Independent wrestling powerhouse "Big Al" Alice Crowley spoke exclusively with Dirt Sheet Radio's Jon Escudero ahead of her debut at the 2026 CMLL Amazonas Grand Prix inside Arena México on Friday, October 23.
Stepping into the international elimination match as a replacement for Taylor Rising to represent Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling (MLP) on Team World, the 23-year-old Indianapolis native reflected on a nearly decade-long grind that began when she started training in December 2016 at just 14 years old before officially debuting in the ring in 2018.
Alice Crowley: “Honestly, the fact that I've been wrestling for this long and haven't been to Mexico yet blows my mind, just because I know Lucha Libre is very, very popular out here. It does blow my mind, but I'm finally here.
Yes, I started when I was 14. I was going to a little place in downtown Indiana in the States, and my cousin actually was the reason why I started going. He had a friend who wrestled, and I ended up asking his friend how he started and what he did.
Then I ended up training in that same building because that's where he trained, and I learned to wrestle there. I trained for probably about two years before I had my first official match. However, I did have matches here and there every once in a while in between those two years, but it wasn't anything where I felt like, "This is starting my wrestling career."
I feel like if you only have two matches in a year, you can't consider that year being one of your active years. So I officially started in the ring on October 6, 2018, after starting training in December of 2016. Now we're here, and I never stopped training after that. I just went from training school to training school to training school, and honestly, I feel like if I didn't do that, I wouldn't be where I am right now.”
JE: We talked about how long it took you to get to Mexico, but you did spend some time in Japan last fall with Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling and even challenged for the International Princess Championship. How much did that tour of Japan teach you about adapting your style for an international audience and standing out in a foreign promotion?
AC: Japan is completely different than it is in the States, and I would assume completely different than what it is in Mexico, just because of how most crowds are.
With Japan, they are completely different in a way where they are so mesmerized and respectful to the point where they try not to make noise. They're just sitting there watching it like it's a movie or television. In the States and in Mexico, I know people are loud—I love that, that's the type of energy I like—but in Japan, it was a lot different.
So I had to learn and adapt to how they react and what I can do to get reactions out of them, because it is different. Not by much, but it is, and I would say it was definitely a challenge. However, I do think I ended up winning that crowd over by the end of it. Even though we were in different areas, all those fans watch and keep up with the product.
We had a little storyline going where I was going against Arisu Endo, and her name in English is Alice, so it was America's Alice versus Japan's Alice, which I thought was so cool. By the end of it, I think I had won them over because we ended up tagging together. It was a cute little storyline we did, it worked for that crowd, and it taught me a lot.
JE: That's awesome. Continuing our journey around the world as we end up in Canada, 2026 has been a big year for you with Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling. You've challenged Red Velvet for the Ring of Honor Women's World Television Championship at Global Wars, went toe-to-toe with Gisele Shaw for the Women's Canadian Championship, and you just teamed with Jody Threat at Northern Rising, a big show in Toronto. What has working with Scott D'Amore and the MLP locker room done for your career trajectory this year?
AC: A lot. I just said this recently: if it wasn't for Scott, I wouldn't be where I am right now. He has helped me tremendously. And I would say if it wasn't for Violent J, I would have never even met Scott. I work for another company called JCW, and those are my main two promotions. I got into Canada through JCW, and ever since then, Scott has just been so, so giving. I genuinely can't even say thank you enough to him because he has given me so much.
Wrestling for the ROH TV Championship against Red Velvet—are you kidding me? That's crazy. I never would have thought that I would be able to do something like that while not signed. I hope Scott gets the big bucks for his company and is able to start signing people, because that would be fucking awesome. I really can't thank Scott enough.
Working in Canada and for Maple Leaf has definitely helped my career, because like I said, I wouldn't be here in Mexico right now if it wasn't for Scott. He is the reason why I'm here representing Maple Leaf, and that is honestly so cool. As an American representing a Canadian company in Mexico, I don't think anyone else can say that, and I take great pride in that.
JE: I was literally just going to ask you about getting that call after Taylor Rising had to be replaced on the event. When he gave you the call, what did that feel like?
AC: I literally was like, "Scott, I'm gonna cry!" [Laughs] Because I've never had anyone who has just given me opportunities like that.
And I'm not even going to say that he just handed it to me—I have earned everything that I've been given. I don't feel like there's a single thing that I haven't earned. I've been busting my ass for years and I never stopped going to training. I don't necessarily feel that wrestling owes it to me, because wrestling doesn't owe anyone shit, but I do think when hard work and opportunity meet, that's luck, and I got lucky in this situation.
It was mind-blowing, and I was like, "I'm gonna cry, I don't know what to do!" I immediately went and told my parents, "Guys, guess what I'm doing?" It was probably one of the best days of my life.
Figuring out, "Hey, you're getting to go to Japan, hey, you're getting to go to Mexico, hey, you're getting to go to Canada"—those are definitely place markers in my life.
JE: Absolutely. Let's get right into it. You're debuting inside "La Catedral de la Lucha Libre," Arena México, and it's not just any debut—you're debuting in the main event of the Grand Prix in one of the most exhausting matches in wrestling. It's going to be a long one. Talk to me about how you prepared yourself and how you pace yourself in a match like the Grand Prix.
AC: Going to training! [Laughs] Honestly, there's not really much you can do to specifically prepare yourself for a match that is that long—you just have to go and do it. Unless you literally have that many people and you run a match like that in training or elsewhere, you can't really prepare yourself for a match like that because they don't happen very often. That's why it's such a big thing for me.
How many matches have you heard of where there are that many women wrestling that many women and it all comes down to one winner? It doesn't happen very often, and I love the way that they do it.
I'm really excited. It's going to be tough trying to get through that whole match, but that doesn't mean I didn't go to training. Like I already said, I did, and I have been working my ass off. There's only one way to find out who's going to win—and it would be awesome if it was me! [Laughs]
JE: Like you said, there are a lot of women in this match, which means a lot of different styles and a lot of different personalities on one apron. How do you see yourself fitting into that dynamic, and is there anyone on your team that you're most excited to team with?
AC: Probably Masha [Slamovich] and Emersyn [Jayne]. I think those two are probably the closest to me character-wise, and I feel like we could do some damage together. [Laughs] I'm really excited to team with those two for sure. Honestly, though, every single woman on our roster is solid. Everybody has name value, everybody is doing cool shit, and it's like, "Oh my God, I can't believe I'm a part of this too." It's pretty good.
JE: On the other side of that question, across the ring, there are also a lot of women and a lot of different personalities. Is there anybody on Team Mexico that you particularly want to trade blows with?
AC: Well, I've wrestled Tessa [Blanchard] before, but I've never wrestled Persephone. I just talked about this, and I think it would have to be Persephone. I think we're so evenly matched and I feel like we would have a really good showing. I love watching her matches—I watch them all the time—so that would be sick just for my own account. I would definitely say her.
Jon Escudero: Alright, this is my last question. When the dust settles this Friday, what statement are you going to leave behind, and why should the fans tune in to see you next time?
Alice Crowley: There's only one person out there representing a Canadian company as an American, and it's for a reason. I wouldn't have been chosen for no reason. I'm here for a reason, and I'm going to show exactly that. I don't need words to say, "I am better than this person," or "I can do this." My work can speak for itself, and everybody better watch out. [Laughs]
Jon: Everybody be sure to tune in this Friday via CMLL's YouTube subscription service to check out the CMLL Amazonas Grand Prix 2026. It's going to be awesome. Thank you for talking to me today, Big Al, and thank you to CMLL for the opportunity.
Alice: Yes, thank you so much for having me.