Magazine Archives: Looking Back At Jade Cargill: Breakout Star of 2022 (Patreon)

By Taeler Hendrix of Fightful Magazine 7

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Over the last twenty years, women’s wrestling has been steadily growing in popularity, opportunity, and talent. In recent times this spike has welcomed both dreamers and athletes alike from all across the globe. All of whom are flocking to the pro wrestling industry in record numbers in the pursuit of childhood dreams of superstardom. From Total Divas to Muscle and Fitness Hers. Even the Nickelodeon Teen Choice Awards. This has fueled a new level of competition with the promise of highly sought after opportunities to become everything they ever imagined in their wildest dreams. And Jade Cargill is certainly no exception to this rapid wildfire dash to success and being the best.

Cargill is one of the newer superstars signed to All Elite Wrestling, officially making her television debut in November 2020. She effectively established herself as a heel within the AEW women’s division when she targeted Brandi Rhodes and made her intentions known. In March 2021, Jade would launch herself towards superstardom with her official in-ring debut for AEW in a mixed tag match that featured her with NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal facing off against Cody Rhodes andRed Velvet. Vengeance and harm were the rules of the day and in the end, Shaq and Jade ruled supreme! The very next week Jade Cargill would come out victorious in her first-ever singles match against AEW hopeful Dani Jordyn. Undeterred, the momentum would ultimately carry Cargill through a slew of who’s who to which she would win heading towards AEW Championship gold.

By the end of that year, Jade Cargill had already built an incredibly impressive resume in pro wrestling adding to her already stellar resume as an athlete and student of the craft. She further cemented herself as a true force to be reckoned with in AEW and pro wrestling alike. The insurmountable storm of a woman known as Jade Cargill, in my opinion, poses perhaps the biggest threat to the rest of the AEW Women’s Division. Why? Well, if you think about how much this woman has singularly achieved in so short a time, you begin to see the intrinsically valuable qualities that make up the woman behind the Jade Cargill persona.

You see the adaptability Jade possesses as a resilient human being. You see the competitive edge of a collegiate athlete and the narrowed focus undeterred by the level of difficulty or pressure of a multi-time basketball district champion. You see the confidence of a woman who is comfortable in her own skin and by the power of her voice. You see the fierceness of someone fighting for something more than just herself. You see the gumption, Moxy, and tenacity of a mother aiming to show her daughter that what others say is impossible really means “I’m possible.” These qualities represent integrity, determination, passion, motivation... and above all else, they signify the indelible foundation of a true role model.

When you come to recognize these attributes of Jade Cargill, you begin to see what Mark Henrysaw in her upon her WWE tryout in 2019. Fast-forward. Within just a few short months after her in-ring debut, she began her subsequent ascent towards the top of AEW. After successfully competing on television while coming into her own as a superstar in pro wrestling, Jade would in fact be named Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Rookie of the Year for 2021 —a prestigious achievement shared by stars such as“Stone Cold'' Steve Austin, Bob Backlund, Bobby Lashley, Madusa, Ricky Steamboat, Bill Goldberg, Ronda Rousey, and more. Jade Cargill is one of only six women to have ever received this distinction from PWI dating all the way back to the territories in 1972. A remarkable accolade to be proud of!

As a woman in wrestling and relatively early in her pro wrestling career, Cargill has amassed more than most can hope to boast in ten years, let alone the fact that she did it in less than one. As a collegiate athlete, Jade Cargill already had a highly sought-after level of athleticism and competitive focus that gained her the eyes of WWE very early on. Her dedication is evident not only in her aesthetic, but also in her work ethic as she trains to hone her craft. Her skills continue to improve as she grows into her own fullest potential as a star in this unforgiving industry. I have zero doubts that this woman will achieve everything she sets out to do one way or another. She is fit. She is fierce. She is passionate and confident. She has all the attributes you would want in a star. Cargill is an asset that will do extremely well representing AEW going forward into the future.

Jade’s charisma makes her interesting to watch on TV. Her unique look makes her stand out in the best of ways as she is eye-catching but also believable in what she does. She is a credit to her trainers and does her daughter proud every time she sets foot in that AEW ring. Jade Cargill’s energy is contagious. I cannot help but be in awe of how well she carries herself especially for one so early in her career. In my opinion, “Rookie of the Year” doesn’t even begin to cover the promising future and the toughness of Jade Cargill both in and out of the ring. She appears to be fun to work with and she definitely entertains. She moves with the fluidity expected of a true athlete. All in all, a great get by All Elite Wrestling because Jade is indeed an elite athlete!

I’m elated for many reasons when it comes to Jade Cargill. However, I most especially gravitate towards her attitude and the way she carries herself. Jade embodies what it looks like when a person is full of self-belief. A person who has withstood the pressures of society and this business and has triumphed over self-doubt in order to achieve their wildest childhood dreams. That is no easy task. Many have fallen victim to the weight of insecurities that plague us and fill us with negative self-talk. And yet, when I see Jade Cargill, I see so much promise. I see a person who takes nothing less than they deserve. She governs herself with pride and respect. Life experience. And an invaluable sense of self and what she brings to the table. Jade Cargill in all her glory and all her victories, makes no apologies for who she is and what she aims to do, and I wholeheartedly love that badass vibe!

Jade reminds me of the ideal that tough times don’t last but tough people do! Approaching the end of 2021, she told everyone exactly what she was going to do come 2022. And as we ushered in the new year and the AEW TBS Championship Tournament came to a close, Jade did exactly what she said she would —she became your first ever AEW TBS Women’s Champion! Mark my words when I say that this is only the beginning for Jade Cargill. I’ve seen many stars come and go. And in my opinion, Jade is here to stay! She’s risen to prominence and has eclipsed many who thought she’d be content in the background. A talent like Jade Cargill will continue to grow and the skills she gains will only make her that much harder to defeat in the ring.

As her experience mounts so too will her wrestling tool belt as she utilizes her strength and her agility. She will out-maneuver, out-think, and decimate the AEW competition just as she did in the AEW TBS Championship Tournament. All the women in All Elite Wrestling will be vying for Jade Cargill and her AEW Championship gold, but who stands a chance is yet to be foreseen. PerhapsMercedes Martinez? Only time will tell! Indeed. Tough times don’t last but tough people definitely do. And to be honest tough doesn’t even begin to add up to Jade Cargill. As the first-ever AEW TBS Women’s Champion she has an even bigger target on her back now as every woman in AEW aims to take the title from her. Knowing what we know of Jade, I am confident that she is unphased and studying every weakness of anyone willing to go against her for the title.

While she’s never been one to mince words, she is as ever steadfast in her convictions. Jade Cargill has always been true to her word, and true to her word she isn’t done yet. She has withstood it all. Her head held high, her standards higher, and her goals at the top! When there was no opportunity Jade created her own and wasted no time rising to the top, supplanting herself in the pinnacle seat in AEW on TBS. She went through each and every threat. Every time adversity reared its ugly head, Jade stared it right in the face and without flinching, she tore it down. She isn’t afraid to aim for the moon and smash through those glass ceilings. The sky isn’t the limit for Jade Cargill —Jade Cargill is the only limit for Jade Cargill!

From growing up in Florida to becoming a collegiate multi-time district champion with two advanced degrees. Becoming a mother. Being told no. Becoming “Rookie of the Year” in 2021. Winning her first pro wrestling championship. The first-ever AEW TBS Women’s Champion —Jade Cargill is indeed your breakout star of 2022!

Taeler Hendrixhas contributed to Fightful since 2020, after a pro wrestling career that saw her as a prominent figure in both Ring of Honor and TNA Wrestling.

Twitter:@Taeler_Hendrix