Buffalo's Haley Dylan a newcomer to indy wrestling

Buffalo, New York’s Haley Dylan isn’t used to getting a call for work at two in the morning — but then again, it’s not all that unusual, either. During a recent multi-promotional show in Toronto, in which a wrestler for Femmes Fatales was unable to make the event, Dylan was called upon to make the trek across the border and fill the spot. It was “2:00 am,” Haley says nodding, confirming when she received word. “I woke up at 6:30, so I didn’t get much sleep. It’s not often, but when it happens, I’m gonna take it.”

Dylan is understandably in the “Say yes to anything” state of mind when it comes to wrestling right now, as she’s still only in her third year in the business. Starting her training at the age of 20 in 2020 with New York native Mikey Everynight at Grapplers Anonymous Pro Wrestling Training in Lackawanna, NY, Dylan balances the work/wrestle life that comes with the indy territory. “I trained with Daniel Garcia and Kevin Blackwood, and I had my first match in June of 2022. It’s just been a year and a month since I’ve had my first match, so I’m still pretty new. It’s all still very new.”

Haley Dylan. Photo by Jason Barker

One thing that helps is the familiarity Dylan has with some of the wrestlers, including her Toronto opponent Taylor Rising. “I know Taylor pretty well,” she explains. “I actually had my first match ever against her, so I know how we work together. You’ve got to be willing to like adapt to things, too, adapt your style all the time. Even today, I learned a lot. I don’t work heel much, so that was very new for me. I’ve only worked heel three or four times. So yeah, another learning experience here — but I love it!”

Dylan enters into the business with a unique view on indy wrestling, because she didn’t know it existed at first. “I didn’t know about indy wrestling until I started wrestling,” she admits. “I only watched the mainstream ones. in 2006, I was four and that’s when I started watching, and I was 11 when I really started getting into it. I wish I had (known about indy wrestling) because I would known people like before they even got big. I would definitely say to anyone: definitely pay attention. There’s a uniqueness about indy wrestling. It’s magical.”

Haley Dylan at the Femmes Fatales show in Toronto on June 25, 2023. Photo by Wrestling in Shadows

And, on cue in regards to the that work/wrestling balance, Dylan has to make an early exit from the day of wrestling. “I’m going to watch a little bit, but I’ve got to go home; I have work tomorrow.” In chatting about work, and finding out she works in the New York area supermarket Wegmans (which is a longstanding favorite destination for my family), she gets to chime in on what she looks forward to on the Canadian side of the border. “A&W, I really love A&W,” she quickly offers up. “I’m a vegetarian and they have a Beyond burger and it’s so good.”

No word on whether Dylan had time to stop for one somewhere along the QEW, but it figures that she’ll be back in town again soon enough.

TOP IMAGE: Haley Dylan. Photo by Jason Barker

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