JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In the history of pro wrestling, so many men are credited with making wrestling what it is today. From Gorgeous George to Bruno Sammartino to Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and The Rock. Each one is credited with moving the industry forward.
But in the world of women’s wrestling, one name seems forgotten. And she’s the woman who truly started it all.
Today fans know stars like Trish Stratus, Lita, Bianca Belair and Mariah May. But the true history of women’s wrestling stretches back to one woman.
Her name is Mildred Burke.
And her story is no longer forgotten.
She is, in fact, the true “Queen of the Ring.”
Which brings us to 2025 and the major motion picture set to take the entertainment world by storm on March 7.
The idea actually came from a wrestling legend in his own right, Jim Ross (who now lives in Jacksonville Beach).
“So I called Jim and said I wanted to make an ’80s period fictional wrestling movie,” said movie director Ash Avildsen.
But Ross asked him a question.
“He said ‘By the way, do you know who Mildred Burke is?’ I said, ‘I’ve never heard of her.' And he said, ‘I want you to check out this book ”Queen of the Ring.“’”
Avildsen read the book and immediately shifted gears. He knew Burke’s story needed to be made into a movie. In fact, Avildsen said he was mad he didn’t know who Burke was.
Neither did any of his friends who were also die-hard wrestling fans.
Before Burke women’s wrestling was outlawed in the United States. Burke broke barriers and decided to try pro wrestling.
There’s a famous line in the movie trailer where Burke (played by Emily Bett Rickards, who used to star on the CW show Arrow) says, “I’m actually the highest-paid female athlete.”
When asked if she means in Washington D.C., Burke responds: “In history.”
Burke went onto train multiple legendary female wrestlers like The Fabulous Moolah. Many of those wrestlers went on to even more fame because they wrestled during the television era.
Burke’s career mostly started to wrap up as TV became the dominant form of entertainment in America.
There are multiple wrestlers in this movie who have been profiled on Going Ringside including Toni Storm, Mickie James and Trinity Fatu (Naomi in WWE).
The biopic follows the genre of another wrestling-based hit last year “The Iron Claw” based on the Von Erich family as we detailed in this episode of Going Ringside.
“We’re actually opening in theaters across the country March 7, which is Women’s Month, and we do plan on opening it here in Jacksonville. Most likely at Regency,” said Aimee Schoof, the producer of the movie who’s originally from Jacksonville. “750 to a thousand screens across the country. And then maybe more from there.”
Also on this episode, we’re joined by friend of the show Victoria Crawford to break down this new movie.