Leicester-born wrestler Xia Brookside, daughter of World of Sport legend Robbie Brookside, has become the first ever British-born TNA Knockouts World Champion, a title she won in June. She cites fellow Brit Saraya Bevis – known in WWE as Paige – as her childhood inspiration and now hopes to inspire the next generation of wrestlers.
From bullied schoolgirl to champion
Brookside was bullied at school because her father was a wrestler. Speaking about her rise, she said: "It's funny, because I was that little girl. And my inspiration, my role model was Saraya, especially coming from a British wrestling family.
"She was the first to kind of get out and make a name for herself and winning World Championships at such a young age on the biggest stage."
She added: "Now I have become what she was for me. So, it's kind of crazy. You can do it. I am just the little girl from the council estate in Leicester. Saraya was just the little girl from Norwich.
"We all can do it and we can get out regardless of who you are or where you were born and what your life was supposed to be. I was never supposed to be living in America. That's crazy! But here I am, and I'm living here as the World Champion. So, I hope it inspires, I hope it motivates."
A father's influence
Her father, now a trainer with WWE, had no involvement in her training or development as a wrestler and tried to discourage her from taking up the sport. She said: "We made the decision straightaway to be different. So, he never trained me. He never supported my wrestling career. He actually told me 'no' many times before I started training. And then I went and started training behind his back."
She continued: "There is definitely there's definitely a lot of pressure, and I think the biggest thing was there were a lot more doors open for me, initially. But it was a lot harder to get through them.
"It was like the name gave you this opportunity, but it's way harder to live up to what they're expecting of you. But it's been great. I love carrying on my dad's legacy. He did so much for British wrestling, and now I get to take that and take it into America."
Finding her own path
Brookside only began to consider wrestling when her father retired from the ring in 2013. She worked her way through the British independent scene and was signed by WWE at 19, but she believes that big break came too soon for her.
She said: "I got signed before I truly found out who I was even just as a woman. And then the first four years of my 20s, I'm signed to a huge company, which is a lot.
"So, I'm like growing up with the company. And I lost who I was. I lost why I wanted to wrestle. I lost like the spark."
Since joining TNA in 2024, her career has flourished. She added: "I came into TNA and God bless, like they gave me the opportunity and brought me in.
"They took every moment to rebuild my confidence and throwing me into those kinds of matches. The evolution in two and a half years has been wild.
"And it's all thanks to TNA and what they've trusted me with and what they saw in me before I could even see it in myself. TNA is a family.
"You've also got an entire locker room of people that are like, 'No, you've got this.' So now, you're just surrounded by everyone that believes in you more than you believe in yourself.
"No one's going to put anyone down in this company. We are going to drag you up and make you the best version of yourself. And here she is! You know, like it really works. It works."
Title defence at Lockdown
On Sunday, Brookside will defend her title at the annual TNA event, Lockdown, against hometown hero Elayna Black. It will be her first ever cage match, another example of her stepping out of her comfort zone to grow.
She said: "It's something new, something exciting again.
"Everything that this company has thrown at me is new. I'm like getting to find new versions of myself and just really progressing and elevating.
"If you look at me two and a half years ago before I signed with TNA, I was doing all the same things, all the same matches, all the same babyface, just whatever.
"And you look at the progression I've had in the last two and a half years... it's just finding new versions of yourself.
"Another reason to look forward to this Sunday at Lockdown, because she's home-grown. We're in Chicago, she's a home-grown talent. So, now I get to beat someone up in front of everyone that supported them and wants them to win. That's great."
TNA Lockdown comes from Chicago on Sunday, August 23 at 5pm local time (11pm UK time). Fans in the UK can watch on the TNA+ app, which also includes access to the full TNA content library for £9.99 a month or £99.99 for the year.
