August 19, 2003: G.L.O.R.Y. Girl LuFisto...formerly known as Precious Lucy to fans...is only a few short hours away from fulfilling her professional ambition: traveling to Japan to take on some of the toughest female competitors in the world.
G.L.O.R.Y. was fortunate to get this exclusive interview with the very busy LuFisto (her final interview before leaving for Japan) as she prepared for her trip...
G.L.O.R.Y.: I know that you must be extremely busy with your trip to Japan only hours away...so I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to your G.L.O.R.Y. fans before you leave.
LuFisto: You're quite welcome. I am always happy to keep my fans updated on what's happening with my career.
G.L.O.R.Y.: And your career has been a whirlwind the past few months. A couple of trips to Mexico. The upcoming tour of Japan. And a completely new gimmick and name change. Precious Lucy is gone and LuFisto is here! How did you come up with your new name?
LuFisto: Its a mix of Lucy and my favorite Batman character
G.L.O.R.Y.: Was that from the latest Batman movie?
LuFisto: No. "Batman and Robin"...but the character wasn't actually in the film. Bono didn't have enough time for the movie, but he portrays him during U2's shows.
G.L.O.R.Y.: I see. Well, why did you feel that you had to change your name? Did you change it specifically for the upcoming Japan trip or were you planning on changing it anyway?
LuFisto: AtoZ in Japan asked me to change it because Daffney [Unger] started using a name that was very similar. They wanted me to be unique. And actually, I always hated Precious Lucy! However, I've been in many magazines and TV shows with that name, so I was reluctant to change it until now.
G.L.O.R.Y.: Really? I remember you tried Bloody Lucy for a while...
LuFisto: Bloody was only a nickname. I was waiting for some major news to change the Precious Lucy name. Japan called and LuFisto was born.
G.L.O.R.Y.: So when you come back from Japan, you will remain LuFisto? It's not just a name for this trip?
LuFisto: Oh yes. Precious Lucy is dead. Long live LuFisto! [laughs] LuFisto is closer to who I am gimmick-wise anyway. After all, I'm more a crazy daredevil than what the name "Precious" would indicate.
G.L.O.R.Y.: Does the name change also mean a costume change? Will you be wearing the multi-colored, frilly outfits that the Japanese girls tend to wear?
LuFisto: Yes. A lot of color. Fire colors like orange, black and red. I'm actually getting three costumes made as we speak. I dropped the pants and I'm now wearing shorts. I want to wear shorts because AtoZ described me as a technical-shoot wrestler...and also "a master of death matches". The shorts have nothing to do with looking sexy. I'm in the business to perform...and even more now that I am wrestling in Japan.
G.L.O.R.Y.: That leads to my next question: Does this trip mean a change in your wrestling style?
LuFisto: I will learn a lot, thats for sure. And I do intend to bring back home the Japanese style of wrestling because
G.L.O.R.Y.: So there will be none of your usual "hardcore" over there?
LuFisto: Well, I don't know that yet. From what I've heard my new boss, Yomika Hotta, was really impressed by a tape she saw of my matches. So I assume I will be involved in some hardcore.
G.L.O.R.Y.: How exactly did this whole Japanese trip come about?
LuFisto: I'm proud of the fact that it didn't come about because of somebody I knew, or because I have a name (because I don't), or because somebody of my family already went there. I just did it the hard way. My good friend Corey and I got my stuff together
G.L.O.R.Y.: You have to excuse my ignorance of the Japanese wrestling scene. Hotta is...?
LuFisto: Yomika Hotta is a famous wrestler in Japan, and she is also the president of AtoZ.
G.L.O.R.Y.: I see. I wasn't familiar with her up to now.
LuFisto: You're missing a lot in women wrestling culture then! [laughs] Japanese women are the best in the world.
G.L.O.R.Y.: So is there any possibility that you may be in Japan longer than three months?
alt="LuFisto impresses with her wrestling skills, fearlessness and well-conditioned physique." border="0" align="right" vspace="5" hspace="5">LuFisto: No. I can't. I took a session on stand-by at school. I have one more session to go before I get my degree in Multimedia design. I was supposed to get it in December but postponed it for Japan. I'll have to come back for the January session to finish and get my degree.
G.L.O.R.Y.: Any plans that you may go back to Japan for a longer period after that?
LuFisto: I hope so. I just want to be sure to finish school before that happens. I think too many wrestlers are not being smart and when they don't finish school. They believe that they will wrestle for life...then they get hurt and have no skills for the future.
G.L.O.R.Y.: I know that two of your dreams for a long time had been to wrestle in Japan and Mexico. You're on your way to the Japan portion of that dream. And you've just fulfilled the Mexican part.
LuFisto: Yes.
G.L.O.R.Y.: How did that recent Mexican trip come about?
LuFisto: LLF contacted me through my website. I make sure to always keep it updated...and it worked out well for me this time.
G.L.O.R.Y.: That's a good idea. I wish more wrestlers would take a similar approach to their sites. You never know who will be checking you out.
LuFisto: That's what I believe, too. It's a cheap way to get some exposure.
G.L.O.R.Y.: And how did you like Mexico? Was it what you expected? Any surprises?
LuFisto: It was better then expected. I was supposed to be heel. I did a lot of TV interviews where I told them that I came to Mexico to destroy all the luchadoras. But when I wrestled, the crowd cheered for me anyway...and booed the Mexicans! I was really surprised.
G.L.O.R.Y.: I'm not. I can't imagine many people booing you no matter how hard you try!
LuFisto: [laughs] I also did the first ever female hardcore match in Mexico. And the crowd loved that, too.
G.L.O.R.Y.: I bet it was something that they were surprised to see. The wrestlers down there usually do more flying than hardcore.
LuFisto: Yes...but they loved it anyway and that's what matters most.
G.L.O.R.Y.: Any talk about you working back in Mexico again?
LuFisto: Yes. Actually, they were really disappointed that I couldn't go back soon. But they've already told me they want me back when I return from Japan.
G.L.O.R.Y.: So you're working in Canada, Mexico, now Japan. Those of us in the U.S. are jealous! Why do you think you are breaking-out all over, yet the U.S. seems to be a stumbling block? Or do you prefer not to work in the US by choice?
G.L.O.R.Y.: I don't want to work in another country without a visa. I want to be smart. And really, I haven't had any interesting bookings in the U.S. yet.
G.L.O.R.Y.: The assumption...among G.L.O.R.Y. fans at least...is that you weren't interested in wrestling other girls. You've always been associated with doing only intergender matches. Do you think that may have held you back on getting bookings?
LuFisto: I won't wrestle anybody who could hurt me because they don't know what to do in the ring. It seems that all the bad injuries I have had were caused by a girl. Actually, I'm wrestling at least once or twice a week
G.L.O.R.Y.: I'm not an expert on the Japanese wrestling scene, so correct me if I'm wrong...but they seem to not be big fans of intergender matches there. I don't know if I've ever seen or heard of a Japanese intergender match.
LuFisto: But the women there are as good as the men. So it doesn't really matter.
G.L.O.R.Y.: The wrestlers are segregated there, correct? The women wrestle in women's only feds...and the guys wrestle in their own feds?
LuFisto: In general, yes. There have been a few exceptions, but I believe not too many. I wouldn't be able to give you some names...but I've heard about some intergender matches there.
G.L.O.R.Y.: What kind of a timetable are you looking at when you arrive? I assume that you'll have a couple of weeks to train with the Japanese girls so that you can all get comfortable with each other? Or are you going to jump right into matches?
LuFisto: Actually, I'm arriving on the 22nd and wrestling my first match on the 24th! [Click here to see a poster of the match LuFisto is speaking of.] I will train with the girls after that, as part of their usual training. They've already seen my tapes, so they know what I'm capable of doing. I'm going against a very experienced wrestler...third match on a card of five.
G.L.O.R.Y.: How often do you expect you'll be doing shows during the three months you're there? Weekly?
LuFisto: Two to three times a week minimum. Plus training.
G.L.O.R.Y.: I've seen some action from the Japanese girls. Their regular matches are quite violent...and the hardcore matches can get really brutal. Barbwire seems to be a favorite weapon there. You worried a little?
LuFisto: Not at all! It's what I do here anyway. I'm used to the brutality. Mr. Tokanuga told me that from what he saw on my tapes, I'll be in wrestling heaven!
G.L.O.R.Y.: So you really aren't concerned at all about that? They really do seem to lose a lot of blood in their matches.
LuFisto: Not different from my matches here. That's why I wanted to go so much. I was getting really bored over here. Not so much with the guys, but girls here
G.L.O.R.Y.: Don't you worry that doing the hardcore types of matches almost exclusively will shorten your ring career though?
LuFisto: I'd rather have a short career that will be remembered than be like all those girls we see popping out of nowhere, showing their bodies and doing the minimum in the ring, calling themselves wrestlers...
G.L.O.R.Y.: You certainly don't sugar-coat your feelings about the North American women's scene.
alt="The steel chains aren't just a prop for LuFisto's photo shoot...this hardcore wrestler uses the weapon often during her hardcore encounters.." border="0" align="right" vspace="5" hspace="5">LuFisto: No, I want to be honest. It's bad. You just have to watch the WWE to notice it. People are bored...they don't care about what's going on in the ring. We can't close our eyes on such facts.
G.L.O.R.Y.: Do you worry that being so honest might hurt your reputation with promoters or other female workers? Or, maybe you feel that it actually helps to be so open about your feelings?
LuFisto: Again, I'm not talking about everybody here. But in general, the business is bad. I'm honest, that's all. Too many people in this business are not. I'm in this for the wrestling, not the T&A stuff. It's OK to have nice sexy outfits that show just enough skin...or a few cheesecake pics...but that's it. When you are in the ring, it should be business. That's my opinion, of course, and I respect other point of views.
G.L.O.R.Y.: You've mentioned a few times that you are not talking about everybody with your comments about the North American women's scene. So, who are the girls that you do admire or are impressed with? Are there any particular names?
LuFisto: I don't want to give the impression that I don't respect many of the girls wrestling in North America. There are quite a few who I admire. I wouldn't want to mention names though. If I did, I know that I would remember someone later on and then be sorry that I didn't recognize them on my list. But there are girls on G.L.O.R.Y. who I could name. And some Mexican girls...
G.L.O.R.Y.: And the Japanese ladies, of course. Do you have a particular favorite or two from over there?
LuFisto: I love Bull Nakano, Mimami Toyota, Yumika Hotta, Akira Hokuto...there are so many! Ayako Amada...
G.L.O.R.Y.: You recently had knee surgery to correct an injury. Is that completely healed up now? And are you back to 100%?
LuFisto: I've never felt so good! Even tough I'm wrestling with no meniscuses...no ACL. I need another surgery for reconstruction...but I refused it.
G.L.O.R.Y.: You think that surgery would be harmful?
LuFisto: I wouldn't be able to walk for over eight months. I don't have that time to waste.
G.L.O.R.Y.: Well, I know that when you were going through that knee injury, you were somewhat down in the dumps...which is certainly understandable. But now, things seem to have gone in the complete opposite direction for you.
LuFisto: Yes, it has. Actually, I think it made me a better wrestler.
G.L.O.R.Y.: How so?
LuFisto: I got tighter in my moves. Better at ground and shoot wrestling.
G.L.O.R.Y.: Because the knee injury grounded you somewhat from doing the high flying moves?
LuFisto: I still use a lot of them. I'm just smarter. I just learned a lot from that injury.
G.L.O.R.Y.: I guess when you are as young and athletic as you are, you tend to not think of the possibility of injuries until you have your first serious one.
LuFisto: Well, I always thought about them because I had a few when I started. But my knee injury just reminded me that I needed a back-up plan. That's why I got back to school. You never know how bad an injury can be. You need something other than wrestling to survive.
G.L.O.R.Y.: That's certainly good thinking. It's always smart to have a backup plan. Okay. So let's say that you goes to Japan and have a successful trip...which is what we all expect will happen. What's next for LuFisto?
LuFisto: I can't really tell. Japan was my dream. Now that I'm going there, I want to be successful on this trip...then maybe go back.
G.L.O.R.Y.: If you could map out exactly what you want to happen after this Japan trip and after you get your degree...any thoughts?
LuFisto: To be honest, I believe there is not a higher level than Japan for women wrestlers. So going back and to perhaps have a full-time career there would be the nirvana. And, on a more personal level, getting married to my boyfriend hopefully is another thing in my future. He's great...
G.L.O.R.Y.: And very lucky! Will he be going to Japan with you by any chance?
LuFisto: No, unfortunately. He starts teaching at University in September. He is also completing is PHD in Political Sciences. He's a busy man!
G.L.O.R.Y.: I guarantee that G.L.O.R.Y. fans will be following your trip to Japan with great interest...just as they have your career in Canada over the past several years. I'll give you the floor now. Do you have anything in particular you would like to say to them to wrap up this interview?
LuFisto: Simply that I hope that they will support me throughout my dream...and that they won't judge me as a bad person because of my opinions about the North American women's wrestling scene.
G.L.O.R.Y.: LuFisto, I can't see anyone judging you as a bad person! I'm sure I speak for all the fans of G.L.O.R.Y. when I wish you the best of luck on your trip to Japan...and also to say "thanks" for all the excitement you've provided us over the last several years that you've been involved with the G.L.O.R.Y. site. I know that this has been a very busy time for you as you've been preparing for you trip to Japan, and I appreciate you taking the time to do this interview with us. Hopefully we can talk again when you return and you can tell us all about your trip...
LuFisto: Thank you very much. I enjoyed it. And I look forward to speaking with you again when I get back.