Date: Friday - May 17th, 2019
Time: 9:30AM
Television Network: Citytv [national]
Streaming: YouTube
Location: Toronto, ON
Featuring: Zari Aliyah, Melanie Ng
“Ladies and gentlemen…”
The feed, focused on a bright blue BT logo, slowly begins to zoom out. Local reporter for Canadian morning news and entertainment program Breakfast Television, Melanie Ng, sat on a tan couch. The stage also included a small round table, nifty coffee mugs, and a gorgeous view of Toronto through the venue’s rear windows.
As the feed refocuses on Ng, she lifts a microphone to her mouth before addressing the audience as well as the people watching from home.
MELANIE NG: “Our next guest this morning has been making waves in the world of combat sports, namely the mixed martial arts promotion: Union Grand Prix…”
The reporter takes a brief pause before continuing.
MELANIE NG: “Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Montreal, Quebec’s very own Zari Aliyah!”
A clean version (or an attempt at one) of Future’s “Red Light” song hit the sound system. Sporting a black thigh length dress fit with the Real Killas MMA skull logo, Aliyah began to strut towards the opposite end of the couch whilst.
Truthfully, she was very appreciative of the positive reception that the Toronto audience showed her this morning. Oftentimes, Zari failed to realized that people from other provinces did support her career.
MELANIE NG: “Zari, welcome to the show!”
Aliyah reaches over, shaking the hand of the reporter.
ZARI ALIYAH: “Thank ya for having me, Melanie. It actually feels as if I’ve gotten somewhere in my MMA career. Like, who would’ve thought that I’da made it on BT? I grew up watching this show! What a dang day, sweetheart.”
Following a lighthearted laugh from both sides, Melanie proceeds to direct the conversation.
MELANIE NG: “Well, we’re happy to finally have you on board! Zari, I just wanted to start by asking you a bit of an intense question...How do you feel about the way your Real Killas team is perceived in your sport today? As you very well know, gyms all across the world seemingly interact with you guys on every level.
A wide smile begins to form on the face of Zealous...
ZARI ALIYAH: “Listen, Mel, I get that you’ve gotta make it sound nice for television. But, it’s all good. You can say that they’ve always got the Killas’ name at the tip of their tongue.”
Aliyah states as she holds her microphone close.
ZARI ALIYAH: “I don’t always comment on this topic ‘cause I’m not too keen to do all that bickering with people on social media. But, believe me, I hear all the chirping that’s been going on ever since we started to hit our stride as a gym. I’ve noticed all the call outs. We’ve seen everyone trying to get a piece of something we all BLED to build.”
MELANIE NG: “Right.”
With Melanie’s response, Zari motions towards the reporter.
ZARI ALIYAH: “I told Danny I’d hold off on saying this until I had the opportunity to say it on national TV. The Killas have the Lightweight, Middleweight, and Cruiserweight belts. And, to be honest, we just might complete the clean sweep if Donnie finally gets his crack at the Heavyweight strap. We as a collective have been absolutely dominant in the sport...and if you’ve noticed, I didn’t need to talk down to any gym currently lacing up gloves for Union! If anyone questions out status as the top gym all I need to do is pull out the Car Fax. Show ‘em a picture of the belts hanging up on our gym’s wall. That’s why everyone wants a crack at us. We’ve set the bar.”
Nodding, Melanie transitions to a different topic to blow out the steam that has been building on top of the Killas topic.
MELANIE NG: “Alright, Zari, I had another question to ask you...Recently, you’ve decided to represent Canada on an international scale in Union. May I ask why you’ve decided to leave behind carrying the flag of Antigua?”
Zari looks upwards, pondering an answer to the question.
ZARI ALIYAH: “Oooh that’s a good one….My background is hella complex, Mel. Where do I even start? Most people know I was adopted by a man named Martin LeCavalier in Little Burgundy at a very young age. For my American fans watching on YouTube, Little Burgundy’s a significant Black neighborhood in Montreal. But, y’know, the difference between me and my sisters has always been that I know my birth mother, Kylah Seymour.”
MELANIE NG: “And she was born in Antigua?”
ZARI ALIYAH: “Yeah, she was born in Saint Paul Parish. The common thing there has always been to seek a better quality of life for the next generation. Places like the US, the UK, and Canada are prime destinations for that. I don’t blame her for this...But, she wasn’t able to take care of me. So, my adoptive Dad, who was her friend at the time, offered to adopt me so that I’d have a chance to make something of myself.”
Melanie would then gasp lightly.
MELANIE NG: “It must’ve been hard for your Mom to leave behind her kid like that though.”
Zari proceeded to nod in agreement.
ZARI ALIYAH: “Yeah, it was. My Mom felt like it was the best chance I had at the time. She didn’t want me digging for scraps in Antigua like she did. So, when I started fighting, I had to pay homage to her somehow. The thing is...my family is a really famous group of professional wrestlers. I tried my hand at that in In Your House Wrestling Federation...and...didn’t do too well.”
MELANIE NG: “Why was that? Was it not your thing?”
ZARI ALIYAH: “Not really. I just assumed it was something I had to do because everyone else did. I can remember it so well. I came in as Zari LeCavalier, my real last name. I did so horribly that I thought everyone was disappointed in me. So, by the time I came into Union, I didn’t tell anyone I was from Canada. I just used my middle name, Aliyah, so that I wouldn’t shame my family anymore if my career bombed. That insecurity of mine was hella big. Too big. I know it sounds pathetic. Yet, I’m not afraid to talk about it anymore.”
Patting Zari on the lap, Melanie let out a laugh.
MELANIE NG: “I can’t believe a top ten fighter that just yanked an arm out of somebody’s socket not too long ago actually had a deep fear.”
ZARI ALIYAH: “Hahah, hey now. I’ll tell ya what though...me speaking out about that experience might help others who battle with their own self-esteem issues. No one’s invincible in this life. So, it’s alright to feel fear, insecurity, or talk about things that have made you feel weak in the past. Before I started becoming a big name in mixed martial arts, my older cousin, Misha LeCavalier, you all might know her as a former wrestling World Champion, was absolutely motivating me to feel like I was part of the family no matter what. But, I didn’t see it at the time.”
After a pause, Zari continues to speak.
ZARI ALIYAH: “So, now I’m representing the country I spent my formative years in for her and my father.”
MELANIE NG: “Well, you know here at BT, you’re always family. Which brings me to my next question. Coming off a win against Australian sensation JoJo Holder, you’ve made it known that you have something really big planned for the country. Do you wanna share that with the Union fanbase?”
ZARI ALIYAH: “Okay, before I do that for ya, people need to know that the Misty DeMeans loss really had set me back mentally to the point where I didn’t think I’d ever reach my potential. I mean, it was the first all-female main event, and I got knocked the heck out in the first round. I couldn’t even hate Misty for it...she was just hungrier that night.”
Aliyah adds.
ZARI ALIYAH: “I spent days sulking around the gym til Danny and Primarch both pulled me off the floor. They kept telling me the reason I lost: adjustment. I absolutely couldn’t adjust during the Misty fight. After the takedowns failed, I had no gameplan. So, the camps against Saffron and JoJo were all about becoming a versatile fighter. And, people in the fight game know that JoJo and Saffron Harris are two of the best up-and-comers in the Lightweight division. I felt like getting first round finishes over them meant I’d earned the right to make a call out of my own.”
Continuing, Zari looks towards the camera quickly.
ZARI ALIYAH: “My biggest childhood inspirations: Misha, Ryan, my Dad, Marissa Kane all came from our country. So, I want to headline the first main event in Montreal against HILITE’s Takeshi Kato…I wanna put my name down in the history books for Canada in the same way all of them did by helping Union expand out here.”
MELANIE NG: “Wow, that’s one big call out. I think I speak for everyone when I say that I hope Dante Reed makes this happen for the 514.”
After that statement, Melanie turns to Zari again.
MELANIE NG: “My last question for you, Zari, is...what can fans do to find you? Social media? Advertise yourself!”
ZARI ALIYAH: “Forget that! Follow @RealKillasMMA. Support Phoenix’s #BabyImASavageSaturday movement tomorrow.”
MELANIE NG: “Haha, well, thank you for joining us, Zari.”
ZARI ALIYAH: “Thank ya for having me!”
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