This 'GLOW' Actress Is Legitimately A World Champion Wrestler IRL

As you binge your way through Netflix's new wrestling series GLOW, you might find yourself marveling at how well actresses like Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin were able to pick up some wrestling skills.

While most of the women on the show are actresses with no background in wrestling, there actually is one cast member who knows pretty much everything there is to know about the world of wrestling.

Kia Stevens plays Tamee on GLOW, a newbie wrestler who later adopts the stage persona Welfare Queen. Tamee may be just learning how to throw down in the ring, but it's something Kia has been doing professionally for 15 years now.

Wrestling fans better know Kia by her stage name Awesome Kong, under which she became a five-time Women's Champion. Awesome Kong has been a fixture in the world of women's wrestling since she burst onto the scene in 2002.

Take a look at Awesome Kong in action in the clip below:

Kia has also wrestled in the WWE under the stage name Kharma. She became known for her signature finishing moves such as the Amazing Bomb and the Amazing Press.

Though Kia still continues to wrestle professionally to this day, she's shifting her focus from the ring to the screen now that she's part of the main cast of GLOW. She told Bleacher Report getting an acting gig like GLOW was what she really got into wrestling to do:

I think I've done what I've done in wrestling. I appreciate what I've done in wrestling, but telling the story that we've told in GLOW and having the experience I've had with the people I've had it with leaves me wanting more. Like I said before, this is what I wanted when I got into wrestling, this is what I got into wrestling to do.

So does that mean goodbye to Awesome Kong and hello to Welfare Queen for Kia? It's possible. GLOW is already a hit with the critics, and I won't spoil anything for you if you haven't finished yet, but let's just say Welfare Queen ends the first season on a pretty high note.

And off the screen, I'm sure Kia was an invaluable resource for the actresses to nail their wrestling moves. It sounds like GLOW was a perfect next step for Awesome Kong.