BWF: Interview #9:Chris Thompson

"You can have the best wrestlers in the world but add a bad or to use a better word inexperienced referee then it can really bring the match quality down"

Hello, my name is Lewis and welcome to the ninth BWF interview. This interview is the very first interview we have conducted with a professional wrestling referee! We had a great conversation with one of the best referees on the scene, Chris Thompson. Many wrestling officials fade away into the background without ever being noticed. However Chris is an exception. Every offical on the scene deserves a certain level of respect for their role but I believe that Chris is head and shoulders above many of the British ref's! Although Chris is undecided on his future, make sure to support him in whatever he does next!
  You can follow Chris on twitter @christhomp1986

Without further ado, let's get into this intriguing conversation!

BWF:
Hello Chris and thanks for your time! This is our first ever time talking to a referee! It takes a talented individual to officiate a match, what do you think it is that separates the good officials from the bad?
  
Chris Thompson:
That's a good question. I personally believe that it takes alot more than just buying or being given a ref shirt to call yourself a referee. There's a lot to learn and understand and it takes a lot of time, effort, research and learning to become a good referee. Its certinaly not as easy as it looks. You can have the best wrestlers in the world but add a bad or to use a better word inexperienced referee then it can really bring the match quality down.
A good referee understand his role and does the job he is required to do, a bad referee will try to get himself over and be the star of the match. A good referee should be heard but not always seen.

BWF:
Great response, you talked about needing experience. How often do you actually get to go out there and do what you love?

Chris Thompson:
Not as much as I want to but unfortunately I have a life away from refereeing and wrestling like most do in the British wrestling business. So often it is difficult to squeeze ref work in between my day to day life etc. I have been refereeing for near 13 years and when I started out at the tender age of 16 I had a lot more freedom to find ref work but with that said there wasn't the same amount of promotions around back then as there is now. I often wish that when I started out in british wrestling that wrestling was going through the same boom period it is now but overall I have done ok.

BWF:
Earlier on you spoke about how an inexperienced referee can ruin a match between two great wrestlers. Are there any two performers that you haven't worked with on the British scene that you would like to?

Chris Thompson:
Thats a tough one. Doug Williams was on my list for the longest time as I see him as a pioneer and leader in British pro wrestling due to his legacy and career but with him working for WCPW and a local promotion up here in Newcastle recently I have had that oppotunity and it was an honour. Thinking about it and thinking of the incredible talent I have had they oppotunity to work with over the years there are not many I haven't worked with but Zack Zabre Jnr and Tommy End are two that come to mind.

BWF:
Zack is definitely making a splash around the world. What would you say is your main goal that you still wish to achieve?

Chris Thompson:
In all honesty I dont have goals. I never had any goals when I started out. Obviously to make it to WWE as a referee would be the main goal I'd imagine for anybody whether it's a British wrestler or referee it's the ultimate goal but the reality is thats it's highly unlikely that WWE would sign a referee from the UK for various reasons and I'm okay with that. I have refereed all over the North East and Scotland and bits and pieces around the rest of the country. I got to referee on a NWA show in Florida a few years back as I pre arranged it with going on holiday to Orlando. I was invited back but never got the oppotunity sadly. I have worked with some of the countries best talent over the years as well as former and current WWE stars. If anything I have been considering quitting refereeing all together. I turn 30 in October and that sounds like a nice round number to call it quits but who knows. I will say that working for WCPW has been the icing on the cake. Its a fantastic company that has and is currently in my eyes dominating the British wrestling scene so if i was to walk away from refereeing I'd be doing so as a very happy man with no regrets just fantastic memories.    

BWF:
We have to say you'd definitely be missed by all. I've had the pleasure of watching you officiate over 30 matches and have never been disappointed. So if you decide to hang up the shirt, what would be next for yourself?

Chris Thompson:
Thanks for your kind words it really means a lot to me. I dont know to be honest, I'd still like to be a part of the wrestling scene in some form. Behind the scenes in some capacity. Theres no guarantee I will give up refereeing. It's been a big part of my life for so long, it's hard to walk away from. I have dates coming up. I'll see where my head is after that and go from there. British wrestling is on the up and up and is gaining a lot more attention and promotions such as WCPW and ICW among others across the country are exploding and creating massive waves and it's all very overwhelming for somebody like myself who never really envisioned it happening never mind being involved. Its a weird position to be in.

We really appreciate your time!  
We would love to have you on again in the future if you have the time!

Our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zatCj0GVSW0
Follow us on twitter at @BritishWFinest
Follow myself on twitter @LewisKelly316 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BritishWFinest/

Wrestling has grown so big... it's almost a culture. And it's a culture of all types of vibes, just like hip-hop has all kinds of vibes and rap has all kinds of vibes.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jammasterj675726.html?src=t_wrestling

Wrestling has grown so big... it's almost a culture. And it's a culture of all types of vibes, just like hip-hop has all kinds of vibes and rap has all kinds of vibes.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jammasterj675726.html?src=t_wrestling

Wrestling has grown so big... it's almost a culture. And it's a culture of all types of vibes, just like hip-hop has all kinds of vibes and rap has all kinds of vibes. Jam Master Jay
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/wrestling_2.html

Wrestling has grown so big... it's almost a culture. And it's a culture of all types of vibes, just like hip-hop has all kinds of vibes and rap has all kinds of vibes. Jam Master Jay
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/wrestling_2.html

Wrestling has grown so big... it's almost a culture. And it's a culture of all types of vibes, just like hip-hop has all kinds of vibes and rap has all kinds of vibes. Jam Master Jay
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/wrestling_2.html

Wrestling has grown so big... it's almost a culture. And it's a culture of all types of vibes, just like hip-hop has all kinds of vibes and rap has all kinds of vibes. Jam Master Jay
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/wrestling_2.html

NGW School: #1 Arms drags and Snapmares.

19/9/16. The day that I first stepped foot in a professional wrestling school.

I headed to the NGW school in Birtley straight from work on Monday night not knowing what to expect. If I had been aware of how many first timers would be attending this session I would have been nowhere near as nervous.

So after getting the times wrong for the session I ended up waiting in the car for an hour (better to be early than late I suppose.) When it finally hit 7.30 I headed into the gym and shook hands with one of the biggest names in British wrestling: Rampage Brown. After making introductions with everyone we began the warm up. Everyone was in such high spirits especially considering it was a Monday night! I then stepped into a ring for the first time in my life. Everybody performed the three rolls a few times to get their bodies ready for the drills, I'd previously never even attempted any of the rolls but as the night went on I became more confident.

We then split into two groups. Our group was led by another huge name in British wrestling, AJ Anderson. AJ has a straight to the point style of teaching and it works perfectly. They really do have the best set of trainers down at NGW. We started to practise giving and receiving  snapmares in a vocal exercise in which one person would stand in the centre of the ring with the rest of the group surrounding them. The person in the centre had to be on guard listening for anyone shouting their name, whenever they heard someone shout their name they would deliver a snapmare to them.
My wrist still tingles slightly from hitting it off the matt during one of the attempts (my own fault.) We then proceeded to do the same exercise but with a variation of the arm drag. This required a roll onto the left shoulder. This is something I plan on practising before the next session because my natural reflex is to roll onto the right. It was about this time that HT Drake showed up. After seeing Drake at countless shows it was a pretty awesome feeling to share a ring with him. Locking up with one of British wrestling's true hidden gems in my very first session was quite surreal.

We finished up the session with a similar exercise but it was for locking up. This was a lot of fun, there's so much more skill involved than I first thought. The atmosphere at the school is very calm and everyone is supportive. I'd recommend it to anyone in the local area, or anybody that can get to Birtley every week!

After shaking hands with everyone again I went home full of a new found layer of respect for the business. This wasn't a one time fun thing to do, I'll be back next week and I'll have another post up then!

(Shout out to Jed Masters. Jed should be one of the first names on every bookers list in the Newcastle area.) Find him on Twitter @JMastersW.

@lewiskelly316

BWF: Interview #8: Lucas Archer.

Hello, my name is Lewis and welcome to the eighth BWF interview with one of the most talented wrestlers of the modern generation, (and he's not afraid to tell you that) Lucas Archer!

Make sure to follow Lucas on all his Social media: Facebook: Lucas Archer Pro Wrestler Twitter: @lucasarcheruk Instagram:@lucasarcheruk Where can you see Lucas next? On WCPW every week! Without further ado, let's talk to this 'Prospect!'

BWF:
Hello Lucas and thanks for taking the time to talk to us today. We at BWF have been enjoying seeing you and Prospect on WCPW every week. All of you are clearly gifted. What is it that brought the group together? And are you looking to break off into a singles career any time soon?

Lucas Archer: 
Hello! You're damn right you're enjoying our work. The name "Prospect" was dealt to us out of ignorance & spite. We banded together through the leadership, and large bank account, of James R Kennedy. We met the day of the first WCPW show and very quickly, myself & Alex Gracie, gravitated to Kennedy. I think we knew straight away that he would thrust us into the limelight. I think Drake felt the same way, having gone out of his way to impress Kennedy. "Prospect" ,if that is our gifted name, won't be breaking off into singles careers any time soon.. Stay tuned! 

BWF:
With British promotions bringing over talent from all over the world, is there any jealousy in the locker room? And are there any non British teams that you would love the opportunity to face?

Lucas Archer: 
To be quite honest, We keep our distance from the WCPW locker rooms. I spend my time with James, Drake & Gracie plotting how, and when, we make our next move. Any and all teams are welcome, I'm sure that "Prospect" are quickly becoming a group that everyone in the wrestling world wants to face.

BWF:
We've seen the crowd chant some 'interesting' things at you in the past few weeks. Does that motivate you to win even more? Or are the chants sometimes too much? 

Lucas Archer:
They can chant what they chant. It doesn't slow us down, it doesn't take our focus off of what's in front of us. The crowd in Newcastle haven't ever seen a group of wrestlers so talented assembled before there very eyes. Does it surprise you that they have something to say about it? Really?!  

BWF:
Every path starts somewhere. How old were you when you decided that this was what you wanted from life? And is there anything in particular that spurred it on?

Lucas Archer:
I decided that I wanted to be a wrestler in January 2014. I trained & trained until I debuted in November 2014. Since then, I've set my sights firmly on becoming part of the greatest faction that British Wrestling has ever seen.

BWF:
We recently witnessed you get suspended from WCPW. Anything you'd like to say to Mr Eric Bischoff regarding this? And when the suspension is over will we be seeing and justice being delivered by yourselves?  

Lucas Archer:
Well, Eric.. If that is his real name. I would like to say that your time spent as General Manager was a total DISASTER. Where there is a will, there is a way. I have no idea when the suspension is over, but I'm in no hurry. Supsended .. With Pay .. Indefinitely. Doesn't sound all that bad when you think about it!

Fan question: (via:@rhysiscommon) What exactly is the benefit of siding yourself with sewer rat Adam Blampied and Big Damo?  


Lucas Archer:
One word - Money. I don't get paid to judge I get paid to work 

BWF:
Finally, we've seen the debut of a new 'Prospect' in Lucha Archer. Any jealousy there?

Lucas Archer:
No jealousy what so ever! That Lucha Archer is incredibly talented, and quite a handsome bastard too! He keeps winning, James keeps getting paid & we all get more money.. BONUS!! 

We really appreciate your time!  
We would love to have you on again in the future if you have the time!

Our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zatCj0GVSW0
Follow us on twitter at @BritishWFinest
Follow myself on twitter @LewisKelly316 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BritishWFinest/
 
 

BWF: Interview #7: Prince Ameen.

My name is Lewis and welcome to the seventh interview with the richest man in professional wrestling, Prince Ameen! Prince Ameen is currently showcasing his talent for WCPW and 3CW. He really does excel when it comes to getting crowd reactions! Pay attention to the little things that this athlete does in the ring!
Make sure to follow Prince Ameen on all his social media!
Twitter: @RealPrinceAmeen 
Facebook: /PrinceAmeen

Without futher ado, Let's talk to royalty!

BWF:
Hello Prince Ameen and thank you for your time. We have recently witnessed you systematically work your way up the WCPW ladder. Alongside your wrestling abilities you are also the self proclaimed "richest man in professional wrestling" What does this money pay for you in the world of professional wrestling? The finest training? Elite ways to travel?

Prince Ameen:
Self proclaimed? It's a proven fact! I am the richest man in professional wrestling. What does money pay for in professional wrestling? Money buys you anything you could ever want, including in professional wrestling. I have bought the best trainers that money can buy. When things get tough, and I'm a little tired, I have people who will complete the training for me. It's so I can rest. I need a lot of rest. It's a tough life being a Prince.

BWF:
We have seen several figures in the wrestling industry act as royalty. You however are actual royalty! Do you think your opponents react differently to you in the ring? With the power you have it would not surprise us if many members of the roster are jealous or fearful of yourself.

Prince Ameen:
The worst kind of people are the people who imitate being a royal. I mean, who would lie to the world like that? Scumbags! My opponents definitely act differently towards me. They all seem very confident until I get the upper hand. And I will get the upper hand, by any means necessary.

BWF:
Let's talk about the pedigree. Many people believe that you invented it. Is there any reality to that? It certainly is a move that radiates an aura of respect. We would suggest making a claim against others that use your glorious manoeuvre, but you have proven that you don't need the money! 

Prince Ameen:
The Pedigree? Yeah I nicked that off Triple H. It seemed to work well for him. Look at all the titles he's won. So I used it and it worked. He hasn't attempted to sue me yet. If he does? I have more than enough money to settle out of court.

BWF:
We recently interviewed your servant Gabriel Kidd. (We're not one to stir the pot but without your permission!) On the recent WhatCulture event: STACKED, did we witness a planned out move between you and Kidd or did he go out there and act on his own? If so can we get a sneak preview of how you plan on dealing with this? 

Prince Ameen:
Oh Gabriel Kidd! When will he learn? Look, I like him. I don't just hire any servant. My servant has to cater for my every need. I am very selective about who gets this job. I see a lot of talent in Kidd and I know he can learn a lot from me. Learn things that can take him to the next level. He should be honoured. Yet all he does is disrespect me continually. This thing with Liam Slater at Stacked was supposed to be my chance to shine and make Slater look like a fool! Instead, Kidd comes out and tries to play hero. The job of a hero is an incredibly difficult one and Kidd realised that. It showed when he got beat in the match. He was the one that got pinned. I've tried being the nice guy and it doesn't suit me. I'm going to have to get tough with him now. 

BWF:
Going back, you mentioned Triple H. How important was he in building up your style? We know of course that you are the first Prince Ameen rather than a second Triple H, however there are some similarities in the way you both handle yourselves in the ring (We are sure Triple H would take that as a compliment!)

Prince Ameen:
I've got Triple H on speed dial. We talk frequently. Yeah, I like his style. I find his style of methodically dissecting his opponent to be an incredibly successful one. I may have taken some moves from him but he's taken some moves off me. You know the sledgehammer shot he always does? The one to the head? I taught him that! I told him, you have to put one hand between the other guys head and the metal bit to really get the most effect. Absolutely kills your hand but it works. He seems to have mastered it now. I also have plenty of moves in the bag that I have learnt from the best trainers that money can buy. Just keep watching!

Fan Question (Via:@ScreamForHBK) After spending so much time living the life of royalty, do the vulgar chants you receive from the audience get to you? Or do you just take them in your stride?

Prince Ameen:
All my life I have had everything handed to me. I have lived a real life of luxury. I have lived a life of so much joy and so much greatness. I can understand why I'm hated. I am the polar opposite of all you peasants. All of you are poor, ugly, filthy and disgusting. I understand why you would hate me so much, with such passion, to a point where you would chant derogatory remarks at me. Well keep them coming. I have embraced them. That's because everytime I hear any kind of disrespectful chant, I am instantly reminded of how amazing I am and how pathetic all of you are.

We really appreciate your time!  
We would love to have you on again in the future if you have the time! 
Everyone go thank Prince Ameen for us and make sure to follow him on twitter: @RealPrinceAmeen


Our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zatCj0GVSW0
Follow us on twitter at @BritishWFinest
Follow myself on twitter @LewisKelly316 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BritishWFinest/