WrestleZone is happy to present the following exclusive interview with Reality of Wrestling’s first ever ROW Champion Rob Barnes as part of ROW Thursdays here on WrestleZone:
We have included some transcribed highlights from Rob’s interview below. (If you use them elsewhere please credit WrestleZone)
On the pro wrestling scene in his native Australia at the moment:
RB: It’s just developing and, man, in the last couple of years it’s just started to taken off . It’s helped with people like TMDK in Japan, Jonah Rock who is in PWG… it’s just been taking off here and there. It was a combination of a lot of Australian wrestlers just traveling and learning from better wrestlers than were available like when I started out. They’ve gone back to Australia and they’ve taught their skills to the next lot of trainees that have come through. You have these guys coming through that are really talented, talented wrestlers. Now some international stars are starting to take notes. It’s pretty cool.
On whether it’s intimidating getting to be one of Booker T’s lead trainers at the Reality of Wrestling Training Center:
RB: 100% (Laughs). Especially when he walks into the room and watches you train people. Then you’re like, “Oh man, you guys really need to nail this otherwise he’s gonna come in here and completely embarrass me in front of everybody!” It can be intimidating at times but it’s just having confidence in your abilities. The good thing about Booker is that he’s not particular on how you do something. At the end of the day he calls it, “the smell test.” If it looks cool, then it’s right. If it doesn’t look cool, then it’s not right. That’s basically his mentality. At least it’s not like a structured, “You have to do it A-B-C…” That helps.
On how he describes Rob Barnes “the wrestler” to people:
RB: I normally describe him as the guy who thinks he is smarter than everyone, especially in the wrestling business. He’s going to find a way to win a match and I would describe it as, “I do the smart thing.” A lot of the time that ends up with me doing the sneaky thing or the illegal thing or the thing behind the ref’s back. That’s generally how I describe Rob Barnes.
