Russian professional wrestler Natalia Markova is ringing in the New Year from Clearwater Beach, Florida, with some pictures for her many fans and followers. Markova, 34, shared a photo of herself posing in a gold bikini and matching gold heels, ready for a good 2024. “Loyal to my tradition of starting a New Year Hot! 🔥💅❤️ Happy 2024! Watch me!” she captioned the post. Here’s how the beautiful athlete stays fighting-fit.
Markova dreamed of being a wrestler since she was a child. “I have loved wrestling since I was 3 years old,” she tells Patch News. “I remember the first thing I saw was Shawn Michaels’ entrance. That time I decided for myself that I want to be a Pro Wrestler and my main goal in life was to achieve big heights in it. I want to inspire little kids to go for their goals, to be strong and to go over obstacles. I am also inspired a lot by Chigusa Nagayo. She is a great professional and a legend in pro wrestling. But aside from that she is a very kind woman with a big heart. She trained me both physically and mentally. And I am very grateful to her. She changed my life. She is the best example for everyone. I respect her a lot.”
Markova emphasizes how important safety is when it comes to professional wrestling. “Wrestling is an athletic sport,” she tells Bay News 9. “And you have to know how to protect yourself. We look for it [locking arms with opponent] to be intense and snug — you know, it’s a fight — you can’t be weak — walking, dancing around. [Timing is] really important. A lot of people have this problem, so you have to focus on feeling your opponent.”
Markova loves being outdoors as much as possible. “All my hobbies are related to what I do,” she tells Patch News. “I like fitness and an active lifestyle. I am also a personal trainer. Love nature a lot. So walking around some parks, or maybe mountains/beaches is one of the best things for me. I also draw pretty well, and used to dance Latino dances. Doing modeling. Oh yes, I love videogames. Used to spend a lot of time playing those, but right now not that often because of my busy life.”
Markova has good advice for those chasing their dreams. “My best advice would be to always stay loyal to yourself,” she tells Patch News. “If you have your personal goals, you gotta do all you can to achieve those. Don’t let other people kill it in yourself. You need to be smart and listen to people’s advice. But decisions are yours. It’s your life and in the end you will be the one facing consequences. So stay strong, healthy and dedicated to what you do.”
Markova is proud to help train the next generation of wrestling stars. “It’s inspiring and I really want people to come and join the school, grow with me,” she tells Bay News 9. “I like to see people’s success — that means a lot to me.”