PATREON EXCLUSIVE | Favor Isn’t Fair (feat. Jade Cargill) | The Joe Budden Podcast

Jade Cargill's entry into professional wrestling was highly unusual, bypassing the typical 'indies' and developmental system. She was discovered by Mark Henry, trained briefly, and debuted directly on national television in 2020, teaming with Shaquille O'Neal against Cody Rhodes. This 'meteoric rise' is a rare occurrence, with only a handful of individuals achieving such a fast track.

Cargill states, 'For me, I was one of the blessed ones that went to the try out. I trained for a little bit and then I went to the posing company first... I started on TV from day one. I was actually against our champion now Cody Rhodess and I was teaming up with Shaquille O'Neal. So that was my first match ever on TV.' She adds, 'Prior to that I had one practice match.'

Cargill faces criticism from some fans who believe her rapid promotion skipped over others who 'grinded' through the ranks. She dismisses this, stating she does 'what I'm told' and that her quick rise comes with significant pressure and the need to perform consistently at a high level. She attributes her resilience to her humble beginnings and strong personal background.

When asked about people feeling she was 'propelled to the top,' Cargill responds, 'Fair ain't f I mean fair is not what is it? Was it favorite isn't fair or something like that. I can't I I do what I'm told.' She adds, 'That's a lot on my shoulders cuz I have to go out there and I have to perform. It's not a cakewalk that people think it is.' She also states, 'I come from the bottom... I know where I came from. I know how hard I worked.'

Despite common perceptions of wrestling being 'fake' or choreographed, Cargill emphasizes the extreme physical toll and danger involved. Wrestlers are not on trampolines or cushions, and injuries are common. The conditioning required is intense, encompassing strength, cardio, and the ability to perform, communicate, and react to crowds for extended periods, all while constantly traveling.

Cargill explains, 'We're not on strings. We're fighting gravity. Things happen. Like I just said, I bust my eyebrow open on live TV and I had to keep on going.' She notes, 'This stuff really hurts. We're not on cushion and like all this a trampoline. Have you guys ever felt a ring before? ... It hurts.' She also highlights the 'tough' travel schedule, being home only 'maybe two days out the week' as a tag team champion.

Cargill proposes innovative marketing strategies to attract new demographics to wrestling, beyond the traditional fanbase. Her idea of a 'Baddie Section' at events, populated by attractive female influencers, aims to leverage their existing followers and generate broader interest and sponsorship opportunities.

Cargill states, 'That's why I was trying to do this whole baddy section, right? Or we can name it whatever. But what I was going to do was have beautiful women cuz beautiful women attract men.' She explains, 'They show people, hey, this [expletive] is like super dope. It gets more people to the product.' She envisions 'sponsors through that. The women can have Maybelline. The men can have like Sugar Daddies or something like that sponsored for them.'

Cargill acknowledges that social media and shows like 'Unreal' are blurring the lines between kayfabe (the portrayal of staged events as real) and reality in wrestling. While this transparency can attract new fans by showing the 'layers' and difficulty of the business, it also risks diminishing the traditional 'allure' and mystery that long-time fans appreciate.

Cargill notes, 'with us having what is it? Unreal. Like how does that how how is that going to go with wrestling now and everything we're doing now? because we're pulling back the curtain and we're showing the different layers to wrestling.' She agrees that it 'takes away the allure of the story line' and that 'people think they know every freaking thing.'