Exclusive: Jessica Troy Interview
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PWA Heavyweight Champion Jessica Troy will defend her title next month, taking on former bestie and current nemesis Charli Evans in a Last Woman Standing match. Troy won the championship in October 2023 and has successful defended the title for over 500 days.
Troy describes being PWA Heavyweight Champion as ‘the highlight of my career so far, especially representing PWA with the main championship.’ I suggest it is unusual for a woman to hold the main belt and Troy agrees, saying ‘It’s really special to be allowed to do something like that.’
Troy previously held the PWA Women’s Championship, which became the Soul of PWA Champion and is now held by Robbie Eagles. She is very supportive of PWA’s intergender wrestling opportunities.
‘PWA is really good,’ Troy says. ‘Everyone wrestles everyone, no matter the agenda. PWA recognises men’s and women’s talent equally. There is not even a second thought, just the expectation that everyone is against everyone.’
I ask Troy whether there has been any fan backlash about wrestling intergender matches. ‘Nothing that stands out,’ she tells me. ‘There are some really nice comments, with the positives outweighing the negatives.’ She enjoys the crowd experience as the main eventer. ‘The girls in the crowd get the most into the show when I’m in the ring. Crowd members see me and they can see themselves.’
We talk about the mixed feedback about Troy online, and she agrees that people underestimate her. ‘In the ring I’ve been the underdog. I still am now, but I’m also the PWA Heavyweight Champion. I try to stay humble but when you look at everything I’ve done, it’s pretty good.’
Troy lists other career highlights as being the former MCW Women’s Champion, 2024 Colosseum winner and entrant in multiple Colosseum tournaments. She has wrestled internationally in the United States, China and Malaysia, including multiple matches at Shimmer in the United States. She frequently travels interstate and has wrestled in most of Australia, with only the Northern Territory and Tasmania left on her bucket list.
She would like to travel again. ‘I travelled to the States once after Covid and would like to go back again, but I’m waiting for the opportunity to present itself. I also want to go to the UK and Europe. Going to Japan is also a big goal of mine.’
Troy was happy to be featured as the PW Downunder Wrestler of the Year in 2024. ‘That was so cool, particularly because I found out that I came second the previous two years,’ she tells us. ‘I love lists like that. I’m a bit of a perfectionist so if I’m not up there I’m disappointed.’ She was also featured at 99 in the Pro Wrestling Illustrated list of the top 500 wrestlers, highlighting her role as one of the best wrestlers in Australia.
Right now Troy is keeping busy with her wrestling career, study and coaching. She enjoys coaching at PWA Pro Wrestling Academy each week, leading a mixed class of beginners on Tuesdays and some Saturdays. ‘These classes are people’s first experiences of wrestling and I’m enjoying leading those quite a lot’ she says. Her study also supports her coaching, as she is completing a Bachelor of Secondary Education.
Troy doesn’t rest on her laurels, as she continually works to perfect her wrestling art. She has been developing her in-ring character and is happy with what she has achieved recently. ‘I’m really comfortable in the wrestling aspect of wrestling,’ she says. ‘I have felt uncomfortable portraying myself in front of people, the crowds and camera. I have also struggled with promos sometimes.’
She describes how she has used authenticity to develop her in-ring presence beyond wrestling technique and style. ‘The vulnerability of being me in the ring has been a struggle. I have worked on it quite a bit and developed Jessica Troy into more of myself. I come out in my crocheted outfit and curly hair which is my natural hair. When I can feel more like myself in the ring it’s easier for me to present as a character. Sometimes it’s just me. I found a bit more of that recently – it only took 10 years.’
When asked about the current state of wrestling in Australia, Troy reflects that this ‘took a pretty bad hit after Covid, which slowed down the trajectory of the industry and shut everything down.’ She is relieved to see this improving, ‘with more shows coming out here including WWE last year and AEW this year. There are more eyes on Australian wrestling and wrestlers as a whole, for example on Robbie Eagles and Tommy Knight.’
She is inspired by other women too. ‘The female talent out here is so, so good. When Emma started in WWE I saw that as my dream job and wanted to push towards that. Shazza McKenzie moved over to the States. Even though Charli Evans and I hate each other now, I took inspiration from her moving to the UK.’
Troy has been recovering from an ankle injury and is looking forward to getting back in the ring next month. ‘The injury happened in a match where I was teaming with the Dropouts against North Shore Wrestling’s Sam Osborne and Will Kiedis with Charli Evans. We were all on the outside and brawling around. I landed on my ankle awkwardly after Will shoved me into a table.’ I ask if she was able to get revenge and she tells me ‘not yet, but I like to hold grudges.’
She says the match on April 11 ‘feels like a culmination as we will be going full force at one another’. This comes from their long history of working together before a dramatic betrayal from Evans.
‘Charli and I had a special bond, having started within two months of each other at the same training school. We have had almost had parallel careers in different locations, then met up in the States for Shimmer.’
Troy tells us ‘this match is really special and feels like a decider because we have already wrestled so much, with previous matches including No Disqualification, Submission and Deathmatch.’
She sees this as a matter of honour, saying ‘Evans claims that PWA is her country but it’s not – it’s mine. Always has, always will be.’
Troy will appear at PWA’s black Label event on Friday 11 April at the Pro Wrestling Academy. More info here: https://www.prowrestlingaustralia.com.au/events/chevsvtroy
Karina Johnson is a writer who is interested in storytelling: about minority voices, big characters and what brings the wrestling community together. She promotes in Queensland through Red Castle Entertainment, known for good times, good vibes and a night out to remember. RedCastle Entertainment
