Backstage at SuperPower Slam in Queens, the atmosphere was thick with the competitive energy of the night’s fundraiser for the Little Oaks Center for Neurodevelopment. Among the standout performers was Billie Starkz, the 21-year-old AEW and ROH prodigy who has spent nearly a decade in the business. Despite her youth, Starkz speaks with the confidence of a veteran, detailing a career that began long before she was legally allowed to drive.
The 13-Year-Old Rookie
While most teenagers are navigating middle school, Billie Starkz was already stepping through the ropes. She made the decision to pursue professional wrestling after attending an independent show with her family, an ambition her parents initially dismissed as a passing phase.
“I started when I was 13, but I honestly kind of made up my mind after the first independent show I went to with my family,” Starkz told The Stunner. “They thought it was like, oh yeah, I want to be a teacher, ice cream truck driver. I want to be a pro wrestler. She’s going to grow out of that. And then I turned 13 and started doing it.”
Her first match was a triple threat against two other trainees, including a wrestler named Hazel and the veteran Maria. However, it was the “vibe” of that first live show in a gym that truly hooked her. “I remember somebody coming out using the trash can across the gym bare feet and I was like, ‘Yeah, this my guy.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, no. I don’t like this.'”
The “Bully Starkz” Backstage Persona
Beyond her in-ring capabilities, Starkz has gained a reputation for her backstage antics, earning the nickname “Bully Starkz.” This assertive personality apparently played a pivotal role in the personal lives of her colleagues, specifically in the pairing of Sky Blue and Kyle Fletcher.
“I’m kind of a bully backstage,” Starkz admitted. “I get called ‘Bully Starkz’ sometimes.” She detailed an instance in an elevator where she took it upon herself to instigate an interaction between the two. “I’m one of those people. If you’re stuck with me, you’re stuck with me. And I just attacked the man. I was stepping on his toes and pushing him and pushing him. Sky’s like, ‘Why are you doing this? Why are you pulling him?’ I was like, ‘Ah, he deserves it. You’ll understand later.'”
The matchmaking instinct proved correct, and Starkz continues to lean into that unapologetic backstage presence as she climbs the ranks of the major promotions.
Travel, Time, and Katy Perry
At 21, the grueling travel schedule of a professional wrestler is already a primary concern for Starkz. When asked what superpower she would choose to aid her career, she did not hesitate to pick teleportation to eliminate the hours spent in transit.
“I would love to get from point A to point B like this,” she said. “It’s more just the time I spend on traveling. It could be time I beat people up or sleep and I would have more time to myself. No airports, nothing like that. You’re just there.”
When the conversation shifted toward pop culture, Starkz proudly declared her status as a “Katy Perry mark,” citing the pop star’s Super Bowl halftime show as her all-time favorite. It is a fitting choice for a performer whose own presentation relies on high energy and a vibrant, inescapable personality.
