At 15, most young ladies are listening to pop groups that won’t be relevant the following year or deciding if they are “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob,” but that certainly wasn’t the case for independent women’s wrestler, Jordynne Grace. For her, the age of 15 meant an introduction into the world of professional wrestling as an in ring trainee and it started her journey to wrestling in several different states, as well as other countries in just a few short years.

Growing up, the Texas native watched the WWE product often, but it was the live experience of attending independent shows in her early years that prompted her to purse a career in the squared circle. In 2010, she found a wrestling school in Texas, but faced a unique situation when her family planned to relocate. “The only issue was I lived in the city and my mother wanted to move to the country. I had a job at 15 so I asked to move out and go to school/continue wrestling. My mom, of course, didn’t like that but she knew I really wanted to wrestle and stay in Austin, so she let me. My family has always been extremely supportive of my career path.” she said.

Living close to the Mexican border, Jordynne was given the opportunity to train with the women’s group, Lucha Libre Femenil south of the border, but the rookie experienced a sense of culture shock when she entered the country. She spoke no Spanish, wasn’t initially familiar with the intricacies of the lucha style, and was leery of some of the more notorious urban sections of the country. When asked about her time learning her craft in Mexico she said, “The main thing I learned was how to protect myself extremely well, because the women over there wrestle really stiff, verging on dangerous. So I learned pretty quickly how to prevent injury.” At the age of just 16, Jordynne made her debut in Mexico and has even returned since then for a few extended tours with the promotion.

When she returned to the United States, she continued training at the AAPW school where she started and worked extensively in Texas. A bright student, Grace was able to graduate at 16 and wanted to compete as much as possible so she relocated to St. Louis as apart of a group that wanted to further their wrestling skills.

While wrestling in St. Louis, she met and bonded with independent stand out, Johnathan Gresham and relocated to Atlanta before eventually settling in eastern Pennsylvania. In 2014, she began to make a name for herself using an athletic and strength based style, and since that time has been afford opportunities with some of the more well-known independent groups. Combat Zone Wrestling, IWA Mid South, Beyond Wrestling, and dozens of others have all been added to her resume, as she has become one of the rising talents on the independent scene. However, competing on such a regular and diverse schedule doesn’t come without its share of traveling, which can be as challenging as in ring competition. Jordynne estimates that she has wrestled in nearly two dozen states and spoke about the travel saying, “After being in so many cars, planes, and buses and traveling to states that I’m not in more than eight hours before leaving again it’s pretty tiring at this point.” It speaks volumes to the versatility that she brings to the table, considering that each time Grace began working in a different part of the country, she had to prove her skills to a whole new audience and received positive reviews for her work.

When she turned 18, Jordynne’s athletic background from wrestling prompted her to pursue a certification in personal training so she studied it and passed the test to become a certified personal trainer a few months later. She currently works for Planet Fitness and Gold’s Gym while wrestling a full schedule, which is another sign of her dedication to the industry.

The cities of Chicago, Monterrey, Philadelphia and many others decorate Jordynne Grace’s wrestling resume, but perhaps the most impressive aspect of her career is her determination to be successful. While still in school, she decided to wanted to become a professional wrestler and five years later, she has worked for dozens of promotions. At 19, the prime of her career is still ahead of her, but Grace already has plans for the future, potentially opening her own gym after her wrestling career. It’s somewhat ironic that Jordynne has made a career of traveling a variety of places because it could come full circle for her with a return to Texas being one of her goals saying, “To move back to Texas and be with my family while being flown to shows around the United States.” One thing is for sure, Jordynne Grace is an athletic young prospect that has wrestled in many states and internationally in just a few years, and she certainly has the determination to be successful on a major stage.

You can find more about Jordynne Grace on social media

@JordynneGrace

www.facebook.com/jordynnenation

-Jim LaMotta

@jimlamotta