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Marina Shafir has been booked as a dominant and feared AEW star on their television programming. But on a rare occasion, she broke character to open about her husband's impact on her wrestling career.
The star got engaged with Undisputed Kingdom member Roderick Strong in 2015, and the couple had their first child together in 2017. Strong and Shafir got married a year later. Both the stars have been regular fixtures on AEW programming.
In a recent interview on Talk is Jericho, the former UFC Fighter opened about her difficulties in transitioning from MMA to wrestling. Marina Shafir credited her husband, Roderick Strong, for making the process smooth:
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"Roddy was my biggest supporter. He encouraged me to keep being who he knows. Even when you try and fail, just do it again. ... There are no f***ing roadblocks, it's all learning." [H/T Wrestling Inc]
Check out the podcast below:
Marina Shafir reached out to Jon Moxley to help elevate her career in AEW
Marina Shafir made her debut in AEW in 2021 but was hardly given any significant opportunities or TV time. In the same interview, Shafir revealed that it made her reach out to reigning World Champion Jon Moxley. She asked Mox for help, and the latter became her mentor:
"I went right up to Mox and went, 'I need help!' I know I got something but if I don't get help, it will just get wasted. And maybe, you can help me.' We exchanged info, and I got connected with Sami Callihan and then Matt Farmer, who runs Defy Wrestling. I just started doing shows. And eventually, he [Jon Moxley] just started mentoring me. It just kind of evolved into where I am now." she said.
The former UFC Fighter formed an alliance with Jon Moxley as his associate in 2024 and eventually became a member of The Death Riders faction. This has made her a regular fixture in AEW, with possible major opportunities on the horizon. With The Purveyor of Violence by her side as a mentor, it remains to be seen what the future holds for Marina Shafir.
