Awesome Kong Comments on TNA, WWE and Being the Mediator Among the TNA Knockouts

Awesome Kong on What It Takes To Make It

Kia Stevens is nothing like her intimidating Awesome Kong character, and that's a good thing when she is called upon to be a pseudo-motivational speaker.

But there was the former TNA star hosting the final seminar at the recent Cauliflower Alley Club in Las Vegas, "What It Takes To Make It," preaching to a varied collection of indy wrestlers and fans from across the continent...More?

source: slam wrestling

Interview with Awesome Kong

In one of her first interviews since leaving TNA in March, Awesome Kong speaks to Diva Dirt to discuss her time with TNA, her departure from the company and her return to Ring of Honor on May 8th in New York. Also, we get Kong's reaction to being blindsided by Bubba the Love Sponge on The Cowhead Show earlier this week and her response to his challenge to a sanctioned fight. Kong also discusses her thoughts on the current direction of the Knockouts division, the pay discrepancies amongst the Knockouts, whether she'd go to WWE and her reaction to meeting 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin at the Cauliflower Alley Club reunion. Click here to listen here.

source: diva-dirt.com

Awesome Kong & Cheerleader Melissa at the CAC Reunion

Two of my favorites: Awesome Kong & Cheerleader Melissa with Little Egypt

credit: howard brody

Kong Headed to ROH

Former TNA knockout champion Awesome Kong will make her Ring of Honor debut on 5/8 against Sara Del Rey at the Manhattan Center in New York City. Kong will use her original ring name of Amazing Kong.

www.rohwrestlingonline.com

Awesome Kong and TNA Agree to Part Ways

Multiple TNA sources are reporting that Awesome Kong and TNA have agreed to part ways. She had been asking for a roughly 15 percent pay increase or a contractual release, and it appears the company has opted for the latter. Kong's bio was removed from the TNA website on Thursday. There's no word yet on whether the release paperwork is official, but a source with knowledge of the situation told Prowrestling.net, "There's no turning back now."...More?

Update on Awesome Kong’s Status with TNA

Awesome Kong is telling friends within the wrestling industry that TNA has agreed to release her from her contract, which coincides with her recent post on Twitter where she thanked Dixie Carter and the company for wishing her the best in her future endeavors.

Kong reportedly asked for a modest pay increase in the neighborhood of fifteen percent, which the company refused. Despite her high placement in the Knockouts division, it’s been estimated that she makes between $400 and $700 per appearance.

One of the potential holdups for release was said to be that company officials considered sitting her out until her contract expired over a year from now, but they have apparently opted to grant the release.

Kong remains listed on the company website as a wrestler and one-half of the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions. In a possible spoiler, the buzz backstage is that TNA intends to do something with Knockouts Tag Titles on tonight’s show.

source: prowrestling.net

Awesome Kong Released From TNA

Awesome Kong posted the following on her Twitter account:

I'd like to thank @tnaDixie and all of the employees at TNA for wishing me the very best in my future endeavors.

Looks like the BTLS lawsuit worked. Maybe WWE-bound? We can only hope...

Awesome Kong Files Lawsuit Against Bubba The Love Sponge; BTLS Responds

Pro wrestler Awesome Kong claims a radio host called her in the middle of the night from a blocked number and threatened to "'sucker punch' her until she stopped breathing," adding, "You'll be dead like all those other niggers in Haiti you fat black bitch!" Kong, whose real name is Kia Stevens, says AT&T refuses to identity the caller, who she believes is Todd Clem, aka Bubba the Love Sponge.

Stevens, who works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, says she got into a backstage spat with Clem, a Total Nonstop contracted interviewer and radio host known as Bubba the Love Sponge, after Clem disparaged efforts to raise money for victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

Stevens claims Clem called her at her Tampa home from a blocked number at 5 a.m. on Feb. 10. She says the caller said, "'This is Bubba the Love Sponge here at (and at this point the caller named a radio station' and then alluded to the fact that the call was being broadcast on the radio. "The caller then started talking in a stream, threatening to come to the petitioner's house and 'sucker punch' her until she stopped breathing and then said, 'You'll be dead like all those other niggers in Haiti you fat black bitch ... Fuck Haiti!"...More?

BTLS Response:
"This morning I was made aware of allegations made in a petition for full bill of discovery by Ms. Kia Stevens, a professional wrestler with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The allegations in this petition are one hundred percent false. To be clear; everything contained in this petition is not true. Ms. Stevens attributing outrageous racist statements and physical threats to me is disgusting."

"We can prove without any doubt the allegations made in this petition are false. First Ms. Stevens claims that she was called on the air, at 5:08 AM on February 10th, we are not even on the air until 6 AM Eastern time. We have phone records and eye witnesses that account for my every movement that day from 4:50 AM forward. No call was made to Ms. Stevens at all."

"We will be pursuing all legal remedies available to us in the State of Florida to fight these deliberately malicious allegations."

partial source: courthousenews.com

Sounds like someone is trying to force TNA's hand for a release.

Awesome Kong Seminar at Cauliflower Alley Club Reunion

The three days of activities at the CAC Reunion will include a seminar by Awesome Kong.

Described as a champion and a dominant female professional wrestler, Kong is also a great role model outside the ring.

"Any and all workers will be welcome to attend my seminar," relayed Kong. "Originally, I set a five-year goal for myself in the world of pro-wrestling, and it was very difficult... but I made it. I will be stressing the importance of the sacrifice and dedication. Sacrifice plus dedication equals success."

"In addition," continued Kong, "I will describe my journey and what it took for me to reach my goals. I will give the workers a pep talk and pass along a message that 'You can do it, too!'"

source: caulifloweralleyclub.org

TNA Suspends Top Knockout

ProWrestling.net is reporting that TNA has suspended Awesome Kong. Although it has not been confirmed how long Kong has been suspended by the company, it is believed that she has been suspended for a few weeks. The reason TNA has suspended Kong is because she refused to work The UK tour TNA recently completed following the incident with Bubba The Love Sponge. As we have been reporting for several days now, in addition to Kong being angry over the situation between her and Bubba, she is reportedly also currently involved in a contract dispute with TNA over her current pay.

Rumor Mill - Awesome Kong's Issues with TNA

As mentioned a few weeks back, Awesome Kong asked for her release from TNA after the backstage altercation with Bubba the Love Sponge. Word going around is that the company denied her request to be released. Kong was talked into working the TV taping the night after her fight with Bubba but told TNA officials she would not be going on the UK tour after they wouldn't grant her release. The issue between her and Bubba is apparently resolved after a meeting with her, Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff.

There is heat between Kong and TNA over money also. Kong is said to be especially touchy when she sees the company spending money on new talents while claiming they can't afford to give raises to her and other Knockouts. There is assumption within TNA that Christy Hemme and Tara are paid well because of their careers in WWE but there's frustration over the pay that the rest of TNA's Knockouts receive.

source: prowrestling.net

Friends, Kong Secure Funds for Haiti Relief

Wrestlers 4 Haiti, a group hastily formed with great cooperation and organization by pro wrestler Kia Stevens, better known as Awesome Kong, and about two dozen of her compatriots, have raised more than $6,000 for the relief efforts in that earthquake-ravaged country...More?

Awesome Kong Comments on Asking for her Release from TNA

TNA Knockout Gives Notice

The Wrestling Observer reports that Awesome Kong gave notice to TNA on Tuesday night. This comes on the heels of her altercation with Bubba The Love Sponge over the ill-advised comments about Haiti.

I would love to see her in the WWE.

Another Reason to Love Awesome Kong

Prowrestling.net has confirmed that Awesome Kong attacked radio show host and TNA backstage personality Bubba The Love Sponge at Tuesday's TNA Impact taping.

Kong was upset because of the "F--- Hati" [sic] tweet that Bubba posted on Twitter over the weekend. Kong has been taking part in fundraising efforts for the relief fund for Haiti, which was rocked by an earthquake last week. Bubba was sent home from the taping yesterday. Kong was also sent home. A TNA source notes that Bubba has major locker room heat.

Event Alert: Wrestlers for Haiti‏

Awesome Kong on Top of Her Game

If it wasn't for an annoying little brother, the world of pro wrestling might be without one of its brightest, most dynamic personalities today. “He used to watch wrestling every Saturday morning,” Kia Stevens, better known as TNA ( Total Nonstop Action ) star Awesome Kong, says about her younger brother. “And whenever I’d pass by, he’d attack me and get me into a Camel Clutch. And that’s how I’d stay until one of my parents came into the room.”

Stevens’ brother’s obnoxious behavior, occurring in the middle-class Los Angeles suburb of Carson, Calif., rubbed off onto eight-year-old Kia.

“I eventually started watching wrestling myself, and learning some of the moves,” she says. “Before long, I was able to get him into a Boston Crab.”

And a star was born...More?

source: media-newswire.com

Sports & Entertainment & More…

Professional Wrestling is not “just” sports/athletic contest to determine who is ultimately “better”, nor “simply” escapist entertainment, (nor a definitive “morality play”). Professional Wrestling presents an epic battle between almost mythical personas, partly human and partly immortal; a battle that is intense and primal, violent and vicious, at times funny and at times tragic – yet ultimately irresolvable and perpetual, stubbornly refusing to provide a simple “answer” as is common in other forms of sports and entertainment – reaching to the depths of our psyches, and our innermost secret fears and desires.

Understanding the power of Wrestling from this vantage point, ring characters such as Triple H, Randy Orton, Sting, Awesome Kong, Beth Phoenix – and their peers and the many who paved the way for them – are much more than athletes and entertainers; they are closer to living depictions of the Greek gods and goddesses (or Jungian archetypes); who may be seen live, on TV or in PPV’s; and are neither limited to seasonal competition nor restricted to a particular television or movie production. They compete, they entertain, and they psychologically entrance week after week, day after day...More?

source: Dr. David Reiss @ caulifloweralleyclub.org

Mickie James #1, Awesome Kong #2?

Pro Wrestling Insider has ranked WWE Diva Mickie James as the top female wrestler in the world. Number two this year is TNA's Awesome Kong, who was ranked number 1 last year.