Willow Nightingale on Hoping To See FreeBird Rule for AEW Women’s Tag Titles, Keeping Close Eye on The Brawling Birds, Reason for Growth of Women’s Wrestling Exposure in Recent Years, Origin of Her Character’s Bubbliness, & More

SacTown Sports held a recent interview with AEW TBS Champion and AEW Women’s World Tag Team Champion Willow Nightingale. One of the topics discussed included Nightingale’s thoughts about her hoping to see a Freebird Rule be introduced for AEW’s Women’s Tag Team Championship.

“Personally, I’m like, ‘Maybe we can invoke a little bit of the Freebird rule (with the tag titles).’ It does seem like we’re getting into a lot of trios situations with the girls. Harley and I have Stat [Kris Statlander], there is the Triangle of Madness. MegaBad just got this giant woman to attack Harley and I, Lena Kross. I guess that’s another one we have to worry about now. Maybe if we did [have a Freebird rule], but I don’t make the rules.”

In a separate recent interview with Good Day Sacramento, Nightingale gave her thoughts about Alex Windsor and Jamie Hayter forming a new women’s tag team called The Brawling Birds in AEW.

“So as far as the women’s tag team front, we have this new team called the Brawling Birds. They’re gonna be doing their TV debut, and that’s another women’s tag team that I’m looking forward to seeing what they got, keeping my close eye on them.”

In a separate recent interview with ABC10, Nightingale also gave her thoughts about her belief for the reason for the growth in exposure for women’s wrestling in recent years.

“I think progress is unfortunately something that’s very slow. But I think the reason women’s wrestling has bursted so much over the past few years is, like, growing up, we didn’t really get to see women put in the spotlight like that. I remember seeing women have segments for Playboy. They’re on the cover, and I’m all for women doing what they want to do right on. Some of the people I love and admire have done that. But it’s like, we’re a wrestling show. Let’s see what these women wrestle. Let’s see what they can do. Because we’re athletes just as much as the next guy. We’ve trained super hard to be here.”

Nightingale also gave her thoughts about the origin of her character’s “bubbliness.”

“For me, when I started wrestling, it was very selfish where I was like, ‘I’m a big fan, I love this, I want to do this,’ and that’s where I think the bubbliness and the wanting to have everybody be in a good mood comes from, cause wrestling always made me happy. So I go out there, I get to live out my childhood dream. I get to smile and wave at the crowd and everything. But then when I get in there and the bell rings, I get to kinda show this duality. It’s like, I’m this happy, wonderful woman, but I’m gonna be a champion in there. I’m gonna beat you up and show you why I’m the winner.”

Nightingale also gave her thoughts about how her mother has been very proud of her wrestling career but doesn’t like watching her matches when it involves thumbtacks spots.

“Yeah, that’s the stuff my mom doesn’t like watching. She’s very proud, but those are probably her least favorite. See her little baby girl go through that. (laughs).”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5