Welcome once again to 1andonlyJer’s INDYSpotlight! Today we look at an 11 year veteran of Independent wrestling from Ozark, Alabama, a guy who is a trainer, and mentor to many young talents in the business today. We will take a look at his thoughts on the young up and comers in this business, as well as how he started in the industry and what lies ahead. This week the INDYSpotlight shines on…..
Hometown: Ozark, Alabama
Height: 6ft
Weight: 210lbs
Years Pro: 11
Wrestling Influences: “My biggest infuence and all time favorite would have to be The Great Muta, but I admire and study all styles of wrestling from Lucha Libre to Hardcore. Just to name a few key people, Chris Benoit, Tajiri, Satoshi Kojima, William Regal, and Brian Danielson. I still have a hard time calling him Daniel Bryan, I’ve been watching him since Jersey All Pro days, and it just feels weird.”
Favorite Opponent(s): “In recent Memory I would have to say The Killbillies, you just never really know what those guys are gonna pull next. I ALWAYS look forward to a match with my mentor “Dangerous E Corey Edsel”, and basically anyone that will challenge me mentally as well as physically, Some of these young boys nowadays are a little soft in my opinion”.
Favorite Matches: “Cage Match with Semper Ferocious was a recent favorite, VERY tough guys and also Marines that I have tons of respect for. ANY match with my mentor and trainer Corey Edsel, and I have always been partial to matches with odd stipulations for some reason. (Such as the Christmas Stocking Match) Which is where there was a set of Brass Knuckles in a stocking, but there was a stocking on each ring post, first to find them gets to use them”
Favorite Matches(Not involved in): “Henning vs. Santana from SNME, Muta vs. Kojima, Muta vs. Tajiri, Flair vs. Steamboat of course.”
Promotions Worked: “Ive worked with so many across the Carolinas it would be impossible to name them all, But my mainstay and my home is CWF Mid-Atlantic, I also really enjoyed working with the guys from FOW (Future of Wrestling) out of Florida.”
Titles Held: “CWF Mid Atlantic Heavywieght Champ, TV Champ, 3 Time Tag Champ, and Johhny Weaver Memorial Cup winner, Multiple other titles along the same lines in various other promotions throughout the years.”
Trained By: “Dangerous E” Corey Edsel, “Boogie Woogie Man” Rob McBride, Jeff Rudd, and Kurt Solo.
How did you get started in Wrestling? “It was actually kind of just random chance, myself and some friends went to an indy show in Greensboro, NC. After the show I found out who the promoter was and asked what I had to do to be a part of this. His answer was, “You think you want this, be here tomorrow at 4pm.” So I showed up, learned to take a fall, and had my first match 2 weeks later. Once Corey Edsel stepped in and took over my “training” I basically got the hell beat out of me for a few months and was used as a test dummy and ring crew, They tried to make me quit and when they realized I wouldn’t, they decided to start really teaching me how to wrestle and do it well.”
Year In Review: Eaton began the year as one-half of the Mid-Atlantic Tag-Team Champions with a man he has teamed with for 6 years Roy Wilkins, whom he says is the best partner he’s ever had. Eaton tells me “We are tuned into each other like no one else I’ve ever worked with, we know what the other is thinking and about to do without saying a word, and most of the time communicate in the ring with only body language.” Eaton & Wilkins dropped the belts in February of this year to Arik Royal and Chiva Kid, who were then defeated by the tag team of The Killbillies beginning a series of matches throughout the Summer of 2012. Eaton also had a very memorable singles main event against a young & talented Adam Page in the spring for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Following the feud with The Killbillies, Eaton & Wilkins teamed up to face two up and comers, Robyn Golphin and Terrell Givens dominating the young duo in several one-sided matches. “They scored their first win as a team in our most recent match so now we are eagerly waiting for the chance to beat them twice as badly the next time we meet.” Up next for Walter Eaton will be the 12th Annual CWF Rumble on Oct 20, live on Internet pay-per-view which you can order and watch at http://rumble.cwf247.com.
2012 Mission Statement: “Ive dropped from 260lbs to 210lbs since last christmas, I want to keep training, keep learning, and keep improving not only myself, but the quality of the events I am booked on as a whole. I want to be more of an influence on the newer generations of guys coming in to the buisness and I take great pride in the fact that I am a guy that is looked up to and came to with questions, and for opinions. I will share what little I do know with anyone willing to listen, but I also know how to shut my mouth and listen when someone saltier than me is speaking. Sadly enough theres a lot of disrespectful, half-trained Green Boys floating around, and I would like to see that changed and things revert back to a more “Old-School” mentality as far as “behind the scenes” goes.”
Follow Walter Eaton on twitter @WalterEaton to see when he will appearing at a show near you! And don’t forget to check out http://rumble.cwf247.com. to see him compete in the Annual CWF Rumble live on Ippv for @CWFMidAtlantic
Are you an Indy talent who is yet to be featured in the INDYSpotlight? Contact me on twitter @The1andonlyJer to be featured in the next column at PW Ponderings!
