free female agent on the market, I would always text Tony to say, “Hey, this girl is available. We should sign her.” I would do anything I can to promote AEW, and try to get involved in mainstream crossover, acting, anything. I just want to do my part to help build AEW. Whatever that means, I want to be doing. You have to ride every wave, and with every wave, there are highs and lows. I’m, no matter what, going to be along for the ride.