Gabby Forza recently opened up about her journey at the Lodestone training camp, which took place in December 2025. Alongside notable wrestlers like Nikki Blackheart and Janai Kai, Forza participated in the inaugural camp aimed at elevating female wrestlers’ careers. In an interview with Fightful’s Joel Pearl, the 29-year-old revealed that she nearly didn’t submit an application to the camp, despite the immense opportunity it presented.
Overcoming Doubts to Seize a Unique Opportunity
Forza admitted she was hesitant to apply, given how many talented women deserved the spot. Her trainer, Brian Myers, encouraged her to give it a try, which she did by submitting some of her favorite matches. Initially, she saw no response and assumed she wasn’t selected, causing disappointment. However, three days before the camp, she received the invitation and quickly rearranged her schedule to attend.
“I almost didn’t apply, which is so funny because that is a story a lot of us share with each other, where I almost didn’t apply because you think of all the women that deserve to be picked and then I almost didn’t and my trainer, Brian Myers was like, ‘You need to apply.’ So I did. I sent a few matches. I sent some of my favorite matches and as I was going through it, I was like, ‘I’m proud of these matches, whatever happens.’ I kept checking my email and I wasn’t getting anything and then I saw her email crash because she got so many applications. I was like, ‘I’m not getting picked. No way.’ So I let go of that dream and then as I’m looking forward to matches ahead, I was a little disappointed to not be picked. Moving on, I’m looking through my email for bookings— so I’m just trying to look for new things I look forward to—three days ago, I see an email from her and I threw my phone at Bear as he’s sleeping. I’m like, ‘Wake up! Oh my God, I got a picked!’ It was really exciting. I just couldn’t believe it, booked my flight right away, pulled off a few shows that I was gonna do, but they totally understood. I actually did tell them, with the asterisks, ‘If I do get in for the seminar, please understand.’ They were totally cool about it. So I’m very lucky to have the support from promoters that are like, ‘That’s gonna make you a better wrestler. You need to be there,’ and not hold any type of grudge about that.” – Gabby Forza, Wrestler
Building Connections with Fellow Participants
Forza described how the camp brought together 21 women from diverse backgrounds and wrestling experiences. She knew only a few before attending, but the opportunity to meet new peers from across the globe—from Malaysia to France and the UK—created a meaningful bond. The group shared stories, compared journeys, and supported one another throughout the seminar, forging friendships that underscored the unique nature of the event.
“I would say I knew like seven and then I knew the names of like five others and then the others are brand new to me. There were 21 of us. So it was really exciting. I love meeting new people. I love making new friends. So as we’re all sitting there, like a little awkward, I’m like, ‘So how old is everyone? Where is everyone from?’ Like we all have different accents. As we’re going around, we said, ‘How long did it take you to get here?’ Malaysia, 26 hours. We’re like, ‘Oh, my gosh, thank you for making it here.’ Like, oh my gosh, from France, from Spain, from the UK, all over the place and it’s like, ‘Wow, we are so lucky to all be in the same room together with all of our different experiences.’ It was just so special just in the first night of meeting each other and being like, ‘How long have you been doing this?’ One person, she’s been doing it for three months. You meet someone, they’re like, ‘Three months,’ and we’re in the same place. Then we get in the ring together the next day you’re like, ‘I see why. You are amazing.’ We just like kept building each other up. We all felt like, ‘How are we all here? This is so special.’ Then just like to see how much heart everyone puts into this and like we’re all meant to be there and somehow Bayley knew to pick the coolest group of girls.” – Gabby Forza, Wrestler
The Impact of Mentors Like Bayley and Charlotte Flair
Meeting Bayley was a significant moment at the camp, particularly when she arrived with a surprise guest: Charlotte Flair. Forza highlighted how hearing Flair speak candidly about the pressures she has faced in wrestling helped the campers appreciate their own distinct paths. Flair emphasized embracing one’s current stage in the wrestling journey, and reminded the group that many of the best memories from established wrestlers come from their time in the independent circuit.
“So we’re all together in the house and getting to know each other, whatever. Meet Bayley. That was that was crazy, meeting Bayley. We all think we’re going to learn from Bayley this whole seminar. She’s like, ‘I’ll be back in the morning with a friend.’ Everyone else is like, thinking, guessing. I’m like, ‘I don’t know—the cameraman? The cameraman’s a friend. I don’t know,’ and it’s not. It’s Charlotte Flair. I’m like, ‘Of course, her friend Charlotte Flair,’ and I’m standing in the room with this gorgeous [woman]. She looks like a volleyball player. But it’s just like, ‘You’ve kept to who you are throughout your wrestling journey,’ and she gets a lot of flack online. She’s perfect. So to hear from someone that is perfect, and we all know that she’s been held to such a high standard throughout her whole career, and she did talk about that with us and share that with us because we all have high standards for ourselves. We all beat ourselves up more than we should and want to be where we aren’t yet. But you have to remember to enjoy where you are and that’s what they kept affirming to us. It is so special to be on the indies I think we all needed to hear that. It’s so special to get to do what we do, to be in that room with these women and to hear from signed wrestlers that their best memories are on the independent wrestling scene. Charlotte Flair is like, ‘I didn’t get to do that, so please enjoy it.’ It’s like, ‘Oh, my gosh. Yeah, you know what? I am. I’m so lucky.’” – Gabby Forza, Wrestler
John Cena’s Constructive Feedback Resonates Deeply
One of the highlights for Forza was wrestling in front of John Cena during the camp, where she earned valuable insights that have influenced her performances since. Facing Nor Phoenix in a singles match, Forza initially felt nervous but embraced her character fully. Cena encouraged her to give even more energy and presence in her matches, advice she has taken to heart and applied consistently.
She shared how his guidance was both detailed and hands-on, as Cena stepped into the ring to demonstrate what he meant. Forza expressed admiration for Cena’s openness and dedication to mentoring young talent during the seminar.
“I got to wrestle in front of John Cena, just like everyone else. I was in a singles match against Nor Phoenix. She is from Malaysia. So this match could never happen ever, but Bayley set us up together. We were doing this match, in our minds and John Cena walks in. It’s like, ‘We weren’t nervous already, but let’s do this in front of John Cena.’ I’m decked out in my gnomie outfit. I got my little hat on. I’m giving her a hat in front of John Cena. I’m doing my whole shtick, my whole thing that got me there because I was so nervous and so like embarrassed, honestly. Like, ‘I’m such a fool, but this is wrestling baby. This is what I’m here for.’ I got so much good advice from him and I’ve literally applied what he said to me in every match I’ve had since. A lot of people have said to me that they notice a big difference post-Lodestone seminar again. I’ll share a short version because I don’t want to give away the script. I’m still working on it, too. But basically, ‘What you’re doing is great, but I want to see more.’ I thought that was really cool because my whole life I feel like people tell me to tone it down. He’s like, ‘This is great, but more, give me more.’ I was like, ‘How? Tell me what you would want to see from me in this scenario,’ and then went into specific scenarios and he got in the ring with me and showed me what he meant. We got to work together like a little bit, but it was really, really cool. What a great man. What a great talker. I got to ask him so many questions. He really gave us all the time in the world. I wrote everything down. I don’t want to give it all away.” – Gabby Forza, Wrestler
The Significance of the Lodestone Camp and What Lies Ahead
The Lodestone camp has proven to be a pivotal experience for Gabby Forza and many of the participants, fostering growth, camaraderie, and receiving mentorship from top figures like Bayley, Charlotte Flair, and John Cena. Forza’s story highlights the importance of seizing opportunities and embracing mentorship to advance in the highly competitive wrestling world.
As the wrestling community anticipates how these lessons will influence upcoming matches and careers, the camp’s impact demonstrates a growing commitment to nurturing female talent and preparing wrestlers for larger platforms. Fans can expect Forza and her peers to showcase notable improvements and renewed confidence, shaped by their time at Lodestone.
