As you may already know, this month on Fightbox is the premiere of a new program “Oz Academy”, an all women’s professional wrestling promotion from Japan. I thought would be interesting to delve more deeply into this subject of women’s only wrestling in this month’s blog.

In Japan, the style differs much more than that of what we can see in the WWE’s “Diva” division. These girls can hang with the boys, in fact some of them like legend Manami Toyota and others have even earned themselves a reputation that far surpasses a lot of the men. They can do everything from a high-flying lucha libre style to a ground based catch-as-catch-can style, all while looking beautiful and strong.

While all-women’s promotions, called “joshi” promotions in Japan, have been the norm in the land of the rising sun for over 50 years, more recently a wave of women’s pro wrestling federations have been enjoying quite a bit of success in other parts of the world. From Shine, Shimmer and WSU in America to Pro Wrestling Eve and Bellatrix Female Warriors in the UK, a revolution of female-only wrestling has been taking North America and Europe by storm in the past 10 years.

I took the time recently to have a chat with Bianca, the first ever female wrestler from Poland. In this interview she discusses the growing trend of female wrestling in Europe as well as other points of interest from her career.

When did you first get interested in wrestling? What drew you to it?

I started watching wrestling as a little girl. I was already interested in various unconventional things. Women taking part in a male-dominated business fascinated me. It was quite shocking for me to often see them fighting against men. I knew that I wanted to be that strong and independent.

You are the first female wrestler from Poland. How does that make you feel?

If things turned out differently, I wouldn't be the first woman in DDW. I was afraid to get on the train for two years. I knew that my life would change. I'm glad that I made that first step. It was hard for me at first to be the trailblazer, but when more girls came along I knew I had to set a good example and be tough. I'm very proud of the fact that I represent the fairer sex in DDW.

What are your goals and ambitions in your career?

For me, the most important thing is to train and to promote pro wrestling in Poland. I care very deeply about it, and I want people to be interested in what's happening in our country. There is a lot of wrestling fans in Poland, I know that, but we want to reach people who still don't know that it exists, and that it could be something they would enjoy. Everything is still ahead of me, I want to learn, I want to work hard, I want to meet new people. I believe that my dedication will open many new doors for me, including, but not limited to wrestling in Europe.

In recent years women’s wrestling has been gaining in popularity and we’ve seen many all-female wrestling promotions having a lot of success. Why do you think that is?

It is becoming very obvious that more and more people are interested in women's competition. People see that girls work just as hard as the guys, they look great and can pull it off technically as well. It would be boring to watch sweaty men battle it out all the time. I'm happy that the situation is getting better, I hope this trend continues!

This month (December 2013) we have a new program premiering, Oz Academy, an all-female promotion from Japan. Have you ever considered wrestling in Japan?

Wrestling in Japan would be a dream come true for me, people there have tremendous respect for the sport, it's amazing. Women wrestlers in Japan are super tough, they are fit, and their bodies are very strong. They train just as hard as the guys, I love watching what they do, they have great passion, desire, and sacrifice a lot to do what they do.

Wrestling is mainly a male-dominated sport. Do you think that women are given enough opportunities in mainstream wrestling (WWE / TNA)?

We (women) would always like to get more and more attention, it's in our nature. But in mainstream wrestling it is all about promoting men's wrestling. I might not be happy about it, but I certainly understand it. The interest and demand for women's wrestling is growing though, so it would be a good idea to give more women a chance.

Sometimes you can see women competing in “bra and panties matches” or swimsuit competitions and sometimes in more of a serious type of wrestling match. What kind of a wrestler do you see yourself as?

Some people believe that a "bra and panties" match immediately makes people think of you as less of a sportsman. Then again you take a look at a WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus, who wasn't afraid to show off her body, but achieved a lot, and is respected worldwide. I have nothing against that types of matches, I wouldn't be afraid to wear my swimsuit publically either, I would like to take part in something as interesting. I think it's great entertainment. I'm open to present myself in different ways when it comes to wrestling, I'm not afraid of any challenges and I don't want to be labeled in any way.

What has been your favorite match you’ve had so far in your career?

My favorite match was the first women's match in Poland. I'm incredibly thankful for the opportunity to take part in it. I am aware of the fact that we made history, and it makes me very proud. I will always remember it and my kids and grandkids will be hearing about it a lot for sure!

What do you like to do in your free time outside of the ring?

I'm a huge fan of RPG games, both computer and paper versions. I read fantasy books a lot as well. Other than that I have typical girly interests like shopping or make up.

Are you on social media? Where can fans contact you?

More information about me can be found on the official DDW website - www.ddwwrestling.pl as well as on my official facebook page - www.facebook.com/BiancaDDW I invite you to check it out, don't be a stranger!

- Daniel Austin

daniel.austin@spiintl.com