A new trailer for Queen of the Ring, a biopic chronicling the life and career of wrestling legend Mildred Burke, debuted this week.
An official synopsis reads:
“In a time when pro wrestling for women was illegal across the country, a small-town single mother embraces the danger to change culture as she dominates America’s most masculine sport, becoming the first million-dollar female athlete in history.”
Emily Bett Rickards (Arrow) stars as Mildred Burke, arguably the most prominent figure in women’s wrestling from the 1930s to the 1950s. Wrestling fans will recognize AEW’s Kamille portraying June Byers, one of Burke’s longtime rivals. The cast also features Britt Baker as Debbie Nichols, Toni Storm as Clara Mortensen, and WWE’s Trinity “Naomi” Fatu as Ethel Johnson.
Queen of the Ring premiered at the Buffalo International Film Festival in October and is set to hit theaters in March of next year. The production team hopes to replicate the critical success of The Iron Claw, A24’s biopic on the Von Erich family, which earned widespread acclaim upon its release last year.
Burke’s influence in wrestling remains unparalleled. The NWA World Women’s Championship is also referred to as “The Burke” in honor of its first-ever champion. Stay tuned to SEScoops for more updates on Queen of the Ring ahead of its theatrical release.
Kamille has finally ended her partnership with Mercedes Mone.
AEW has been teasing increased tensions between the two female stars over the past few weeks. The final straw for their partnership came at Full Gear this past Saturday when Mone chewed her bodyguard out and told her to stay in the back for her TBS title defence against Kris Statlander.
The current champion then came out to gloat about her win over Statlander on the November 27 Dynamite. She proceeded to call out Kamille again saying that she can’t do anything right.
Before The CEO could fire the former NWA women’s champion, however, she snatched the mic from her. Kamille said that Mercedes can’t fire her because she quits:
The former NWA star officially made her AEW debut back in July. She attacked Britt Baker on her debut and formed the alliance with the current TBS Champion.
A lot of fans have been complaining since then that Kamille is miscast in her role as a bodyguard and considering her previous achievements, she deserves to be featured on TV as a singles star.
We’re going to have to see if this is the end of the former champion’s storyline with Mone or if she’ll go after the title held by the wrestling veteran next.
The discourse surrounding WWE and AEW can often get toxic on social media with fans batting for their preferred company as the superior brand. This past weekend, stars from WWE, AEW, and the wider wrestling world united to raise money for very special causes.
The Swing For A Cause Celebrities & Veterans Softball Tournament, Homerun Derby, and Jam Session saw some of the top names in wrestling take to the field to raise money. Names involved include AEW’s Kamille, WWE’s AJ Styles, Ernest ‘The Cat’ Miller and Arn Anderson.
On Twitter, Kamille was pleased to play her part in raising money for a very special cause and shared some photos, including one with AJ Styles.
Fun day out on the ball field and for a great cause raising money for our Veterans! ? A great event with super cool people. More pics and videos to come tomorrow, but definitely had me missing my softball days! pic.twitter.com/oB9T7yGENf
Zicky Dice, a TNA Wrestling alum trained by WWE’s own Seth Rollins, also shared a photo, calling himself, Styles, and Carlie Bravo a trio of “softball legends.”
Diamond Dallas Page, Dan ‘The Beast’ Severn, Luke Gallows, Brock Anderson, and Savannah Evans were scheduled to participate, according to Swing For A Cause’s website. Swing For A Cause partners with various charities including the Yellow Ribbon Fund, Benefitting Boot Campaign, the Wiley H. Manns Foundation, and MVP: Merging Vets & Players.
WWE and AEW stars may not work together, but there is clearly a bond among wrestlers, as seen at the recent 49ers Vs. Rams NFL game. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on these wrestlers and their work in and out of the ring.
This week’s AEW Dynamite: Blood & Guts event was a successful night for Tony Khan’s promotion, even if things reportedly didn’t go as first planned. The July 24, edition of Dynamite marked the fourth-annual Blood & Guts match which saw Team AEW defeat The Elite in the violent double-cage structure.
This year’s Blood & Guts Dynamite took place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN, a city AEW has hosted several events in since launching in 2019. This week’s show outsold AEW’s last trip to Dynamite, Fightful Select reports.
AEW Dynamite: Blood & Guts saw Britt Baker win her first match since returning to AEW TV by defeating fellow ex-Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida. Baker’s victory was short-lived however, as she was confronted by Mercedes Mone and blindsided by the debuting Kamille.
Kamille’s debut had been kept very quiet, the report adds, but she has been under contract and being paid since February of this year. Kamille was reportedly backstage at an AEW Dynamite back in January and graphics and materials for her debut have reportedly been ready for some time.
Kamille has finally showed up in AEW and she has first set her sights on Britt Baker. The former NWA Women’s Worlds Champion has been patiently waiting to make her pro wrestling return at some point, with heavy speculation that she did sign with AEW and she confirmed that on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
Britt Baker had a back and forth battle with an old AEW rival in Hikaru Shida and she got the former AEW Women’s Champion to tap via the Lockjaw. As Baker was celebrating, Mercedes Mone sauntered down the ramp. As Baker focused on Mone, she was caught off guard by the big boot of Kamille, who leveled the D.M.D. It was all part of the plan for Mone as it appears that Kamille will be the enforcer for “The C.E.O.”
Kamille certainly passes the classic ‘airport test’ of pro wrestling as she certainly turns heads with her physique and size. The vibe of Kamille very much reflects that of Jade Cargill, one of AEW’s original stars who now calls WWE home.
While Cargill has a great deal of TV time, Kamille has a historic NWA Women’s Worlds Championship run as she had the gold for an impressive 813 days before dropping it to Kenzie Paige.
Kamille has been a free agent in the world of pro wrestling since January so she hasn’t been a television presence for over six months. Kamille adds to a growing AEW Women’s division as she joins rising stars such as Willow Nightingale and Mariah May, but also a good deal of veteran talent on the roster as well.
Kamille has signed with All Elite Wrestling, adding another notable name to their women’s division. The former NWA Women’s World Champion has inked a deal with Tony Khan’s league and is expected to debut shortly, according to a report by Fightful Select. She became a free agent on January 1 when her NWA deal expired.
Her name has been churning in the rumor mill since then regarding her next destination. Most recently, Kamille piqued interest amongst fans after saying she signed somewhere in February, though she did not specify where. She deleted her tweet and clarified that she was talking about autograph signings.
Kamille’s AEW Debut
It is unclear when Kamille will make her AEW debut, but she is on the way. Adding her name to Tony Khan’s women’s division provides them with a real boost. The company recently added Mercedes Mone, and the former Sasha Banks already has a TBS Title shot against Willow Nightingale at AEW Double or Nothing in Las Vegas on May 26.
Kamille held the NWA World Women’s Championship for 812 days. She played a significant role in the promotion during Billy Corgan’s ownership. Kamille has a good chance of replicating that success in AEW if given the proper environment.
Prior to signing with AEW, Kamille told SEScoops in February 2023 that she was hoping to join WWE so she could work with Charlotte Flair. During our interview, she told Scott Fishman, “[Charlotte Flair] is the best in the world. I think we would have a good backstory and story that could lead into it. Getting in there with someone who is so talented could help me learn and grow and and it’s something people would want to see.”
Fans had been buzzing on social media after Kamille stated that she was signed to a promotion in February. However, she didn’t mention the name of the particular promotion which led to several speculations. Now, the former NWA star has finally clarified her status.
Earlier, Kamille responded to a fan on X saying that she’s signed with a company since February. It seems that it was only confusion that occurred after she misinterpreted a question. She deleted her previous response and in an updated Tweet, she made it clear that she thought the fan was asking if she had been to any signings (autograph signings).
“Dang yall, I read the original posters tweet wrong. I meant I haven’t been to a signing since Feb”
Dang yall, I read the original posters tweet wrong. I meant I haven’t been to a signing since Feb ???
Kamille had been a key figure in the women’s division of NWA. She parted ways with the promotion and became a free agent after her contract expired in 2023. It was reported that she had an option to extend her contract for six months. However, she didn’t opt for an extension and decided to depart.
In her last match with the promotion, she participated in a Mixed Street Fight in which she teamed up with Thom Latimer and faced Looks That Kill (Bryan Idol & Natalia Markova) in a losing effort on the November 18, 2023 edition of NWA Powerrr.
Kamille was on WWE and AEW’s radar
The former NWA Women’s World Champion had garnered interest from multiple promotions including WWE and AEW. Reports stated that she was backstage at the January 17 edition of AEW Dynamite which led to talks that she would ink a deal with the promotion. However, it was soon reported that she remained a free agent.
Fans are eagerly waiting to know what will be Kamille’s next move as her future remains up in the air.
WWE has their eyes on the entire pro wrestling world, but they aren’t bringing everyone in who is on the free agent list. Although there were reports that Kamille is going to WWE, it appears that she is closer to becoming All Elite.
AEW May Snipe Kamille From WWE
WWE seems to have missed the opportunity to sign Kamille, who is a notable talent that might be heading to All Elite Wrestling as they aim to enhance their women’s division. This comes as a bit of a surprise, because reports were that she was WWE bound.
According to PW Insider, the former NWA Women’s Champion is no longer anticipated to join WWE, despite past offers for an NXT deal. Discussions seem to have stalled, and she is reportedly engaged in “deep discussions” with AEW.
Why Kamille May Pick AEW over WWE
A move to AEW for her is seen as a more promising destination for Kamille. Joining AEW could also align with her ambition to pursue acting. It would also give her more freedom on her schedule.
We have no idea how much more Tony Khan is offering someone like Kamille to come in. Mercedes Mone is also rumored to be making her AEW debut very soon, and Khan was able to make that happen after WWE’s talks with the former Sasha Banks hit a financial roadblock.
SE Scoops will have continued coverage of this story. Keep checking back for more updates as they are made available.
AEW has brought in some of the best free agents that they can since their doors opened. The fact that Kamille was backstage at Dynamite this week certainly made a lot of people look her way.
Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that Kamille was just around AEW Dynamite to visit friends. She lives in the area, as Dynamite took place at the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, South Carolina.
Fightful confirmed that even though she was originally just around visiting friends, as she’s local to the area. However, that she did speak with several people of influence at the show.
Kamille’s Current Contract Status
It was also noted that, as of January 19th, Kamille has not signed with any company yet. It was reported that overtures were made over the past couple of weeks to bring Kamille to WWE. However, that didn’t keep her from being backstage at AEW Dynamite on January 17.
Kamille reportedly had a six-month option with NWA that could have extended into the first half of the year. Nevertheless, she chose not to exercise that option.
What’s Next For Kamille?
Kamille’s future is uncertain, but she is a top free agent in the pro wrestling landscape. Wherever she goes next, it is bound to draw headlines.
The former NWA women’s champion is reportedly set to join WWE. The 31-year-old has been a free agent since January 1st, but that might not be the case for very long.
AEW President Tony Khan made clear on a couple of occassions that he planned to be very active in pro wrestling free agency, but WWE has confirmed to be contact with a top independent talent.
PWInsider is reporting that WWE has reached out to former NWA Worlds Women Champion Kamille and offered her a NXT contract.
Kamille first entered into the NWA as Nick Aldis’ “insurance policy” enforcer before she ended up becoming an unprecedented women’s champion, holding the title for over 800 days before she dropped the belt to Kenzie Paige
Kamille is one of the rare women wrestling stars that rivals the look and presentation of Jade Cargill, who WWE notoriously signed a deal with the company last year.
Cargill has made several appearances on WWE programming since signing, but she also has focused her attention on improving her skills at the WWE Performance Center and hasn’t been since in months.
Other Women Free Agents WWE Has Interest In
Kamille isn’t the only name that WWE apparently wants to scoop up. The former champ joins the likes of Giulia, a top women’s star in NJPW who WWE reportedly has massive interest in.
However, WWE also has interest in two major names with previous ties to the company. It’s being reported that Trinity Fatu, the current TNA Knockouts Champion, is expected to re-sign with WWE once her contract expires, which appears imminent.
As for her former tag partner, Mercedes Mone, WWE does want to re-sign her, but there is no word as of yet if they’re close to a deal or where the former Sasha Banks may land.
Kamille will be the first to tell you that she isn’t the same pro wrestler she was more than 600 days ago when she first won the NWA women’s championship. “The Brickhouse” has evolved and taken from every experience in the ring.
With every defense, confidence grows for the impressive athlete. Chelsea Green, KiLynn King, Taya Valkyrie, Max The Impaler, Jennacide, and the list goes on and on. Coming up is one of the former softball standout’s biggest tests to date in the form of veteran and multi-time women’s champion Angelina Love at Nuff Said on pay-per-view.
Despite a long travel day to Tampa a few days before the show, Kamille made the drive to WWE superstar couple Natalya and TJ Wilson’s training space for a last-minute session.
“It was great,” she said. “Me and Nattie, it’s one of those things where we have been friends on Instagram but never really gotten the chance to sit down and talk. Being able to get in the ring with someone like her. First off, her family lineage with the Hart family. To learn from her not only in the ring but hear what she thinks about the business side of things. I’m very grateful they let me join in.”
Kamille’s Road to Greatness
Kamille certainly came in with a tremendous look, but she knew early she’d have to put in the work to succeed. She really entered pro wrestling seven years ago. Cutting her teeth on the independent scene and joining the NWA at the end of 2018 as Nick Aldis’ insurance policy.
“I didn’t start wrestling matches until 2020 and then COVID. Then really getting into it at the beginning of 2021,” she contends.
It has been an on-the-job training experience for Kamille. NWA head Billy Corgan had given her the ball in the form of the women’s championship, and she has been running with it ever since. Momentum continues to build as Kamille continues to put in the work to be her very best.
“I went from having four squash matches in NWA to now having these championship-worthy matches,” she said. “I won [the championship] from Serena Deeb. Getting in there with someone who had been in the business for so long. Not only is she an amazing wrestler but an amazing person.
“I actually texted her to just say thank you for setting me up for my entire run. Every match I’m learning something new. I’m working with someone different. And different styles. It is on-the-job training. There are going to be hiccups but you learn from them and keep going. I definitely think now I can go in there with anyone in the world.”
She cites facing Leyla Hirsch at EmPowerrr and Taya Valkyrie at NWA 74 in the main event as benchmarks. The latter made her feel, “You can do this. You were meant for this.” Speaking of EmPowerrr, Kamille wants to see a sequel but also believes absence makes the heart grow fonder.
“I think the fact it didn’t happen last year will make the next one more special because people want it now,” she explained. “I can’t wait to see what sorts of talent are out there. You have talent from all different companies coming together. I hope we have that same dynamic of everyone working together and seeing matches you wouldn’t normally see.”
Kamille on Charlotte Flair being a Dream Opponent
And if that proverbial “forbidden door” opened, Kamille has one particular opponent in mind. A WWE queen.
“Businesswise and putting butts in seats and people wanting to see it, it would have to be Charlotte Flair,” she responded when asked who she would face if she had her way down the line. “She is the best in the world. I think we would have a good backstory and story that could lead into it. Getting in there with someone who is so talented could help me learn and grow. And it’s something people would want to see. I believe we are around the same size, so I think the dynamic of that would be very interesting.”
Angelina Love and NWA Nuff Said
Despite having that dream match in mind, Kamille remains focused on her next big defense against Angelina Love. Respect remains for the challenger.
“The fact is Angelina is a veteran. She has been doing this for a long time. When she was part of TNA, she was a needle mover. She got people watching,” she said. “I think she surprises a lot of people because not only is she beautiful but so talented as well and intense. Her as my opponent, I know I’m bigger and have the advantage in that way. But she has that veteran status. I’ve never been in a no-DQ match. I’m sure she has been in a few scuffles here and there. She might have that advantage over me. I think it will come down to who wants it more. It is going to be a fight.”
NWA Nuff Said is available exclusively through FITE TV. It is available for preorder now for $24.99.
Kamille is preparing for her next title defense this weekend, but she got to train with two WWE stars before she does.
The NWA Women’s Champion recently trained with Natalya and TJ Wilson at Workhorse Fitness in Tampa, FL. She shared a photo with Natalya while in the ring and wrote the following in the caption:
“Huge thanks to @NatbyNature @TJWilson for being so welcoming last night! Helping me to get ready for a big weekend of wrestling. So happy to be continuing my journey in training with the best of the best in the world and can’t wait to see where else this year takes me!”
Huge thanks to @NatbyNature@TJWilson for being so welcoming last night! Helping me to get ready for a big weekend of wrestling 🤼♀️ 🙌🏼
So happy to be continuing my journey in training with the best of the best in the world and can’t wait to see where else this year takes me! pic.twitter.com/2q1VOwpMP6
The NWA will present its Nuff Said pay-per-view event this Saturday night at 7 pm EST on FITE TV. Kamille will defend her title against Angelina Love in a no DQ match at the show.
Kamille has been the Women’s Champion for over 600 days after winning it from Serena Deeb at When Our Shadows Fall in June 2021.
Other top matches that will be featured on the card include NWA World Champion Tyrus vs.Matt Cardona, NWA National Champion Cyon vs. Homicide, and Thom Latimer vs. Fodder in a Singapore cane match
Posted February 9th, 2023 in WWE, News. Tagged: Kamille.
NWA Women’s World Champion Kamille has made quite a name for herself in the promotion, but has her sights set on WWE.
Kamille is in her first reign as NWA Women’s World Champion, having dethroned Serena Deeb at When Our Shadows Fall in June 2021.
Kamille’s reign, now in its 588th day, is the fifth longest reign of any NWA Women’s World Champion.
Lying
Kamille is yet to appear for WWE, but believes that working for the Stamford-based promotion is the goal of any wrestler worth their salt.
Appearing as a guest on the Insiders Edge podcast, Kamille was asked if she would consider working for WWE.
“Yeah, I think anybody that says no to that would be lying (idea of heading to WWE). Truthfully, WWE is, like you said, the Yankees, they’re the top of the top and so I think that anybody who takes their wrestling career seriously, they wanna end up.”
Kamille
Kamille added that competing for WWE, even on a short-time basis, serves as proof that a wrestler has “made it.”
The Champion added that her desire to join WWE is hardly a secret she has kept to herself.
“I would love to have that opportunity at some point. I mean, even Billy [Corgan], my boss, he understands as well.”
Kamille
Kamille Outside the NWA
Kamille hopes to be WWE-bound one day, but she has competed elsewhere outside the NWA.
In October 2022, Kamille competed at AAA’s TripleMania XXX, replacing the injured Thunder Rosa to challenge for the Reine de Reinas Championship.
In July 2021, Kamille appeared on AEW Dynamite to watch The Bunny Vs. Leyla Hirsch to determine her challenger for NWA Empowerrr.
Hirsch won that match but lost in the title match to Kamille.
