Pro Wrestler/Dentist Britt Baker Sets Sights on All Elite Wrestling’s Women’s Championship
When patients go to their dental appointment with Brittany Baker, D.M.D., there may be some added motivation to floss and brush regularly. That’s because when Dr. Baker isn’t filling cavities, she is kicking butt in the pro wrestling ring. So, you might not want to get on her bad side.
The 28-year-old known to fans as Britt Baker has been positioned as one of the cornerstones for All Elite Wrestling’s emerging women’s division. Baker has been front and center walking the red carpets flashing those pearly whites representing the brand. She finds the opportunity an honor and privilege.
“I think it’s no secret and surprise that being in the world of dentistry puts me in a different light,” she said. “I have the educational background. I have the degree, the doctorate on top of being a wrestler. Not to brag or boast, but it’s impressive.
“I appreciate very much AEW recognizes that because it was so much hard work. For me, the biggest accomplishment I will probably ever have in my entire life was completing my dental degree and signing a wrestling contract to a major company. So, to have that acknowledgement and recognition means a lot to me.”
Baker scored a big win on AEW’s inaugural show Double or Nothing in May, sending a strong statement out of the gate. However, the momentum came to a halt at Fight for the Fallen almost two months later when the star suffered a concussion in a tag team match. Since then, Baker has followed up regularly with Dr. Michael Sampson and other AEW officials.
“They had me follow up with a neuro-ophthalmologist because I had some post-concussion vision problems,” Baker revealed. “Since then my vision is fine. I feel great. I feel awesome. This week was the first week that I have been doing some very simple bumps and rolls in the ring. I feel good. I’m hoping any day now to have a hundred percent clearance and return to the ring.”
Baker’s wish came true not long after uttering those words. For her, it’s the first serious injury since lacing up the boots for the first time more than four years ago. An experience that can affect a performer mentally, especially mere months away from AEW’s big debut on TNT.
“You have the severity of the concussion itself, but what rattled me is I never had the feeling that, ‘Oh my gosh, something I love brought me some pain and agony,’” Baker said candidly. “It’s a lot of mixed emotions. It’s a nice reality check of how dangerous the sport can be and how we put our bodies on the line every day for entertainment and professional wrestling. It all circles back to when you love what you do, it’s all worth it. You just have to be careful.”
The night of the incident, WWE NXT superstar and Baker’s boyfriend Adam Cole was appearing on another event. With each accolade and accomplishment attained, she can see moments that are, in a word, bittersweet.
“We are both so excited for each other. We’re each other’s biggest fans and support system. Then you can’t help but be sad that you’re missing out on some of each other’s biggest nights and accomplishments,” Baker said. “When you have a show on the same night, we can’t be watching each other’s shows since we have our own obligations to fulfill.
“No matter what, he backs me one hundred percent. He loves what I’m doing and is so proud of me. And it’s the same with me for him. I feel really lucky because this could be a really difficult relationship to be in if we got too caught up in the ‘us versus them’ mentality. We are not like that at all because at the end of the day we want each other to be successful. We really want everyone to be successful.”
The positivity extends throughout the women’s locker room in Baker’s eyes. The AEW ambassador believes what separates their division from others is the diversity of the roster when it comes to culture, background and varying styles. Though with only a handful of shows under the organization’s belt, she gets the sense they’ve only scratched the surface of their capabilities.
With the first women’s champion crowned on the first AEW live TNT broadcast, that fuels Baker’s motivation. However, before getting there, all eyes are on the next big pay-per-view, All Out. It was revealed she would participate in the Casino Battle Royale.
“We want to be the top of the game,” Baker said. “We want to be the women’s roster everyone is talking about. There is pressure more than anything, but pressure is good. If we weren’t nervous and had this feeling it would mean we didn’t care. Right now personally I’ve been trying to slowly take it all in as much as I can. I know it’s going to pick up really soon, so I’m trying to just relax and smell the roses.”
The driven individual isn’t one to rest for very long. After all, she spent a day recently communicating with her dental office and AEW trying to figure out her hectic schedule. Baker wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s going to be a lot to handle and juggle,” she said, thinking about what’s to come starting in October when AEW hits the road with its weekly series. “But it’s something I’m not used to, as I had to do the same thing through dental school. That was actually a million times harder because every time I left and got to go home for the night, I had hours and hours of homework to greet me when I walked in the door.
“I don’t have homework anymore, so that makes it a little more manageable. For the most part, I will be in the dental office Monday through Friday when we aren’t filming. When I fly home the morning after TV tapings, I will get off the plane and go straight to the dental office.”
Baker is actually in the middle of helping decorate her new office and deciding what personal pictures to put on the walls. There were thoughts if she wanted to put up wrestling photos or not.
“It’s definitely a conversation piece,” Baker said. “It definitely would make the office visit memorable, but at the same time, not everyone is a huge wrestling fan. At the end of the day, it really defines who I am and is a huge part of my life and what I love. I think the decision is to hang a couple of pictures up, especially the AEW ones because I’m so passionate and happy that’s where I am now.”
So, if you happen to sit in a waiting room and see an AEW women’s championship sitting on a table in the near future, know you’re in the capable hands of Dr. Baker.
AEW All Out, Saturday, August 31, 8/7c, pay-per-view and B/R Live. The Buy In pre-show airs at 7/6c.
All Elite Wrestling premieres Wednesday, October 2, at 8/7c live on TNT.
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