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Exclusive Interview With Sade Hale From DDT Divas

Sade Hale is a black wrestling fan who comes from The DMV area aka Delaware, Maryland, & Virginia. But she was born, raised, and currently resides in D.C. She owns and runs a independent black wrestling media outlet called DDT Divas that helps give marginalized black women like her who love wrestling a platform to voice their views on wrestlers, matches, and events.

Kwame Shakir: How did you become a wrestling fan?

Sade Hale: I have been a wrestling fan since I was a baby. My earliest memory of wrestling is WrestleMania XIV. I vividly remember Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Shawn Michaels with Mike Tyson as a special outside enforcer. I was fairly young at the time. My maternal grandfather was a wrestling fan, and he made sure that all his children and his grandchildren watched wrestling. His love for wrestling was passed down to me, more than any of his children or grandchildren.

Kwame Shakir: On a pretty hot Monday night in July 1998 at the young age of 12, I remember flipping through the channels and seeing absolutely nothing that interested me until I stopped to watch a match on an episode of Nitro and upon watching that match, I was absolutely blown away by what I was seeing because this wrestling thing was clearly unlike anything I’ve ever seen prior to that because there were on-screen characters, promos, builds, feuds, and storylines. The match was a very memorable match, but what made that match memorable for me was the ending of that match and I immediately fell in love with wrestling

KS: What made you decide to come up with DDT Divas?

SH: I decided to create DDT Divas because of three reasons. One, I’ve been a wrestling fan my whole life. Two, I have a B.S. in News with a concentration in Magazine Journalism and a minor in Pan-African Studies from Kent State University. And finally, after college, I wanted to combine my love of wrestling, Black studies, and news. Also, in 2017/2018, I felt like there needed to be more Black lead wrestling podcasts and blogs. Wrestling is a white male-dominated industry and there need to be more seats at the media table for Black people. The Black wrestling fan perspective is essential because sometimes Black people perceive media messages differently. Besides having a media platform from a Black wrestling fan perspective, I also wanted to have a platform to support and showcase Black wrestlers. I would be very happy to continue to build DDT Divas and turn it into a brand. I love DDT Divas.

KS: What is your take on the current landscape of wrestling?

SH: The current landscape of modern-day wrestling is fun and exciting. The landscape also seems more diverse and inclusive. But the landscape still has a long way to go. The marathon continues when it comes to diversity and inclusion. There is more work to be done.

KS: What are things you like and don’t like about the current landscape of modern day wrestling?

SH: I love that the current landscape is more diverse and inclusive. I have been introduced to more Black wrestlers, Latinx wresters, Asian wrestlers, LGBTQ+ wrestlers, wrestlers of all different body types and heights. I love that we, the fans, have the option to watch more wrestling promotions on television and online. We have options. We can choose what we want to watch, when we want to watch it. If you want to watch indie wrestling, watch it. If you want to watch mainstream wrestling, watch it.

What I don’t like about the current landscape is the toxic wrestling fanbase, especially online. Fans can be really toxic for no reason at all. There is a difference between critiquing wrestling as an art form and just crapping on wrestling. Toxic fans just crap on wrestling/wrestlers.

KS: What are your top 5 favorite wrestlers ever?

SH: 1. The New Day (all three members equally).

2. Chyna

3. The Rock

4. Naomi

5. Awesome Kong

KS: My top 5 favorite wrestlers are 1) Booker T 2) Jazz 3) Kofi Kingston 4) Eddie Guerrero 5) Sting. What are your top 5 favorite wrestler themes ever?

SH: 1. Shinsuke Nakamura - The Rising Sun

Drew McIntyre - Broken Dreams

Stone Cold Steve Austin - Hell Frozen Over

Naomi - Amazing (Remix)

Lucha Bros Theme

KS: My Top 5 Favorite Wrestler Themes Are 1) NWO Wolfpac 2) The Rock (2003 Hollywood Heel Theme) 3) Eddie Guerrero (2005 Heel Theme) 4) Booker T 5) Basic Thugganomics

KS:
What are your top 5 favorite wrestling matches ever?

SH: It’s too hard for me to just pick five. I have so many favorites, and my favorites always change.

KS: My Personal Top 5 Favorite Wrestling Matches are 1) Mr. Grim vs Fred Yehi at The Inaugural Pan-African World Diaspora World Championship Tournament 2019 2) Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at WM25 3) Finn Balor vs Pete Dunne for NXT Title at NXT Takeover Vengeance Day 2021 4) AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe vs Christopher Daniels for The X-Division Title at TNA Unbreakable 2005 5) Omega vs Okada IV in NJPW 2018

KS: What is your happiest moment as a black wrestling fan?

SH: I have several happy Black wrestling moments. In no particular order, I’m going to say:

Kofimania (from start to the end of Kofi’s title reign)

Trish Adora winning the Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Wrestling Championship

Nyla Rose winning the AEW Women’s World Championship Royal Rumble

Naomi winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship and debuting the custom glow championship

Awesome Kong winning the TNA Knockouts Championship

KS: In your view, what wrestling match would you call “The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever?”

SH: I can’t really say. It’s hard for me to pick.

KS: For me personally, a match that I would call “The Greatest Match Ever” is Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at WM25. These two legends gave it everything they had from Taker nearly killing himself with the dive that hit the cameraman including kicking out of two Sweet Chin Musics to Shawn kicking out of not only Taker’s signature chokeslam and Last Ride, but also his iconic finisher: The Tombstone Piledriver. The storytelling, chemistry, psychology, and emotions in this match was absolutely Off The Chain!!! This is definitely one of those matches that deserves the moniker of “Greatest Wrestling Match Ever” I would call this match the best match of Taker and Shawn’s legendary careers.  

KS: What are your favorite men’s and women’s wrestling match as a black wrestling fan?

SH: I wouldn’t say that I have favorite matches, but I do have favorite shows. My favorite shows as a Black wrestling fan are PUSH: A Champion is Crowned (F1ght Club Pro Wrestling), GCW’s For the Culture 2020, and Black Wrestlers Matter.

KS: What is your favorite live wrestling experience?

SH: My favorite live wrestling experience was watching Trish Adora win the Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Wrestling Championship in February 2020. That match and show mean so much to me. It is the last indie show I was able to attend before the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also very heartwarming to see Adora win a championship in her hometown of DC, especially a Pan-Afrikan championship. Adora is an inspiration and seeing her win made her an even bigger inspiration.

KS: What was your favorite trend you saw or did during your middle/high school days?

SH: I was really into nerdy/geeky things. Comic books, video games, animes.

By Kwame Shakir

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