EXCLUSIVE: Surviving the Widow’s Peak – An interview with WWE and TNA legend, Lisa Marie Varon aka Victoria/Tara (Part 1)

Former WWE Superstar and TNA Knockout Lisa Marie Varon, formerly known as Victoria while in WWE and by Tara during her time with TNA, recently sat down with Bodyslam.net correspondent Nathan Krogh.

In part I of this exclusive interview for Bodyslam.net, I caught up with the 7 time Women’s Champion, pioneer and wrestling legend to discuss the background on her life before wrestling and life after, since taking a step back from it.

Transcription of the interview is below:

NK: So. Hello, Miss Varon.

“Hello! You can call me Lisa, Nathan. Thank you for having me on your show. Very excited.“

NK: Thank you for taking the time out to do this interview for Bodyslam.net. Really appreciate it and to interview a legend like yourself..

“Oh, come on, stop it. Thank you. Thank you. That means a lot. It means a lot coming from the fans, you know. I think we all live like in our own closet, you know, just in a bubble, not really realizing what we did or what we do, and like our appearances and stuff like that until you’re in the environment. You just, you know, forget all this stuff, because after wrestling we’re leading a normal life, kind of, sorta, a little hectic.”

NK: I believe you grew up in San Bernadino, California. Tell us about your upbringing and growing up on the West Coast.

“I did! Oh my goodness, I am a California girl but I’ve had so many addresses because moving from here to there, to Chicago, to Memphis, to Louisville, so yeah. I’ve moved so much that my mom had to write my addresses in pencil because she’s like “You’re a gypsy” and I go “I know. I know”.”

“Yeah, I can’t stay in one place for very long, but growing up, you know, I have 3 older brothers. They were all about wrestling and amateur wrestling. My oldest brother was in the Pan Am Olympics and he got the gold in wrestling, so never thought in a million years, you know. I was more biology, math background so I wanted to go to Med school and stuff like that, and I was a tomboy.”

“No girly girlie dresses. Nothing like that. I was just about taking my shoes off and I would be running around the neighborhood with my top off cause I a little, little kid, so I used to get mistaken for a boy all the time, all the time. But, I do think my brothers, they were, they didn’t roughhouse me. Everyone’s like “No wonder you’re so tough” and I go “No, I got so spoiled from my brothers that they were so overprotective, and treated me like a princess”.“

“My oldest brother got me my first car. My second oldest brother got me my first motorcycle. My other one used to drag me around like, you know, I always got attached to their girlfriends. That was the problem when they would break up with them. I would be so devastated because I got attached to them, you know.”

When asked about her competing in many sports in high school, Ms Varon said:

“I did gymnastics. I was a cheerleader, competitive cheerleading, which was like required gymnastics in our, our neck of the woods, you know what I mean. So I think, being a ham doing that kind of solidified, like, prepared me for wrestling because the gymnastics meant being in the spotlight in front of all your peers, and the worst case scenario in high school and junior high and elementary school, where people are so critical, you know what I mean, and putting yourself out there.”

“I had a good childhood. My mom and dad, you know, didn’t really get on my back about doing well on grades because I was super competitive on everything I did, even on grades and stuff like that. So, oh and I was a very late bloomer. Didn’t have my first boyfriend until I was sixteen because I had 3 older brothers, that’s why I was so scared to date. I was like, I would have crushes and when they would like me back I was like, “Oh, no, no, no, I don’t like him anymore. No, no, no, no, thank you”, I was so scared.“

NK: They had to pass the 3 brother test before they could get anywhere near, I bet.

“And my dad, too, you know, he’s an air force guy so yeah, yeah. But, you know, my my brothers are easy though, they’re they’re funny and they’re all in California. This is why I moved back to California because my 3 brothers, my dad and my whole family’s here, you know. I have New York families, and family, but you wanna be home. I lost my mom, like, 6 years ago, and my dad is in his eighties and you wanna be home.“

“I’m just comfortable in my surroundings, not cheap, You pay an arm and a leg to be here (in California). This is why you see me hustle, hustle, hustle and I do a lot of appearances. Yeah, there’s no air conditioning in my apartment, cause I live in San Diego. No heater and I didn’t have curtains, so I had to get blackout curtains. We got rid of our car because, you know, if I travel for work I just take a lift or the bus to the airport. Very low maintenance. I think people have a misconception that we’re like, very “I need this. I need that. I need this”. I’m just a minimalist, I live in a studio block so I don’t need anything, you know what I mean, so I’d rather enjoy life.”

“I had a good upbringing in California, but it does cause you to be insecure growing up in California, and maybe just everywhere because growing up, teenagers can be very superficial, not just in California. It’s like, looks and all that kind of stuff, and being made fun of, so I couldn’t imagine having a child now because the kids are just so brutal and with the social media, I thank God we didn’t have that back in the day.”

“I didn’t have that, and I was allowed to spend the night on school nights. We didn’t, you know, party, we studied. So, it wasn’t like sending your kid to a rowdy house, you know what I mean, so it was never enforced on that, yeah. I was like, very…not like buckled down and I wasn’t like a prisoner in my own home, you know what I mean, as I remember kids were like “I have to go, the street lights are on” and I’m like “What, are you serious?” Yeah, I used to be so shocked, but it was safe back then, when I was little, you know.“

NK: When asked about any strictness from her father, who was ex – US forces like my own father, Ms Varon said:

“Exactly! (when mentioned about not disrespecting ‘the boss’ of the house) that was what my mom would say, like, if I did something wrong, which wasn’t I, you know, I was just very wild and did not sit still. I was just very antsy all the time and, go figure, it’s ADHD, but it wasn’t diagnosed back in the day, you know. The only thing my mom was like (if I was bad) was “Oh wait till your father gets home!” and I that would going okay, you don’t wanna have that as he’s already working all day, he’s tired and doesn’t want to hear it or stuff like that.”

NK: Speaking of the cheerleading, I even saw that you got national recognition and to perform at the halftime show of the 1989 Pro Bowl game….

“Yes, in Hawaii, I got all – state in cheerleading. We went with our cheerleading squad and then they have, like, it’s not like a pageant, but you have to do a routine in front of people, it was that UCLA and, it’s like seven – hundred to eight – hundred kids that are cheerleading and learning new choreography, learning more gymnastics, that kind of stuff.“

“It was just base, like it was camp, you know, and it was very competitive. I got the most school spirited in school, and I was, you know, I am super competitive. I got the all American award, and I brought my mom with me to Hawaii. It was nice to perform in the halftime, that was nerve-wracking, I mean, there’s like three- hundred girls on the the field and, you know, there’s 3 instructors so you can’t even see where you’re standing. So, you’re like “Oh my, I don’t, I hope I get this right!”, you know what I mean, but it was fun. It was a fun experience.“

“Yeah, they greet them (the cheerleaders) and it’s like “Oh, wow!” and it’s cheerleading so they have that stereotypical like, you know, kind of ditsy and stuff like that, that was crazy. You know, in cheerleading, you have to have a certain grade point average to stay on the team right? But we were a more competitive squad, trying to win trophies and all that kind of stuff. Yeah, cheerleading, that got me into wrestling and fitness, competitions and stuff like that. Prepared me for it, you know what I mean, performing in front of a lot of people that are very judgmental. But good, they were good times. Good times, yeah.”

When asked about her studying biology at the University of California and Medicine at Loma Lima University, Ms Varon said:

“Loma Linda University, yes, it was little university in La Sierra and, was, that school was a private school. I started with a community college, coming from a middle class home, you know, I didn’t want my parents (to be struggling financially), with 3 brothers they had a raise and decided to go to Riverside Community College.“

“Then, I went to Loma Linda University, which was a private school, and my parents lived twenty minutes from the school but I still had to live on campus. It was an all – girl campus. No makeup, like very minimal make up, and I got in trouble for wearing earrings that were too big and the shorts were, you know, to your knees. If you stay on campus, on the weekend, you have to do 3 to 4 church services, and they’re Seventh – day Adventists. I’m not Seventh – day Adventist. So, they are vegetarian and I got so fat living there, so fat, because it was all soy, like all these carbohydrates beans, you know.“

“I became vegetarian. I was like “Oh, they must know something because everybody here is either pre – dental, pre – med, nursing, everything was medical. That’s why I wanted to go there because I wanted to go to the medical school; Loma Linda University, which was the first baboon heart transplant (where it took place), So, I had to go to their Seventh Day Adventist school to even be, or convert Seventh – day Adventist, to even get acknowledged, you know, or to get into the medical school. Yeah, so, I didn’t go to medical school but, since I went to Loma Linda University, after that I went to UCLA and that was public, okay, and not to crap on UCLA at all. Loma Linda University, La Sierra, like, it’s a very expensive school, you know”.

“Thank goodness for financial aid and being Hispanic. We are working on freaking cadavers my second quarter of biology and then, the first quarter, was we were testing our own urine and, like, this is how advanced this school was. It was serious, you know, it was just no joking around. Everybody there was very bright, very intimidating too. I was just not being Seventh Day Adventist, I was very much alone and that’s why I was like “I’m not making a lot of friends here, because I’m not the religion and they think I’m a wild child”, you know, and then I transfer to UCLA.”

“Yeah, and I had too much freedom. I got my own apartment, living on my own right in Westwood, one block away from the school, right behind Fraternity Road. Didn’t date or anything like that.

When asked about how she ended up working at the Inland Eye and Tissue Bank, Ms Varon said:

It was too much freedom, where I was driving around and it’s like “Oh, my God! I live in LA by myself, and stuff, and my grades, I didn’t focus on my grades. I told my dad, “Can I come home? I need a break and, just, it’s just so much pressure right now” and took a break, met my ex-husband and started cocktail waitressing. He (ex – husband) was a bouncer, we then started dating there and he had a friend, Rob, I still remember his name.“

“He (Rob) worked at the Inland Tissue bank, so removing corneas, hearts, vein, bone, middle ear, you know, for transportation. I was like, “Oh, my gosh! Are they hiring? I would love to work at something like that and learn on the job, you know, hands on”. I had a interview and they said “Can you start today?”and I was like, “I already got the job?” and they’re like “You went to Loma Linda University, La Sierra, you must have, you know, you must have a little bit of brains”. You know what I mean. I did that for years, removing the you corneas, hearts, like all that kind of stuff. I was the on surgery team 3 days a week and then the other 3 days was being on call with the beeper, pager, and then that big brick phone, you know, just in case you need to get called.”

When asked how she got into fitness and bodybuilding from working at the Inland bank. Ms Varon said:

“What got me into fitness competitions was when I was, you know, when you’re working on a a deceased (body) you’re cutting through a lot of fatty tissue and there was a lot of young, young people, you know. I was like “Oh, my gosh!”, I didn’t grow up with like a healthy diet or anything like that, we ate what we wanted, you know, soda, pop, we weren’t like “no sugar after this time”. My family was very, we got what we wanted, you know, whatever we go to the fridge for right? If we didn’t ask for second portions, at dinner, my mom would be insulted, so was forced to have a second plate.”

“So, yeah, and I started working out, my ex-husband opened a gym in Redlands, California. I started teaching aerobics there and, I mean, he was like “You need to start lifting weights because just cardio, it’s really bad on your joints”. So, I started lifting weights and my body changed like that (clicking fingers together), like very quickly. I never did steroids or anything like that, and I think also being partial Puerto Rican, maybe heightened my testosterone a little high, when I was younger, you know, naturally and my body reacted really quick.“

“I got approached at a gym called 24 Hour Fitness, back then, I don’t think it exists anymore, and some guy came up to me and said “Hey, have you thought about competing in body building?”. I was like, “Oh, no.” and I thought he was hitting on me, you know, and so I was like “Oh, no, I’m sorry. I’m working out. I don’t talk when I’m working out”. He goes “Well, I’ll help you with your diet” and I go “When’s the competition?” and he says in thirty days, and I go “Okay, wait. You want me to get ready for a competition in thirty days?”.

“You know, cause the water weight, all that kind of stuff. Oh my God! It was torturous, torturous! In the middle of my workouts I would start bawling, crying, just because I was just so lacking a lot of nutrients, you know, Carb depleting and watching your sodium. Oh, my God! I’m a foodie. I’m a foodie. Yeah, and I won my class and then I saw on TV ‘Fitness America‘ and I was like “Oh, they do a dance routine”, which is gymnastics, jumps, choreographed routines with certain one arm push ups and stuff.

“There’s certain moves they have to incorporate in that, you know, planks and stuff like that, so I was like “Oh my God, that’s right up my alley!”. So, I entered that. I did very well. Started competing in the ones that you do obstacle courses as well and that’s where I met Tori Wilson. We were roommates, we were both sponsored by ‘Life O2 Water‘, that extra oxygenated water, and we were roommates and I scared her when I first met her. I ran up to her and I go “I’m your roommate! I’m your roommate!” and she’s like “Oh, my God!”. She’s super shy and quiet, we became friends from that and, yeah, we started competing and I was a roommate of hers at one point.“

When asked how she transitioned from bodybuilding to wrestling, Ms Varon said:

“My gosh, it’s because of Torrie that I got into wrestling, basically, you know. She got into WCW, from the fitness competitions. Kevin Nash saw her and he goes “Oh my God! That girl’s stunning, look at her physique”. I went backstage with her, at WCW, and I was like “You do this for a living? You walk a guy down to the ramp, down the ramp, and you get paid for this?, and she’s like “I know, I know,”.

“I was like “You gotta get me in this!”, and this is when WCW was not really hiring and they’re really paying their talent really well. I met Chyna, in 1999, she came (to the gym) and I started personal training..go see! ADHD queen, right here! Yeah, it’s hard, because I have so many avenues in my life that I can’t even put it all together, like the pathway gets crazy. So, yeah, I met Chyna and I was still like, really jacked and addicted to working out, didn’t drink, watched my sodium and all that kind of stuff, and they (the gym) charged her a guest pass, to get them (celebrities) to come in.”

“But this was West Hollywood, when I lived in West Hollywood, California, and they had Fabio, he was one of their guests, you know, there was a whole bunch of celebrities that came in so they didn’t do comp guest passes. So, I went up and gave her a stack of guest passes, with no expiration, and I said “Hey, you know, I have 2 friends you might know; Trish Stratus and Torrie Wilson”, and I go “You know, I’m known from the fitness industry”. She (Chyna) goes “Wow! You have a good look. Have you ever thought about wrestling?”

“I go, “You know, I think I can do what Rey Mysterio and RVD do, like, cause of gymnastics and all the diving and all that kind of stuff.” and she says “You have a good look for it. You need to send your stuff to WWF (WWE)”. At the time, I did, I spent $600 on this VHS tape. This is $600, this is back then, yeah, and so don’t forget I’m in Los Angeles so you’re surrounded by people that are experts in editing and sound effects and music, all that kind of stuff. It’s at your fingertips.”

“When I competed in fitness competitions, you pay a choreographer, you know, to compete with, when you want to become pro. I got my pro card, IFBB fitness, in ’99 at Debbie Kruck’s show in Tribeca and, yeah, I used to have posters of her (Debbie Kruck) on my wall and stuff like that. So, oh my gosh! It’s my choreographer, is like, he’s like “Oh, I have somebody that can help you with your VHS”, so got it edited kept on splicing it, changing it.“

“Every time, it’s like “Okay, that’s an extra $100. That’s an extra $50.” and the beginning (of the VHS) was, it was like, I had boxing gloves on, don’t ask me why, it’s wrestling. I punch the camera and I go “Boom!” and it goes “Lisa Marie Varon! Boom!” then it faded into another music and showed my fitness competitions I did. I just played a lot of exercises on for the news, the local news, you know, that kind of stuff, and did my magazine, not paid magazine photoshoots, you know. They say exposure, but you don’t get paid, you know what I mean, so I did that (sent it off to WWF).”

NK: I would like to thank Ms Varon for taking the time out of her busy schedule to talk to myself for Bodyslam.net.

Keep an eye out for Part 2 of this exclusive interview with Lisa Marie Varon dropping soon on Bodyslam.net!

You can follow Lisa Marie Varon on:

• Instagram (@reallisamarie)
• X (@REALLiSAMARiE)
• GAW TV (http://gawtv.com), alongside Mickie James and SoCal Val.
• Lisa Marie Varon. com – http://lisamarievarondirect.com

Lisa Marie Varon recently participated in a Virtual signing on Wednesday, November 15th 2023

You can check that out here at https://lisamarievarondirect.com/category/virtual-signing…

You can watch the entire interview with wrestling legend Lisa Marie Varon on Bodyslam.net’s YouTube channel below.

(Please credit Bodyslam.net and Nathan Krogh when using this interview or transcriptions as news.)

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