In PWMania’s latest exclusive interview, the NWA World Women’s Television Champion, Gisele Shaw (@GiseleShaw08), sits down with Scott Mitchell (@scott44mitchell) to talk about the upcoming NWA – KFW Empowerrr event, her match with Mackenzie Morgan for the NWA World Women’s Television Championship, winning that title from Tiffany Nieves, representation, the NWA as a whole, her debut with the NWA, her goals, and more. Watch the interview in its entirety down below.
Let’s jump right into it. On Friday night, NWA and KFW will be presenting Empowerrr, which is a show that puts a spotlight on women’s wrestling and, more specifically, the NWA women’s division. What is your mindset coming into this event?
“Well, I’m pretty excited about it. This is my first time that I’ll actually be participating in an Empowerrr event by NWA. So, this is a lot of pressure on me, but I do love pressure. They always say pressure makes diamonds, and I feel like I do my best to deliver every single time that I’m in that ring. I do have a pretty strong opponent as well. Mackenzie Morgan. She’s newly signed with the NWA. I feel like I’ve gotten into this role where I feel like I have become the Gatekeeper that all of these newly signed wrestlers come in and have a match with me. I think it’s super cool. I feel like everywhere I go, I try to make sure I deliver and that the women’s division is going to be the best of the best. I feel like I’m a part of that, and that the women at NWA add so much as well. It’s been really cool to have that, I guess, position to welcome, and I don’t want to say initiation; we’re not doing anything crazy. But to be, I guess, trusted with newly signed wrestlers, I think it’s pretty cool, in my opinion.”
At that event, you will be defending your NWA World Women’s Television Championship against Mackenzie Morgan. What’s your mindset heading into this one?
“Well, I’m always very excited to work with new people. Every single time. I think that you can learn from anybody, really. I don’t really know how she is going to push me to my limits this Friday, but I know for a fact that I push every single person I step into the ring with to their limits. No matter what promotion that is, no matter what ring that’s in, I try to make sure that I am the best of the best and that I am the standard of any company. All I can say is that I hope she’s ready, because I’m not going to hold back.”
Mackenzie Morgan recently signed with NWA. What went through your head when you saw this?
“I think it’s cool. I think it’s great that NWA is adding so many younger talents that also adds to the women’s division. I feel like every division that thrives, you can’t have it copy and paste, you know? So, I think it’s super incredible that they’re hiring people with different facets, with different styles of wrestling, and just different, period. I think different is awesome. Rather than just fitting into the mold of this is what you’re supposed to be like. Yeah, just to be the one to welcome her, I think, is so incredible. Just to be trusted to be in that position, I think it’s amazing, and yeah, we’ll see what she’s capable of and what she’s made of when she steps into the ring with The Quintessential Diva.”
Now, this is a title that you first won from Tiffany Nieves back on the May 1st edition of NWA Powerrr. What did this moment mean to you?
“I think it’s amazing. The lineage of that title, right? Again, to be trusted with that title as well, and I don’t want to say to carry the division, but kind of half carry the division, and to represent the NWA. I never really thought I would be in that position to work for a company that has this legacy as well. We’ve been here for 78 years now. Yeah. To be in that position, I’m always so grateful. I’m grateful to work with new people, grateful to work with the people I’m working with currently, and I just can’t wait for the future and where we can take that women’s division, to be honest.”
You are the first doll to hold that title. Does this add any meaning for you in holding that title and kind of being that mentor to many people out there?
“Of course. I think representation matters so much in the world, and just to be the first one to do that and hold the title, it’s such a huge honor to hold the title and represent my people. A lot of people, to me, growing up as a wrestler, I always looked up to so many female wrestlers, the divas and the knockouts. There were so few of them that I could be like, I actually relate to them. So, hopefully me in that position of being a champion, I hope that I can inspire more people to follow their dreams. I know that I did, and I just love it. Wrestling to me is not a job. It’s not like I hate my life working at a 9-to-5 and working at whatever. I am really living my dream. It’s my dream job, and I just love it. I love wrestling so much. So, hopefully I’m able to inspire the next generation or someone who’s going through the same thing. The sky’s the limit, go after it. It doesn’t even have to be wrestling. Whatever it is, do it.”
How important is the representation aspect to you to everyone who is watching you and can see themselves in you?
“It’s kind of crazy. We always think like, ‘Hey, I want to be able to inspire people.’ But I don’t really know what the reach is sometimes, you know? But it is so cool to see people come up to me and be like, ‘Hey, you inspired me’ or ‘You’re the reason I started wrestling.’ I’m not going to say who it was, but actually someone said that to me a couple of weeks ago. I was like, ‘Wait, what?’ That’s so bizarre to me in a good way. I don’t think that I really imagined someone coming up to me and being like, ’ You’re the reason I started wrestling. To me, it just makes me so happy, and it’s why representation matters. If they can see themselves in you, you’re doing your job. Growing up, Gail Kim was the only Asian, for me anyways, where I could be like, I see myself in her. She was definitely one of my motivators to become a wrestler. Hopefully, now I’m able to do that job, and I’m doing it well. I think that’s the most important thing: that I am a good influence on future generations. Follow your dreams.”
NWA Powerrr can be watched on CometTV, Tubi, and is now available on CHARGE. What does it mean to you to represent NWA during one of its best eras in recent memory?
“My gosh. I talk about pressure all the time, but I really do think that the pressure makes me thrive, and I just love it so much. To be able to be trusted to be in that position, I don’t take that lightly. I respect the company I work for; I respect the title; I respect the people that I work with. I just want to make sure to put my best foot forward, making sure that I represent the company and myself in the best possible light. There’s a lot of great things going on at NWA, and I’m so excited to be one of the people to represent the company.”
Why should fans tune in and check out NWA only on CometTV, Tubi, or CHARGE?
“I think it’s super cool. I think that the characters, the wrestlers, in NWA, you get so many different dynamics and different facets. I think that’s what makes the NWA so special. It’s not just like, ‘Hey, this is just wrestling,’ or ‘Hey, this is just characters.’ There’s just a combination of both. I feel like that makes it so interesting. It’s not bland. I think that once you give NWA a chance, and you watch it, you’re going to get hooked. So, please. Check it out.”
You first made your debut in 2025 with the NWA. What went through your head when debuting on such a great and historic promotion?
“I never thought I’d be working for NWA for the longest time because I was contracted somewhere else, and I didn’t know if there was any interest. Then, when they called, I was like, ‘Of course.’ I like legacy companies. It’s one of those bucket list companies that you have to work for, you know? It was crazy. My first match was against Natalia Markova for the NWA World Women’s Championship. For me, it was just like, ‘Whoa,’ you know? You’re at the top immediately in your debut match. It was amazing. It was interesting. It was a lot of pressure. I know I talk about pressure all the time, but it was just incredible. She was incredible to work with.”
In your debut, you faced off with Natalia Markova for the NWA World Women’s Championship, unsuccessfully. But what did this match mean to you?
“I think that it really made me feel good about myself and put value on myself to go, ‘Hey, you know what? They trust me to immediately have matches like that. They trust me to be able to deliver.’ I never took that lightly. I took that very seriously. I wanted to make sure that after that match, they went, ‘Yeah, you know what? I’m glad that we made that decision.’ Hopefully that led to many more bookings, and here we are.”
Looking ahead for you, what are your future goals?
“I definitely want to be the best of the best everywhere that I go. At NWA, I want to be the best. Currently, I am holding the second-best championship, and I would be lying to myself or doing myself a disservice if I didn’t say, ‘Hey, you know what? I want to become the NWA Women’s World Champion one day.’ That is the top of the top, crème de la crème. But also to be the face of the NWA. I feel like that’s such a bold statement, but why not? I feel like, for 78 years, it’s been the men leading the charge. So, I think it’s time for a woman to do it and why not? I feel like I can do it, and if given that opportunity, I know that I’d snatch it. I feel like those are my goals. Yeah. Hopefully, I will accomplish that. When I put my mind to something, I know I will accomplish it.”
Any future opponents you’d like to share off with?
“You know what? I really feel like the Paige sisters; I have not wrestled them, and I feel like they would be incredible to wrestle. Natalya. She was at 78, and I was like, ‘Damn, man, I wanted that match.’ But hopefully, you never know; maybe the next time. She’s definitely one of those people who is on my bucket list of people I want to wrestle. We’ll see. Crossing my fingers.”
