Taylor Yorke may be known to wrestling fans as “The Pumped-Up Princess,” but there is considerably more to her story than the crown, the muscles, and the larger-than-life personality.

In a recent conversation on The Fan’s View Podcast, Yorke opened up about her journey into professional wrestling, her background in dance and theater, the moment she realized wrestling could give her a feeling that no other form of entertainment had, and what she hopes to accomplish as her career continues to grow.

From Dance and Theater to the Wrestling Ring

Long before professional wrestling entered the picture, Yorke was already a performer.

Her mother put her in dance at just three years old, and Yorke quickly discovered that she loved being onstage. She eventually became heavily involved in theater as well, even choosing a high-school musical over continuing with softball despite coming from a family with a strong baseball and softball background.

She also grew up fascinated by the idea of becoming a performer herself.

“I wanted to be Hannah Montana when I was a kid,” Yorke explained.

Although she wasn't initially a lifelong wrestling fan, Yorke eventually discovered the world of professional wrestling around the time she was preparing to graduate high school.

A friend who was obsessed with wrestling introduced her to it, and Yorke quickly became the person everyone knew as “the girl who likes wrestling.” She even had a John Cena backpack that she still uses today.

Her background in dance and gymnastics would eventually prove valuable once she began training.

The Moment Wrestling Became More Than Something to Watch

For Yorke, there was one particular night that changed everything.

She attended the Royal Rumble in 2019, the event where Becky Lynch won the women's Royal Rumble match. Yorke was already a massive Lynch fan, but watching the story unfold live gave her a reaction she hadn't experienced through theater or movies.

The build throughout the night — including Becky Lynch's storyline involving Asuka and the injury angle involving Lana — pulled Yorke completely into the story.

That was the moment she realized wrestling was different.

She had loved movies and had even considered herself a film nerd, but wrestling generated an emotional reaction that she simply hadn't experienced anywhere else.

It wasn't just something she wanted to watch anymore.

She wanted to be part of it.

Getting to the Wrestling School

Yorke was still in college when she decided she wanted to pursue wrestling.

Rather than trying to balance wrestling training with school, she chose to finish college first. Unfortunately, COVID-19 arrived just before she graduated and put those plans on hold.

A few years later, after working a job that left her physically and mentally drained, Yorke revisited the idea of wrestling.

This time, she found a training school in Mesa, Arizona.

The location felt right almost immediately. Her best friend lived there, she had attended concerts in the area, and she was already familiar with the community.

Eventually, Mesa became home.

Sometimes, the path to a wrestling career isn't just about finding the right school. It's about finding the place that feels like the right place to begin.

Learning That Wrestling Hurts

For someone coming from a dance and gymnastics background, some aspects of wrestling training came naturally.

The conditioning didn't bother Yorke. Rolls weren't particularly difficult either.

Then came bumping.

Yorke recalled struggling with the mechanics of properly taking a bump and learning how to get herself down quickly and safely.

And there's a reason for that.

Your brain generally doesn't want you to throw yourself onto the ground.

“You have to tell your brain no, I have to do it,” Yorke joked during the interview.

It's one of those parts of wrestling that fans rarely appreciate until they actually hear someone explain what learning it feels like.

Wonder Woman, Deadpool and a Very Memorable First Match

Yorke's first match wasn't exactly a traditional wrestling debut.

It took place at a comic convention, where the original plan involved a Justice League-versus-Avengers concept.

Unfortunately, the money for all of the planned costumes didn't come through.

So Yorke became Wonder Woman.

Her fiancé, Jacob, became Deadpool — and it happened to be his first match as well.

The two decided to work together, and the match quickly developed its own unique moments.

At one point, Yorke put Jacob in a headlock and noticed his Deadpool mask.

She asked whether he could actually see through it.

He assured her that he could.

Then she performed a headlock takeover.

Afterward, he couldn't see.

He spent the rest of the match essentially wrestling while blinded by his costume.

The strangest part?

The match happened shortly before Deadpool & Wolverine was released, and the video unexpectedly picked up a significant number of views.

Not a bad way to introduce yourself to independent wrestling.

Where Did the “Pumped-Up Princess” Come From?

Today, the nickname fits Yorke almost perfectly.

But the origin of the “Pumped-Up Princess” character came from a somewhat unexpected place: a Netflix documentary.

Yorke discussed watching Killer Sally, a documentary centered around bodybuilder Sally McNeil and the circumstances surrounding the death of her husband.

The documentary also got Yorke thinking about the way muscular women have historically been perceived.

Women's bodybuilding was still relatively new when compared with men's bodybuilding, and Yorke remembered the stereotypes surrounding women who developed significant muscularity.

For Yorke, the character became an opportunity to embrace that strength rather than hide it.

And when asked how much of Taylor Yorke is actually the real Taylor Yorke, her answer was simple:

“All of it.”

She doesn't feel the need to become someone completely different when she steps into character.

The Pumped-Up Princess is simply Taylor Yorke turned all the way up.

If She Could Steal One Trait From Another Wrestler...

If Yorke could take one attribute from another wrestler, her answer came quickly.

Rhea Ripley.

Specifically, Yorke would love to have Ripley's strength, build and overall ability to move in the ring.

It's an understandable choice for someone whose own presentation is built around strength and physicality.

But Yorke isn't lacking confidence in another important part of her game.

When asked what she believes is one of her strongest and most underrated traits, she gave a very Taylor Yorke answer:

“I am great at yapping.”

And that's something she wants to become known for.

The Reality of a Wrestling Weekend

For fans, a wrestling show might mean arriving at an arena, watching the matches and heading home.

For wrestlers, the weekend begins much earlier.

Yorke explained that her show weekends can start the night before with preparation — including tanning, hair and everything else that goes into maintaining her presentation.

Then comes the drive.

Living in Arizona means that traveling to wrestling shows can involve some serious mileage. Yorke described trips to places like Salt Lake City that can take around 11 hours from Phoenix, while Denver can be roughly a 14-hour drive.

That's a lot of time on the road for a few minutes inside the ring.

But it's part of the job — and part of continuing to build a career.

What Does Success Look Like for Taylor Yorke?

As 2026 moves forward, Yorke isn't measuring success by one particular championship or milestone.

She's focused on something much simpler:

Keep the Taylor train rolling.

She's been fortunate enough to work most weekends, with occasional downtime when she needs it, and she wants to continue putting herself in front of crowds.

The more she wrestles, the more experience she gets.

The more experience she gets, the better she becomes.

Her goal is to keep improving.

And when asked the Fan's View's trademark question — how do you define success at this stage of your life and career? — Yorke offered a straightforward answer:

“Wanting something and making it happen.”

That's a pretty fitting philosophy for someone who went from a theater and dance background to deciding she wanted to become a professional wrestler — and then actually doing it.

Beyond Wrestling: What Is Taylor Yorke a Fan Of?

Of course, we couldn't finish a Fan's View interview without asking the question that inspired the show's name:

What are you a fan of?

Yorke is a huge music fan and regularly attends concerts.

She recently attended Sick New World in Las Vegas and has plans to see Turnstile and Deftones, the latter of which she's seen multiple times.

She's also still a fan of anime, particularly JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, and has recently been getting into a new installment of the series.

And then there's Sex and the City.

Anime and Sex and the City might not be the most obvious combination, but Yorke isn't worried about what anyone else thinks.

She's a fan of what she's a fan of.

And honestly, that's exactly what The Fan's View is all about.

What's Next for the Pumped-Up Princess?

Yorke's calendar remains busy.

She discussed upcoming appearances including Future Stars of Wrestling in Las Vegas and Phoenix Championship Wrestling, her home promotion and training school.

She was also looking forward to a battle royal on the 18th — one in which she expected to be the only woman in the match.

Her prediction?

She's winning it.

That confidence is part of what makes Taylor Yorke an interesting wrestler to watch.

The “Pumped-Up Princess” isn't pretending to be someone she's not.

She's building a character around who she already is, continuing to gain experience, and chasing the next opportunity.

And if her definition of success is any indication, she's not waiting for someone else to make her dreams happen.

She's going to make them happen herself.

Watch the Full Interview

Catch the full Taylor Yorke interview on The Fan's View Podcast and hear the complete conversation, including stories and moments that didn't make it into this written feature.

Follow Taylor Yorke: @taylor_yorke_ on Instagram

Follow The Fan's View Podcast!

Watch & listen: YouTube • Spotify • Apple Podcasts

The Fan's View Podcast is a relaxed, fan-focused interview show featuring professional wrestlers, athletes, entertainers and other personalities — with a focus on getting to know the person behind the persona.