Rising Stars: Meet Ella Jay of Buffalo, NY

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ella Jay

Hi Ella, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I fell in love with professional wrestling by accident. At the age of 11, I was scrolling through the television channels on a Friday night and stumbled across a steel cage match on WWE SmackDown which pitted Jeff Hardy against CM Punk. I’d always been a sports fan, as I played and watched many of them growing up, but professional wrestling was a new and intriguing territory for me, as it blended scripted combat with performance art. As I, an insecure pre-teen as the time, continued to tune into WWE specifically, I found the product to be an escape for me. Gradually, it also became an obsession, so much so that I later abandoned my initial dream of being a psychologist to pursue a full-time career in the wrestling media realm.

In the spring of 2019, I unenrolled from graduate school (I hadn’t officially started yet, but I was accepted), as I wasn’t fully sure if the psychology realm was really the career path I wanted to commit to. In the meantime, I continued to work my day job in retail. With my added free time, though, I then started my own wrestling podcast as a hobby with the aim of voicing my opinions and also interviewing personalities within the industry. As I grew my brand and my name across social media, people seemed to notice me. I was then offered paid opportunities to write, commentate and do on-screen hosting for several wrestling outlets and wrestling promotions. I took up this work in addition to my aforementioned day job, but as time went on, I found myself wanting to more in professional wrestling, specifically at a full-time capacity. Luckily, I stumbled across a paid opportunity that would allow me to elevate my wrestling work to full-time status while also staying financially stable. Two years later, I am still a full-time wrestling media freelancer in writing and interviewing, with the occasional opportunity to travel for on-site work. I also recently revived my own podcast, A Wrestling Gal, after a year hiatus.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road, though I have been very fortunate in some circumstances. Wrestling is typically not a financially stable industry, which is why many personalities and journalists work for multiple outlets or juggle multiple titles. I find myself landing in both categories as a freelancer, which means my schedule is stacked with a six-day work week. It can be tiring at times, as I’m constantly working, and at the same time, sacrificing a large amount of my social life in order to stay financially and professionally stable. By professionally stable, I mean growing my brand, growing my name, and growing my resume in hopes of landing more opportunities, such as dream interviews or cool spotlights likes this.

Wrestling media is also a saturated market, so it is inherently hard to stand out or get noticed. This can and has led to a lot of media members having self-doubt and/or imposter syndrome. I find myself succumbing to doubts a lot, which has taken a toll on my mental health sometimes. Luckily, I have a solid support system, and I know how to calm myself down. It still doesn’t stop the doubts from creeping in though.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a professional wrestling news and feature writer, on-screen interviewer, podcast host, and occasional commentator with a special interest and focus on women’s wrestling.

I have conducted over 500 interviews in the professional wrestling space, most of which have been with women. I also write a weekly news column dedicated to spotlighting the latest in women’s wrestling news, events, and interviews. My most proud accomplishment, though, is being hand selected to the 2021 Pro Wrestling Illustrated (wrestling’s most prestigious magazine) Women’s 150 committee, which ranked the top 150 women in the wrestling industry that year.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
A common piece of advice I give is “You gotta shoot your shot,” and honestly, it’s easier said than done.
As someone with a fear of rejection, it can feel overwhelming to take a risk, especially in wrestling. At the same time, though, I believe you can’t move forward or progress without taking occasional risks, or simply, “shooting your shot.” I’ve definitely taken some risks and reached out to potential interview guests I never thought would answer me back, and while sometimes they don’t, they also sometimes do. And it’s that sometimes “yes” that keeps me going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://msha.ke/awrestlinggal
• Twitter: https://x.com/itsellajay
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnjBjUHiTZot5hTHP5zWZw