Olympic Wrestler Kennedy Blades on Medaling in Paris, MMA and Being a Pioneer

Fresh from her silver medal performance at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the now 21-year-old wrestling phenom talked to Sherdog's Keith Shillan about her experience. Blades, who actually trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu even before wrestling, also shared her thoughts on MMA, and whether she foresees a crossover from the mat to the cage in her future. Finally, she dished on her partnership with Cracker Jill, and the attraction of being a Serena Williams, Caitlin Clark or Simone Biles-type figure for women in wrestling.

0:00 Welcome
1:05 How did the Olympics feel different from the tournaments that are constantly going on in international freestyle wrestling?
4:45 On her belly-to-back suplex that went viral
12:23 Has Kennedy considered crossing over to MMA?
13:57 Cracker Jill Spotlight Squad and what it means to be a pioneer and role model for women in wrestling
18:40 Kennedy's message to young women getting into wrestling