Ladies of the Indies: Exclusive Interview with Mariah May
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There is a massive wrestling community on Instagram, with some accounts amassing thousands of followers and even securing sponsorship deals. Mariah May was one of them. She’s a lifelong wrestling fan who modeled WWE apparel and built an audience before ever stepping into a wrestling ring.
Then, in January of last year, she made a pivotal decision. She began training to become a professional wrestler.
This is her story.
Like many wrestlers, Mariah grew up as a fan and never quite let it go. “I’ve never really grew out of it, it’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.” She started watching wrestling as a child with her brothers and simply never outgrew it. Over time, she found inspiration in many performers, but one stood above the rest.
Paige.
“She is a trailblazer; she made it from the UK and became such an influential woman in the WWE,” said May. “She set a path for British girls to make it from the international circuit and she showed that anything is possible if you work hard enough.”
One match, in particular, left a lasting impression. Mickie James winning the Women’s Championship against Beth Phoenix on an April 2008 edition of Raw. “It was a true underdog story and I remember being so excited about it as a kid.” Mickie was her absolute favorite growing up. The story of her overcoming Beth has stayed with Mariah for the past 11 years.
Training in the Public Eye
May has a massive Instagram following, currently sitting at 67.4 thousand followers. Wrestling training is demanding and stressful on its own, but Mariah’s journey has been unique because she is doing it in front of thousands of fans.
“My instagram following has certainly affected my journey.” She explained, “the whole reason I started to try and build a brand on there was to help with my wrestling career.” While most wrestlers begin their careers largely unknown, Mariah entered training with an established audience already behind her. “I kind of feel like we’re in this together, they’ve watched me finally muster up the courage to train and then work incredibly hard for a year to start having matches,” said May. “I couldn’t have foreseen my following becoming as big as it has, but to have that level of support is incredible.”
With a large following comes plenty of support, but also criticism. “I made my Instagram to show me following my dreams and I’m not going to let any trolls take that away from me.” While her fans have helped push her forward, the public nature of her journey also adds pressure. “There is certainly more pressure, but I think that’s a good thing. It pushes me to work harder, I can’t let them down.”
That pressure is not always positive. “I think because I’ve already got an established following people already forget I’ve only had a few matches and really tear me down.” Still, she refuses to let it slow her progress and remains focused on improving. “This is only the beginning for me.”
Mariah began training in January of last year, and reflecting on those early days brought some surprises. With a background in sports and theatre, she thought she would be well prepared. She was not. “Nothing can quite prepare you for that first day,” said May. Despite the nerves, she fell in love with the process. “It’s tough but it is so rewarding, it’s pushed me to be a better athlete, to truly focus on my skills and get better. I’m always improving and it’s really satisfying for me to see that change and growth.”
She has already competed in a handful of matches, and while she felt ready, her first bout still caught her off guard. “It was one of the best days of my life, it was such a rush and the feeling of being out there and actually doing something I’d dreamed about since I was a little girl was surreal.” She explained that it took a few days for the moment to truly sink in.
Mariah’s long-term goals may be simple, but they are meaningful. “My ultimate goal is to have a long, healthy, and rewarding career.” Whether it’s wrestling, fitness, or character work, her focus remains on growth. “There’s just so much opportunity out there, I want to seize it and I want to make more.”
You can follow Mariah on Instagram and Twitter at @MariahMayx.
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