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I had a chance to sit down and chat with Josh recently. He goes by the name of “The Doctor of Destruction,” but you’re not about to read an interview with a wrestling character. This is an interview with a young man that wants nothing more than to wrestle for a living. Now, I’ve never conducted an interview of this variety before, so it took someone with Josh’s character, as a human-being, to make me want to do this. I approached him about it and he took the time away from training to share where he is in his career. Many of you reading are mainstream wrestling fans like me. Perhaps you’ve read books about the trials and tribulations of your favorite superstars, but most of us don’t know much about true independent wrestling promotions. When we think independent scene, we think of Ring of Honor. Well, they’re owned by a broadcast company. The real independent scene isn’t even that glamorous. Josh is an example of what it can really be like to just start out. Onto the interview... The Doc: Who are you currently wrestling for? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: I currently wrestle for World Class Wrestling. The Doc: And you're currently the World Class Wrestling (WCW) Southern Heavyweight Champion, correct? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: Yes I am, very proud of that accolade, as well. The Doc: That's awesome. Well, help the readers put that into perspective...looking at the entire American pro-wrestling circuit, where does being the WCW Southern Champion fall on the figurative ladder to success? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: We all know Professional Wrestling has always been a tough road. We as fans understand the toll it takes on someone to do this, but you will never really understand until you actually venture into this sport or profession. I have only been wrestling on the professional level for a little over a year now, so with that being said this is huge for me. Sometimes it takes years to hold a championship, which in this business is a measure of success. It's a testament to how far I have come in such a short period of time. I don't let that go to my head or anyone else's however; I have a long way to go and a lot to improve on. The Doc: Can you give us the average number of wrestlers that a guy like yourself is competing with to achieve championship status? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: I wish the specific number occurred to me, but I can tell you it is quite a few. Every guy who burst through the doors of this business wants to be a champion, if not, then what are you here for? There are a lot men vying for these kinds of spots. The Doc: Who was it that you defeated for the WCW Southern title and when did that occur? How long was he champion before you? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: I defeated a very tough and rugged wrestler in the Hebrew Hammer. I defeated him on February 4th of this year. He defeated me in November of last year to actually win the championship in the finals of the Southern Title Tournament, the first time anyone was crowned as Southern Heavyweight Champion in World Class. So, it was roughly 3 months that he held onto the prize before I defeated him. I can assure you though, it's probably far from over! The Doc: Very nice. So, where is World Class Wrestling based? Has it been around long? In what other areas does WCW put on shows? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: World Class Wrestling is based out of Virginia and headed up by Michael Scarberry, a very good promoter who knows the business. It's been around almost two years and is young and growing. We have events in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and the surrounding states. The Doc: Well, let's get back to focusing more on you. What made you want to become a pro-wrestler? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: Oh boy, you are opening up a huge can of memories there! I remember my first memory of wrestling was Hulk Hogan; who else, right!? He defeated Big Bubba (As we all know as the Big Bossman) to win the World Championship on the first Nitro telecast. After that I was a Hulkamanic for life.. Running around flexing my non-existent muscles, coloring plastic grocery bags with a yellow highlighter, only to rip them off in seconds, then performing the huge Leg Drop on my teddy bears in the living room. I was in love since the age of 4! The Doc: I'm always fascinated to read the stories of young wrestlers finding inspiration in certain moments throughout wrestling's history. Are there wrestlers that you draw inspiration from that currently are wrestling in the mainstream (WWE or, to a lesser extent, TNA) or do you draw inspiration from guys that you know on the independent scene? Or both? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: I draw inspiration from everything and everybody I can. As I have gotten older I've found myself studying the great wrestlers of yesterday; Curt Hennig, Jack Brisco, Bret Hart, Nick Bockwinkle, Harley Race, Ric Flair, Leo Burke, Andre' The Giant, Ricky Steamboat, Bill Dundee, Marty Jones, Bruno Sammartino, Billy Robinson (the king of catch wrestling) and the list goes on and on and on... I find myself taking a lot from Kurt Angle, William Regal, Fit Finlay, Ronnie Garvin, The Mongolian Stomper, all the Hart's of course.. Jake Roberts, HBK, Eddie Guerrero.. I watch and try to incorporate everyone I can into who I want to be; all the greats. The only way to be the best is to learn from the best. I love the technical style. My biggest inspiration though is the man who has trained me from day one, and that man is The Iron Cross. The Doc: Tell us a little bit about the relationship between the wrestler and the man (or men) that train him. Specifically with you and Iron Cross...is your trainer someone that you can call up and ask advice on a whim or is there more of the formal teacher-student dynamic like you'd have in a traditional school setting? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: He is someone that has always made himself available to me. Iron really loves for his trainees to have a passion for the business, and I have this. If I see something while studying film and I can’t understand it myself I will never hesitate to call him. If I have an idea I will run it by him. If I have a question about ring psychology (which I am trying my hardest to get to a science) I will call him and he always goes into detail with his answer. He is a teacher and a friend, but he is not soft. You do your best and be professional or he will step on more than your toes, that's a promise. The Doc: How did you go about meeting him and beginning your training? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: There was an ad on a wrestling show (although I can't remember which show) promoting Samson's Gym in St Paul, Virginia. They put over his equipment and his room with a ring and mats that holds both Pro Wrestling training and MMA training headed up by Jon Sykes. I couldn't believe something like Samson's Gym was that close to me. I figured I'd have to travel to a different state to train so I always dismissed the possibility. St Paul is only about a half hour from where I currently reside so I called Iron Cross up and he invited me down. I went down to the gym, was given the tour, was put to the test to see if I could handle it and the rest is history. I have never left. The Doc: Is wrestling for WCW the only way that you currently do for a living? In other words, are you all in on making it in pro-wrestling or do you do something else on the side to make ends meet? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: It has always been my goal to be a professional wrestler for a living, but working your way up the ladder takes money and work just like anything else. I have a job as well to pay my bills along with my wrestling income, and for my training. All in means you do everything to meet your dream. Most kids go to college, and pay for it by a job to be whatever their career choice is; I work, train, and train harder. Only you can make it happen, and that's what I am doing. The Doc: To be honest, it was your passion for wrestling that made me want to do this interview. Speaking of passion for wrestling, are there particular matches that you'll watch that help you remember why you're doing what you're doing? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: Beyond a shadow of a doubt..What a question. The first match that comes to mind when you asked me that was Steamboat Vs. Savage at Wrestlemania 3.. The crowd, the electricity. They were so invested in every moment it still makes me quiver with goosebumps. I want to be and do exactly what those guys did in THAT match. They gave us all an education in what wrestling is all about right down to the bottom line. Now, when I get that reaction be it boo's or cheers from the crowd, and when I get those goosebumps.. I think of that match. The Doc: No doubt a classic match for the ages, featuring two guys that were consummate pro-wrestlers. Many of our readers are only familiar with mainstream wrestling in the United States - which is labeled, of course, sports entertainment. Does it bother you - as a professional wrestler - that the world's largest pro-wrestling conglomerate is trying to phase out the term "professional wrestling"? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: It makes my blood boil. Go back and watch the true Wrestlers of the past and then tell me what they would all think about this. I'm talking about real champions like Ric Flair, Nick Bockwinkel, and Harley Race who wrestled all around the world. I'm talking about legitimate shooters who could stretch you until you screamed in agony and beyond. Professional Wrestlers in that time were respected; now in the eyes of the casual person we are considered "Fake, roided-up, freaks." We all look the same nowadays. We are all slick body builders who can't ACTUALLY wrestle ourselves out of wet paper bags. Back in the day you had guys of all shapes and sizes. Now you place a guy like Jack Brisco in the ring with Mason Ryan, what do you expect to happen? Now it's all about spectacle; back then it was all about skill. No matter what the shape or size. Yes, there is a place for showmanship.. but do you go to the TV every night and say "Man, I can't wait to watch Sports Entertainment tonight!" or do you say "Man, I can't wait to watch WRESTLING!" In the end the magic happens in the ring. We need to get back to the good stuff! The Doc: Is your ultimate dream, though, to still get to the place where sports entertainment reigns supreme or do you have a different dream? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: Even though the WWE itself has become what a lot of Pro Wrestlers despise it is still the holy grail of everyone who aspires to be in this business. I would love to wrestle at Wrestlemania; I would love to be a WWE Champion. So yes, it is a dream of mine to achieve the accolades and be in the same spot and organization as my heroes, but I take things one step at a time. A dream takes work. Right now, I am just focused on the dream of doing this for a living, and nothing will stop me from having that; Lord willing of course. The Doc: What's the next step for you? Where do you go from here to get to the next phase of your career? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: Well I am currently working on my physical look, always working on my skills in the ring, keeping my ears pinned back and learning all that I can, and most importantly I'm working on exercising patience. A lot of young guys try to make the leap before they are ready and they do not last. I don't want to be this way. I realize I am almost 23 years old; I still have a lot of time. I will get my shot as long as I keep working toward my goals. Being the rung below the World Heavyweight Championship as the Southern Heavyweight Champion is a huge step for me. Many people never experience that opportunity. Also by holding this title I am already considered the number one contender to the top prize. Now isn't that huge? Nobody can tell me that it isn't! So yeah, I am very proud of how far I have come and I am truly excited about where I am going. Keep learning, keep working, keep improving, but most of all.. Keep DREAMING. The Doc: To have any other attitude would be a waste. So, as we wrap things up, I want to give you a chance to tell the readers about upcoming shows, upcoming matches, and other guys in WCW that people should keep an eye on. Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: WCW will be back in the area of Tennessee very soon but right now the events you want to see coming up are Saturday May 19th, in Cleveland, VA; I will be defending MY Southern Heavyweight Championship. We also are in St Paul, VA on June 1st for Clinch River Days and many more very soon that will be announced. As far as guys to look out for, everyone in World Class Wrestling are very capable of making waves; Iron Cross, Nate Diamond, Hebrew Hammer, Jon Sykes, and the list goes on and on, but mostly.. look at me. Why? Because when these people come to these events they will soon see why I am the measuring stick for everyone else! You read this and you think; "Well, hey, That Doctor of Destruction is a nice enough guy." Outside of the ring I may be.. Inside the ring, the top is my goal, my God given birthright.. and I will do anything to achieve it. The Doc: Well, it has been a pleasure, Josh. I wish you the best of luck as you move forward in your career. Any parting shots? Josh “The Doctor of Destruction”: As I said earlier in order to be the best you have to be trained by someone that has been there. If you are anywhere near the Southwest Virginia area, and are interested in following your dreams to become a professional wrestler then you have to call Iron Cross at Samson's Gym at 276-762-7170. This is where your dreams can and will get started. Other than that, all I have to say is thanks Doc for the opportunity and I hope we will be doing this again very soon. ------------------------------------------ Here are some matches featuring Josh “The Doctor of Destruction” Rose Doctor of Destruction wins the Southern Heavyweight title
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