MLW’s Shotzi on Going Balls to the Wall One Year After WWE Exit

It has been a whirlwind for the performer inside and outside the ring. She spoke last year to TV Insider about ongoing plans for her and her husband Jesús Alfaro, an architect and designer at theme parks, to adopt. The couple famously eloped at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas in 2023. Shotzi wrestled not long after in her wedding dress during a WWE show nearby. 

Here she opens up about her MLW experience, demanding schedule, and updates us on her adoption journey.

How excited are you for MLW’s Fusion return? 

Shotzi: It has been a long time coming, it feels like. They announced it, and I’ve been itching for it to finally start happening. I’m also excited about the tapings in a couple of weeks in New York and Philly. Those are going to be really awesome. 

What does it mean for you to face Priscilla in the premiere? 

Priscilla is definitely one of my wrestling soulmates. I love getting in the ring with her. I feel like she is the perfect opponent for this new era of MLW because every time we get in the ring together, we leave it in the ring together. It’s always a good time. I’m excited to get in there for everyone to see it. 

What did you think about MLW’s recent announcement of a partnership with STARDOM? 

I freaked out as I found out with everyone else that we were teaming up with STARDOM. There are so many awesome girls on the roster. STARDOM has  always been a goal of mine. I actually got booked for a tour in 2018 when I was first on the indies. Unfortunately, I broke my ankle two days before my flight to Japan and had to cancel the whole tour. I never got to go, so I’m hoping that this is finally my opportunity to be part of the STARDOM brand and get that STARDOM run and maybe go to Japan and represent MLW. I’m excited for all the potential matchups I can have against the girls there. 

You’ve been on your self-described “Balls to the Wall” tour. I feel your experience the last few weeks would have made for a great documentary. 

You know I tried to blog as much as possible. The past five weeks were an absolutely crazy run. I don’t think I would ever book my schedule like that ever again. I got to go to different countries including Mexico, England, France, Italy, and even Australia for the first time. It was wild. I’m paying for it now. I’m a little bit under the weather as I just got back two days ago from Italy. I’m a little worn out, but I have a tiny little break and am going back at it with a crazy schedule in June. It’s a crazy world tour. Don’t think I could do it again. 

What do you do to take care of yourself? 

The one or two days I do get home, it’s recovery. I book my massages, see my chiropractor, I do hyperbaric chambers. Ice baths. It’s crazy recovery routines I try to get in like yoga and all that stuff to mentally and prepare myself to get back on the road again. I’ll come home and have maybe one or two days to repack and get my body ready for another gruesome week of wrestling. That’s where my mind goes. 

That and seeing your husband I’d assume. 

Yeah. I’ll get a kiss on the cheek and be like, “Baby I got to go.” We have plans this week because it’s my one week off to check out the parks. We live in Orlando and are big theme park people. We are going to veg out and maybe take the dogs on a little kayak trip. I miss cuddling my puppies. It’s family time right now. 

You’ve got to ride Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets yet? 

That is definitely the first one on the list. I just have to find a sweet time where the line isn’t crazy because it’s brand new and everyone is trying to ride it. I hate waiting in lines. I’m a little bit of a theme park snob where I will not wait in line. I can not do it. 

So you’re one of those when Halloween Horror Nights comes around, you get that fast pass. 

I have to. I have to. I know it’s bad. I still buy the season pass. We’ll go and just hang out around Horror Nights, maybe eat some food. Then if there is a super line short, we’ll wait in line. But lines, I can’t do it. 

Are you excited for the Sinners house? 

I’m really excited for it. I really like that movie. I’m excited to see what they do with it. I hope it’s really scary and put a lot of effort into the props and scenic work. I mean they always do a good job. 

What about you and Scarlett Bordeaux? Have you gone to any more spooky and/or haunted place investigations recently? 

We were so crazy busy during everything. We were in Australia together. It’s funny while we were there, I was talking to so many fans and they were like go to this haunted place and this one. There was no time. We probably got back at 1 a.m. .and woke up at 5 a.m. to go to another flight to go to the next town in Australia. I was barely getting sleep already. I wish we could have done an Australian episode. That would have been dope, but sleep is very important. 

Where will you film next? 

MLW is in Philly, so we’re trying to find a spot over there. I know there are really cool old prisons we could go to in Philly. Possibly, that will be our next one. We’re just getting back into the planning phase for the next haunted series. 

It’s hard to believe it has been a year since you and WWE parted ways. It feels like it has been multiple years because you’ve done so much since.  

I think today is the anniversary of my contract expiration. I really love what I have done in the past year. I can’ t believe it has only been a year. I’ve done so much. Being everywhere, I’m so proud of myself for kicking butt and just grinding. 

Matt Cardona kind of set the blueprint for those to thrive on the independent scene. Has anyone come to you for advice? 

Someone who I look at that grinds just as hard and really wants to bring storytelling to the independents is Steph De Lander. She just got back on the scene after her neck injury. She is someone I want to feud with. She goes in just as much as Matt does. I feel we could tell a really good story together. She just got back and is booked all over the world. She is definitely one to look out for. 

Where are you on your journey to adopting with your husband? 

That’s definitely something we are continuing to work toward. The process is really long. It’s kind of a waiting game with so many boxes you have to check. It’s just a really long process. We’re still in the process of it, but with my schedule I will admit things have taken a lot longer than it might be compared to someone who isn’t traveling as much as me. Definitely still in the works, but it’s taking a little longer than we anticipated. 

Does seeing other female wrestlers balancing being a mom and still wrestling  give you confidence? 

It is super inspiring seeing all these women kick butt and be mothers also. I have a really awesome husband who I know will be so supportive with my career while also being really awesome with what he is doing. He will be just the greatest father ever. You know I never really wanted children until I met my husband. It was like meeting him that made me think, “Wait, maybe we can have this dope family. He is the greatest ever. He would be the greatest dad. I tell him, “Man, you would be awesome at this. We should do this.” 

You would be fun parents I think. 

Definitely. Our kid would have all the season theme park passes for sure. 

Anything in particular you’re binging on the road? 

I’ve probably watched everything Delta has to offer in the entertainment portion of their screens. I try to download horror movies and catch up with them. On the plane, I had Scream 7, Send Help. I did watch Sinners on the plane too. I have been slacking on horror movies. Me and my husband have Regal passes where we can go as much as possible. We have not been putting those to use. This week we’re catching up on horror movies for sure. 

I need to see Obsession. 

That is the one I did make time for last week with my day at home. As soon as I landed, I freshened up, unpacked, set the laundry, and we went to the movies. I had been anticipating this movie for months. Everyone has been saying to horror movie reviewers I had to watch it. I loved it! Also, that movie gives me hope for becoming a horror director because Curry Barker, he does YouTube skits. This is his big movie directorial debut. He absolutely knocked it out of the park. I thought, “If a YouTuber can do this, then why not a pro wrestler?” I’d love to be in the horror movie directing space. 

So you’d rather be behind the camera? 

A little bit of both I’d say. I’d definitely have myself in a small role. I’d kill myself off in every movie. I feel like that would be my little signature. Like okay, how is Shotzi going to die in this movie? Make a little cameo. That’s a post or during wrestling dream. To direct a horror movie. 

MLW Fusion premiere, May 30, 6:05/5:05c, YouTube (10/9c on beIN Sports) and Veeps

More Headlines:

• Jana Kramer Talks New Lifetime Movie, Overcoming Acting Heartbreak & What’s Next
• ‘American Idol’s Keyla Richardson Planning Huge Career Shift After 3rd Place Finish
• MLW’s Shotzi on Going Balls to the Wall One Year After WWE Exit
• See ‘Today’ Host Craig Melvin’s Sweet Interactions With ‘Sesame Street’ Muppets
• ‘American Idol’: Hannah Harper Reveals How Carrie Underwood Was ‘Really Encouraging’