Much like being an alien, although quite a bit different, a cheerleader gimmick can only go so far in pro wrestling. With that said, the days for Julia Hart’s rah-rah pom-pom stuff were numbered from the start. Of course, her alignment with the equally as cheesy Varsity Blondes tag team at the time made perfect sense with Hart, Griff Garrison, and Brian Pillman Jr. working as kindred (and campy) spirits.

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Speaking of spirit, it’s hard to fathom how actual cheerleaders in college football can keep up the overall cheeriness when their team is getting boat raced on the field, and all due respect to Garrison and Pillman (now WWE’s Lexis King), The Varsity Blondes weren’t ever going to be championship contenders. It was a welcome change, then, when Hart was blackmisted to the face by Malakai Black, which led to her slow turn to the dark side and an ultimate alignment with The House of Black faction, with Hart donning all-black attire and very much exhibiting a black heart in turn.

The character shift has worked out well for Hart, culminating in her TBS Championship win over then-champ Kris Statlander and fellow challenger Skye Blue at Full Gear 2023, a reign that lasted five-plus months until her eventual loss to Willow Nightingale. And the pundits, for what it’s worth, have taken notice, with Hart named Female Breakout Wrestler of the Year by the New York Post and Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Most Improved for 2023. Of late, Hart remains up to no good, magically turning off the lights at AEW shows to cause distractions, most of which are aimed to benefit Blue, who has become an ally, and both remain in the TBS Championship hunt. 

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