Just because you're nearer the end of your career than its beginning doesn't mean it's too late to see your greatest ambitions realised.   Johnny Saint had to wait until he was in his 60s to make his debut in the States but while Sweet Saraya is nowhere near that age this weekend she finally makes her first appearance in the USA after a 20 year career.

 

Saraya has won titles throughout Europe and now sets her sight on doing the same in the States alongside her equally successful daughter Britani Knight.  So how did the opportunity to wrestle for SHIMMER come about?  Saraya told me that it was SHIMMER boss Dave Prazak and his friendship with Pro Wrestling EVE boss Dann Read saw her work for British company Pro Wrestling: EVE that clinched the appearance in the States. "he'd seen some of the work I'd done for EVE and really liked it."  There had been some previous offers in the past but weren't financially viable.

 

Saraya is joined by her daughter Britani who's seen as a future TNA or WWE star in the future.  Saraya assured me though that it's not just a case of her being in SHIMMER to accompany her daughter,  "They want the both of us and want a mother and daughter team."   The pair often battle each other in the ring and this particular mother knows just how talented her daughter feeling that she's already a better wrestler than she was at her age.

 

It's not the wrestling that's going to be the hardest part of the trip to the States. Family comes first for Saraya, she's immensely proud of her daughter but the 11 days away from home and her beloved family, especially husband Ricky Knight is going to be really tough for her.

 

Bringing the UK style of wrestling to SHIMMER will be an eye-opener for some of the fans but Saraya believes that she'll "be able to adapt" to the American style too.  She's already familiar with wrestlers such as Portia Perez who's toured the UK in the past and of course there's also Cheerleader Melissa.

There's been two bouts between Saraya and Melissa to date, one at ChickFight 7, the other in RQW.  Both had controversial and rather painful endings for Saraya, the latter match didn't even get in the ring and saw her out injured for nearly a year.  Saraya v Melissa III has to happen sometime in the future, probably not this weekend but it's a match we have to see.    Not that Saraya has any problems being in the same building as Melissa for SHIMMER weekend.  "That was five years ago" says Saraya and "we've spoken over the phone" and "it's over and done with. I'd love to have another match with her."