00:00Kalani Jordan, thank you so much for your time.
00:03I want to talk about your reign as a TNA Knockouts Champion.
00:07In comparison to being the first ever NXT Women's North American Champion.
00:12What's been the difference?
00:13Time.
00:15When I was the first ever Women's North American Champion,
00:18I didn't have the experience that I do now.
00:20I felt the need to people please.
00:22I felt the need to set the tone for that title.
00:25And honestly, I was just so happy that I finally got my first championship.
00:30But now as TNA Knockouts World Champion, I don't feel that pressure anymore.
00:34I don't feel the need to prove myself to anyone.
00:36I'm not handing out title opportunities because when I try to do things the right way,
00:41you want to know what I got?
00:43Kicked out of the locker room and a bunch of ungrateful women.
00:46So now I'm staying in my own lane and
00:48I'm going to continue the lineage of great women who carry this title.
00:52All right, Lil, let's talk about the TNA Knockouts Division.
00:57Obviously, Ash by Elegance had to vacate the title, but you had a really great relationship with Ash.
01:03Can you talk to me about that?
01:04Honestly, there's no better woman to get this title after Ash vacated it because it's a full circle moment.
01:11Me and Ash, we actually go way back.
01:13She was my mentor here at NXT.
01:15And not only that, she showed me the ropes.
01:17She cheered for me so loud that when people were booing me, I couldn't even hear them.
01:22She believed in me when no one else did.
01:23And I'll forever be grateful for that because they say you never forget how people make you feel.
01:28And she made me feel like I was a champion even before I was a champion.
01:34Well, let's talk about potential challengers for that title in the TNA locker room.
01:38Well, there's a few people that I'm familiar with already at TNA, such as Lei Ying Li.
01:43I actually beat her to get this title.
01:45I'm familiar with Indi Hartwell, who was my first title defense at Bound for Glory to beat her, too.
01:51And I'm also familiar with Mara Sade because we shared a locker room.
01:54We also were on the same team at Showdown.
01:57But there are a lot of people at TNA that I'm not so familiar with, like Tessa Blanchard, Tasha Steeles,
02:04the Elegance brand, Ziya Brookside, and the list goes on.
02:08But honestly, I encourage them to challenge me because the results are going to remain the same.
02:13And still, your TNA Knockouts World Champion, Kalani Jordan.
02:19All right, after what you said at NXT and your attitude today,
02:24do you think it can get lonely as a TNA Knockouts Champion?
02:29Of course, Sarah.
02:30Don't they say it gets lonely at the top?
02:32But the same friends that I had when I was a challenger are the same friends who packed my stuff up
02:37and threw it out the locker room when I became champion.
02:40So I'm not going to let you label me.
02:42I'm not going to let TNA, NXT, or anyone watching put a label on me.
02:47Because they always want to see you doing good, but never better than them.
02:55That leads me to your title defense at Gold Rush.
02:58You have a triple threat match against Jordan Grace and Lei Ying Li.
03:02You didn't want that match. Why?
03:05Lei Ying Li, Sarah, is a great striker.
03:07You want to know how I know that?
03:09Because I beat her.
03:11Jordan Grace, an amazing powerhouse.
03:13You want to know how I know that?
03:15Because I beat her.
03:16Do you understand?
03:17I've already beaten both of them.
03:19So no, I didn't want the match.
03:20But since Santino, who's the director of authority,
03:23just wants to throw out title matches to just anyone who didn't qualify,
03:26even though that's below me, I'm just going to do it
03:29and defend this title with prestige and honor.
03:31Well, how do you plan on walking out and retaining
03:34the TNA Knockouts Championship at Gold Rush?
03:38You have eyes, right, Sarah?
03:40So you can see that there's no woman in either locker room
03:44that is as talented as me, as innovative as me,
03:47as athletic as me.
03:51So what do I need to do to walk out as champion?
03:54Just beat Kalani Jordan.
03:56Because at the end of the day, no one can do it like Kalani.
