Just as she appears on camera, backstage Sable is all business too.

At a meet-and-greet for a Toronto Sun contest winner Saturday afternoon, Sable was friendly, but not all that open with her fans.

Dressed in her wrestling gear — hair tied back, Sable bomb T-shirt, black trunks, boots and shin-pads — she answered questions and asked a few of her own.

The five buddies of contest winner Curtis Irwine, 19, of Scarborough, were a little reluctant to say much to Sable at first.

Initial flattery leads to talk about her match at Survivor Series against Jacqueline.

“At Survivor Series, I will have my revenge,” she said. “I’m very excited at the possibility of becoming the WWF women’s champion. I’m going into this match with a lot of confidence. I’ve been training very hard and I’m quite sure that I’m going to succeed her.” Ever the company spokeswoman, she reminded her fans twice that Survivor Series is this Sunday, and that they should order the pay-per-view.

When asked how she wrestles with such long nails, Sable answered “very carefully. It can be very painful.”

After being asked her age, she teased the high schoolers that they “definitely don’t know how to talk to a woman!” Sable revealed that she trains “at least five days a week … about an hour and a half a day with weights, and about a half hour with cardio.”

She doesn’t watch old tapes of female wrestling legends like Fabulous Moolah, instead concentrating on her own talent.

“I have my own style which is totally different from any wrestling style that’s ever been in the women’s wrestling world before. I’m more of a kickboxer, brawler, street-fighter.”

Though there weren’t any young women with wrestling aspirations in the room, when asked, she offered advice on pursuing a career in the squared circle.

“My advice to them would be to always believe in your dreams and never give up. Always believe in yourself and never compare yourself to anyone else. Just do your thing.”

Contest winner Irwine won the chance to meet a WWF superstar by dropping off a Toronto Sun-2-4-1 Pizza ballot at a Mac’s Convenience, Mike’s Milk or Becker’s store. He only entered once.

Though Stone Cold Steve Austin is his favourite wrestler, he was thrilled to meet Sable, saying that it was “great” but noting that he “thought she’d be a bit taller.”

Irwine and his friends asked for more than just an autograph from Sable, but were struck down just as Sable and partner Edge struck down Mark Mero and Jacqueline later that afternoon.

“I don’t give hugs,” she said matter-of-factly, and left it at that.

SABLE / RENO MERO STORY ARCHIVE