Selena O’Sullivan, better known to grapple fans as “Genesis,” is currently in training for Season 5 of WOW—Women Of Wrestling—and the martial artist tells M&F Hers that she’s working on her grip strength in order to tighten-up her grasp of the competition.
They say that the best wrestling characters are those that draw from reality and in the case of Genesis, the facts speak for themselves. “I’m billed as being from the harsh Australian outback, which is 100% true,” says the star. “I’m from the Northern Territory. It’s not even a state. Very outback, very isolated, indigenous, a small mining town called Nhulunbuy in Arnhem Land.”
Growing up with a love of action movies, O’Sullivan says that she was a “super tomboy,” and a fan of Jackie Chan, finding herself drawn to the karate sessions that were offered at her local town hall. “That’s where I started my love of martial arts and fighting,” she says, eventually waving goodbye to her crocodile friends in favor of the bright lights of Los Angeles, where she continued her studies in acting and stunt performing. “I learned Wing Chun and Muay Thai,” she notes, sharing that weapons training would also become part of the origin story for developing her wrestling character. “As Genesis, I wield nunchucks,” says the bodyslamming sensation who made her debut with the Women Of Wrestling promotion back in 2019.
WOW Taught Genesis the Difference Between Martial Arts and Pro Wrestling
O’Sullivan’s first taste of the squared circle came during a tryout at WOW’s training facility. “I loved it,” she says, noting that the art of bumping in professional wrestling is entirely different to that of martial arts, because in wrestling, you are often throwing yourself towards the floor rather than resisting the impact. “When you first jump and land on your back, it’s a very big shock to the body,” explains Genesis. “You’re like, what am I doing?” Fortunately, WOW’s stable of wrestlers is overseen by female wrestling legend, and creative director, Selina Majors. “Selina is great for learning the mentality behind wrestling,” reveals Genesis. “How to tell a great story, not just to try and look cool while doing a backflip.”
Genesis shares that honing her craft as a wrestler is an ongoing journey, and pushing herself to try new moves, such as a twisting leg drop from the second turnbuckle, has brought both success and failure. “We do it because we love it, but that’s why we also have to be very careful with each other,” she explains. “You only pull out those moves when you really must, and you want to make sure that you’re in the best possible shape to do it. Obviously, mistakes happen but that’s why we train.”
What Is WOW Star Genesis’ Upper Body & Grip Workout?
Speaking of staying in shape, Genesis still loves to get out into nature and clears her mind by taking long hikes but while in the gym, she also loves lifting weights and works towards failure. The star shares her current chest and shoulder workout below:
Warmup on the Elliptical
The workout: Perform 8-12 reps per exercise. Repeat for 3 rounds.
- Standing Cable Flies
- Shoulder Press Machine
- Chest Dips
- Standing Cable Crossovers
Just like her signature leg drop, Genesis puts a twist on her movements, but this time the purpose is to work on her grip strength, so she rotates her wrist at the end of each rep. Also known as “wringing,” this technique builds forearm stability while enhancing functional grip strength. “That’s the stuff you lose if you don’t work on it,” explains the exciting pro wrestler. “You have to be OK to move your body in certain positions, and some people put you in wacky holds as well.”
Genesis understands the importance of being strong and mobile in the ring and is also keen to spend time stretching after the workout, to maintain flexibility.
Season 5 of WOW could be a new beginning for Genesis
A force to be reckoned with, Genesis is excited about the impending return of WOW and is even digging deep into her bag of tricks to see what other tools she has to further intimidate her opponents. “If I had to bring in another weapon, I would bring a bow staff,” she says, with more than a little mischief on her mind.
In the season four finale, Santana Garrett was crowned as the new WOW world title holder, and with a fresh location of L.A. Live being tipped for season five, the martial-artist-turned-pro-wrestler rightly has her eyes on the prize. “I’m ready for title shots,” Genesis tells M&F Hers. “Santana Garrett is the WOW World Champion, so she’s number one on my list!”
For more information on WOW — Women Of Wrestling — and announcements concerning season five, as they are released, click here.
To follow Genesis on Instagram, click here.