PRETTY EMPOWERED: Kenzie Page, Now That You’re NWA Women’s TV Champ… Watch Your Back!
There’s no reasoning with Kenzie Page.
By becoming the first-ever National Wrestling Alliance Women’s Television Champion, Page made history — and is sitting on top of the world right now.
The last thing on her mind, it would seem, is how others feel about her success. And why should Page care whether fans are still dismayed by the transformation they’ve witnessed over the last year?
The friendly, outgoing, happy-go-lucky teen just excited to live her professional wrestling dreams, which audiences immediately came to adore when she arrived in the NWA two years ago, is gone. In her stead is someone more calculated, cunning, manipulative, mean — a woman concerned only with her own success.
This shocking change-of-heart started when Page formed Pretty Empowered with best friend forever Ella Envy last spring. Then a duo, the rising stars were united in their cause: Becoming NWA World Women’s Tag Team Champions.
While it initially seemed Envy was a “bad influence” on her impressionable BFF, the picture became much clearer once the duo captured the belts. For months, the women’s division was personally victimized by the pair.
Group dynamics slowly started to shift when Roxy joined Pretty Empowered. Envy and Page equally took turns berating the “pledge,” subbing her into tag matches using “The Freebird Rule,” and belittling her for subsequent losses.
Shortly before Envy and Kenzie dropped the tag titles to The Renegade Twins, the younger Page, Kylie, arrived. With the sisters comprising fifty-percent of Pretty Empowered, a sudden and obvious power shift emerged.
Kenzie slowly moved center, pushing Envy and Roxy to regain tag gold while she entered the Women’s TV title tournament. Ever-present at her sister’s side, Kylie completed the quartet.
With a significant assist from the group, the elder Page emerged scarcely alive but victorious at NWA 312, the TV title in hand. It should have been a happy time for Pretty Empowered — but was it?
Within weeks of winning the symbolic trophy, Kenzie’s hand-picked first opponent was Envy. The new champ declared to the world, “Of course my BFF deserves the first shot at the title!”
But was there more to the decision? NWA broadcaster and decorated in-ring competitor Velvet Sky wonders. Perhaps concern from fans doesn’t matter, but maybe peers can get through to Kenzie.
“When it’s just two of you, it’s easy to balance egos, to stay on the same page, to put friendship and your shared goals first,” Sky says.
“That’s not where Pretty Empowered is any more,” continued Sky, who’s frequently compared the NWA collective to The Beautiful People, her own, iconic all-female pro wrestling faction with BFF Angelina Love.
“Kenzie is the Women’s TV champion now, and I think deep down she suspects…maybe even knows… her own ‘friends’ — the other members of Pretty Empowered — are eyeing that title,” she continued.
To Sky, Kenzie versus Ella was far more than a mere title defense. She says Kenzie was sending a clear message to all members of Pretty Empowered: Step up at your own risk; she is “Leader” of the group.
“Two people can usually get along, but once others get involved, or one person’s personal goals take priority over the group, egos get bruised,” Love agreed, echoing her BFF’s thoughts.
“There can only be one Queen Bee,” Love went on. “But jealousy is real, and it’s anything but ‘pretty.’
"If I were Kenzie, I’d be very careful,” she concluded, “Ultimately, mean girls do mean things — especially to each other!”