Harley Cameron has experienced significant development in her wrestling career over the past year, attributing much of her progress to working closely with Willow Nightingale. In 2025, Cameron made notable strides including a babyface turn and competing against Mercedes Mone for the TNT Championship at Grand Slam Australia. Later, she teamed with Nightingale to capture the first-ever AEW Women’s Tag Team Championships, marking a milestone in her career.
Influence of Teaming with Willow Nightingale on Cameron’s In-Ring Skills
Speaking with Pario Magazine before the 2025 Grand Slam Australia event, Cameron emphasized Nightingale’s role as a key influence on her growth as a wrestler. She acknowledged her own hard work but highlighted the benefits of training alongside a top-tier performer like Nightingale. Cameron explained how this partnership offered her ongoing guidance on areas she needed to improve, which has been critical to her development.
“She’s sitting right next to me. Willow Nightingale! She likes to say I’ve put my own hard work in and I appreciate that — I have, I have. But I will say working alongside one of the absolute best in the world, definitely I would like to think has rubbed off on me. And I feel very lucky to be with someone that is showing me along the way the things that I have needed to learn, and continue to do that’s like, been imperative for my growth. And I think that — you know, if you compare where I am even in ring from now to a year ago, I definitely feel like a different performer. I feel like a different athlete, I feel like a stronger wrestler. And I will say, obviously working with someone like Willow, who is such an incredible and amazing performer in ring, has definitely given me a closeup consistent ability to learn and I think has attributed to my growth.”
Pario Magazine
Reflecting on the Pace and Nature of Her Wrestling Development
Cameron expressed a sense of satisfaction and pride when reflecting on how far she has come in her wrestling journey. She pointed out that consistent effort and determination, rather than complacency, have been essential to her improvement. Rather than coasting on past achievements, Cameron strives to continually push her limits and reach new heights.
“It’s a nice feeling to look back and just reflect and go, ‘Oh, okay. I can see the strides that I’m making.’ And I think that’s a beautiful thing about hard work, is that it like — repetition, you get better. And I think that I’m proud of myself for like not going, ‘Oh, okay. Well, I work here now and I can just like coast on it.’ I feel proud that I’ve let everything just be an opportunity to like, ‘Okay, how do I top that? How do I top that?’ And I mean, it’s working out well because we are the inaugural Tag Team Champions. I think that speaks for itself a little bit.”
Pario Magazine
Awareness of Growth and Changing Feedback During Matches
Cameron shared insights on how her feeling about her performances has evolved, noting that she now approaches matches with a stronger sense of confidence and identity. The nature of critiques she receives has shifted from trying to find her way to refining consistent strengths and exploring greater creativity in her matches.
“It’s interesting. I feel different in my matches. I like to watch my matches back with my producers and coaches at times, and just get feedback and critique. And I’ve noticed the critiquing change. It’s — no longer am I trying to figure out, ‘Oh, what should I do?; It’s more or less, ‘Okay, I know what I do well,’ and the consistency and then the creativity in each approach to it. Whereas I feel like for a long time, I was still finding my feet and figuring out who I was. I feel very sure of who I am and that’s a nice feeling. It’s a different — like I said, the best way that I can look at it and go, ‘Oh, okay. It’s changed,’ is the feedback is different.”
Pario Magazine
Implications for Harley Cameron’s Future in AEW and Beyond
Harley Cameron’s progress alongside Willow Nightingale underscores the impact that skilled mentorship and teamwork can have on a wrestler’s development. As the inaugural AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions, their partnership not only symbolizes success but also points to Cameron’s rising potential within the organization. With her evolving confidence and continued dedication, Cameron is poised to build on her achievements and make further strides in the wrestling scene.
