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Shannon LeVangie looks back on her training session with Mercedes Moné.
As she continues making her ascent in the wrestling scene, Shannon LeVangie also continues to hone her in-ring skills at the place that laid the groundwork for her — the New England Pro Wrestling Academy. In March 2023, LeVangie arrived at the Massachusetts-based wrestling school with the expectation of another normal training session. Little did she know, this particular training session would feature an extra special guest.
During a recent interview with WrestleZone’s Ella Jay, LeVenagie opened up about the surrealness surrounding her training experience that day, specifically due to the fact that she got to work alongside one of her biggest heroes — Mercedes Moné.
“That was a wild day,” Levangie said. “I didn’t even know she was going to be at the school until I got to the school. Someone was like ‘Did you see who’s here?’ I’m like ‘Who?’ And they’re like ‘Sasha Banks.’ I’m like ‘Stop it, no.’ I was freaking out because the first ever wrestling event I went to was Hell in Cell in 2016, which was main-evented by Sasha Banks and Charlotte [Flair]. It was in Boston, which is obviously her hometown. I remember watching her do her entrance and they’re getting in the cell and it’s like the first woman’s main event on a main pay-per-view. That was the moment where I’m like ‘Oh I want to do this. I want to be a wrestler.'”
“Sasha Banks is kind of the reason that I’m here. So then to see her walk in, I’m like ‘Oh my God. I’m about to do a class with Sasha Banks Then we’re doing some drills and stuff. My trainer Chase is like ‘Alright Shannon, get in line right here,’ and [he] put me right in front of Sasha Banks. I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m going to be doing like all these drills with her. I’m not just at class with her, but I’m doing the drills actually with her.’ It was just so cool. I was also like ‘Alright Shannon, don’t hurt her. This is a star. You can’t mess this up.'”
“… It was just such an unreal night, especially knowing that I walked into the school that night having no idea what was going to be happening,” LeVangie added. “Then I walked out [thinking] that was the craziest thing ever.”
Learning Opportunity
While the opportunity to train alongside her idol was incredible in it of itself, LeVangie also seized the opportunity to learn something from Mone as well. When asked what she specifically took away from this training session, LeVangie pointed toward Mone’s seamless in-ring prowess.
“Just the way she moves in the ring is so smooth and effortless. Being in there with her, I’m like ‘Oh this feels so easy.’ I don’t have to do anything,” LeVangie said. “She is just so fluid and everything. Behind her in line was B3cca, so me, Sasha, B3cca. So watching her go with B3cca too, everything was so fluid and smooth. I’m just like ‘Wow, I want to like be in the ring one day and move like that — effortlessly.’ It was just really cool to watch.”
Watch our full interview with Shannon LeVangie:
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