Awesome Kong "Felt Unheard" In AEW

Awesome Kong had an interesting spell in All Elite Wrestling. The former TNA Knockouts Champion made her debut at AEW's inaugural show Double Or Nothing 2019, being revealed by Brandi Rhodes as a mystery competitor for a Four-Way. Kong then formed the Nightmare Collective with Rhodes, Mel, and later Luther but the unpopular stable was disbanded in early 2020 when Kong went on hiatus to film the final season of GLOW.

The COVID-19 pandemic ultimately halted those plans but Kong did not return to TV, instead working backstage in AEW until she left the promotion in June 2021. 

Reflecting on her run in AEW on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Kong admitted she "felt unheard" in the promotion. 

"I don't want to sound like I'm bashing the crew over there at AEW, especially since we were just up and running. We are all new executives and trying to think outside the box and really give it to y'all. Something new, something that hasn't been seen. We've seen it all. We were trying to give you something that you haven't seen. I felt unheard. I wasn't in control. All I could do was say, 'I have this idea of XYZ.' I couldn't get in the room where final decisions were made," Kong said. 

"Believe me, Kia [referring to her real name Kia Stevens] stalked that room. I would stay there after big meetings and pick up the water bottles and cups like, 'Huh, y'all need...you need me to go? Okay' [Laughs]. I tried to get into that last meeting where decisions were made. Never had a chance to. 'That's just not going to happen, so I'm not going to push it.' When you see this [makes a box with her hands] is who they are comfortable with making decisions, that's not a read or a critique, that's just who was comfortable making decisions. What do you do? It's out of my control. If I had control, give me 15 minutes of Kia. Kia's 15 Minutes of Fame. 'Go out there and steal the show from them boys. You, you, you. Nyla (Rose), go steal the show from the boys.'"

Following the end of her AEW run, Kong made an appearance at NWA Empowerrr to announce her retirement from professional wrestling. She was then inducted into the IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Fame at Bound For Glory 2021. 

H/T to Fightful