The Six-Step Process is a regular interview that we ran on both the Team Venom website and Team Venom Magazine and will run on this website on a regular basis. Basically we ask the same 6 questions in a kind of “quick-fire” interview with a random top independent talent. This week’s 6-Step is with one of the UK's top up-and-coming talents, Hustle Malone.
1. What got you into wrestling?
I used to be a Wrestling Videographer. I used to film shows for DVDs, backstage promos and things like that. I’d been a Videographer for years beforehand and then when I saw someone wanted one for wrestling, after being a fan for so long, it was a no brainer.
I started training at the start of 2015 and it was great to be not just around a great community, but to have been filming and been friends with everyone else there, to be able to finally get to shows and go from filming amazing guys like Paul Malen or The Hunter Brothers, to being on shows with them as a performer, so that’s a crazy reality that’s been amazing to get used to.
2. What’s been your favourite experience so far?
It feels like even though I haven’t been doing this that long, everything’s happened so quickly and there’s still so much going on. It’s like day by day, if I don’t get a message or a notification that tells me something crazy it’s honestly a very rare day.
Working with T-Bone was phenomenal. He’s such a huge star and total package in terms of a performer, but he was a total professional and so great to work with. I walked away wishing I could work with him every day.
Performing on my first Over 18’s Show in Derby was a unique experience, having to step your game up to really piss off a crowd and really connecting one on one with members of the audience. It’s like a side of your character you don’t get to showcase often.
And on top of that, seeing the reactions of the videos we’ve made has been out of this world. I sat backstage with Danny Mayhem at “Kings of Flight” (one of my partners in Team M.A.D, along with Chase Williams) and looked around at the talent in the room - Jake McCluskey, Will Osprey, Mark Andrews, Jigsaw etc - just feeling totally out of place.
When you’re sitting there just trying not to fuck up, and THEY come to YOU saying they’ve seen your video, all I can be is grateful. Grateful of the opportunities, thankful to people who trained me and gave me the chances along the way, and just working hard in the hope that there’s more of them to come.
3. Where has been your favourite place to work so far?
My home is with HOPE Wrestling, and I love to travel, go to anywhere and do what I do - but I’m in no rush to sacrifice quality in terms of a quick buck. I have one priority - to get good at my craft.
I’d rather be great than booked. I’d rather get bad feedback I can take and work on, than be told I’m great and being given a huge cheque and a pat on the back. If it means I take longer to travel around and make my name, so be it, but if I’m travelling somewhere, I want to bring that brand my A-Grade. I respect the Industry too much to jeopardise that.
That said, being a part of HOPE is a kind of a dream come true. Two great academies with phenomenal students, being able to travel everywhere from our home in Milton Keynes to Mansfield, Derby etc. - I’m excited to say the least. And busy haha.
4. What would be your dream scenario?
I told Harvey Dale I want one thing, ever - I want a match with Jack Jester, and when I’m ready.
To me, Jack Jester is the epitome of reality. I saw an ICW Show the week before my debut, and the crowd were being loud and talking smack to the performers all night, but the second Jack Jester circles the ring, every member of the crowd shuts up. That’s respect, and maybe a little fear haha.
I wanna’ be that heel that you believe, and even though that’s much harder to do in this era, in this country, you have to play to the year that you live in and that excites me. I wanna’ work hard, put in the effort, learn from the best and when the time comes, work with Jack Jester and leave it all in the ring. To me that’s the only way to do it.
5. Who have been your favourite people to work with?
I’ve blown smoke up T-Bone enough, maybe I’ll write him another Rap song haha, but yeah completely enjoyed that time and can’t say a bad word against him. Hope we get to do it again.
I’ve been very lucky - Myself and Chase always spoke about wishing we’d have started earlier, but in reality, the group at the HOPE Academy in Milton Keynes are such a phenomenal bunch. You always see like “The Class of 08” all working together on shows in 2016, so seeing guys in my class that I’ve worked with tirelessly - Danny & Chase, Jay Garner, Ashley Dunn, El Jefe, Twister just to name a FEW - I can’t wait to work with these guys more than I already have.
Also shout out to The Alpha Brothers, for suggesting I hit them with every strange item known to man, from “Recorder” to “Tiny Wooden Duck”.
6. What does the future hold for you?
I’m excited about stories. Being able to tell longer form arcs with people that are unique, stories that you can’t just give to Joe Anybody, but that these characters make sense telling. In Milton Keynes, I’m working a series of veterans who were some of my first friends in Wrestling when I was just a Videographer. That’s a strange, but lucky shift, and I’m grateful for that.
Up North, I’m being blessed enough to work with phenomenal performers like Ryan Smile, Drew Parker etc and it’s given me such an opportunity to learn, so I hope to keep broadening that horizon and to just be a better performer. THAT is what I want, to look back at the month before, the week before and be better than who I was.
But for the most part - tireless, relenting work, and I can’t wait.
Comments