AEW's Jade Cargill on Her 1st Year Wrestling, TBS Title, Workouts and More

On the January 5 episode of AEW Dynamite, Jade Cargill defeated Ruby Soho in the finals of a tournament to become the first-ever TBS champion for All Elite Wrestling.

Since that day, the 29-year-old has been defending the belt on a near-weekly basis. So far, she has beaten Anna Jay and Julia Hart.

The former standout women's college basketball player hasn't even hit her one-year anniversary in the business but has already established herself as one of the most physically dominant performers in AEW.

We had a chance to speak with the woman who calls herself "That B---h" to talk about winning the TBS title, her aspirations in pro wrestling, how her workouts have changed, being a role model for her daughter and much more. 

As a child of the 1990s, Cargill grew up during what many would call the biggest boom period in professional wrestling. It was the era of the New World Order, ECW, D-Generation X, The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. The business was never more mainstream than it was during that time.

For the TBS champion, her love of wrestling began as a child alongside her brother at their family home in Vero Beach, Florida.

"It's something I always have been into," Cargill said. "Me and my brother used to be in the front yard practicing all kinds of wrestling moves. I say it all the time, I got bruised knees, broken this and that. I've done a lot. I love wrestling. I used to impersonate The Rock a lot. I used to impersonate John Cena. I loved it.

"I grew up watching it. I got away from it around maybe around 15. And then I started really focusing on sports and playing basketball. But I mean, I think everybody grew up watching wrestling and the '90s. If you were born in the '90s, it was everything."

As one of the most muscular and athletic stars in AEW, you would think Cargill would have dominated her brother, but she says they were evenly matched as opponents.

"Believe it or not, my brother is just as big as I am," she said. "We look the exact same, we have the same build. But initially, yes, I was [dominating him]. And then, of course, as he got older, he started tagging me and everything. So it kind of swapped later on in life."

During the mid-to-late 1990s, women's wrestling saw a major uptick compared to previous years, especially in WWE.

As a fan, Cargill gravitated toward the more muscular competitors in the women's division.

"Jackie [Jacqueline Moore] and Chyna were my two. I love jazz as well," she said. "She's a kick-ass woman. She's a force to be reckoned with as well. So, those three to me, I watched growing up."

With a strong foundation in basketball and a Master's degree in child psychology, Cargill had several options for potential career paths, but as soon as she got her first taste of what it was like to be a wrestler, she never looked back.

"So after my tryout, it kind of just lit a fire in me and I loved it," she said. "I was like, 'You know what? Damn, I can really do this. This is fun, I'm enjoying it.' Of course, it hurts, all the bumps, but I enjoyed it. And once I start something, I don't put anything down.

"I'm a perfectionist. So I want to just be great at it. I'm enjoying it. I knew once I started I wasn't going to stop. Once I'm obsessed with something, I'm really obsessed with it. And I'm very obsessed right now with wrestling."

With less than a year in the business under her belt, Cargill is still training and developing. She had her first match ever on television, so she has had to deal with a lot more pressure than many others who spent time in the indies developing their skills in front of smaller crowds.

Luckily for the TBS champion, she has a ton of resources at her disposal. Not only are her trainers there to provide support but other legends have also offered her advice as she continues to learn and grow.

"Dustin Rhodes and Cody Rhodes have been very, very helpful in my career," she said. "QT Marshall has been amazingly helpful in my career. As well as Billy Gunn. A lot of veterans talk to me, and they all want me to do well because they watch me practice and they know what I can do. They just want me to get more comfortable in the ring and show that to everybody else.

"There are things that I've not done in a match that I do in my practice, but I can't show these things yet. I can't pull them out. Why would I? Why would I expend and give somebody an eight-minute match when I can kill them in three minutes? Or four minutes? Why would I do that?

"So there's no point in me showing all my tools and what I can do and running the ropes all the time if I don't have to do that. But there are a lot of veterans behind the scenes who talk to me, coach me and tell me what's right from wrong, and I appreciate that."

Transitioning from one sport to another usually means an athlete has to adjust their workout routines. When you go from a semi-contact sport like basketball to a full-contact activity like pro wrestling, adjustments need to be made in order to build the right muscle groups and build up stamina.

For Cargill, it also meant some changes to her daily routine and life in general. 

"I have a much later schedule now. I used to wake up probably around 5:30 in the morning, do some cardio and start my day," she said. "But because now my training classes are later in the day, I wake up probably around 11 if I don't have to drop my daughter off in the morning. Also, I do less cardio in the gym.

"I do more cardio in the ring. More than anything to be honest. I think wrestling training is the best type of cardio workout you could do. So I do everything when it comes to cardio in the ring right now, unless I can't get in the ring. Then I probably do a hit like a hit workout or something like that. I still lift weights the same."

She may have traded backboards for ring posts, and hardwood courts for canvas mats, but basketball is never far from Cargill's heart. In fact, plenty of people in AEW share her passion for shooting hoops and even challenge her to one-on-one pickup games. 

"Leyla [Hirsch], she was talking about [challenging me]," she said. "And we're talking about a basketball campaign or something because The Young Bucks play and Scorpio Sky plays. A lot of people here at AEW claim they're great at basketball. So I'm like 'Let's run a team.' Leyla wants to be the point guard. So Leyla is the one who thinks she can take me on. I'm like, 'Alright, girl, we'll see.'"

On October 6, AEW announced the creation of the TBS Championship for the women's division in conjunction with Dynamite's move to TNT's sister station in January.

Over the next few months, the promotion held a four-round tournament to crown the first winner. The tourney had a stacked lineup that included names such as Nyla Rose, Ruby Soho, Kris Statlander, Hikaru Shida and Serena Deeb. But it was Cargill who emerged as the victor.

While she is certainly confident in her skills, she is not taking the fact that she won a title in her rookie year for granted. 

"I felt as though the belt was always made for me," Cargill said. "I'm very blessed. I'm very thankful. I feel like now the work has just kind of started. I feel like it is an honor to hold the belt. I feel like it's a privilege to hold a belt in general.

"So, is there a lot of weight on my shoulders? Yes, but I always rise to the occasion. And one thing I love is a challenge. And I'm very thankful that Tony Khan has trusted me that I'm going to kill it because I'm going to do that."

When Cargill won the TBS Championship, she was able to share the moment with her daughter. Not only was she watching from the crowd, but she also got to celebrate with her mom on the stage afterward.

It was a special moment for the mother and daughter because she has been at her mother's side since she began her path to becoming a pro wrestler.

"For my daughter to see me [win the title], it's amazing because she's been with me along this whole journey," Cargill said. "When I started training, she was in the gym with me. It was really astonishing for me to see how she used to watch me in the ring with huge men.

"At first, she would cry about it. And I'd have to go off to the side and talk to her and tell her 'You know, mommy's beaten some butt.' And now it's funny how it's turned. She's the one who's yelling and telling me to get on somebody. So, it feels good for her to see me in that light because I want her to know everything I'm doing is for her foundation."

It's clearly important for the Florida native to be a good role model for her daughter. As a mother with a degree in child psychology, she understands the need for children to grow up feeling like they can achieve whatever goals they set for themselves.

"She can do anything and everything in this life and I want her to see that," Cargill said. "And she has a father who's prominent in sports as well, so she knows what it feels like to be a winner. And she knows the hard work it will take to be a winner. And again, I've just started. I'm not even a year in, I just started in March [of 2021].

"I know hard work. I look like hard work and I know what it takes. So, I know people look for such instant gratification. But people have to understand that I didn't work the indies. I didn't go to a wrestling school for about two, three years to train and be polished as long on TV.

"What you see is raw and I take something back from every match. And I use that and I put that in my toolbox. I'm growing and I'm getting better and I'm proud of myself. So, for me to hold this belt is a privilege. It shows me I have a lot of work to do. It shows me that I have just started my journey and I'm ready for this ride."

Since arriving in AEW, Cargill has faced a variety of opponents. Janai Kai, Red Velvet, Ruby Soho, Thunder Rosa and Julia Hart are just a few of the people she has battled in the ring.

However, the AEW roster is deep and there are still a number of competitors she has yet to work with. The TBS champion wants to face all-comers, but there was one name she singled out during our interview.

"I want to face everybody because everybody has different wrestling styles and I can use that to get better," Cargill said. "However, the one person that everybody wants to wrestle, and that I want to wrestle, is Serena Deeb. I mean, she's The Professor. I just think being in the ring with her is a privilege as it is and I want to work with her so bad. So whenever she's ready, I'm ready."

Deeb is widely regarded as one of the best technicians in wrestling today, so there is no doubt these two could put on a great show. With The Professor building a lot of momentum in recent months, it wouldn't be surprising to see her set her sights on the TBS Championship. 

Defending the TBS title is Cargill's main priority in AEW right now, but she also has her eye on the prize held by Britt Baker. 

"I want to go for the world title," she said. "But that's gonna take time and right now, I'm just focused on just getting better in the ring, getting my time in, getting more comfortable and just opening up and being more of myself with my character. So that's what I'm looking forward to right now.

"I'm really focused on myself. I'm looking forward to having better matches with my co-workers. I'm looking to work outside of AEW as well when that time comes. I'm looking forward to just being around."

On the night that she won the TBS Championship, Cargill wore attire that was inspired by the character Storm from The X-Men franchise. With her muscular physique and white hair, she perfectly embodied the superhero.

As you might expect, people on social media began fan-casting her in the role of Storm in whatever upcoming projects Marvel might have in store for its X-Men. 

"I've actually been taking a lot of acting classes to pursue something like that," Cargill said. "If my schedule permits me to do things like that, I would love to. I just know getting into anything Marvel or DC, It's tough. It's really tough. So I would love to. I love what she portrays. I love her character. I'm a strong black woman, and she's a strong black woman."

Speaking of movies, we always close out our AEW interviews with a quick film review. Since Cargill has been unable to attend the cinema recently, she chose to highlight two of her favorites. 

"I haven't been to the movies probably since the pandemic, so nothing currently. I'm kind of torn between two, I'm a hopeless romantic. I love Titanic. And I love Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas. I grew up on it. I love it. I'm a morbid person, so I love both of them. And that is two different things. But right now they're at my No. 1, both of them."

Cargill can be seen every week on AEW Dynamite and/or Rampage. You can follow her on Twitter @Jade_Cargill. Follow me on Twitter @BR_Doctor.