NWA British Commonwealth Championship RETURNING

There has been discussion about the crowning of a New Champion, the title has been mostly inactive since Adam Pearce defeated former multi-time champion Dru Onyx in North Shore Pro Wrestling in Quebec City, Quebec Canada. Shortly after Pearce captured the championship, in January 2010, Pearce would go on to defeat Blue Demon Jr. and Phil Shatter for his third World Championship Reign. Unfortunately, the title wasn't defended after that.

The NWA British Commonwealth Championship is one of the most prestigious titles in the National Wrestling Alliance, at time was thought of as the other World Championship, because of its propensity to travel to regions that were formerly associated with the British Empire. England, Wales, Ireland, Canada, the United States, Spain, the Netherlands, France, and Barbados have marked areas where the championship has been defended.

Trailblazer - Mikey Nicholls Interview

Mikey Nicholls has been wrestling throughout the world for near on nine years, and is one of the most successful wrestlers to come from the local scene having wrestled for New Japan Pro Wrestling in Tokyo and dark matches for Ring ofHonor. WPW’s Tez got the opportunity to speak to Mikey about his career not long after Team Murder Death Kill lost the EPW Tag Team Championships in a Tables Match at Hell or Highwater.

WPW: You made your debut at the first ever Explosive Coastal Wrestling show Awakening in November 2001 at quite a young age. What was it like making your debut on what has become somewhat of an significant step in WA wrestling and did it feel like something special at the time?

MIKEY: I was like 16 years old back then and man did it ever feel like something special. Dreams and aspirations were so much simpler back then, it was almost like I was getting everything I had always wanted. I of course have not watched that show back since then, lol, but no matter how awful the wrestling may have been, it was, what it was and like you said a pretty significant step in WA wrestling

WPW: You were part of the very first ECW Championship match, a Four Way Match with

Davis Storm, Jimmy Payne and FN Carnage at Redemption in January 2002, where things went a little wrong. Was there ever any thought of you giving wrestling away at that point and what did you think of the publicity it got it in the major papers like The West Australian?

MIKEY: Nah, there was never a thought of giving wrestling away. I guess its like they say, no publicity is bad publicity right.

WPW: The following show, the first ever Evolution in May 2002, you made an appearance and cut a promo, which unfortunately there were some technical issues with the mic. Even with that the first ever sold out ECW crowd gave you one awesome ovation. Were you surprised with the support the crowd gave you before you made the heel turn?

MIKEY: I’m so amazed that you can remember that far back. Yeah was pretty surprising, I mean we had only done a few shows so it wasn't like we had build up a huge audience or anything yet. The thing I remember most is the nerves, man i was a such a buildup of nerves, I had such an awesome promo planned out but then of course the microphone doesn't work. In hindsight was probably a good thing the mic didn't work (Laughs).

WPW: Mid 2002 saw you join up with the faction known as The Uprising, which pretty much ran riot through ECW/EPW until the classic street fight with Team EPW at Re-Awakening II in 2003. Along the way having some top matches including the Last Man Standing Match with Jimmy Payne. Do you have fond memories of your time in the Uprising?

MIKEY: The stuff we did with The Uprising was some of the most fun times of my entire

wrestling, dare I say, career. It was so much fun turning up to shows and essentially just hanging out with your friends and doing whatever you wanted. In that time as well I think I grew as not only a wrestler but as a character and my confidence of being out in front of people really grew.

The last man standing match with Jimmy was a whole heap of fun, and as far as the Street fight goes, that was one of the most emotional and most fun nights of my life. I think anyone in attendance that night would agree with me when I say that the emotion and drama was off the charts that night.

WPW: You were part of the NWA Australia promotion in Adelaide, which drew 1000+ fans to the Thebarton Theatre for its debut show Turning Over Tradition. Unfortunately, the crowds plummeted to less than 100 within three shows and the company folded. What was the experience like wrestling in front of such a big crowd for the first time and being part of a national promotion?

MIKEY: It was great honour initially just to be asked to be apart of the show, made me feel like I was getting somewhere in Australia. It was also great to wrestle in front of that many people, to meet a lot of the guys from other states and seeing guys that I definitely looked up to within Australia.

WPW: 2004 was quite a big year for you. Feuding with Azazal (Drake Wallace) after the Uprising break up, culminating with a Match of the Year Chain Match, taking on Davis Storm in a couple of number one contender’s matches, finally winning the EPW Championship in a triple threat match with then champion, Davis Storm and FN Carnage. What was it like winning the title for the very first time at Re-Awakening III?

MIKEY: 2004-05 was such a rollercoaster time for me both in and out of wrestling and I think a lot of that showed in the way that I wrestled and the matches that I had. I’m so proud of my chain match with Azazal and was so happy when it was voted match of the year. Then it all kinda came together in the triple threat match at RA when I won the belt for the first time. I like to think that I had a great first run without the belt and had some pretty memorable matches.

WPW: You held the title until Evolution 2005 before Richter cashed in his title shot after you had a hard fought Fatal Four Way with Jimmy Payne, Havok and Jag. You got your rematch at Dirty Deeds, which was the first ever show at the Alma Venville Centre, which was a Street Fight. You climbed up a wall and did a dive off the balcony which was an awesome thing to see. Was that a spur of the moment thing or had you had that idea in mind as soon as you saw the building?

MIKEY: (Laughs) That was most definitely the first thing I thought of when I saw that building. It was the first show we had done in a new venue so I figured I was in a situation to make it as memorable as possible.

WPW: You made your first overseas trip in late 2005 to SoCal training and wrestling out of the Inoki Dojo with “Jag” Hartley Jackson and Davis Storm. What was the first overseas experience like for you training with guys like Fergal Devitt and Karl Anderson?

MIKEY: It was always a dream of mine to train at the Inoki Dojo and it really just sorta happened out of nowhere. I look back on that time now as the most fun and also the most intense time in my life. I made some great friends out of it and we were all kinda going through the same thing together you know, so it made it even better. The first overseas experience was definitely an eye opener for me to how the rest of the wrestling world works. Made me realise we have it pretty good here in Perth.

WPW: Returning to Perth in February 2006, you dropped the EPW Championship to Havok at Stand & Deliver in March, before returning to the States. Your second tour succeeding your first as you along with Karl Anderson challenged Alex Koslov for the NWA Heritage Championship and Rocky Romero for the CMLL Championship in a Two out of Three Falls Match. Was the push you received during this tour where you felt like you could make a name for yourself on the SoCal Indy scene?

MIKEY: It wasn't so much that I thought I could make a name for myself it was more the fact that I was so shocked and excited to be in the same ring as those guys. The triple threat match was a whole lot of fun and it was such an honour to be selected to wrestle someone who I have the utmost respect for and definitely someone I look up to in Rocky. I also think that the 2 out of 3 falls match took me to a whole new level with wrestling.

It was like I had to bring myself up tohis level, which I still maintain is the best way to better yourself as a wrestler. Train and wrestle with people who are better than you and you will always be forced to come up to their level. Because if they are any good they sure as hell wont get dragged down to yours!

WPW: In what is an awesome achievement, yourself along with Hartley Jackson were the first ever Australians to compete for New Japan Pro Wrestling, taking part in a Tag Match against Minoru & Hirooki Goto in Tokyo Korakuen Hall. Did it get overwhelming or did you feel like it was just another step forward in the career of Mikey Nicholls and would you like to go back?

MIKEY: Man was it ever overwhelming. I don't think I have ever been so nervous in my entire life. Trying to get everything together in a different country, with people who don't speak the same language man it was a trip. At the time it was a huge step forward for me and it kinda disappoints me a little that I didn't capitalise on it more, but cant dwell in the past. I would give anything to go back.

WPW: September 7, 2007 at EWF’s Gold Standard, you became the first ever Western

Australian wrestler to win a title in the United States when you defeated then champion Karl Anderson and Ryan Taylor in a 30 Minute Triple Threat Ironman match to become the new EWF American Champion.

MIKEY: It felt real good to hold some gold in the states. Definitely made me feel like I was on the right track. I also think I had a couple really good matches while I was the champ, made me a lot more confident with my wrestling.

WPW: 2009 saw you make a change of scenery moving from the SoCal scene to Ohio to wrestle for the Northern Wrestling Federation and during the nine month stay you got to make your debut for Ring of Honor in a few Dark Matches. What was that experience like?

MIKEY: It was a real surreal experience. For the longest time I had, like most people, had been watching ROH stuff and wishing I was there, well all of a sudden here it was right in front of me. The whole atmosphere was great, I met some great guys and also had some real solid matches.

WPW: Returning to EPW in late 2009, you were voted by the fans as the partner for Shane Haste to take on Slex and Carlo Cannon for the EPW Tag Team Championships at Re-Awakening 8. You won the titles in a brutal Ladder Match and defended them in some great matches before losing them just recently in a Tables Match. What is your next goal in EPW?

MIKEY: I’m not sure yet. I was having a whole lot of fun doing the tag stuff with Shane and I think that we had a pretty memorable run. Its been a while since I held the EPW title, maybe I will have a go and try my luck at that. I think there is still a lot of fire left inside Mikey Nicholls.

WPW: Do you have plans to return to the States in 2010-2011 and where would you like to go, back to SoCal or Ohio?

MIKEY: I don't know man, I’m never one to make definite plans, I prefer to just take it as it comes and see what happens. I will go back to the states for sure, not sure how or when, but it will happen.

WPW: What does Mikey Nicholls hope to do in the wrestling business before he retires?

MIKEY: I guess just keep having fun and keep bettering myself. Once that enjoyment goes its kinda hard to keep motivated and also becomes hard to keep justifying to yourself why you do it you know. But I guess as long as I’m moving forward and having fun, I cant complain too much.

WPW: Thank you for speaking to Westside Pro Wrestling Mikey.

Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport, Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport-- The Western Australia - So Cal NWA Connection.

The Western Australian So Cal Connection isn't the newest tag team appearing for M1Wrestling next weekend. Its been a phenomenon in our wrestling scene that hasn't been replicated anywhere else in the World. As a Southern California native, when I think of Australians I typically think of Crocodile Dundee, Kangaroos, Koalas, or Outback Steakhouse. When someone mentions wrestling in Australia the feint sound of Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport fills my ears and I reflect on my fond memories of Outback Jack and his appearances for the World Wrestling Federation. However nearly 25 years have passed since Outback Jack and The Australian Wrestling Scene has grown leaps and bounds since then. Western Australia alone has a handful of promotions, but today I’m talking about Explosive Pro Wrestling. In the world of professional wrestling any influx of talent from one wrestling promotion to another is often referred to as an invasion. And the invasion of Southern California wrestling by Australians dates back to late 2005 and since the invasion 15 Australians have used the SoCal Wrestling Scene as a learning excursion and for a short while, called Southern California home.

The Western Australian Connection to SoCal all comes down to a meeting of Explosive Pro Wrestlers, Hartley Jackson (who is actually from Southern Australia) and Mikey Nichols and the NWA. NWA Pro Wrestling had started to gain a foothold in the Southern California wrestling scene with its ties to the World Famous Inoki Dojo. There the Inoki Dojo recruited talent from across the country and across the world. The talent was originally groomed for chances to appear in New Japan Pro Wrestling, which was exemplified by Bryan Danielson, TJ Perkins, Ricky Reyes, Rocky Romero, Tommy Williams, later by Fergal Devitt and Karl “the Machinegun” Anderson. Two wayward travelers, Jackson and Nichols came to the United States for an opportunity to be apart of the famous gym. Unfamiliarity of the local area kept the duo from reaching the dojo right away. It wasn’t until after a miraculous call by Hartley that guided the two to the Dojo. David Marquez remembers “I get a phone call from [fellow NWA Member] Ed Chuman. He tells me, he got a call from two Australians. I don’t even know how they got Chuman’s phone number.” I talked to Jackson and told him how to get to the Dojo. About six hours later and a lot of walking "Jag" and Nichols reach the dojo.” It wasn’t long after joining the ranks of the Dojo Elite, Hartley and Nichols propositioned NWA member and former Vice President of Inoki Sports Management North American Operations David Marquez, about business. At that point there was a meeting with EPW’s Manager Rick Sanders that a deal would be made to not only have EPW join the NWA, but also an open boarder for the Western Australians to work for the NWA in SoCal. Which at the time were strictly the Inoki Dojo Shows and later the Alternative Wrestling Show. A lot of the action from 2006 was filmed for internet only release, soon other Australians would join the Inoki Dojo and the NWA Pro Wrestling Family.

The duo of Jackson and Nichols would return to Western Australia at the end of May 2006, however Nichols would return in June and would bring with him Bobby Jo Marshall and Ferguson “Psychofett” Block but would return home shortly after. Then in November in 2006, AZ Vegara, Chris Vice would all join the Dojo with the returning Marshall. The initial relationship would bring a total of 6 Western Australians who would compete regularly for the Inoki Dojo, Alternative Wrestling Show, and the Empire Wrestling Federation.

2007 would start off with another influx of Perth wrestlers. Vegara and Marshall made their debuts for the NWA Wrestling Showcase. Marshall would also venture to Arizona for his first shot outside of the SoCal scene. Cameron Wallis would soon make his SoCal debut along with South Australian and EPW Wrestler Damian Slater both wrestling in AWS. Both Marshall and Wallis would appear on the NWA Feista Lucha DVD from Las Vegas, NV. Damian Slater would appear during the NWA Wrestling Summit Tour. Nichols would return to the states spending time in Arizona and SoCal and would later become the first Western Australian to win a championship belt in the States when he pinned Karl Anderson to win the EWF American Championship. Over the next two years the talent trade would continue. SoCal Native Jarek Matthews joined the EPW crew. And former EPW Heavyweight Champion won the Mach One Wrestling title, becoming the second EPW Wrestler to hold championship gold while in the states. As of now, no SoCal Championships have traveled to Western Australia, however the NWA Australian Championship was defended in SoCal when Jayson Cooper of NWA Pro Australia defeated Damien Slater at a SoCal Pro Wrestling Show.

Three years have past since the faithful day that brought Nichols and Hartley to the States and Australians continue to come to Southern California. The list of Western Australians wrestlers to venture to the states has grown to include Shane Haste, Alex Kingston, Dan Moore, Maricus Pitsonopolous, Kiel Steria, and Barry Schmidt. EPW talent would work for the NWA all over Southern California (SoCal Pro Wrestling, Mach 1 Wrestling, Alternative Wrestling Show, and Empire Wrestling Federation. But they didn’t just stop with NWA affiliated promotions, the Australians would work for New Wave Pro Wrestling, MWF Lucha Libre, and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. The Western Australians have benefited from the ample opportunities states side and are able to learn different styles to bring back to their country. SoCal benefits by having a dynamic influx of talent bring something a little different to the scene. So the next time you think of wrestling over here in the States, think of all the Australians who’ve impacted the SoCal Wrestling Scene and made it better. Because SoCal Fans have certainly come to appreciate the import of Australian wrestlers and I no longer think of Outback Jack or Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport...

Eye of the Storm An Interview with Explosive Pro Wrestling’s Davis Storm.

Our friends over at Westside Pro Wrestling did a great interview with Davis Storm recently. With their permission we are re-posting this interview. To keep up with the all the news, results and info on the Western Australian wrestling scene, subscribe to westsideprowrestling@hotmail.com.

The Ironman of Australian Wrestling, two time EPW champion and eight year veteran of the West Australian Pro Wrestling scene talks to Tez Himself about his long and illustrious career.

WPW: Can you tell us about the early years of Davis Storm and Explosive Coastal Wrestling and what it was like to be part of the rebirth of Local Wrestling in Perth?

STORM: I could probably write a whole article just on this topic but I think the early days of Explosive Coastal Wrestling and Davis Storm were quite similar. A work in progress. It was an incredibly exciting time as we were breaking new ground. Locally produced pro wrestling had been absent from Perth for over 15 years. We had a really rough start in our first two shows but I have no regrets as its all led us to where we are today.

WPW: In early 2002, some Explosive Coastal Wrestling talent including yourself went to South Australia to train with Col Dervany, Jag and Havok. While over there you wrestled a few shows for now defunct federations Maximum Power Wrestling and Pro Wrestling South Australia. What was the experience like for a young wrestler new to the business and are there any stories you can share about the time?

STORM: I remember that trip being the most testing time I’ve ever had in wrestling. We were training 10 hours a day every day of the week. We were doing brutal cardio with a boxing coach, weights training and then wrestling for about five to six hours a day. Our bodies were broken down after one day but we had six weeks of full time training. No rest days. I remember everyone in Adelaide going out of their way to be as helpful as they could be. There are too many stories to recount them all, I just remember it all being an incredible learning curve and it was a huge turning point for EPW in terms of where we stood in Australian wrestling.

WPW: January 2005 saw the birth of the Ironman at Survival of the Fittest when you defeated Jag in a 1 hour Ironman Match, which was the first ever in the history of Australian Wrestling. At the time there were a few people that thought it couldn’t be pulled off. Just under 2 years later at Re-Awakening V it was voted the greatest match in Explosive Pro Wrestling’s history up until that time. What were your feelings leading up to the big match?

STORM: Depends on which day you caught me on. I had prepared as best I could so most days I was confident that I could physically make it through the hour. But it was brutally hot that summer and it was still a complete unknown as to whether we could make fans pay attention for an hour. I wanted it to be a match that just happened to go for an hour rather than a match where two guys are clearly trying to see out an hour. I put so much physically and mentally into that match. People see the hour as a big deal. As far as achievements go, I’d rather stand next to a good match than a match that went for an hour. Hopefully we achieved both.

WPW: In late 2005, early 2006 you trained and wrestled at the New Japan USA dojo. Do you have any desire to give it another crack over there with the success that Mikey Nicholls, Bobby Marshall and Shane Haste have had?

STORM: Getting the opportunity to train at the Inoki dojo was a privilege. Jushin Liger was my inspiration for wanting to wrestle and to get the chance to tread the boards where he had previously was an amazing feeling. Being trained by Kendo Ka Shin and Mr. Inoki himself was truly an honour and a humbling experience. Stepping into the ring each day along world class names like Fergal Devitt, Karl Anderson and Rocky Romero showed me what was required if I wanted become the wrestler I wanted to be. But I really wasn’t there to make a name for myself. I was there to learn and despite the wonderful success that the other lads have enjoyed, I still have no desire to pursue wrestling overseas.

WPW: You’ve had some classic encounters with Interstate Talent over the years including “Jag” Hartley Jackson and Carlo Cannon. Which Australian talent would you like to face off with in the future?

STORM: I don’t keep an eye on Australian talent like I used to but the only name that leaps out at me is Damian Slater. He’s been wrestling here in EPW for almost five years and we still haven’t had the chance to have a one on one match. To me, he is the barometer for Australian wrestling today.

WPW: You have been wrestling for eight years coming up in November. What have been some of your favourite moments and matches in your career so far?

STORM: Most of my favourite moments have probably taken place away from wrestling shows because they tend to get a little stressful but the aftermath of the brawl at Inner Turmoil was amazing. Absolute mayhem all over the building and the fans going crazy. My favourite matches are ones that most fans probably don’t even remember. My two timed rounds matches with Brad West. Brad is probably one of my favourite guys to wrestle and I think he’s probably the most underrated mind in Australian wrestling. Dooley and I taking on GST in a tables match at Settling the Score was a match where I was able to just get lost in the moment. My recent match with Sebastian Sander was a lot of fun for me. I think his potential is just about unlimited and he has a huge future. But I think my best match is my Falls Count Anywhere match with Jimmy Payne. We’ve had a lot of matches that I rate but that one was special as it was Jim’s last singles match at the time. I’m really proud of that one.

WPW: The NWA Australian National Championship hasn’t been seen in Explosive Pro Wrestling since Mikey Nicholls lost it to Hartley Jackson in April 2008. Could we see Davis Storm in the future go over to Adelaide and bring the belt back to where it was born?

STORM: I think with the recent name change of EPW Adelaide to NWA Pro, we may have seen the last of the NWA Australian title in Perth. BUT, never say never.

WPW: What type of injuries have you suffered over your career?

STORM: I carry a lot of injuries that just don’t go away but that’s just part of what we do. The two worst I’ve had came one after the other in 2008. I first cracked my tailbone at Evolution against Jimmy. Although I’d say I’m over that now, it still bothers me to this day. Straight after getting over that, I broke my wrist. I first cracked it in the six man street fight but after not seeing a doctor, I officially broke it about six or seven weeks later. I had to convince the doctor to cut the cast off a week early so I could compete in the cage match last Re-Awakening.

WPW: Re-Awakening 8 is approaching very quickly. What does Re-Awakening mean to Davis Storm?

STORM: It is truly a celebration of what professional wrestling means to those involved in EPW. I have had some of my greatest moments at this show. I just have an emotional connection with it that I can’t explain. To perform at Re-Awakening is unlike anything else I have experienced in Australian wrestling and it gets the very best out of the best.

WPW: What are your future goals for both yourself and Explosive Pro Wrestling?

STORM: Just to be the best I can be. Same for EPW. I just want to continue to improve and enjoy the ride along the way. The day wrestling doesn’t bring a smile to my face will be the last day I lace up my boots.

WPW: Thank you for taking the time to talk to Westside Pro Wrestling, Davis.

STORM: My pleasure.

Inoki Dojo Video, circa 2004

Not a lot of NWA news going on lately, so I've been providing some video content up here. Here's a music video I made a few years back. See how many NWA names you can recognize.

I see NWA Pro's Tommy Wilson, OVW's Rudy Switchblade, NWA Showcase star Joey Ryan, and a few others you might not know.

2004 Pacific Media Expo: Joey Ryan v. Bobby Quance

Its a very slow day. This video was actually taped and edited by myself. I thought it was pretty decent for my first time. The match was a bout between Bobby Quance and Joey Ryan, 2 of the njpw/USA originals that broke ground with the Pitbulls (Ricky Reyes and Rocky Romero), TJ Perkins, Bryan Danielson, and Samoa Joe. Bobby Quance was a terrific high-flyer whom decided to retire from wrestling and join the Navy. I believe he was planning on becoming a Navy Seal. I haven't heard any word about Bobby Quance, but I hope he is doing well. Joey Ryan on the other hand can be seen on the Showcase, on WSX Season 1 DVD, or even fighting Giants in the WWE.

Could there be a new NWA member in Japan?

JAPAN TAKES A DOUBLE BLOW
Zero-1 MAX Terminated from the AWA;
Masato Tanka stripped of the World Title.
credit: AWAStars.com

AWA Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. has officially terminated it's sanctioning and relationship with Zero-1 MAX / Hustle / First on Stage. "The professional wrestling industry in Japan has changed dramatically over the last few years and is in economic turmoil, with only a few promoters succeeding at capturing an audience to an overexposed business", stated AWA President & CEO Dale R. Gagne. "Zero-1 MAX has become a mere shadow of it's former self with diminishing audiences,
income and lack of touring talent". Gagne stated the decision was well thought out and difficult however, "we gave them every opportunity to succeed by becoming a part of our company and brand. The audience in Japan simply won't continue supporting a business unwilling to change". The AWA has subsequently been in negotiations with a high-profile, nostalgic concert promoter to produce arena events in Japan and other markets in Europe.

"Laughable has been the internet rumors that Zero-1 "owns" the AWA World Championship", continued Gagne. "Although they own a replica version of the title belt, no one owns or controls the title except for the AWA itself". The AWA has served notice to Zero-1 MAX promoter Yoshi Nakamura and has warned him not to disrespect his wrestlers by referring to them as fake Champions. They have been advised to remove the AWA name from their entire promotion as to not confuse fans with future major AWA events in Japan. Gagne was very specific when commenting on Zero-1 being associated again with the NWA. "If the NWA wants to be affiliated with a sinking ship, that's their decision to make", stated Gagne. "Our relationship with Zero-1 was being accommodated by Steve Corino, who recently quit the promotion. Watch for Zero-1 to become involved again with the NWA at their match on December 13th. Who would blame them? They have no where else to go". Keep visiting www.awastars.com for the developing story.

First off, my take on the AWA discontinuing their sanctioning is probably a legal precaution. And in reality, the 3 strongest members of the AWA; Mid-Atlantic, Hawaii, and Zero One all offer a greater product then anything else being produced by the AWA. However, there has been a lot of interest in the National Wrestling Alliance fan forums about this opportunity.

Zero One is a former member, under Antonio Inoki. Inoki transfered his membership twice in the past decade, once from Zero One, to New Japan and now from New Japan to Inoki Genome Federation. A source of mine told me that there is some interest in a few of the former AWA territories.

An Interview with the Bajan Bomber

A dark building flutters with flashes. A dazed man climbs to his feet only to be crushed with a spear from Dru Onyx. A scene that plays out over and over for the opponents of "Godz Fav'rit Weapon." A man known through the Alliance as a belt collector shares his thoughts on his time at the Inoki Dojo, the British Common Wealth Championship, his tenure as North American Champion and his future.

JAY CAL: Your accolades speak for themselves… you’ve held the International Wrestling Syndicate’s version of the World Title, formerly one Half of the IWS Tag Team Champions, the NWA UK Heavyweight Championship, 2 times Québec Heavyweight Championship, the North American Heavyweight Championship, and are currently a three time British Common Wealth Champion… how great is it to be Dru Onyx?

DRU ONYX: It a exhilarating feeling I think both genders of the human race should at least one time in their life, gain an additional 100 pounds shave their head bald, get a dark tan and find some black and purple to put on.

JAY CAL: First off, let’s go back two years ago. Dru Onyx defends his British Common Wealth Heavyweight Championship against Fergal Devitt. David Marquez witnesses the match and you are invited to come out to train at the Inoki Dojo with Devitt, Karl Anderson, and with some of the other NWA Pro regulars like TJ Perkins, and Rocky Romero how did this match and eventual time spent at the dojo impact your career?

DRU ONYX: All of my matches with Fergal Devitt have been highlights of my career. We have feuded in both single and tag-team competing for 3 years straight on two continents and four Counties (Ireland, England, U.S., & Wales)For Mr. Marquez to invite me let me It’s also an acknowledgment that you’re a level above others in talent, there were more then 50 wrestlers worldwide from all over the alliance and less then 10 were invited to California.

JAY CAL: What did you take back in your style of wrestling and when you train wrestlers at the Torture Chamber?

DRU ONYX: The Inoki Dojo was a positive experience; you can never learn enough about pro wrestling, my time there taught me the importance of conditioning and the emphasis of psychology in a wrestling match both these aspects have taken back with me to the Chamber.

JAY CAL: You reached your highest level of success in the NWA on April 22, 2006. In Altamonte Springs, Florida, three Men walk into the ring, one walks out as champion. Dru, you took on and defeated Tommy Marr and Chasyn Rance in 3-way match and walked away with at the time, the highest-ranking title in the NWA, what did this night mean to you? What did the NWA North American Championship? do for you in terms of your career?

DRU ONYX: It allowed some exposure showing my skills in U.S. rings prior to that; I wrestled mainly in Canada and Europe. In addition, to be in the history books with all the greats who held that championship was an honor for me. It also let the NWA top brass see the that I can be a major layer NWA. It also opened up some doors for corporate sponsorship for both my wrestling school and me.

JAY CAL: As the North American Champion you raised the status of the title from the past champions by having defenses all over the East Coast of Canada and the United States. You showed true class by carrying yourself and the NWA in the highest regard, even defending the title on a TNA house-show. However, you were not invited to participate in the crowning of the Worlds Heavyweight Championship Tournament. In addition, you have yet to receive a title shot, what are your feelings on this?

DRU ONYX: No bad feelings, I think tenure as N.A. Champ was more beneficial to me then being in tournament. Maybe at the time they didn’t view me as a top competitor, and it took me defending the title to do so. Also With the World title being decided I felt I had to carry the load and rep the Alliance as their premier champ. Everything happens for a reason, truth be told even if they ask me I couldn’t have participated at the time. In December 2006 I was seriously hospitalized for Kidney failure and almost had the risk of having my feet amputated only to recover from that, and three months later have to go through an emergency pneumothorax surgery due to a botched biopsy procedure that almost left me for dead. One month after that I was back in the ring defending the title in Virginia, to say the least I had my hands full at the time.

JAY CAL: Wow, it appears you overcame even more obstacles than anyone really knew about. You recently regained the “other worlds” Championship recently from NWA Irelands’ Paul Tracey. This title has been made famous by a handful of individuals. The title is in fact a non-B.O.D Controlled Title, however travels more than any other championship. What does it mean for you, to regain this title you helped to make famous?

DRU ONYX: Your right this title is a non-B.O.D title and it was created by Andre Baker & Ernie Todd. It was to be major title to be defended in both the U.K. and Canada, they believed if a Commonwealth title was created, it could include all the countries that were or still under the British Commonwealth. With so many countries under that banner, they can promote the NWA within countries that may not be a part of the NWA or also places where the World title may not have a chance to visit just yet. It was not nor ever intended to replace the World title but an alternative. The NWA World title is one of the most prestigious and recognized title in pro wrestling and for a few years being associated with TNA it really couldn’t travel much. There are a few reasons why people are noticing it now. Good solid booking, putting the title on credible workers who are traveling and most important no egos between the promoters working with the title. The belt is used and recognized by NWA U.K. Hammerlock, NWA Ireland, NWA Quebec, NWA Pro, NWA ECCW with the understanding that the emphasis is to promote the NWA and share talent.

For me to have the title means to follow the tradition of former champions
of the NWA back in the old days, To go out and represent the alliance and cultivate and elevate the talent I have to wrestle. It means constantly conduct myself as a professional at all times, to challenge myself to on having the best match possible.

My first run was less then a week, my second run was a year, and I put some serious mileage on the championship with the amount of defenses I made. I was the first to have it defended and promoted in different countries, and help set the bar for this championship. I wouldn’t say I was the best wrestler to hold the title that accolade would have to be given to Devitt, but I can say I was the greatest champion to hold the belt

JAY CAL: Where do you look to defend this title first?

DRU ONYX: First place I would like to defend it would be the west coast of Canada in NWA ECCW, the Canadian Champion gets a mandatory title shot, and the title has never been defended there.

JAY CAL: Speaking of the British Common Wealth Heavyweight Championship, one of the previous holders had less then savory remarks about that title. The Machine Gun, a champion during the Santa Monica’s tenure, mentioned the belt was lucky to be held by the likes of Alex Koslov, Devitt, and himself. How do you feel about these comments and are they justified?

DRU ONYX: Everyone’s is allowed his or her own opinion, his is just a lit bit wayward, his claim was that the title didn’t “make him” or “give him the rub” but then again he may not care or knew the significance of that title, The title is put on a worker who can wrestle and put over his competition so they look strong after the champion leaves that particular area, also it’s put on champion who TRAVELS thus allowing BOTH the title and the champion exposure, experience, allowing prestige to the title and name recognition to the worker.

Not a shot at Karl, but he never left L.A. to defend this British title, so how would that belt help him? He doesn’t know how serious people view that title in the U.K. or Canada. Every champion who ever held that belt traveled to another country to defend it, with the exception of Koslov, but at least he traveled to the east coast Defending the title and he carried himself like a true champion. The person who holds it also defines the Championship’s value.

Another Analogy would be like, no matter how nice or fast a beautiful sport car is, you’ll never be able see how fast or how far it can go, cause you have it sitting in your driveway and complaining it’s a piece of crap. And before this misconstrued as me hating on him, I think Anderson is one of the bright futures of the NWA he’s a great worker and worthy of his current tenure as one half of the world tag teams champion, and hopefully that particular title does something for him.

JAY CAL: You are somewhat of a Globetrotter Dru, What Country, States/Providences, Cities have you wrestled?

DRU ONYX: I think it would be a little tedious to name all the cities so here are
just few, Canadian provinces Quebec, Ontario, Winnipeg, Vancouver, U.S. recently I’ve wrestled New York, Massachusetts, California, Tennessee, and Nevada. European countries: Four tours of Ireland, 2 tours of Wales, 2 tours of England.

JAY CAL: The Dru Onyx videos featured on You Tube earlier this year to a lot of notoriety. What do you think of this form of promotion? Do you think it has helped you in your attempts of getting more attention, title shots, fame, and notoriety?

DRU ONYX: I think it the best form inexpensive promotion, definitely a tool I believe and would endorse. One of the strongest talents I have is the gift of gab. Therefore, this medium gives me a vehicle to let the masses know about me whereas they may not have had a chance to before. I can tell any promoter to look me up. It’s great also for building interest for upcoming matches. I had a great build up with NWA Virginia’s Pharaoh on line; I intend to be even more outrageous in my next few promos.

JAY CAL: As head trainer of the Torture Chamber in Quebec, what do you feel is the greatest tools a young wrestler can have before attempting to train for wrestling?

DRU ONYX: A willingness to learn, to remove any preconceptions of what they perceive as pro wrestling to be. Study your craft learn the past, present and where the direction of the business is going. In addition, It is imperative that they know that IT IS A BUSINESS! To get in the gym and prepared to work hard to achieve whatever goals they may have. Sounds cliché but to get a Education to fall back is sounds advice.

JAY CAL: What’s next for Dru Onyx? You’ve conquered the British Common Wealth Heavyweight Championship; you’ve held World Titles in other promotions, what are your career goals?

DRU ONYX: Game plan is to train hard for the next six months get in the best possible wrestling shape. . So many people talk about they want to be a world champ, but truth of the matter is so many are in delusional concerning their abilities and what it would take to carry this company as champion. So whether I’m solo or tagging with the 2006 NWA rookie of the year Justin White the quest is to be in the best shape in order to be put in the position for a realistic shot as World Champion. I’ll be defending this British title, in the U.K. for some mandatory defenses in England, Wales. U.K in April. The game plan is to also defend the title in Australia. I want to at some point in the near future, perform in Japan & Mexico. My objective is to bust my ass and see what upward movement I can attain in the next year’ If I’m in the same place career wise 2008, and then I’ll be hanging up the boots in 2009.

JAY CAL: I for one hope that 2008 with a higher level of success so that we continue to see you perfect your craft. Finally Dru, what would you like to tell the restling fans out there who are reading this?

DRU ONYX: I would like to tell the wrestling fans that I happy to be alive and I’m blessed to be able to follow a childhood dream and those who’ve seen and enjoyed my antics I’m nothing without you guys, you as fans are saluted.

Please Check Out: Dru Onyx's Torture Chamber and NWA Quebec

And you can buy the Dru Onyx Shirt by clicking here

2004 Pacific Media Expo: Joey Ryan v. Bobby Quance