Post by jasta on Feb 11, 2009 18:35:48 GMT -5
Bryan Jasta is a name that every person in the industry knows, respects and fears. His straight forward, aggressive and at time violent in ring brutality has garnered him recognition world wide as one of the most vicious & dangerous men on the planet. The longest reigning XWA National Champion in the company's history, racking up 9 consecutive defenses before losing the title to Van Hayden in mid 2008, Jasta is a man that very few other men dare get in the ring with, and even fewer cross the paths with. However, for as much is known of his in ring prowess, Jasta is notoriously an elusive man as far as his personal life. Well The Buzz has finally broken the barrier, and has conducted an "Xclusive" interview with the man known as "The Spartan".
TB: How long have you been in wrestling?
I've been in wrestling since I was 17 years old. So as a whole, 17 years. I've been a professional wrestler since 22, so professionally that would be 12 years.
TB: That's an awful long time. What got you started?
I grew up in Washington, DC. It may be the nation's capitol, but it's also one of the crime capitols of the country as well. I grew up in the "real" DC. There was violence all over my neighborhood. Every day someone was either getting shot, arrested, or something of the sort. As a kid, I fell into that lifestyle. I ran the streets with all the rest. But before I became one of the statistics, my father rest his soul sent me away to my uncle Hermes, who lived in my family's native land of Sparta, Greece. My uncle was a seasoned practitioner of Greco-Roman wrestling, and ran a small gym. So it was living with him for two years that got me into the sport. And I haven't looked back.
TB: So your nickname "The Spartan" isn't just a play on the 300 film?
No. My uncle and his students all incorporated the Spartan spirit into their training. Ancient Sparta was known the world over to be the home of the greatest soldiers of the era. As such, we wanted to strive to be the greatest wrestlers of this era. So we are all "Spartans" in the fact that our code is the code of our forefathers.
TB: Interesting. So when did you decide to move into Pro Wrestling?
I was 21. I'd competed in Europe in Greco-Roman competitions for my Gym, but I craved more. The rush of combat was addictive to me. So with the blessing of my Uncle, I decided to try my hand and Professional Wrestling. You'd be surprised how very few wrestlers actually have the level of training I'd had at that age, and it showed. I joined a Greek-based promotion, wrestling under the name "The Spartan", and simply put...I dominated. There was no one in the promotion that could match the talent of a 22 year old rookie, and it made plenty of the other guys nervous. For two additional years I wrestled in Europe, but eventually, I decided I needed more. Wrestling is big, but it's not THE sport in Europe, that has and always will be Futbol. I realized that if I wanted to etch my name into the history or wrestling, I needed to go to Japan.
TB: Alright, you're 24. You arrive in Japan. Where did you go 1st?
I had limited exposure in Europe, but there were die-hard fans who had heard of me. So I started wrestling in the smaller promotions in Japan. At the time, AJPW and NJPW were the end-all promotions of Japan, but smaller operations still existed. I felt in order to get noticed, I needed to start from the bottom and work my way up. It was here that I developed "The Next Level" persona, because I was so ahead of the curve in skill it seemed I was on another level then everyone else. A year and a half would pass, and I had a pretty decent fanbase in Japan. The fans in Japan are different then any other fans on the planet. Having fancy pyro, outfits, witty catch phrases and all that crap mean nothing. They respect you most when you can perform at the highest level. And that's what I did. 1999 was the year I got called by NJPW. They wanted me to wrestle on their undercard. This was the chance I was waiting for. So I signed a contract for 6 shows. After the 6th show, they renewed it, this time for 2 years. I was officially an NJPW talent then.
TB: And it's of course well documented the success you had in your days in Japan. So when did SWA come into the picture?
Ah, Syndrome Wrestling Alliance. What it could have been. It was shortly after my contract ended with NJPW. SWA was a Las Vegas based promotion that started in 2002. They fashioned themselves a "renegade" promotion, and went about scouting talent in unique ways. I was leaving my apartment when a man approached me. He simply handed me a business card and walked away. The card ended up on my coffee table, and it sat there for days before I decided to call it. Sure enough, it was the number of SWA's talent coordinator. After 2 days of talks, I was on a plane back to the US to sign on with SWA. They'd had signed a number of other familiar names from XWA as well, Adam Devlin, Nigel Sledge, and even Jayson Jones made a brief stint in SWA before it fell apart.
TB: Over the last three years, we've heard you guys make vague mentions of the company, but many of our fans don't know of it's existence. Care to she some light on it?
As I said, SWA patterned itself after the old ECW. It was an "Extreme" promotion where aggressive, outlandish behavior wasn't just accepted, but encouraged. The problems that SWA would face would start at the top of the company and trickle all the way down. The owner knew nothing about the sport. He was an idiot. And his 2nd in command liked to play favorites. You'd see the same guys week after week in the big matches, whereas the guys who busted their asses got nothing to show for it. After a while, the talent started getting vocal, most notably Sledge. This was 3 years into SWA's existence, 2005. Sledge was the champion, and made it quite clear that he could give a rats ass about the company, but he'd still happily take their money. And SWA's top brass didn't like the fact that the "face" of the company was making them look bad. But they were stuck in a bind. SWA had already lost a number of talented wrestlers, and they could ill afford to fire Sledge, as he'd been with them since day one, just like myself. We made up the nucleus of SWA, and without us, the implosion would have happened sooner rather the later. So they took it on the chin, but made his life a living hell. But no matter how much the stacked the deck against him he, somehow managed to beat the odds. That, and I don't think there's a man alive who has his threshold for pain.
2006 was the year it all came crashing down. The owner hadn't been seen in months, his right hand man was running the place into the ground, and there were a lot of us that remained that were just fed up. I remember the night like it was yesterday. It was after a show. The arena was beginning to empty out when a number of us, myself included returned out to the ring unannounced. Sledge, who had recently lost the title took the point, and secured a mic. Most of you know him as being a loud, out of control lunatic...which he is...but there is a brilliant mind behind his madness. He spoke out to the fans, the ones who had been with us for so long, and ran a dagger into the heart of SWA's management. And after he was done, I remember what he said vividly:
"And in case your arse's hadn't figured it out yet, WE QUIT!!!"
And just like that, we had washed our hands of SWA. The management tried there best to save their sinking ship, even as much as handing us title shots, guaranteeing us victories and so on. It was quite sad to see. But the dagger was in to deep. It wasn't but a month later that SWA closed it's doors. In like a lion, out like a lamb. The sad part was I was now out of a job, but I knew something else would come along.
TB: And it wouldn't be until early 2007 that it would, correct?
Yes. 2006 was apparently not a good year for wrestling companies, as another company had also closed it's doors, LXW. And from LXW, two company's sprang up from it's ashes, APW and FCW. It was APW that I saw the most promise in, so I signed on with them. Of course, my tenure with them was short lived. 3 matches into my stint in APW, I quit because the management was almost as incompetent as SWA's. You're supposed to look out for all of your talent...ALL of your talent. Not just the one's you're friends with. There was a gentlemen who was in conflict with their management named Tyson Terra, who they ended up shafting instead of facing the issues and corporate short comings they had. Seeing that was the last straw, and I resigned but a few days after.
TB:And a month later, you made your XWA debut...a day many wrestling fans remember quite well.
Indeed. XWA represented something new. The "Old Boys" club wasn't a factor there. It was truly a place where you controlled your own destiny. And coming into XWA, the place was already stacked with some top level new talent, as well as many recognized superstars. One of which was the man I called out on my 1st night of work, Chris Lionheart. Of course, Lionheart wasn't the man who answered my challenge, but a man who called himself "LunaSic", who I would later reveal to be Sylas Styles. I won 2 out of the 3 matches we'd had that month, and it was a tale of things to come for me in XWA.
TB: The list of names you've defeated in XWA reads like an all-star list. Sylas Styles, Chris Lionheart, Michael Xavier, Evan Fate, Osiris Alston, The Avenger, Adam Devlin, Jayson Jones, Van Hayden...I could go on and on. None of these guys are slouches.
That goes to show you the level of competitor it does take to defeat me. I don't boast about being the best. I let my actions speak for themselves. Your legacy isn't made by what you say, but rather what you do. My legacy is crystal clear. There are plenty of guys in the game who are over hyped, and plenty that are not hyped at all. I take pride in the fact that when I step in the ring against any man, be they a veteran or a rookie, they all have that lump in their throats, and when the bell rings...they take that deep breath and say to themselves "I'm in for a long night."
TB: So, tell us about your involvement with Primo Valiante.
I've known Primo since he was a Teen. People tend to forget that for all he's done in the business, he's only 26 years old. I 1st met Primo when he was 16, and I knew then that he was destined to become a legend. It's not everyday you see a young man with that level of god given talent. Of course when TNB closed up shop, and Primo, as well as few other notable TNB alumns made the jump to XWA, Primo came to me with the idea of us forming an alliance. We're both cut from the same cloth as far as our ideals, despite the fact that we have totally different backgrounds. Primo is one of very few men I can openly say I respect as a competitor.
TB: Some wrestling mags and websites have been quoted as saying "Bryan Jasta is to violent to be a mainstream star." What do you say to that?
*Hehheh* maybe if these little boys weren't so soft, they wouldn't bleed so easily. My style is the result of 17 years of honing. I've got more ring time now then many of these kids will in their lives. While everyone wants to be flashy and fancy, I stay true to the roots of my sport. And the roots aren't pretty. And neither are my matches. Do you think I care about being mainstream? I'm not in this to make TV appearances and commercials. I do this because this is what I do. I'm not a "Superstar", I'm a wrestler. That's what I've been, that's what I'll be.
TB: So what's on the horizon for you as the 2009 season draws near?
Isn't it obvious? For two years, I've allowed...yes ALLOWED the XWA World Title to be held by a number of other talents. Let's face facts here, I can beat any of our "former" champions without breaking a sweat. 2009, that changes. The man who holds the XWA World Title is supposed to be the best overall wrestler in the company. Not "Entertainer", wrestler. There is no man in XWA who is more fitting or deserving of the XWA World Title then me. And that's what my goal is. To do with the XWA World Title what I did with the National Title. Hold it, defend it, and dominate in those defenses. But I'm not going to come after the title forth right, oh no. I'm going to bide my time. I want it to be crystal clear that I am the No.1 contender when that time comes. Which is why I plan on starting off the season challenging former XWA champions. Because when in beat them, there will be no doubt in anyone's minds that my time to be champion will be unchallenged.
TB: It's been a pleasure. Thank you so much for sitting down and sharing your time with us.
No problem.
With designs on the XWA World Title, and continuing to dominate as he has his entire career, Bryan Jasta comes into the 2009 season with a clear message to any an all who will get in the ring with him.
"Fear The Spartan"
TB: How long have you been in wrestling?
I've been in wrestling since I was 17 years old. So as a whole, 17 years. I've been a professional wrestler since 22, so professionally that would be 12 years.
TB: That's an awful long time. What got you started?
I grew up in Washington, DC. It may be the nation's capitol, but it's also one of the crime capitols of the country as well. I grew up in the "real" DC. There was violence all over my neighborhood. Every day someone was either getting shot, arrested, or something of the sort. As a kid, I fell into that lifestyle. I ran the streets with all the rest. But before I became one of the statistics, my father rest his soul sent me away to my uncle Hermes, who lived in my family's native land of Sparta, Greece. My uncle was a seasoned practitioner of Greco-Roman wrestling, and ran a small gym. So it was living with him for two years that got me into the sport. And I haven't looked back.
TB: So your nickname "The Spartan" isn't just a play on the 300 film?
No. My uncle and his students all incorporated the Spartan spirit into their training. Ancient Sparta was known the world over to be the home of the greatest soldiers of the era. As such, we wanted to strive to be the greatest wrestlers of this era. So we are all "Spartans" in the fact that our code is the code of our forefathers.
TB: Interesting. So when did you decide to move into Pro Wrestling?
I was 21. I'd competed in Europe in Greco-Roman competitions for my Gym, but I craved more. The rush of combat was addictive to me. So with the blessing of my Uncle, I decided to try my hand and Professional Wrestling. You'd be surprised how very few wrestlers actually have the level of training I'd had at that age, and it showed. I joined a Greek-based promotion, wrestling under the name "The Spartan", and simply put...I dominated. There was no one in the promotion that could match the talent of a 22 year old rookie, and it made plenty of the other guys nervous. For two additional years I wrestled in Europe, but eventually, I decided I needed more. Wrestling is big, but it's not THE sport in Europe, that has and always will be Futbol. I realized that if I wanted to etch my name into the history or wrestling, I needed to go to Japan.
TB: Alright, you're 24. You arrive in Japan. Where did you go 1st?
I had limited exposure in Europe, but there were die-hard fans who had heard of me. So I started wrestling in the smaller promotions in Japan. At the time, AJPW and NJPW were the end-all promotions of Japan, but smaller operations still existed. I felt in order to get noticed, I needed to start from the bottom and work my way up. It was here that I developed "The Next Level" persona, because I was so ahead of the curve in skill it seemed I was on another level then everyone else. A year and a half would pass, and I had a pretty decent fanbase in Japan. The fans in Japan are different then any other fans on the planet. Having fancy pyro, outfits, witty catch phrases and all that crap mean nothing. They respect you most when you can perform at the highest level. And that's what I did. 1999 was the year I got called by NJPW. They wanted me to wrestle on their undercard. This was the chance I was waiting for. So I signed a contract for 6 shows. After the 6th show, they renewed it, this time for 2 years. I was officially an NJPW talent then.
TB: And it's of course well documented the success you had in your days in Japan. So when did SWA come into the picture?
Ah, Syndrome Wrestling Alliance. What it could have been. It was shortly after my contract ended with NJPW. SWA was a Las Vegas based promotion that started in 2002. They fashioned themselves a "renegade" promotion, and went about scouting talent in unique ways. I was leaving my apartment when a man approached me. He simply handed me a business card and walked away. The card ended up on my coffee table, and it sat there for days before I decided to call it. Sure enough, it was the number of SWA's talent coordinator. After 2 days of talks, I was on a plane back to the US to sign on with SWA. They'd had signed a number of other familiar names from XWA as well, Adam Devlin, Nigel Sledge, and even Jayson Jones made a brief stint in SWA before it fell apart.
TB: Over the last three years, we've heard you guys make vague mentions of the company, but many of our fans don't know of it's existence. Care to she some light on it?
As I said, SWA patterned itself after the old ECW. It was an "Extreme" promotion where aggressive, outlandish behavior wasn't just accepted, but encouraged. The problems that SWA would face would start at the top of the company and trickle all the way down. The owner knew nothing about the sport. He was an idiot. And his 2nd in command liked to play favorites. You'd see the same guys week after week in the big matches, whereas the guys who busted their asses got nothing to show for it. After a while, the talent started getting vocal, most notably Sledge. This was 3 years into SWA's existence, 2005. Sledge was the champion, and made it quite clear that he could give a rats ass about the company, but he'd still happily take their money. And SWA's top brass didn't like the fact that the "face" of the company was making them look bad. But they were stuck in a bind. SWA had already lost a number of talented wrestlers, and they could ill afford to fire Sledge, as he'd been with them since day one, just like myself. We made up the nucleus of SWA, and without us, the implosion would have happened sooner rather the later. So they took it on the chin, but made his life a living hell. But no matter how much the stacked the deck against him he, somehow managed to beat the odds. That, and I don't think there's a man alive who has his threshold for pain.
2006 was the year it all came crashing down. The owner hadn't been seen in months, his right hand man was running the place into the ground, and there were a lot of us that remained that were just fed up. I remember the night like it was yesterday. It was after a show. The arena was beginning to empty out when a number of us, myself included returned out to the ring unannounced. Sledge, who had recently lost the title took the point, and secured a mic. Most of you know him as being a loud, out of control lunatic...which he is...but there is a brilliant mind behind his madness. He spoke out to the fans, the ones who had been with us for so long, and ran a dagger into the heart of SWA's management. And after he was done, I remember what he said vividly:
"And in case your arse's hadn't figured it out yet, WE QUIT!!!"
And just like that, we had washed our hands of SWA. The management tried there best to save their sinking ship, even as much as handing us title shots, guaranteeing us victories and so on. It was quite sad to see. But the dagger was in to deep. It wasn't but a month later that SWA closed it's doors. In like a lion, out like a lamb. The sad part was I was now out of a job, but I knew something else would come along.
TB: And it wouldn't be until early 2007 that it would, correct?
Yes. 2006 was apparently not a good year for wrestling companies, as another company had also closed it's doors, LXW. And from LXW, two company's sprang up from it's ashes, APW and FCW. It was APW that I saw the most promise in, so I signed on with them. Of course, my tenure with them was short lived. 3 matches into my stint in APW, I quit because the management was almost as incompetent as SWA's. You're supposed to look out for all of your talent...ALL of your talent. Not just the one's you're friends with. There was a gentlemen who was in conflict with their management named Tyson Terra, who they ended up shafting instead of facing the issues and corporate short comings they had. Seeing that was the last straw, and I resigned but a few days after.
TB:And a month later, you made your XWA debut...a day many wrestling fans remember quite well.
Indeed. XWA represented something new. The "Old Boys" club wasn't a factor there. It was truly a place where you controlled your own destiny. And coming into XWA, the place was already stacked with some top level new talent, as well as many recognized superstars. One of which was the man I called out on my 1st night of work, Chris Lionheart. Of course, Lionheart wasn't the man who answered my challenge, but a man who called himself "LunaSic", who I would later reveal to be Sylas Styles. I won 2 out of the 3 matches we'd had that month, and it was a tale of things to come for me in XWA.
TB: The list of names you've defeated in XWA reads like an all-star list. Sylas Styles, Chris Lionheart, Michael Xavier, Evan Fate, Osiris Alston, The Avenger, Adam Devlin, Jayson Jones, Van Hayden...I could go on and on. None of these guys are slouches.
That goes to show you the level of competitor it does take to defeat me. I don't boast about being the best. I let my actions speak for themselves. Your legacy isn't made by what you say, but rather what you do. My legacy is crystal clear. There are plenty of guys in the game who are over hyped, and plenty that are not hyped at all. I take pride in the fact that when I step in the ring against any man, be they a veteran or a rookie, they all have that lump in their throats, and when the bell rings...they take that deep breath and say to themselves "I'm in for a long night."
TB: So, tell us about your involvement with Primo Valiante.
I've known Primo since he was a Teen. People tend to forget that for all he's done in the business, he's only 26 years old. I 1st met Primo when he was 16, and I knew then that he was destined to become a legend. It's not everyday you see a young man with that level of god given talent. Of course when TNB closed up shop, and Primo, as well as few other notable TNB alumns made the jump to XWA, Primo came to me with the idea of us forming an alliance. We're both cut from the same cloth as far as our ideals, despite the fact that we have totally different backgrounds. Primo is one of very few men I can openly say I respect as a competitor.
TB: Some wrestling mags and websites have been quoted as saying "Bryan Jasta is to violent to be a mainstream star." What do you say to that?
*Hehheh* maybe if these little boys weren't so soft, they wouldn't bleed so easily. My style is the result of 17 years of honing. I've got more ring time now then many of these kids will in their lives. While everyone wants to be flashy and fancy, I stay true to the roots of my sport. And the roots aren't pretty. And neither are my matches. Do you think I care about being mainstream? I'm not in this to make TV appearances and commercials. I do this because this is what I do. I'm not a "Superstar", I'm a wrestler. That's what I've been, that's what I'll be.
TB: So what's on the horizon for you as the 2009 season draws near?
Isn't it obvious? For two years, I've allowed...yes ALLOWED the XWA World Title to be held by a number of other talents. Let's face facts here, I can beat any of our "former" champions without breaking a sweat. 2009, that changes. The man who holds the XWA World Title is supposed to be the best overall wrestler in the company. Not "Entertainer", wrestler. There is no man in XWA who is more fitting or deserving of the XWA World Title then me. And that's what my goal is. To do with the XWA World Title what I did with the National Title. Hold it, defend it, and dominate in those defenses. But I'm not going to come after the title forth right, oh no. I'm going to bide my time. I want it to be crystal clear that I am the No.1 contender when that time comes. Which is why I plan on starting off the season challenging former XWA champions. Because when in beat them, there will be no doubt in anyone's minds that my time to be champion will be unchallenged.
TB: It's been a pleasure. Thank you so much for sitting down and sharing your time with us.
No problem.
With designs on the XWA World Title, and continuing to dominate as he has his entire career, Bryan Jasta comes into the 2009 season with a clear message to any an all who will get in the ring with him.
"Fear The Spartan"