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| Tyler Black Interview
Quote:
Hustle Is Posting Right Now: Volume 14.5 ("Tyler" Black Edition)
Submitted by Hustle on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at 12:07 AM EST
Through all my years of watching wrestling, I’ve seen many wrestlers pass through the business. From time to time, a young talent has that something special that makes it easy to predict good things for his future. Samoa Joe, MVP, Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho.. the list goes on and on.. all people who I saw at various early stages of their careers and saw plenty of success for them. After all this time, yet another name can be added to that list now..
Tyler Black.
Those of you not lucky enough to watch anything other than WWE and TNA (or those of you too ignorant to watch anything other than WWE and TNA) probably don’t recognize the name, but that’s your loss. This may sound like a bit of hyperbole, but those who have watched this man’s matches know that its as real as can be.. Tyler Black is the future of pro wrestling. There’s no doubt in my mind about that. When most of today’s wrestlers are 22 years old, they’re still dreaming of having anybody even want to see them wrestle, but at the same 22 years of age, Tyler has had nearly 10 total title reigns in various independent promotions all across the country. He’s currently best known as a member of the “Age Of The Fall” faction in Ring Of Honor, but some of you will even remember him from MTV’s short-lived Wrestling Society X, where he joined up with Jimmy Jacobs (also a member of AotF) to form the tag-team, Doin It For Her. For those new to things, you’ll now know him from this column. Without any further adieu, I present to you.. one half of the brand new Ring Of Honor Tag Team Champions.. Tyler Black..
The obligatory introduction.. thank you for taking the time to do this. I really appreciate it. Allow me to just say that I got to attend my very first live RoH shows during WrestleMania weekend, and your match with Jimmy Jacobs against Jay & Mark Briscoe was absolutely amazing, and quite honestly, was probably the highlight of the entire weekend. With that out of the way.. how are you doing?
-Lean and mean, my man.
Good to hear. First and foremost, when did you realize that becoming a professional wrestler was more than just a pipe dream and it was what you really wanted to do?
-Probably when I was 16 or so. That’s the age when I started hitting the gym. I decided then that I couldn’t do the whole 9-5 thing, and that if I didn’t at least give wrestling a real shot, I’d end up regretting it in the long run.
What was your training like as you got into the business? Who trained you, and where were you trained at?
-I was trained by Danny Daniels in late 2004. Originally, a buddy and I moved out to Pennsylvania and tried out for ROH’s second class. We both made it in, but were then informed of the financial demands and had to move back to Iowa due to lack of funds. I then read an article on ChicagoProWrestling. com about how Danny was going to start training guys. I went to an IWA-MS show and told him my deal. He told me to round up a group of guys to travel from Iowa to Chicago to train with him twice a week. So I did. We did that for about 4 months straight. Training in odd places where wrestling rings seem to find themselves.
Who were your wrestling “heroes” before coming into the business?
-Hogan and Michaels were the main guys I looked up to.
People have referred to you as the “future of wrestling”, with myself being included amongst those people. What do you think about praise like that?
-It’s very flattering, man. Although, that is quite the billing to live up to. Hopefully, one day you’ll be able to tell people you told them so.
What is it like to work with your fellow members of Age Of The Fall?
-Honestly, it’s great. Jimmy and I work very well together and Joey has become a mentor to me. Necro is a blast, so is Zach. And Allison is…well, she’s pretty hot.
Not as wrestlers, but as “real people”, what are your fellow members of Age Of The Fall like?
-Everyone in the group is pretty laid back. I mean we’re just normal people, so it’s kind of a strange question to go about answering. I’m not sure what you want to know. Joey is probably the most sarcastic person I have ever met in my life, if that’s the kind of info you were looking for.
Yeah, that was more along the lines of asking how they are outside of the wrestling ring. Apologies for wording it the way I did. Obviously, when people get into the wrestling business, they want to be as successful as they possibly can. Other than the “easy” answers (be a world champion, etc), do you have any other dreams or goals that you hope to have accomplished when all is said and done?
-I have two specific goals left to accomplish. First, I want to travel and see the world more. I have been fortunate enough to wrestle in 4 countries, and I love experiencing new cultures, so I hope to do that more often. And secondly, I want to main event Wrestlemania. No joke.
Other than randomly request an interview with you, what is the funniest/ weirdest/ strangest thing a fan has ever asked of you?
-See below.
What’s the worst injury that you’ve had to deal with since you’ve started wrestling?
-I broke my jaw very early in my career. That was the shits. Other than that, I have bad shoulders. I have separated them on 3 different occasions. And I have some chronic neck shit going on, but who in this business doesn’t?
A friend of mine who also happens to be a big fan of yours has requested that I ask you something, and here’s her question, word-for-word.. Will you marry me? (Don’t worry, Tyler, I’ll give you all of her information once the interview is over)
-Haha. Is she bangin’ or what?
Oh, no doubt. Ha. If you could describe your wrestling style in 5 words or less, what would those words be?
-I am a pro wrestler.
I like that. When you’re not wrestling, what are some things that you enjoy filling your life and free time with?
-I work part time at a Noodles and Company. So that takes up my time. I work out daily. I listen to music. I love video games; specifically Rock Band and Guitar Hero and Madden. During the warm months I like golfing a lot.
What advice do you have for those who are trying to get into the wrestling business, or who are thinking about doing so?
-Shit or get off the pot. I hate guys who half-ass it. It makes our business look bad and unprofessional. So, get your shit together and work as hard as you can.
Or, in other words.. hustle. Good call. Whether its because of the fans, the scenery, or whatever other reason you might have, what is your favorite city to work in?
-Los Angeles has always been good to me. New York is pretty rad too. The best fans in the world live in Berwyn, Illinois though. They pack that little Eagles Club and they just let it all out. AAW is good fun.
Other than wrestling itself, obviously, what does a normal Tyler Black workout routine consist of?
-I start all my workouts off with some jump rope and stretching. Then I split my week up into body parts and go to work. If I’m in the mood I’ll end the day with cardio and abs. Pretty standard fare.
If you could have a match against any wrestler that isn’t currently on the talent roster of any promotion you work for at the moment, who would it be, and why?
-Shawn Michaels. He is the man. Has been for a very long time. That would be a kid’s dream come true.
Honestly, are you a fan of other wrestling promotions, large or small, that you don’t wrestle for?
-Yeah man. I still watch WWE as much as I can. I’m not religious about it like I used to be, but they put on some of the best shows in the world. I never really got into the overseas scene, but a good Dragon Gate match is very entertaining. Or the NOAH juniors.
What is, in your opinion, the best match you’ve ever competed in? If its a different match, what is your favorite match that you’ve ever competed in?
-Hmm…tough call cause I usually hate all of them. But if you are forcing me to choose; I think my favorite match I have had thus far was probably my match against Nigel at Take No Prisoners, or the AOTF/Briscoes street fight from Supercard of Honor III.
What would be your favorite match of all-time that didn’t involve you in any way?
-Haha, there are two. One is Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi in the Manhattan Center. That was unreal to watch, even on DVD. And, as cliché as it is, Shawn and Ric Flair from this year’s Mania. Wrestling is about storytelling and evoking emotion. That match excelled on both of those levels.
I'm gonna have to agree with you on both counts. To this point in your career, who has been your favorite person to wrestle against, and why?
-I really like wrestling my friends, so anyone I broke in with I have a good time with. But I know you’re looking for names, so probably Bryan Danielson. I always feel like I get the most out of my encounters with him.
I had another question that was sent in by a friend and fellow fan, and here’s what he asked.. A lot of RoH fans complain that the Age Of The Fall have no clear direction and that they have no idea what you stand for. What DO you stand for, and what are your goals as the Age Of The Fall?
-The message is very, very simple, but for some reason people continue to skew it. Because we are what you want us to be. And in a nutshell, that’s what we are saying about life. It can be what you want it to be. Life does not have to be 9-5 cube farms, or office jobs, or yearly performance evaluations. You don’t have to feel like time is wasting away. We’ve been saying all along that we wage a war of action. We dream it, and then we see it. Changing the world starts by changing yourself. I was a middle class kid who grew up in Small Town, Iowa. No stop lights and one convenience store. Anyone can do anything. I truly believe that.
Other than what people say on your MySpace page, how much attention do you pay to what the internet fans have to say about you, whether its positive or negative?
-I check message boards and read reviews. I don’t particularly let it influence my actions though. However, it’s good to gather feedback from outside sources. It helps with objectivity, and that, in turn creates clarity. And with clarity I am able to improve more than if I pretended fans didn’t exist.
Its 5-10 minutes before you’re set to come out for a match.. what are you doing as you wait until its your turn to walk out from behind the curtain?
-Game planning. Ha. I am just getting ready for the match. I usually do the wetting of my hair around 10 minutes before I go out. Then I mentally prepare myself for what’s about to happen.
You’ve attained a pretty nice level of success in wrestling for someone so young. How do you prevent it from getting to your head?
-Maybe it has gotten to my head. Who knows? I don’t know man, I just do what I do. If people are interested in applying labels to my personality, then that’s fine by me. I am pretty secure and I have good people around me, so I feel like I am doing something right.
What was the first wrestling match you ever remember watching, and how old were you?
-Man, I must have been like 4 or 6. I remember The Warlord vs. Davey Boy at some random Royal Rumble back in the early 90s. Maybe it was a Summerslam. All I recall was watching it with my Grandma and eating Tostitos chips.
If you weren’t a pro wrestler, what would you be doing with your life right now?
-Finishing up college, I assume. Probably getting a degree in some sort of journalism.
What do you feel about the stereotype that all pro wrestlers are all drug addicts of some sort who have absolute train wrecks for a personal life?
-Sadly, stereotypes exist for a reason. I think wrestlers get pigeonholed though, and that sucks. Because vanity is an issue in our sport, anyone with half a physique “must be on steroids.” It’s a little silly, but it’s just the nature of our news media. Wrestling is an easy target. We as a whole business just need to move along and do our work. For every bad apple there are 100 good ones. So I’m not too worried about it.
What was it like working for Wrestling Society X?
-Great. They put us up in a posh Sunset Strip hotel for two weeks and we got to wrestle for 5 minutes a day. Ha. I have no complaints about my WSX stint. There were a lot of interesting people to get to know and LA is good to me.
What’s your typical weekly schedule like, as far as traveling to shows and wrestling goes?
-I work out Monday through Thursday for around 2 hours per day. I then spend my evenings at my regular job Monday through Wednesday. I get home around 10 on those work nights and just relax. Thursday is my preparation day. Kind of just getting things in order for the weekend. Whether it be flying or driving I am usually doing a great deal of traveling until at least Sunday, sometimes Monday. It’s hectic and time seems to move pretty fast. Oh well, at least I have my youth.
With any finisher that you’ve used in your career thus far, how did you decide to use those particular moves? Also, if you named them, where did you come up with the names?
-My only real finisher is the small package driver. I named it God’s Last Gift after a song by the band God Forbid. I use the Phoenix Splash here and there because it’s bad ass looking. And I have a few signatures, but nothing else I’d call a “finisher.”
You know, I realized that mistake as soon as I originally asked the question. My mistake. Another question sent in by a fellow fan of yours.. What Would Tyler Do? (Honestly, I don’t even know how many people out there will “get” that one.)
-He’d sneeze on braised endive.
Ha. How often are you recognized by people when you go out in public? On that note.. and be honest here.. how “approachable” do you think you are when fans recognize you?
-I rarely get recognized unless it’s outside of a show or something. I think maybe twice in my life people in public do the whole “Hey are you..” sort of thing. And I like to think I am pretty approachable. There are sometimes when I can’t sign an autograph or be conversational, but for the most part (unless you are a nuisance) I am always up for interacting with fans. Meeting new people is good stuff.
What’s one thing that even some of your biggest fans and followers would be surprised to learn about you?
-I love the Backstreet Boys. I think people fail to understand the spectrum of my musical vision.
Props to you for admitting that. Another question sent in by a fellow fan.. How do you feel about the ability (or inability, I suppose) to garner actual heel heat on the independent wrestling scene, due to the so-called “smarkdom” of the independent wrestling fans?
-I think it’s not relegated to the independent scene. Once wrestling turned into sports entertainment, and mixed martial arts came on so big people won’t buy into a lot of what is going on. It makes sense because ultimate fighting is a real life version of what wrestling portrays. I think eventually wrestling will gain respect again as an entertainment product once people start understanding that at no point are we trying to tell anyone that what we are doing is real. I wish wrestling were looked at the way we watch movies. Movie fans look for great and captivating stories and pick and choose their favorite actors for a great many reasons. I think a lot of near sighted assholes have put a negative stigma on wrestling. We’ll get ours though. We always do.
As a follow-up to the previous question.. What do you think of the heat that you and the rest of the members of Age Of The Fall have been able to get in that “smark” dominated scene?
-I never thought people would turn on the Briscoes the way they have. Not to say they aren’t still beloved as fuck, but we have kind of our own cult following who happens to agree with a lot of what we have to offer. With AOTF, we are trying to dilate perspective. We are trying to show people that wrestling doesn’t always have to be black and white, and people can figure things out for themselves.
How did the Age Of The Fall come about, anyway? Whose idea was it, and when did you come aboard during the planning process?
-AOTF started as Project 161, which was basically the brainchild of Jimmy and Gabe’s. I was involved very early in the process, which really started gaining steam after we got the lineup for it set in stone; which would have been last June if I can remember correctly. After the initial angle in Chicago, we just took things to the next level. One thing led to another and we just started targeting all the things we hated about life and about society. It’s really the first time anyone in wrestling has used an angle as a political and social platform. I hope we can keep up and do even more with it in the future.
Viral marketing, building feuds on MySpace, blogging.. Age Of The Fall are ahead of the curve, apparently, and seem to find new ways to make things entertaining and exciting in wrestling. How did the idea for all of that take shape?
-If we weren’t gonna do it, then somebody was. Wrestling has always been a reflection of society and we are living in the information age. I think it was just a natural progression, but I am glad we got to be the first ones to get a hold of the concept. To hell with Chris Jericho. We did it first.
The floor is now yours, Tyler. If there’s anything you’d like to say right now.. whether its to me, your fans, your haters, another wrestler, or some random unnamed person.. go for it. Rant for as long or as short as you’d like to.
-Life is cold. So bundle the fuck up.
Thank you again for hooking me up with this interview.
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Source: Quote: |
Hustle from Lords of Pain.com
| This really shows the life of a Indy wrestler it explains how he works in a real job. It shows his training schedule and what he gets up to. Great Interview and a great read so enjoy guys... |
06-12-2008, 10:53 AM
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