Photo credit: @cameraguygimmik
In an exclusive interview with PWPondering’s Scott Mitchell (@ScottsScoop44), Freelance World Champion Storm Grayson talks about his career up to this point, taking the independent wrestling world by storm, becoming the Freelance World Champion, his upcoming match with Paul London, and more below.
When and why did you get into professional wrestling as a kid? Did you have any inspirations growing up?
I have wanted to be a professional wrestler since I could speak. My mother and grandfather were both huge wrestling fans so when I was born, I was simply just the next generation to fall in love with wrestling and carry on that tradition. Ever since I could speak I would tell people I was going to be a wrestler and I just never grew out of it.
My childhood hero is Jeff Hardy. He is and always will be my favorite wrestler and the biggest inspiration to do what I do. I am where I am, because of wrestlers like the Hardys, Edge and Christian, Mick Foley, The Undertaker, Triple H, and so many others.
When and why did you begin training? Did you have any mentors who took you under their wing?
I began training to be a wrestler in 2013 at the age of 18. Over the years, I have been very fortunate enough to be surrounded by so many good people and great wrestling minds, but if I have to pick just one person, it would be Robert “Ego” Anthony.
You’re a two-time Freelance Wrestling World Champion. In your first reign, you got to work with Robert Anthony, and Jake Something. How was it to work with those two men? What was it like to win the championship, and how important was it to you?
It was incredible. Jake Something is a guy I met very early on in my career. I have so much respect for him and I had wanted to work with him for a very long time, and being able to get in there and go with one of the best out there was an amazing experience.
Robert Anthony was really special for me as well. By that point, he was someone I considered to be a mentor and to who I felt I owed a lot of the recent progress in my career. Without his training, I truly don’t think that being in that position would have even been an option. With that being said, there is no one else I would’ve rather won that championship from.
In your second reign, you got to work with Nick Wayne, Chris Bey, Shane Mercer, and Craig Mitchell to just name a few. What was it like winning the title for a second time, and defending it against some of the top stars around today on the indie scene and beyond?
Winning the Freelance Championship for the second time was really about validation. It was one thing to have the feel-good moment of winning it the first time, but winning it the second time was the real deal. It was more than just “let’s shock the audience” it was the actual passing of the torch and my chance to go out there and be “the guy.”
Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the best wrestlers in the world. I have always believed I had what it took to be a top guy, but now I have the chance to show the world. Having the chance to work with and learn from and show the world I can hang with some of the best in the world is all I could ever truly ask for.
What are your hopes for the future of Freelance Wrestling? Is there anyone you hope to face and defend your Freelance World Championship against in the future?
I have a lot of dream matches, but I think more importantly than that, I just want to continue to wrestle the best and to show that I have what it takes to be included in that conversation. Wrestlers like Speedball Mike Bailey, Matt Cardona, Masha Slamovich, Alex Shelley, Drama King, Paul London, and Josh Alexander are just a few of the people I would love to defend the Freelance Championship against.
You’ve also won the Freelance Underground Independent Title. What was it like to win that belt, and work with the likes of Skye Blue, Alan Angels, Bryan Keith, and Wes Barkley?
Winning the Freelance Underground Independent Championship was a very cool experience for me. I was there the night the first FU Independent Champion was crowned and in that moment I knew that one day I had to hold it for myself. It was once again, validation for a lot of hard work and a long time of just trying to trust the process and believe in my goals.
You’re also no stranger to competing nationally. You’ve worked with AEW (against Jay Lethal, Swerve In Our Glory, Josh Woods, and Tony Nese), WWE (Veer Mahaan), and ROH (The Mogul Embassy). What was it like to work for each of those companies in front of a national audience?
There is truly nothing like it. I do think that those are opportunities that as wrestlers we take for granted, but lately, I’ve been trying to take a step back in those moments and truly appreciate them for what they are. I try to think about how I would have felt as a child knowing that someday I would be wrestling in arenas like those on a stage like that and I know my mind would have been blown.
At the same time, it makes you hungry for more. At the end of the day, it is just a small taste of what I want to do for the rest of my life.
What’s next for Storm Grayson? Do you have anyone in mind you’d like to face and any future goals for yourself?
My dream will always be to sign that contract and get to live out my dream on a national and global stage, but I think the biggest thing for me right now is to just continue to put in the work and to work hard to be seen as one of the best. The biggest goal for me at the moment is to continue to get my name out there and to work in as many different places as I can. I believe my work speaks for itself, now it’s about fighting for the platforms to showcase it on.
On July 28th, at Freelance Wrestling you will defend your Freelance World Championship against Paul London. What are your thoughts going into this match with someone as established as Paul London?
Wrestling Paul London is the definition of a personal dream match. This is a man I have idolized since I was a child. I waited in line to meet and get my picture taken with him. My signed Paul London 8×10 is still on my old bedroom wall at my parents’ house. I couldn’t be more excited. It is a dream come true and I’m very grateful to Freelance Wrestling for the opportunity to work with one of my childhood heroes.
You are also going to be making a couple of debuts coming up. On July 29th you will be making your debut at New South, and on August 12th you will make your debut at Pro Wrestling Ontario. What are your thoughts going into your match with Hunter Drake on 7/29? What can you tell the fans about what to expect from Storm Grayson, and what are your thoughts on debuting at these two promotions?
I am beyond excited about both of these debuts. At this point in my career, the biggest challenge is just getting the opportunity to showcase my abilities on as many different stages as possible and these are two incredible stages to be able to do so on. I am going to continue to prove myself one debut at a time.
[…] Source link […]
[…] Source link […]