wrestling / Columns

411 Interviews Kyle Matthews of Rampage Pro Wrestling

September 20, 2011 | Posted by TJ Hawke

Kyle Matthews is a up and coming wrestler who primarily works for Rampage Pro Wrestling, a National Wrestling affiliate in Georgia. Matthews has also competed on ROH TV (in the early HDnet days), the 2008 Chikara Young Lions Cup, and the 2011 Dragon Gate USA Breakout Challenge back at Open the Southern Gate.

Rampage Pro has local TV that airs every Sunday and has featured in the last year, such performers as Daniel Bryan, current ROH Champ Davey Richards, current NWA champ Adam Pearce, and Colt Cabana. Former TNA and ROH star, Jimmy Rave, is a regular for Rampage Pro.

All the info you need on Rampage Pro (and how to watch their TV show online) can be found at The Rampage Pro Website

TJ Hawke: Kyle, you have started to get some attention in the wrestling world in the last couple of years. Besides Rampage Pro, you have been on ROH on HDnet and you participated in the Cikara Young Lions Cup. I was wondering where you got your training? One can hear a lot of horror stories about wrestling schools. How was your experience?

Kyle Matthews: I started training in Rome, GA under a local guy named the Sharp Dressed Man. He taught me the basics about wrestling. I was only 15 so I was just excited to be able to wrestle. When I started venturing out is when I really learned new things. I try to gain as much knowledge as I can from everyone. I learned from Jimmy Rave, Sal Rinuaro, and NWA Anarchy guys. I attended seminars taught by Low-Ki, Al Snow, and Les Thatcher. Then in 2010 I trained at the Zero 1 dojo under Shinjiro Otani, Masato Tanaka, and Ikuto Hidaka. But I would say the person I learned the most from was “Nightmare” Ted Allen. We were travel partner for about 4 years before his passing in August 2010. So I have quite a vast array of influences.

TJ: If I am not mistaken, Kyle you are currently a college student too at the moment. How have you manged to maintain a pro wrestling career while getting your degree? Has the balance been difficult?

KM: I actually graduated college in December 2009 with a BA in Film/Video. But balancing school and wrestling is tough just as it is hard to balance work and wrestling now.

TJ: You’re probably getting the most exposure right now from Rampage Pro Wrestling, a Georgia affiliate of the National Wrestling Alliance. What do you think of the growth of the promotion that is just starting its 4th year? How has it been to work with some top-flight performers like Daniel Bryan and Davey Richards?

KM: I am really excited about the growth of Rampage. Everyone works so hard there and seeing it paying off is awesome. I started on the second ever show and it has come leaps and bounds since then. You have to work with the best to become the best. It was an honor to wrestle Bryan Danielson and I learned so much from the experience. I will always remember that match and it was probably the best one I have had. I teamed with Davey in an 8 man tag and it was awesome too. Both of those are class acts and I admire them in and out of the ring.

TJ: In Rampage you also had an extended feud with Jimmy Rave. What has been like to work with Jimmy? How has Jimmy helped the locker room inside the ring and behind the scenes?

KM: Jimmy is great in the ring. No doubt about that. He has made me step up my game for sure and I have learned a tremendous amount from facing him. In the locker room I would say that he just likes helping people get better. He brings the best out in the product and all of the wrestlers.


TJ: Rampage Pro Wrestling recently did a co-promoted event with Dragon Gate USA over Wrestlemania 27 weekend. What did you think of your performance in the Breakout Challenge?

KM: It was a pleasure to wrestle for DGUSA. I think I had a solid performance in the Breakout Challenge.

TJ: Where other promotions are you working for right now? Where do you hope to end up in the future? Is WWE the ultimate goal?

KM: I work for a few NWA’s in the area (Chattanooga, Pro South), Platinum Championship Wrestling, Elite Championship in Ozark, Al, Deep Southern Championship Wrestling and bunch of other local promotions in Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama. I would love to go back to Japan. It was a super awesome experience. I think everyone would love to go to WWE but I would love to go TNA or ROH or DGUSA or wherever. I guess I would say my goal would be to make my living wrestling wherever that might be.

TJ: Thank you Kyle for taking the time to do the interview. Is there anything else you would like to plug (Facebook, twitter, bookings, how to be booked, etc)?

Twitter
Facebook
Always open for bookings.

Thanks everybody for reading! You can send feedback to Twitter or at my email address: [email protected]. If you are a wrestling personality who would like to be interviewed by 411mania, you can also contact me in either of those ways.

Be sure to follow 411mania on Twitter as well
411mania
411 Wrestling
411 Movies/TV
411 MMA
411 Music
411 Games

For all of my interviews before 411mania, check out my Road to Mania Blog (where I still do stuff like Wrestlemania Build coverage, Wrestling DVD reviews, movie/TV reviews and more).

Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can’t Lose.

– Listen to the latest edition of the 411 on Wrestling podcast! On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka is joined by co-host Andrew Critchell to discuss the WWE Night of Champions PPV, last night’s edition of WWE Raw, the latest update on Matt Hardy, your calls and more!

You can listen to the show on the player below, or you can download the show here.

Listen to internet radio with Larry Csonka on Blog Talk Radio


NULL

article topics

TJ Hawke

Comments are closed.