Impact Wrestling 2019

Impact Wrestling 2019 Live Stream Ahead of her out-of-retirement match against Tessa Blanchard at tonight’s Impact Wrestling: Rebellion 2019 pay-per-view, Impact Wrestling Hall Of Famer Gail Kim appeared as a guest on the WINCLY Podcast for an in-depth interview. Featured below are some of the highlights.

On her out-of-retirement match at Impact Wrestling: Rebellion 2019 being a ‘one-off’: “No, this is a one-off for me honestly. Most of the time a wrestler misses the in-ring action, but because of my back and working with the girls as an agent, I don’t miss it.

“I had to get two doctors clearances to ensure I wasn’t going to have any long-term damage to my back and everything just worked out. I just wanna make some magic this Sunday and show that a 42 year old can hang with and beat a 23 year old.”

On feeling young at age 42 but realizing it’s older in the wrestling profession: “In wrestling it’s considered a little bit older…I feel young, but when you hear people say, ‘Well she’s half your age. You’re gonna have to keep up with her.’ It can play some mind games but I’m ready. This generation of wrestling has changed so much. It’s much more athletic and high-paced so I’m seeing younger talent get injured more often and their careers are shortening.

Gail Kim's retirement has lasted about one year as the Impact Wrestling Hall of Famer is returning to the squared circle to take on Tessa Blanchard at Rebellion tonight.

Kim talked about her return match nerves when she joined Wrestling Inc. WINCLY podcast just ahead of Rebellion.

"They were fine and then you said 48 hours. Oh my gosh is it just 48 hours? I knew that the time would fly by and I'm very ready," said Kim. "Tessa Blanchard is a premium athlete and you can't take that away from her. She's 23 and I'm 42 so I'm realistic and at the same time I've been out of the ring over a year. But I'm prepared as I ever would be."

While she's been retired for the past year, Kim has still been around Impact as an agent and producer. She talked about how her return has affected her day-to-day job with Impact.

"It's pretty much consumed my thoughts because the people that know me very well, when it comes to my work they know how seriously I take it," stated Kim.

Kim has had back issues in the past but is still in good enough shape that she can give fans a positive lasting memory of her in the ring.

"I never wanted the fans to remember me as anything but my best," said Kim. "If I was going to come out of retirement, it would be the same. Nothing would change in that regard so I'm hoping I'm the same Gail that they remember from a year ago."

There's nearly a 20 year age difference between Kim and Blanchard and Kim admitted that she is going out there to represent for the older wrestlers.

"I was talking to Traci Brooks and she told me to 'make the old girls proud' and I said we're not old. We'll just call ourselves experienced. It's almost like a test for me as well as…[Tessa's] the best of the best right now," said Kim.

Wrestler retirements are usually short-lived and a comeback match evolves into a part or full-time return. However, Kim contends this will be her final match ever.

"No, this is a one-off for me honestly," Kim said before admitting that most wrestlers don't stay retired. "Most of the time a wrestler misses the in-ring action, but because of my back and working with the girls as an agent, I don't miss it.

"...I had to get two doctors clearances to ensure I wasn't going to have any long-term damage to my back and everything just worked out. I just wanna make some magic this Sunday and show that a 42 year old can hang with and beat a 23 year old."

Being 42 years old is still relatively young in life, but old in wrestling and the big age difference in this match is part of the mental battle.

"In wrestling it's considered a little bit older…I feel young, but when you hear people say, 'Well she's half your age. You're gonna have to keep up with her.' It can play some mind games but I'm ready," Kim said before adding that the current style of wrestling may lead to shorter careers.

"This generation of wrestling has changed so much. It's much more athletic and high-paced so I'm seeing younger talent get injured more often and their careers are shortening."

Kim says she hears from the younger generation whenever she tells them to slow down, "'Oh Gail. It's 2019. This is the way wrestling is.'"

"It doesn't mean that you can't combine what it is now and what it was then," stated Kim.

Someone from Kim's generation is Victoria/Tara and she's still looking for a proper sendoff to end her career.

"I just wanna see her have the proper sendoff that she deserves whether that's our company, WWE, any company," said Kim. "A lot of wrestlers don't get that ideal sendoff. I've been very fortunate in terms of the ending of my career and I want that for her."

Kim then mentioned that Tommy Dreamer has done a good job giving wrestlers a proper sendoff with his House of Hardcore and said that could be a possibility for Victoria.

"I think people deserve that and have that peace of mind," stated Kim.

Gail Kim will come out of retirement to face Tessa Blanchard tonight at Impact Wrestling's Rebellion PPV. It will be available for streaming via Fite.tv.