Gabby Forza officially signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) last week, becoming the latest athlete to join the promotion’s Knockouts Division. In an interview with OutKick, Forza explained that she was drawn to TNA because it is one of the few major wrestling promotions that permits intergender competition—women facing men in the ring.
Why intergender wrestling matters to Forza
Forza said she has built her wrestling persona around taking on male opponents, a practice she began on the independent circuit. “From the moment I joined wrestling, I always wanted to wrestle men,” she said. “That is kind of what I’ve made my schtick based off of, where I’m fighting men a lot on the independent wrestling scene.” She added that being able to compete against men in TNA would be a dream come true.
Background in football and powerlifting
Before entering professional wrestling, Forza spent more than a decade playing women’s tackle football, earning seven All‑American honors as a linebacker and twice trying out for Team USA. She also competed as a powerlifter, giving her a strength foundation that she says translates directly to the wrestling ring.
Forza grew up playing on boys’ football teams, often being the smallest player on the field. She credits her older brother, who never hesitated to spar with her, for helping her develop the toughness needed to face larger opponents. “I was always used to going up against guys who were bigger than me, and that made me a very strong person physically,” she said.
Future plans and inspiration
While the exact date of her TNA debut remains unknown, Forza hopes her presence will inspire young women who do not fit traditional expectations of femininity. “I definitely aspire to inspire other people, especially young women who don’t fit the typical shape of a woman,” she said. “Wrestling has been very good to me in the sense that I’ve been able to reach all these young people and young girls who come up to me and tell me that I inspire them to work out, to get stronger, and not focus on being what other people expect them to be.”
TNA’s weekly show “Impact” airs Thursday nights at 9 p.m. ET on AMC, and the promotion’s upcoming Lockdown pay‑per‑view will feature matches inside a steel cage.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
