Photo credit: @floodshot_
In an exclusive interview with PWPonderings writer Scott Mitchell (@ScottsScoop44), Jack Tomlinson sits down to talk about getting his start in professional wrestling, taking the independent wrestling scene by storm, and so much more. From being the youngest ever graduate of one of the most prestigious wrestling schools in the United States to winning gold to competing on WWE and AEW, Jack Tomlinson has truly accomplished a lot very early in his career.
When and why did you get into professional wrestling as a kid?
“I was 10, and my brother was a big fan of wrestling. I was never a big fan, I knew who John Cena was, but I didn’t think anything of it. I was always a big superhero fan though. There was an episode of Raw where Hugh Jackman, who plays Wolverine, came out with Zack Ryder. At the time, I had no clue that Ryder was from Long Island. Fun fact, his brother ended up being my teacher, so it was a really small world. But, when I saw Hugh Jackman punch Dolph Ziggler in the face I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. Then, pretty much following the story between Zack and Dolph. It’s pretty poetic that the first thing that got me into wrestling was the same storyline that made me realize I want to do this and become a wrestler. Whenever people think of the boyhood dream, they think of Shawn Michaels holding the belt. I think of Zack Ryder at TLC 2011, kneeling in front of the entrance kissing it, and screaming finally. Some people grow up liking Shawn, Bret, Cena, or Flair. I was a Ryder guy.”
When did you realize you wanted to begin training at Create A Pro Wrestling Academy in New York?
“The moment was definitely with Hugh. When Create A Pro opened, my father came across it and told me about it. I remember going to my first practice run by Pat Buck. I sat there and watched. It was my first one, so I didn’t get in the ring yet. When it ended, I remembered him going up to my father and telling him that I loved it because I sat there so attentively. I went back the next day, trained with VSK, learned to run the ropes, took a bump, and got started.”
Do you have any mentors who stand out to you and helped you get to where you are today?
“Easily Pat [Buck] and Brian [Myers] for sure. If not for them, there’s no CAP. I’ve been very fortunate to have a lot of people give me some advice over the years. VSK, MJF, and Anthony Bowens. Those three have been there every step of the way. Others like Eric James, Bronson, and Alex Reynolds were super influential in the beginning.”
Shortly after you debuted at Create A Pro, you became the Vestler. How did you decide to be a social media influencer and wrestler at the same time?
“That came when I was in high school. I came across the Paul Brothers. People can say what they want about them, but there’s no denying that they’re entertaining and captivating. I spent an entire summer just binge-watching every Vlog they both put out. I was talking to a girl in high school about it and she said to me that she makes YouTube videos. I would make YouTube videos for fun and training at the same time. Then CAP TV started, Smart Mark Sterling texted me and said to bring something I’d vlog in. I showed up to training, and he told me I was hosting the show and that’s really what started it all.”
You have since created the Social Media Championship. What inspired you to do that?
🚨NEW “VESTLER” VLOG🚨
and Verified Social Media Champion!
🤼 @NFW2021
💫 @dante_drago 📸
💀 @victorious_brg https://t.co/s5dLXhS1SC pic.twitter.com/JTZjpzkWPo— Jack Tomlinson (@jacktomlinson00) December 14, 2022
“I take a lot of pride in the fact that I am the best content creator in independent wrestling. I want to be the biggest content creator in all of professional wrestling. It’s a bit difficult when some of them have weekly television contracts, but I wanted to do something whether you don’t like me, or like me, it makes you feel a certain type of way. I want to one day put this title up against the Internet Title. FWF, you have to make that happen.”
In your early days, Create A Pro didn’t waste any time putting you some of their biggest stars, like “Smart” Mark Sterling, MJF, Alex Reynolds, VSK, Eric James, and Max Caster. What was that like?
“Scary. At the same time, I wasn’t aware. Looking back it’s good and it’s bad. It was bad because I don’t think I realized what was being given to me and how big of a platform I had. I don’t think I realized how spoiled I was. At the same time, it made me very fearless. I didn’t realize MJF would become the biggest name in wrestling. So, when I was wrestling him, I was just wrestling Max, the guy I knew for the past three years of my life. Same thing for Caster. I didn’t know he’d be in the biggest tag team of wrestling. He was just Caster to me. I wish I appreciated it more when it was happening. But at the same time, because I was unaware and so ignorant about it, it made me fearless.”
One of my favorite rivalries recently was at Victory Pro Wrestling where you worked with “Pretty Boy” Johnny Collins, overcame his faction of Pretty Likeable and won your first VPW Championship. What was that like?
“That was the first time I ever had to run a story based only on shows. Building up to the MJF match, we had a couple of promos we would do. I had a story with Reynolds once that lasted a couple of shows. However, this thing with Collins was five months. It started during the pandemic when I was asked to make a promo during the web shows VPW would do at the time. I said to myself, let me say I want to be the champion in this promo. I didn’t know if they would even upload it, because I know it wasn’t quite in their plans at the time. It was Collins vs. Coach. I figured I would Daniel Bryan myself into that match. On the day of the show I had a lot of fans come up to me and say if I don’t win they won’t be back. They said I was the one that had to win. It was cool and overwhelming. It was a stressful day, but it was amazing. After the match, when Bryce Donovan and Bobby Orlando came out to celebrate with me, they lifted me on their shoulders and as I was up there, Bryce looked at Bobby and said to turn on me. For a second, I thought I was almost about to get ribbed. They did put me down and we hugged. But that was such a fun time too, it was very lighthearted.”
At the last Victory Pro Wrestling show, we saw a bit of a character change with you coming out to attack Mike Anthony from behind and beating the hell out of him. The match ended with Eric James being added to the match and ultimately winning the VPW Championship. Tell me about that character change, and going from the happy-go-lucky guy to now more intense than ever.
“Whatever will lead me back to being the VPW Championship. I said it in the Vlog probably 8 times. I want to be a two-time VPW Champion. I want to be Tomlinson 2 Belts. That match was my 10th-ever main event in a VPW ring. I want to prove that I’m main event Jack. Being the happy-go-lucky Vestler wasn’t cutting it anymore. I had to change it up. We’ll see.”
You got to work with both WWE and AEW. What was it like working with two of the biggest national television companies in the United States?
My first pro wrestling show was @WWE Monday Night Raw at the Nassau coliseum. 7 years later I had my first match for WWE on Monday Night Raw at that very same Nassau Coliseum. No matter how small, I’m proud to be apart of the history that is #Raw30 pic.twitter.com/zEtIeF0ybj
— Jack Tomlinson (@jacktomlinson00) January 23, 2023
“You don’t have enough time to acknowledge what’s going on before you go out. Thankfully though, in WWE VSK stopped me, and in AEW Bronson stopped me and they both told me the same thing. Even if it’s just half a second, look around at everyone and see what you’re doing and where you are. It’s the coolest feeling in the entire world. The coolest thing I’ve done in my life is wrestling on Monday Night Raw. It was two minutes, but it was the coolest thing. I remember being in the corner and looking up at the turnbuckle and seeing the WWE logo. I just remember looking around and seeing 10,000 people at the Nassau Coliseum where I saw my first WWE show, and it was just amazing. If 10-year-old Jack could see me now.”
In your time at CAP so far, you not only accomplished a lot, but you also got to form one of my favorite tag teams, VBU, with Dante Drago. How did that come about?
“That was a Caster thing. I had taken some time off from wrestling for personal reasons. I was gone for about four months. I was on the fence about when to come back, but I started up again, and then Covid hit. I had one match back, and I got injured. I ended up missing a total of 14 months. I was just miserable. I didn’t make much content during that time. When I came back I texted Caster and told him I needed something. There was nothing. Dante was coming back from college at the time, and he needed something as well. They told him they had nothing for him either, but they kind of just put us both together. It was NFW that reached out to me to be on their first show as a singles wrestler. They saw an episode of CAP TV where I and Dante wrestled together, and asked me if I wanted to team with Dante there. I said yeah. He and I talked and got some gear. It’s so much fun being in there with your best friend. He did end up becoming my best friend.”
What was it like winning the tag titles with Dante by your side, and getting to hold them before ultimately dropping them to Better Call Small (“Smart” Mark Sterling and Swoggle)?
“It was great. That was my first-ever championship. I wanted my first-ever championship to be at CAP. It was where I started everything, and I wanted my first-ever title to be there, it meant everything to me. As much as I did a lot of great things, in terms of WWE, wrestling MJF, and graduating from CAP, I had no clue what wrestling was, I just knew how to do moves, but I didn’t know anything about building and constructing. I don’t know if you know this, but Dante is freaking good. He’s really smart and talented. That makes me want to be better, and to do that with him was the coolest thing in the world. People loved it too. When we won, it genuinely felt like people were excited for us. We’re genuinely best friends.”
You’re the youngest CAP graduate. What does that mean to you?
“It’s the greatest school in the entire world. To be a part of that in an accomplished aspect, in an industry that constantly tells you to give up, it’s an instant reminder that I’m in the right place and on the right path.”
What’s next for you?
“Social Media Champion. Any social media influencer in pro wrestling, especially Matt Cardona, I’m waiting. That’s goal #1. Goal #2 is to be a two-time VPW Champion. Goal #3 is for me and Dante to become the first-ever NFW Tag Team Champions. That’s another first-ever bucket list for me. I hope to be there on Tuesday night and get on that black and gold brand. Gargano’s not there and they need someone in that spot, and I want that spot.”