Killer Kelly had every right to feel all sorts of emotions walking out the TNA Hard to Kill 2023 PPV event over the weekend. She and tag team partner, Masha Slamovich, lost the Knockout Tag Team Championships to Decay during the event, but the show itself was one of the most successful that TNA has put on in the last ten years. All things considered, Kelly said it all was “crazy.”
In an exclusive interview with SEScoops, Kelly spoke fondly about her company and the progress she’s seen it make the last few years. She also detailed how her chemistry with Masha Slamovich came to be, their Dog Collar Match, and what her top future goals are for herself.
Here’s our interview and highlights:
TNA backstage morale
“The first thing that comes to mind is ‘crazy,'” Kelly said of company morale after Hard to Kill. “Everyone is so happy backstage. Everyone is excited to be a part of TNA. People from the roster, people that aren’t on the roster. Will Ospreay. He was just a kid. Super happy to be a part of TNA. Everyone who arrived at the venue, who saw the tunnel, just freaked out. Like ‘oh my god this is so cool!’ Everyone wanted to show out. Everyone was like, we’re going to show what TNA is all about and everyone did.”
Killer Kelly and Masha Slamovich were a part of a heated rivalry over the summer — a rivalry that jumpstarted their work as a team and one that culminated in vicious Dog Collar Match. Kelly was insistent that working with Slamovich as a partner or opponent was easy due to just how good Slamovich is in the ring.
“We were very lucky that we’re very alike,” Kelly said of Slamovich. “It wasn’t hard at all to get on that level and have that chemistry. It just popped up. We didn’t have to force it. It was just natural to us. That Dog Collar Match was one of my favorite matches ever. We’ve created history together and that chemistry, you can’t make it up. It was there the moment we had our first lock up.”
Find someone who looks at you the way @Kelly_WP and @mashaslamovich look at each other pic.twitter.com/AzqxZTeoLf
— Natalie (@NataColatina) January 17, 2024
Regarding the Dog Collar Match between Kelly and Masha Slamovich at Against All Odds 2023 in June, Kelly revealed it was quite easy putting the match together.
“We didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about that,” Kelly said of planning the match. “It was literally, we got in that day and we’re like ‘ok,’ let’s see how the chain and the dog collar feel because we hadn’t done anything like that before. It was on the day a few hours before the match and we were like ‘oh, this is quite heavy.’ But it was so easy and so quick to come up with ideas. Of course, we had Tommy Dreamer there helping us with the match and it was easy for us because we have the same mind. We’re twisted in our own way. The storytelling, everything. It was a beautiful ending to our little feud and a beautiful start to the relationship of Masha and Killer Kelly.
Jordynne Grace
With TNA momentum behind her, Killer Kelly says she wants to regain the Knockouts Tag Team Championships that she lost, but also would like to have a match with Jordynne Grace.
“I’ve never had a singles match with Jordynne Grace,” Kelly said. “That is one match I’d love to have. Just to push me to my limits. Because every single person you see wrestle her, they just go to another level when they step in the ring with her. She would beat my ass probably, but I would love it.”
Follow Killer Kelly on Twitter @Kelly_WP. She and TNA will be in Florida over the weekend for a set of shows. Visit TNAWrestling.com for ticket information.
TNA No Surrender returns to pay-per-view on February 23 in New Orleans.