As far as wrestlers investing so much money into their attire, it really depends on where they’re at in their career. If you’re not there salary wise, you try to find cheaper ways to look your best and it’s for sure possible. I did. When it comes to the biggest events, you invest all that you can. These stages are huge and these moments last forever so you want to put your best foot forward. It doesn’t always come down to money. It comes down to investing the time, being creative and resourceful. Doing so elevates standards and elevates your character. I feel it’s all worth it, and in the end, it does pay off. I hope to teach this sentiment to some of the younger girls on our roster.
ALL In at Wembley is AEW’s Superbowl, so I’ve been All In prepping here in the States before heading to the UK. Part of the prep is designing the right look for the event, i.e., hair, makeup, and costume. Many of you have asked me about my ‘process’ when it comes to that, and yes, it is a process. It begins with me going to my hair girl, where I lay out a couple of designs for concepts. Then I go to my gear girl and do the same for my outfit. The goal is for them to mesh, but it’s always tricky, and you never know until you get the hair and gear together—and that’s usually the day of the show! Is that stressful? You bet it is.
As far as my process, for my costume and attire, my gear girl and I just go back and forth. She’ll send me different drawings, and I’ll take away or add what I want. On a side note, I just started working with her this year, and she’s been incredible. Her works are beautiful. As far as the costumes go, they are a huge part of the presentation and show and what I consider an investment. For those who don’t know, we wrestlers must buy our own gear, and if you’re someone who is always looking to raise the bar as I am, you spend a lot on them. I’ve been spending tons of money on my mine my whole career. In fact, my gear and my jackets are the most expensive things that I own. My jackets cost more than most people’s weekly paychecks, and even though I’m actually pretty frugal with my money (I work too hard not to be), I am never afraid to invest in myself or my craft. I feel it’s also my responsibility to the fans and the company.
I love for all my pay-per-views to be special, but this one IS our WrestleMania. It’s going to host over 60,000 people in attendance with millions watching at home. Like I said, this is our Super Bowl, and for what I’m paid to do. Failure is not an option! I need to deliver not only in the ring but also outside the ring, and that includes my entrance and presentation!
My hair at ALL In wasn’t the only thing that cost a pretty penny. My robe, which was so beautiful, grand, and regal, was also my most expensive in my 14 years of wrestling. The whole outfit, in total, cost me over $10,000, All In (no pun intended).
