In TurnbuckleTimes’ latest exclusive interview, Dolli Darko (@dollidarko) sits down with Scott Mitchell (@scott44mitchell) to discuss her upcoming match at Rising Stars of Women’s Wrestling against Taylor Yorke, what it means to be a part of that promotion, Mercedes Martinez, women’s wrestling, Remarkable Wrestling, her reign as Remarkable Women’s Champion so far, her upcoming match with Sloane Jacobs at FWA, goals, and so much more. You can check out my interview with the “scene queen” down below in its entirety.

Let’s jump right into it. On Saturday, you’ll be making your return to Rising Stars of Women’s Wrestling in Deer Park, NY, to face off with Taylor Yorke. What’s your mindset heading into this one and seeing her growth as well?

“I’m very excited for that match because Taylor is someone I actually met while I was wrestling in Arizona a couple of years ago. At the time, she hadn’t debuted yet, but I met her there and hung out with her and got to meet her and her fiancé while out there. They let me ride with them to the shows and whatnot. As the years passed, when I saw her debut and her progress, making her way around the US and stuff, I’m really proud of her and impressed with what she’s accomplished, thus far.

I know I’ve got my work cut out for me, but I’m sure I have some tricks up my sleeve, too, and I’m ready to make an even bigger impact and definitely make Rising Stars my space. I was at a disadvantage last time, but hopefully not this time around. Hopefully, there won’t be any side interruptions…

For me, in general, if I get little bits of success here and there, that’s cool. But I get more excited watching the people I care about and my friends going out there, doing their thing, succeeding. That’s exactly what she’s doing up there. I love that for her, and I’m proud of her. I can’t wait to see what she tries to do in our match. But, I hope she knows it’s going to end with me kicking her in the face.”

What does it mean to you to be a part of a promotion that is run by one of the all-time great women’s wrestlers in this world, Mercedes Martinez?

“It definitely means a lot. I love working these all-women shows. It’s such a great collection of women put together that are just ready to do a bigger show and ready to make a bigger impact, doing more than what the men are doing and taking it to the next level. What Mercedes has come up with and what she’s created thus far is definitely incredible. It’s also really nice and refreshing to see a promoter of women’s promotion who actually looks out for their women’s talent and sticks their neck out for women’s talent and protects them. You don’t get to see that a lot in too many promotions anymore.

You hear the stories that you see in the news and the gossip sites, tweets, and screenshots. Mercedes is truly someone who cares a lot about women’s wrestling and wants to leave it better than she started it. That’s honestly the type of legacy to make, and wanting to make the industry for us a better place because that’s really needed. We, in the women’s evolution, have definitely come a long way from where we used to be, but there’s definitely more that we can do, and we want to showcase. I think what Mercedes is doing is an amazing way of showcasing that for sure.”

The last time we saw you here was in four-way action against Amity LaVey, Cora Lein, and Rosaleen Grimm. What was this match like for you?

“It was really interesting. It started off, it was going to be a four-way. However, Tina San Antonio and her little assistant, Kelly Madan, decided to crash the party. Tina wanted an opponent that night, and they decided to pick me. I was like, ‘Okay, bet. In singles? Let’s go.’ I’ve wrestled Tina before. She was like my first match when I debuted, my very first match. She was one of my first opponents. So, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll wrestle her.’ I was having my upswing, and I would have gotten it, but Kelly decided to intercept, and just, you know. But it’s fine. Hopefully, Lu Lu gets her win against Tina at the show on Saturday and gets her comeuppance. Hopefully, I get mine with Taylor.”

Specifically, in that match, you and Amity have gotten to know each other very well. What has it been like to work with her and see her growth, as well, over the years?

“First of all, we love an ‘enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies’ plot, don’t we all? But, I would have to say, our storyline, our feud, our journey, and her, overall, they definitely have a special place in my heart. We definitely came up in this together, and we went through so much in it. What we were able to create out of it, we both have unique visions on how we want our match. We both work very similarly, in that we both have a specific vision of the concept and everything of how we want to wrestle and how the storyline is supposed to go. We’re very particular about that stuff. Shoutout to Mike Mondo for instilling that in us.

And we’re just able to bounce ideas off each other and create literal magic. The chemistry we have is something you don’t get to just have in the ring with any opponent that you come across or randomly pick in a match. It’s a special type of connection that you even have, or you don’t. She’s definitely someone who, in a lot of ways, we help each other. We know how to work each other’s strengths and offenses, and we know how to make each other shine, and vice versa. We know how to bring out the best and worst in each other for sure. I feel like it creates a masterpiece.

Our last match at Remarkable, that was a fun one. Especially, her taking my hair extension out and adding it to her hair just to piss me off. I was like, ‘You b**ch. You b**ch. I love you, but you b**ch.” Even us doing the Asylum match together, which I think was probably the first indie cinematic match. I don’t know. Maybe. Can’t confirm. I hope we do other cool stipulations and s**t like that in the future. I want us to take our feud everywhere. Even if it’s TV one day. WrestleMania, AEW, wherever we end up, I hope we can take it as far as we can go.”

How important is it to you to be a part of these all-women promotions, run by women, and put on by women, and build up women’s wrestling as a whole?

“It definitely means a lot to me because piggybacking on what I said before about how I see Mercedes wanting to leave it better than how she came in. I feel like that’s what I want to do in women’s wrestling someday in the future, in my own way, because, as I said, the women’s evolution, we’ve come a long way from where we used to be back in the day, but I know there’s so much more that we can do.

We need to be taken more seriously because there are a lot of shows sometimes, and some matches sometimes, where women’s matches get treated as an excuse to take a piss break or whatever, and these gimmicky matches that are almost borderline on the bra and panties matches from back in the day. I’m like, I thought we were past this? Not that there’s anything wrong with that. If that’s your thing, to each their own, good for you. But I hope to see more women’s talent. There’s so much we can do now.

Especially, the women’s matches we see now. Women doing hardcore matches. Women doing cage matches, and the absolute bangers going, more technical, hit as hard as the guys, strike as hard as the guys, flipping, all that stuff. I want us to be seen as taken more seriously and have that platform for us to showcase that. There are so many amazing women talent out there that not a lot of these promotions take an eye too. With these women’s shows, it definitely puts us on an uphill climb and gives us a place to accomplish and a place to shine. I hope to see more of that in the future.”

You also represent Remarkable Wrestling as the Remarkable Women’s Champion. What does this title and promotion mean to you?

“It definitely means a lot. As I said, Remarkable took me in when I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep wrestling or not, or where I stood in wrestling. They put so much faith in me and helped me get so much better in the ring, and helped build this stronger and more confident Dolli. I want to represent them and make them proud in every way that I can, especially having the honor of being the Remarkable Women’s Champion. I want to take it as far as I can go with it and wrestle anyone and anybody, and just get myself better and continue to take myself up the ladder more and more.”

When you first won that title, what was that moment like for you?

“It just made everything kind of fall into place and feel like it wasn’t just make-up and that people weren’t just lying to me and saying it to be nice and that I actually am doing a good job and my hard work is actually paying off. People do f**k with me and actually take me seriously and see the work I put in. They’re proud of me. I’m getting emotional about it again already, f**k. It’s just like, to feel that moment, to have it all be real in that moment, it was such an overwhelming shock, and it meant a whole lot.

I was literally crying to Cono (Cappuccia) in the back after, and I was like, ‘You didn’t lie to me, you didn’t lie to me.’ I didn’t think that I had a shot. I’m someone who is not used to things working out in the end, you know? It’s very weird. So, when they do, it’s just like, I’m so eternally grateful. I’m proud of myself that I stuck it out and toughed it out as hard as I did. It just definitely put a fire under my ass to fight even harder, to push even harder, and to get myself to the next level and see where else it can take me.”

You’ve worked with so many great names so far, including Notorious Mimi, Amity LaVey, Amiira Sahar, Nahir Robles, and Kalypto. What does this reign mean to you?

“It’s been a journey for sure. I’m happy to explore different styles of wrestling. For example, my last match at Comic Con was when I wrestled Kalypto. That was one I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. I’ve been wanting to wrestle Kalypto since she debuted, since meeting her. Both of us have similar styles and backgrounds, having that Muay Thai background, and in a way, almost wrestling myself.

Like, ‘Okay, what kind of kicks are you going to do? These are the ones I’m going to do.’ And just bouncing off that, and just a style I know I feel confident in. For us to do that together, it was just such a fun match for us to do. Even though it was like 100 degree weather, I was melting and dying. Overall, it’s been a fun journey, and I’m having a blast in the meantime. That’s just what I want to do. Have good matches, and have a fun time. That’s truly what I want to do at the end of it. Have as much fun as possible and be the best me I can be.”

Kalypto is one name I want to dive into more, as well. What was it like to work with her and have a match with someone who has a very similar style to you, and see her growth, as well?

“I’ve noticed her growth and progression in this past year alone. I’m so proud of her for what she’s done. Even the little moments I got to train with her, I was like, ‘I have to wrestle you.’ Especially with the martial arts background I have too, with her Muay Thai background, especially the style that I’m comfortable with, where I’m like, ‘Okay, I know what to do here. I got this.’ I don’t feel that way too often, but when I do, it’s one that I can lock in and bounce around with and be like, ‘Oh, I can do this, this, this, this, and this…’ It’s just like, to be able to create something out of it is really cool.”

Your next defense will be on July 17th. While we may not know who is against yet, what can we expect?

“Let’s see. I know it’s definitely going to be a ‘journey’ of a match, to say the least. I’m just determined once again to make a scene out of Astoria and essentially become the Queen of Queens, for the most part. Which, I’ve kind of done on accident here. Whatever happens, as long as I still have the Remarkable Women’s Championship, I’m going to kill it and have a good time… My opponent may have some tricks up her sleeve, but despite contrary belief, I’m really smart. I know how to work myself out of certain angles. We got this. We got this.”

You’ll also be heading to FWA to face off with Sloane Jacobs on June 28th in Edgewood, MA. What’s your mindset heading into this one?

“Well, let’s see. I’ve worked with Mimi, but to see what Sloane is up to, I’m curious and excited to see. It won’t be for the title. This is something completely separate. Now that I know what she can do and she knows what I can do, we can put up one hell of a fight. I know she’ll probably have her cheats and little tricks, too. But, I can come quicker and harder, and I’m ready to be all bite.”

Looking ahead for you, what are your future goals?

“I just want to be able to travel more and get myself out there. Still want to make my way to Japan. That’s the big, big goal, for sure. Make my way to Stardom, Marigold, New Japan, or one of those. That’s the style I gravitate to a lot the most. That Joshi, strong style. And just, I want to travel the world and continue to meet new people, get connections, and have a whimsical time in this crazy journey and process, and just get better and better every day. That’s exactly just what I want to do.”

Do you have anyone you’d like to square off with?

“There are quite a few. One that I can name for an example, unfortunately, she’s out on injury, but when she gets cleared and comes back, Ruthless LaLa. She’s someone whom I also give a lot of credit to and someone I like up to and pretty much consider my wrestling mother. Someone who has mentored me a lot in the last couple of years or so. Especially in those nights where I was struggling and crashing out, and she was picking up and just being able to vent to her. She’s really supported me and helped strengthen me a lot as well, to become a better and stronger Dolli.

I still need to have that one-on-one with her. I’ve done a tag match against her and a handicap match with her, but I never got that singles match yet, and I need to know what that Lariat does. I mean, I know what that Lariat does. But I need to know how I can turn that, flip it, and reverse it. Other dream opponents. Probably one dream match I have in mind, and I mentioned it in another promo too, but this is someone I hope comes to fruition one day. Charli Evans.

Even though she’s all the way out in Australia, she’s someone who, when I first discovered the indies and started becoming an indie wrestler, was someone who, oddly enough, I discovered through Eddie Kingston, my favorite wrestler. I discovered through him, and she was someone I really gravitated towards. I hope I get to be a crumb of how cool she is one day, or get to be my own version of that one day, because she’s f**king awesome. What she’s been doing the last few years, and just someone that I admire and watch from afar, and just to have that dream match with her would just be such an honor. That’s one of the ones I want for sure. I just want to have good matches, go out there, travel the world, and see how far I can go. It can be anyone, anytime.”