Frankie Kazarian had a great trainer in Killer Kowalski, but he’s unsure that coaching is in the cards after his in-ring career is over.
The current TNA star spoke with WrestleZone’s Bill Pritchard and discussed his longevity in the business. The 47-year-old is currently in his 27th year in pro wrestling. He remarked upon the level fellow veterans are competing at now compared to previous years. Kazarian says that the business no longer forces wrestlers to slow down at 40 and gives talent more longevity.
“Yeah, I always say that I have no problem being the old guy. But until I look like and wrestle like an old guy, you can’t call me the old guy. I think we are… Like you said, I think we are changing that stigma. People used to watch pro wrestlers, after they turned 40 it was like, ‘Oh my God! This guy is going to burn to dust.’ But I think between my… A lot of guys are wrestling over 40. At my age or even older.”
“Look at some of my contemporaries like AJ Styles and guys in TNA like Bryan Myers and Eddie Edwards who are still killing it. And you look at someone like Chris Jericho, Chris Daniels those guys are… Guys are still performing at their top levels. So, yeah, I could say I have no problem being the old guy. Until I work and start looking like an old guy, moving like an old guy, that’s when things get interesting.”
Frankie Kazarian On His Interest In Coaching
He was then asked if he would be interested in becoming a coach, which Frankie Kazarian segued into discussing his own trainer, Killer Kowalski. He compared Kowalski with Mickey Goldmill (played by Burgess Meredith) from the Rocky film franchise.
“I don’t know. I get asked that a lot. And I always say — my thing is, I was trained by Killer Kowalski. He is Mick to my Rocky, they don’t make ’em like that anymore. I’m very strange about… There’s some incredible guys running schools. Obviously, everyone in NXT is beyond qualified. And there’s schools, just wrestlers that are currently in the business running schools who are very, very qualified.”
“I always say like, ‘Who am I to coach you?’. Yes, I’ve helped out, used to help out with UPW training years and years ago. I would never consider myself a coach. I think I’m very much… I’m still on the field, I’m still in the trenches and that’s kind of all I see right now.”
Kazarian said he can’t see himself in that world just yet. He’s humbled when people see him being a great coach, but he’s still very focused on his in-ring career with TNA.
Frankie Kazarian On Training With Killer Kowalski
Bill Pritchard mentioned Ace Steel being an “old-school” guy like Frankie Kazarian, as he was trained by Harley Race. Kazarian said it’s something he talks with Steel about, noting the contrasts between training like they did and how today’s athletes are brought in.
“Ace [Steel] and I talk about that a lot. He’s obviously a Harley [Race] guy and I’m a Kowalski guy. Those two guys, just two… Tough as nails, old school, just their way or the highway guys. That type of coaching doesn’t really exist anymore. It’s much more streamlined, it’s much more inviting and welcoming.”
“My first day in wrestling school, when I walked in, everybody looked like they hated me. And I was a 19-year-old kid and everybody looked like they wanted to murder me. Nowadays by and large, people are welcomed in with open arms. So, that’s for the better to be honest. But I wouldn’t trade how I was broke in for the world because that made me the wrestler I am and in a lot of ways the man I am.”
