AEW star Marina Shafir recounted a disturbing story about a physical altercation with a male co-worker that took place at a gym on a show day. Speaking on Saraya’s podcast, Shafir detailed the unsolicited encounter and her reaction, highlighting the difficult situations women often face in the workplace.
Shafir explained that the incident began when a male co-worker, whom she only knew as a casual acquaintance, began mimicking her workout routine on a nearby treadmill. Later, when she moved to another area of the gym to stretch, the situation escalated. “I’m just, like, leaning against the wall, and all of a sudden I get f—ing shoved from behind,” she recalled. “And I it wasn’t, it wasn’t like, a soft shove, man, like, I felt like I just got, like, tackled… my water bottle hits the wall, like, cuts me in the gums, like my gum is bleeding. Water is just everywhere.”
Seeing Red
According to Shafir, the co-worker then began taunting her playfully, saying “Come on, come on.” “I was uncomfortable. I did not invite that. I had my f—ing headphones in. I’m minding my own f—ing business,” Shafir said. “I just went from Marina in reality to Marina seeing red.” After confirming with two other co-workers in the room that the man was serious, Shafir, a trained MMA fighter, retaliated.
“I’m like, ‘Alright, motherf—er.’ I got up. I like, stood southpaw just to f— with him,” she recounted. “I faked a f—ing left, took a big step and just f—ing, just hooked the f— out of it… he goes to shoot for a double. I stuffed that motherf—er… he tried to pop up for a f—ing double, and I f—ing stuffed it again.”
“Don’t Ever F—ing Touch Me”
Shafir said the last thing she remembered saying to him was, “I will f—ing take your money. Don’t ever f—ing touch me, ever again.” She expressed that despite being the one who was accosted, she was immediately worried about the professional repercussions of defending herself.
“I was nervous… but then I had to just go on with the day, like nothing f—ing happened, and it was just such a stressful thing,” she said. Host Saraya related to the story, sharing her own past experience of being grabbed in the dark by a person in a position of authority as a “joke,” reinforcing the importance of setting boundaries.
Marina Shafir shared this story as an example of the challenges women can face in any industry and the need to be prepared to defend oneself. She is currently featured prominently in AEW as a member of the Death Riders faction.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Rulebreakers With Saraya with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
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