I spent the year 2024 behind the scenes at Grindhouse Pro Wrestling Academy. I attended shows, hung out in the locker room, and even sat in on classes. That spring I saw my first promo class, and three students stood out above the rest. Two of them might surprise you. One definitely will not if you know her.
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Jessica Glenn wants to beat up her kids’ heroes. It’s not a dream common among moms with young kids, but then, Jessica is no ordinary mom.
Born and raised in Fairhaven, Vermont, Jessica discovered wrestling as a kid during the Attitude Era. She and her father became regulars at Tri-State Wrestling, where she first signed up for wrestling school. That dream came to an end when Tri-State lost their building, but in 2002, Jessica went on the road with Ring of Honor, setting up the ring and working tech with Mary and Wayne.
Thanks to a friendship with Jay Lethal, Jessica nearly made a second attempt at training. “Jay had a school in Jersey City, 45 minutes away from my grandma. The day I graduated high school, I packed all my things to move in with Grandma and train with Jay. I chickened out at the last minute, and I called my parents to bring me home.”
So much has happened in the intervening years. She got married. She moved to Louisville. She had two children and lost both of her parents – a year apart, on the same date. When Ronnie Roberts asks her to answer the question, “Why are you here?” in a promo, Jessica takes the microphone and speaks with a passion that many long-time veterans can’t touch.
Jessica talks about beating up her kids heroes. She also talks about wanting her children to see that anything is possible, to see their mom finally fulfill a dream she’s had since she was their age. She’s been wrestling-adjacent for years. Her kids were raised in this building, hanging out in a play pen while Mommy sold merch for her friends. Now it’s Jessica’s turn.
“Why am I here?” she says. “BecauseWrestling is a love letter I’ve never been able to write to myself.”
The class cheers. They know Jessica. They love her, and everyone is rooting for her.
“All right,” says Ronnie. “Who’s next?”
The Lovely Miss Larkan steps up to take her turn. The real Larkan is a far cry from the unhinged character she portrays in the ring. She’s quiet and attentive in class. She works extremely hard on technique, often pulling Ethan Heyre aside to help her while waiting for their turn in the ring.
Larkan knows where she’s weak, and she’s working extremely hard on those areas. She also knows where she’s strong, and she’s supremely confident in her ability to entertain. When she picks up the microphone, her voice begins to warble. She sounds completely unhinged.
“Why do you do this? What is the motiva-a-a-ation? It’s simple! I love going to the chiropractor and getting my back cracked! I love going to the dentist and getting diagnosed with TMJ! Most of all, I love when people want to take a ride on my trauma train. CHOO! CHOO! And let me tell you something: it’s never going to stop!”
As quickly as she appeared, the dark side of Miss Larkan vanishes. The students applaud.
Ronnie’s got nothing for her. “Next!”
The next wrestler on the mic, Aknubix Kaax, discovered wrestling while growing up watching Memphis Wrestling on TV in Nashville, witnessing one of the greatest feuds in wrestling history: Andy Kaufman and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler. He did some backyard wrestling, became a dancer in a hip hop group, and did some theater in school. He also became a stand-up comic, something that’s very evident with his ring work as well as his promo skills.
His wrestling training has come with starts and stops, and there are reasons for that. Aknubix has dyslexia, which makes it remembering sequences in the ring a challenge. “I won’t say I’m the drizzling shits, but I’m drizzling.”
Aknubix does have one strength, and it’s on full display when he takes his turn on the mic.
“Why are we here at Grindhouse? We here to get paid! Beat ass, get championships, get paid. Beat yo’ Momma, beat yo’ daddy. Whoever. Get paid. That’s what we in here for. I ain’t here for yo’ friends. I ain’t here for yo’ buddy. I ain’t here for yo’ hero. None of that! Get championships. Get paid. You got a problem with that? Step in front of my face, see what happens! I am Aknubix, and I am here to show you I can do this!”
In case you wanna know where they are now…
Aknubix, whom Ronnie Roberts lovingly described as his “forever student,” is now performing for Grindhouse Pro Wrestling. He’s proven not only to be funny, but an electric, scary heel with his promos. He’s also turned in some very nice matches, and if he’s not wrestling on a card, he’s the third man in the ring as a referee.
Jessica Glenn had to drop out of class during 2024 – perhaps the most heartbreaking event in the book. As she always has, she put the needs of her family ahead of her dream. Then in February 2026, Billie Starkz tapped Jessica to be one half of the commentary team on the revival of Girl Fight Wrestling in New Albany. It’s a dream come true, being part of an all-female promotion. And that dream of wrestling may not be completely dead.
As for the Lovely Miss Larkan? Well, she’s currently turning heads as a rising star with OVW in Louisville. Larkan made the jump in January of 2025, right as I was finishing the book, and despite a recent heel turn, she’s still largely a fan favorite. OVW has given her plenty of room to flourish with that full-formed, deranged persona of hers. In fact the madness seems to be getting worse, to the delight of her devoted followers.
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