Interview: Fiona Fraser

Disclaimer: Along with this accompanying article, Fiona Fraser agreed to take part in an interview with AWBA ahead of her appearance at Pride Wrestling on Saturday 20th September. Read on to find out about Fiona's beginnings in wrestling and where the future may take her.

Fiona Fraser - Facebook | Twitter | Contraband Photography


AWBA: Hi Fiona, thanks for agreeing to take part.

We might as well start at the beginning. I understand you are a graduate of the very excellent Source Wrestling School. Can you share a little but about what got you into wrestling and how you got started at the school?

Fiona: I was never into wrestling as a kid - it was something I was vaguely aware of around 2003 when I was in my early years of High School. I mean, I knew who The Rock was, I knew who Stone Cold was, but that was about it. At the time I just had other interests, you know?

I only started watching wresting in 2011. I came home from work one Friday and was channel surfing for something to watch, and decided on Smackdown - I got totally hooked from there. I watched for maybe three weeks before I decided, "I fancy giving that a go!" I googled Scottish Wrestling Schools and went from there!

Arm-based submission holds are a staple of Fiona's repertoire

AWBA: The first time I saw you wrestle was on the very first Fierce Females show DVD at the tail end of 2012, but I believe you debuted earlier in the year. Can you tell us a little about your first few matches?

Fiona: I debuted in the March of 2012, on what you'd know now as one of the Source Showcase shows, against Nikki Storm. I was so nervous, but I knew I was in safe hands. I had a few matches with Kirsty Love over the summer that followed my debut and it really helped my confidence to have those matches with her. 

I faced Nikki again in Motherwell towards the end of the year and it was the first time I really, truly enjoyed a match - every one before that the nerves were a bit too much. I faced Nikki again for the match you spoke about for the first Fierce Females show, and again, I learned a lot from that match - an awful lot. Working with Nikki has taught me a great deal, and still does.


AWBA: Since that initial match with Nikki at the start of Fierce Females, you have appeared on every Fierce Females show in some capacity. 

Your recent trilogy with Courtney has seen you both trade one win apiece and ended at the last show with a double-countout. It is fair to say that fans are on the edge of their seats for the outcome from this feud.

But if we can go back for a moment to the second Fierce Females event, Luke Who's Yer Da. On that show, you called April Davids a "coward" when she had to pull out of the event due to an injury. More recently during your first match with Courtney at Coming Of Age, you threatened April again. With April now making her return to Fierce Females at last month's Strewth Sheila event, a meeting between you both seems like a certainty at some point in the future.

Can you share a little about your animosity with both of these women and answer the question on everyone's mind - whose arm are you most interested in breaking?

Fiona: Regardless of the animosity I feel towards both women - and you've seen it come out against Courtney several times in the last few months - there is respect there. Courtney has exploded onto the Scottish scene recently, and it hasn't been long since her debut - it's all down to her hard work.

As far as our recent matches have gone, I know there are folks out there looking for resolutions,  and none more so than myself. In the heat of the moment I got carried away, and Courtney was smart enough to capitalise on that, but let's not forget - she allowed herself to be goaded, she let me into her head. The next time our paths cross, whenever that may be - it will be war. We are two determined women with everything to prove and a strong desire to win.

As far as April Davids goes - I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. I've got a score to settle with Courtney first. 

Fiona Fraser putting Courtney's arm in a dangerous position

AWBA: Speaking of respect, you've made no secret of your admiration for the duo of Carmel and Sara and their somewhat unforgiving ways. 

At this year's Return Of The Queen Of Hardcore event, you faced off against Viper. Although Viper got the victory in that match, you managed to get some modicum of revenge, as afterwards Carmel and Sara came out to the ring and goaded you into attacking Viper.

At the recent Strewth Sheila event, you appeared during the Carmel and Sara tag match and convinced Nixon not to get involved against Hardcore Glamour. Was this all part of that respect you have for Carmel and Sara, and does it extend any further? Could we possibly be looking at the fourth member of Hardcore Glamour?

Fiona: At Strewth Sheila, I felt overcome with a duty to protect Nixon. She's not new to wrestling, but she is new to Fierce Females, and she didn't know what she was getting involved with - I felt I had a duty to let her know that if she partnered with Nikki Storm, it wouldn't end well for her. If you recall, I was at one point in a six woman scramble tag match for ICW at Studio 24 in Edinburgh, and I helped Nikki that night by pulling April David's legs away from her and causing her the win, and not long after Nikki dropped her association with me like a hot potato. I was protecting Nixon from going through the same thing that I did - being used and abused by Nikki Storm for her own gain.

I have a great deal of respect for the way that Carmel and Sara know exactly what they want and how to go out and get it - they don't allow anything to stand in their way. It's an admirable way to go about things; there is no fear there. I have my own mission in Fierce Females, and that's to go out and show what I can do and prove what I'm capable of, because I know there are still those out there who doubt what I'm capable of. Whether or not my mission will be compatible with that of Hardcore Glamour will show with time - you'd have to ask them if they are recruiting.

Fiona convinced Nixon not to get involved at Strewth Sheila

AWBA: Moving away from Fierce Females for now, I understand you have wrestled for other promotions over the past few years including the Scottish Wrestling Alliance, Pride and on iPPV for Pro-Wrestling: Eve. What can you tell us about your experiences outwith Fierce Females?

Fiona: Scottish Wrestling Alliance is home, and I love wrestling there. I've wrestled on every Motherwell show since I started, as well as a few others. SWA has really come into its own in the last year or so and there is a fantastic amount of talent coming through their doors - both home grown and wider UK (and world) talent. Pride is fantastic fun, and is at the start of its journey - it's going from strength to strength at the moment.

Pro-Wrestling: EVE was an amazing experience to have so early on in my career and I'm incredibly grateful to them for taking a risk with me (I was still very new to wrestling when I traveled down for the Wrestlefever show) and giving me the chance to be part of the show. It was the first all female show I was a part of too - the atmosphere backstage was very supportive and friendly.


AWBA: While on the subject of gender, you're scheduled to wrestle for Pride on Saturday in a mixed tag match. Mixed gender bouts seem to be one of the staples of British wrestling at the moment, with no differentiation being made between men and women from a fan's perspective. Being in the ring however, do you feel there are any differences between taking part in a mixed gender match as opposed to an all female bout?

Fiona: Mixed tag matches can bring some good fun to a show, with a real chance to build up character and story line depending on who is involved. Obviously there are the considerations as to whom is the legal participant in mixed gender matches, but other than that you're going out to do the same as you would in any other match.

AWBA: As well as having a fantastic wrestling career, I also understand that you do photo shoots with some of the female wrestlers as part of Contraband Photography (link). What started your interest in photography and where do you hope to go with it?

Fiona: I do indeed - I'm responsible for a lot of the photographs of the women in Scottish Wrestling that are cropping up right now, and there will be plenty more to come!

I completed an HNC in Photography at a local college in 2008/9 after I finished High School - it was a way for me to get out of the school environment that I wasn't enjoying any more. It was something to do while I was figuring out what I actually wanted to do with my life - why do we ask 16 and 17 year olds to think about these things, seriously? 

After college I spent time working with burlesque performers, who found having a female photographer a bit of fresh air. I was asked to do some photographs this year after a long break from my camera and it's really spiraled from there. More and more people are seeing the photos I've taken and really see the value in them.

As far as where I hope to go with it, I want to work with as many female wrestlers as possible and get some great results together - no one should underestimate the power of a good photo, both in that the way a promoter sees it, but also in how good it can make you feel.

Sammii Jayne, a fine example of Fiona's work

AWBA: Got to agree with you there. Your photos give the wrestlers you've worked with so far an extra air of professionalism in my opinion.

Continuing to look forward then, what are your aspirations in the ring for 2015 and beyond?

Fiona: I want to expand my skill set as far as I can - I'm known as a technical wrestler, but I'm capable of so much more than what people have seen already. I'll be making my voice heard and impossible to ignore.

If you enjoyed this Interview, please check out this article on Fiona's career so far, including some free matches to enjoy and information on Fiona's upcoming shows!

Interview: Bete Noire

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the A Wee Bit About: Bete Noire overview, Bete graciously agreed to take part in an interview with AWBA. Find out all about this fantastic wrestler's start in the business, her trip to Japan and what the future may hold.

Bete Noire - Facebook - Blog - Twitter - Website

AWBA: Hi Bete. Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for AWBA. 

Let's start at the start. You're one of the many great graduates from the Source Wrestling School. Can you tell us a little about what got you interested in pursuing wrestling and how you got started at the School?


Bete Noire: I'd always been a fan as a kid and as I got older and other commitments inevitably crept in I fell away from it for a while. It was only when I had finished university that I really started watching it again and it sucked me straight back in. The whole art form of wrestling isn't just the things these guys do in the ring but that they tell a story as well. You genuinely care about what happens to these characters and that's amazing to me, you don't get that with any other kind of sport.

I was sitting at home with a friend and I can't remember the match but I know there were ladders involved. I remember in between moaning about not having anything to do that I wished I could do that and this friend, thinking he was taking the piss, said "Oh, why don't you go and be a wrestler then?" and it was like a little switch had flicked inside my head. I became a woman possessed with the idea.

After a bit of searching, I found what is now called the Source Wrestling School when they were based in Linwood. I went along on my first session, originally just to watch and get an idea of what it was about. Nikki Storm grabbed me, threw a pair of her spare joggies at me and marched me to get changed. I spent the next few hours getting launched about by Chris Renfrew. Clearly that didn't put me off!

AWBA: Talk about getting thrown in at the deep end! 

Personally speaking, my first exposure to you was the very first Fierce Females DVD from their show back in September 2012, but I believe you'd been wrestling for about a year beforehand. What can you tell us about your early career, any stand-out moments leading up to your Fierce Females debut?


Bete Noire: I had been wrestling for about a year before that yeah, mainly for my home company Scottish Wrestling Alliance but I had also just started to venture down to England with Pro-Wrestling:Eve and The Wrestle Factory as well.

My early career I guess I spent it like a sponge. I just tried my best to absorb everything I could, all the information and advice that was given to me by anyone and it taught me to grow a thick skin. I learned very quickly that when you start to gain even a little bit of success, not everyone is going to be happy for you. That was probably one of the hardest things I learned, especially when there were people I had started my training with who I considered friends suddenly being very sour with me for moving further ahead. That's one of the more difficult aspects of this business and it could turn you very cynical if you're not careful, I work hard to stay optimistic.

The first Fierce Females show was a really big deal for me because nobody knew who I was. I had been training with Mikey Whiplash at our school so he knew what I could do, just nobody else did. People obviously knew girls like Kay Lee Ray, Carmel, Nikki Storm and Viper but definitely not me, not in an over 18s environment. The only mindset I had was that I wanted to go out and make people notice for what I felt I could do best and that's just having a straight up fight. My favourite part of that match is still the fact I broke the overhead projector jumping from the top rope (Sorry Arches!)

AWBA: Speaking of Viper, although your first match at Fierce Females was in defeat to Viper, you two have teamed up quite successfully over the years in a variety of promotions, and are scheduled to face The Owens Twins in a tag match at ICW's "Spacebaws" event. I think it's fair to say, whether as opponents or partners, you and Viper seem quite close and have great chemistry together. Can you tell us a bit about your experiences with Viper, both as opponent and partner?


Bete Noire: I absolutely love that girl. We met years ago when I first started training and we've been practically joined at the hip ever since. Her other half is always saying I'm the only person he needs to worry about her running away with!

I think we work so well together because of that closeness. I know what she can do, she knows what I can do so as opponents we're both comfortable with doing the stupid stuff and taking the big silly risks. She's really the only person I think I could trust to pick me up by my legs and swing me into the ring post, for example. It's true, you do hit your friends SO much harder because at the end of it they're going to just smash you back and you're going to finish your match, get changed and go to the bar to have a laugh about it.

As tag partners we just like to have fun! She makes me laugh all the time and the way we interact with each other in the ring as partners is pretty much the same way we'll interact with each other everywhere else, it's just a little more amplified when we're in the ring. I actually enjoy that when we're a tag team we can both be a little more ourselves. There isn't as much pressure on because you've got someone there just to help back you up.

AWBA: That ringpost shot was gnarly by the way. You've taken some amount of knocks. 

Switching gears a little, one of the most interesting things about your career, from my point of view, was your trip to Ice Ribbon in Japan at the start of the year. For those of us who maybe aren't aware, can you tell us how that trip came about and what you felt about the experience?


Bete Noire: I'd always had a big interest in wrestling in Japan having kept track of it and watched it for years. I'm really into that style and I think that's why I don't mind getting knocked about as much as I do!

There wasn't much to it about going, I simply got in contact with Ice Ribbon and sent them a load of my stuff. Not really thinking anything of it until they got back to me about 6 weeks later saying they would love to have me over and to arrange travel details.

It was without a doubt one of the most terrifying, humbling, fantastic and mind blowing experiences I've had. Nobody tells you how daunting it is travelling alone until you're doing it and there I was flying to the other side of the world to wrestle and train. Once I got over the initial culture shock, I had some of the best experiences and met some of the best people. I was so upset to leave as soon as I did, I was crying in the airport. For that 4 weeks I was basically living the dream.

AWBA: Did you find there were many differences in the Japanese style of training as opposed to what you had experienced back home?


Bete Noire: Actually not as many as you would think! They had separate days for different aspects of training which I enjoyed. Everything was more condensed so you could pick it up a little easier.

My school has taken training from all over the world so I felt more than prepared for what they were teaching me. It wasn't easy by any means but I felt like it wasn't killing me.

Except Lucha training....cause big birds don't fly

AWBA: Focusing back home now, you've infamously yet to taste singles success at Fierce Females. This has seen you put out of both #1 Contender tournaments so far this year, which must be frustrating for you. I've noticed you growing more intense as time goes on, coming out to your match with Sweet Saraya sporting a kendo stick for example. It scarcely seems possible given some of the wars we've already seen you in, but it feels we may be on the verge of seeing a truly unleashed Bete in the near future. 

As 2014 seems to be the year of breaking streaks, and with at least two FF shows left in the year, are you working on a tactic to finally clinch victory?


Bete Noire: Hard to say really. At Fierce Females it's growing more and more difficult to keep a cool head in each match and my lack of self preservation skills on more than one occasion has been the deciding factor in costing me my matches.

I don't think I have any particular tactics going in, win or lose, a lot of the time I'm just looking for a good fight. Who knows how that philosophy is going to work out for me in the end? I'll either end up the last woman standing or I'll be leaving on a stretcher. I'm not sure I know how to do the in between any more!

AWBA: Finally, what are your aspirations in the near future for your wrestling career?


Bete Noire: Now THAT is a really big question. In the near future, I'd just like to travel more of the country and work some new promotions. There are a lot of people I've not had the chance to work with yet that I'd really like to learn some things from. Long term? If this year has taught me anything it's that planning too far ahead can ruin things. I'd like to just go with the flow and see what happens!

If you liked this interview, check out my article on Bete's career including some free matches to watch.


For more of Bete, please check out her Facebook page and her blog "Cupcakes & Chinlocks" through our fantastic friends at Breaking Baws.