AEW referee Aubrey Edwards shared a personal update during a recent media appearance.
While promoting AEW’s shows in Kent, Washington — including the June 25 episode of Dynamite and the taped Collision airing on June 26 — Edwards appeared on “The Bryan and Vinny Show.” As a Washington native, she joined the hosts to recap an old episode of Mid-South Wrestling. During a discussion about how a wrestler sold a move, Edwards casually revealed that she had recently suffered a painful injury. She said,
“I knocked a couple ribs out of place last week. My neck hurt, but is it my shoulder? I popped a couple ribs out of place.” When asked how the injury occurred, Edwards quipped, “Breathing.”
Despite the setback, Edwards was in action at the June 25 Dynamite, where she officiated the main event between Hangman Adam Page and The Beast Mortos.
During a recent conversation with AEW’s Renee Paquette on the “Close-Up” podcast, newly signed AEW star Mina Shirakawa opened up about her journey into professional wrestling. She spoke candidly about pursuing her dreams despite going against the wishes of her strict family.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On her family upbringing: “I grew up in a very strict family, and my father runs an IT company. He has his own company. So I was expected to study hard, [and] some day take over his business. I was expected. So I went to an all girl private school from junior high. And I studied hard, passed the university entrance exam, and I worked for a bridal company…”
On her dream of becoming a wrestler: “So I followed my parents thinking…[But] deep inside, I had a dream, because ever since I was a child, I admired the people I saw on TV. I wanted to be them…So it was my dream for a long time. So I started working, but I couldn’t ignore my feelings. So I quit [my] job, and I started, entered into the entertainment world.”
On following her dream of becoming a wrestler: “One day, someone invited me to go see pro wrestling. I go ‘Yeah, okay. Let’s go.’ So it was [my] first time when I watch wrestling. I was so shocked…It was New Japan in a small arena. I saw in the ring, they were fighting with everything they had. So I realized ‘Oh. I have to do the same thing for my dreams, to take the dream.’”
On wrestling being her emotional support: “So watching wrestling is my emotional support. So I was, for a long time, a big fan of pro wrestling. But one day, I asked to myself ‘If I die tomorrow, are you satisfied with your life?’ The answer was no. I have to challenge for wrestling. And then…so I had no experience in sports, but I decided to challenge for wrestling…and I became a wrestler.”
