“Ten Pounds of Gold: Santana Garrett”

Welcome to “Ten Pounds of Gold”, where I, your host, Scott Brown, give you a chance to get to know the best wrestlers in the National Wrestling Alliance, personally. On February 7, 2015 Santana Garrett defeated Barbi Hayden for the NWA Women’s Championship. Since then she has consistently been one of the best wrestlers, man or woman, in the world, week in and week out. I recently had the pleasure to have a discussion with her about her career, her life and the future.

Scott Brown: What is the best memory you have of growing up with a pro wrestler for a father?

Santana Garrett: My dad didn’t start wrestling until I was in middle school but that was always our bonding experience. Coming from a big family, finding a niche like that with my dad was something I always treasured. It brought us together. He’s one of my biggest supporters!

Scott Brown: What is the best thing about your roommate, Larry Zbyszko?

Santana Garrett: Everyone knows about Larry. From his feud with Bruno Sammartino and Shea Stadium to saving Nitro from the New World World, he’s a wealth of knowledge. But the best thing about having Larry as a roommate, he’s the best puppy sitter for our dog, Charlie!

Scott Brown: Tell me about Lexie Fyfe.

Santana Garrett: Where would female independent wrestling be without Lexie Fyfe? Not doing too well I can bet. Lexie is part owner of Shine and a huge part of Shimmer which is the epicenter of women’s wrestling on the independents. At one point, I was getting a little comfortable in the ring and Lexie let me have it! She yelled at me that I needed to step up my game or I’d continue to float around near the bottom of the card. It worked and I’ve beaten the Shine Champion on iPPV for WWN and am now the NWA World Women’s Champion! Lexie is definitely someone who I can credit for helping me get to where I am today.

Scott Brown: What is the most interesting thing you have seen happen at a wrestling show?

Santana Garrett: My mind is scrambled trying to think of what could be the most interesting. Nothing is coming to mind but you can imagine, as everyone else can, most things are interesting, crazy, fun, exciting, horrendous, how can I cram 5+ years into the most interesting? I can’t. Sorry, I have no answer. Will try to be more prepared for this kind of question in the future.

Scott Brown: Tell us about winning the Future Legend Award at the Cauliflower Alley Club last year.

Santana Garrett: It was such a shocking moment! I was so excited. My name was announced and my family jumped up to celebrate and hug me, but I just bee-lined for the podium. I was excited, nervous, I get kind of nervous talking in front of big crowds. You can just imagine how promos go.

Scott Brown: How do you practice your mic work? Who influenced you on the mic?

Santana Garrett: Its not my favorite thing to do but I do it. Practice with a camera at times with my trainer. Whether its going out there in front of a crowd of a few people, few hundred, or even thousands, or if its in front of a camera and no fans, I do a silly dance before to try to calm my nerves and then do my best!

Scott Brown: Tell me about your gymnastics background and how it has influenced your in ring style.

Santana Garrett: I started gymnastics when I was 5 years old and continued to do it all the way to cheerleading in middle and high school. It has definitely helped with adding an extra element to my wrestling game and get lots of positive comments from other gymnasts who see my work.

Scott Brown: What is your history with some of the bigger indie women names like Christina Von Eerie, La Rosa Negra, Jessika Havok, and Mia Yim?

Santana Garrett: I love them all and they are all really good. A few years ago, I would wrestle Christina almost every weekend and sometimes more. She’s a crazy girl but I love her. La Rosa Negra is another crazy girl… Actually, all these girls are fun and crazy. I’ve had some great matches with La Rosa and have a few more coming up. Mia Yim and I have had some classics on big stages. I hope to wrestle her again soon. As for Havok, she keeps avoiding me. I think she’s really scared. We had at least one match scheduled that she didn’t show up. Match makers have been trying to put us together for sometime now. I know some people are scared of Havok but apparently, she’s deathly afraid of me! Just don’t tell her I said that.

Scott Brown: What does polysomnagraph mean and what is your involvement with them?

Santana Garrett: Definition: “Polysomnography, also called a sleep study, is a test used to diagnose sleep disorders. Polysomnography records your brain waves, the oxygen level in your blood, heart rate and breathing, as well as eye and leg movements during the study.” On Mondays and Tuesdays, I work at a doctor’s office in The Villages, FL going over sleep studies with patients. I have done the overnight work in the past where I actually watch and monitor the sleep, but I was told by my trainer that it was not healthy for my body, my mind, or my wrestling career. So, I work a 9-5 but only two days a week and help patients know their sleep levels and how to prevent sleep apnea.

Scott Brown: What was training like at Team Vision Dojo? What was Scott Hall like as a trainer?

Santana Garrett: Training was great. I had a little training in St. Louis during the short period of time I lived there. That mostly involved flipping tires and taking bumps. At the Team Vision Dojo I learned so much from the trainers as Chasyn Rance went over all the moves for me and how to do them properly and when to do them, and Scott Hall and Larry Zbyszko would reiterate certain parts and add to it. They’re all on the same page and its great! Also, there are others that help and have similar, but at times, different philosophies and styles. Its great to have so many great workers from all over come through the doors with all their different experiences. Former and current wrestlers from WWE, WCW, ROH, TNA, New Japan, England, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, famous wrestling families, its the place to train and get great!

Scott Brown: Comic books and wrestling go hand in hand. I saw somewhere some of the ladies in the locker room tried to get you into them.

Santana Garrett: I’m sorry but I don’t see it. I know a lot of the girls are into it, especially “Blue Pants” Leva, but I don’t get it. I’m sorry and hope i don’t turn away any fans, but I’m not into comics.

Scott Brown: Who in the NWA do you look forward to defending the women’s title against?

Santana Garrett: So, if I could pick anyone to defend against, what a list! Also, not looking directly at NWA but all the women in the world. I know NWA looks to have the best competing on their events, and I guess this is an invite to all those women. For girls that come straight to mind, “Ms. Ducking Me” Jessicka Havok is someone I’d like to face. Others like Mia Yim and Ivelisse Velez help step up my game. Have to give Barbi a rematch and I’m ready and looking forward to that. My sometimes sister, sometimes enemy, Amber O’Neal-Gallows, I’m on her hit list, so she’s on mine!

By the time this comes out, I’ll have defended against Shanna and, without sounding cocky, winning and defending against Andrea (f.k.a. Rosie Lottalove). I’m looking forward to both those matches. Other girls like Allyson Kaye, Nevaeh, Portia Perez. The list can go on. There are so many talented girls out there. This won’t happen because WWE and NWA don’t have a working relationship, but matches against Paige, AJ Lee, the Bellas, would be great. Saraya Knight, Cheerleader Melissa one-on-one, Angelina Love. Charlotte would be a great opponent. We faced once before in one of her first matches but for obvious reasons, won’t be able to defend against her but if I could, I would! Would love another match with Gail Kim! Believe we are 1-1. Other matches for the title, Leilani Kai who is still somewhat active was stripped of this title in 2003 and I’d like to bring closure to that part of the lineage. I’m ready to defend against the best and there are plenty out there!

Scott Brown: Thank you Ms. Garrett for your time! It was a pleasure and you are a class act. Fans can check out the NWA Women’s Champion at http://www.ibelieveinwrestling.com where she regularly defends the title. Follow her on Twitter @BrittanyTNA and on Facebook at https://m.facebook.com/SantanaGarrett522 and at her website Santana-Garrett.org. And if you want to see her in the ring, subscribe to her on YouTube at https://m.youtube.com/#/user/santanagarrett.

That brings us to the conclusion of this edition of “Ten Pounds of Gold”, but before you go I want to ask you to visit www.AFSP.org and donate to help their efforts in suicide prevention. Its a cause close to my heart and one that has affected the wrestling community, too often. Please, do what you can to help and thanks for whatever help you can provide.

Thanks for reading “Ten Pounds of Gold”. Keep coming back to www.alliance-wrestling.com for the most news on the NWA anywhere on the net. See you next time.