PGJR's Second Appearance on UWL Between the Ropes
Feb 17, 2013 18:00:29 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2013 18:00:29 GMT -5
This was done before his title defense against Corella, obviously.
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Holloway: First off thank you for joining me Pat. How are you feeling coming off of your big win at Wrestlefest?
PGJR: I feel amazing. You know, this is something my dad and I worked so hard for. When I took that big, golden UWL World Heavyweight Championship belt back home, pulled it out of my duffel bag, and set it on the kitchen table, he lit up. His eyes just beamed. I could tell he was really proud, and so was I.
He’s had a lot of concussions throughout his career, so now he has his good days and bad days. I’m just happy he was having one of his good days and got to share in the moment with me.
Holloway: Speaking of your father, it is well documented that Pat Gordon, Sr. himself is a former professional wrestler. What kind of fighter was your father?
PGJR: He was a helluva fighter. He didn’t back down from anyone. He was a great mat wrestler, but he got more notoriety when he changed his style and got on board with the hardcore wrestling that was popular at the time. The guy once suplexed Billy Matthews off of the WWL Jumbotron and had a really heated rivalry with a guy named Big Dog Thomas. The guy was something like seven feet tall, almost, but that didn’t stop my old man from having some world class brawls with the guy.
My dad always left his sweat and tears, and more often than not his blood, in the ring.
Holloway: A suplex off of the Jumbotron? Sounds like a crazy son of a bitch. He’d have to be to try something like that. What would you say was your fathers crowning moment in his career?
PGJR: It’s hard to say. He wasn’t exactly the most highly decorated man in wrestling, if you know what I mean. But he always went out there each week and he gave his all - and he did it for the fans. But he held the CWWF US Tag Team Championships with Larry Tact briefly as the Five Star Tag Team and the RMWF Iron Man Title for a few minutes before BuhrmanCORP attacked him and allowed Big D to win it right back. I guess to him, his big accomplishment was just having fans and making them feel like they got their money’s worth.
Holloway: And he trained you, correct?
PGJR: Yeah. He opened up a wrestling school in the early millenium. He trained all my brothers and Max Hopper, and a few other people. I was one of the last to come through the school. He had his last match officially in 2006 and shut it down the year after I came through there. But he and my uncle worked with me a lot as a kid, too. Just not officially through the school until I was old enough for it.
Holloway: Okay, so now we are into the beginning of your career. Take us through it. Your father and uncle trained you in his school. How quickly did you catch on?
PGJR: Like I said, they worked with me outside of the school since I was a kid, too. All of us, me and my brothers. In the Pat Gordon Wrestling Academy, I took my fair of knocks, but I’d like to think I caught on pretty quickly. I grew up watching wrestling - not just my dad but others, too. But I always made sure to work hard, too. I wanted to show my dad that I could be a great wrestler.
After that, my first match was in London during a JUST Wrestling tour. I beat a guy named Sean Styles, then I had a short appearance in a battle royal for New Era Wrestling. But my dad insisted that I finish up college before I started wrestling full time.
Holloway: Your father is a smart man. So when the time was right, where did you find yourself?
PGJR: The UltraTitle tournament came up last summer on the ESEN Circuit. It’s something that hadn’t been around in years - not open to everyone like the old days, anyway. My dad had always wanted to compete in that but never got the chance. It was there and so was I. Right place, right time?
I had recently signed on with INFINITE Wrestling, based in Pennsylvania, and decided to represent them in the UltraTitle. There were 128 of the world’s best wrestlers in that tournament and I had a hellacious tournament draw. A renowned legend in round one and the possibility of facing a guy who had never lost in something like five years for round two. But Joe the Plumber - the guy with the unbeaten streak - lost to August Joyce. There were a bunch of big names in our bracket. I made it to the fourth round - the Sweet 16 - and I lost to Jack Harmen. He’s a... seven time World Heavyweight Champion, I think. Anyway, I was proud to be able to say I was one of the top 16 out of 128.
Holloway: Quite the magical run, considering how quote, unquote ‘green’ you were. Let’s fast forward to your signing with FGA. When did that come? And how well did you fit into the mold of FGA?
PGJR: I signed with FGA a few months after my run in the UltraTitle was over. During the tournament, I started talking with some recruiters from Pro-Wrestling FRONTIER who were impressed by my performances week after week. They were based in the UK. We had some really good talks and their offers sounded good.
It was by complete accident that I got in touch with FGA. But they were based closer to home, and with my dad the way he is now, that was a big draw for me. So I signed with them instead.
The situation immediately got ugly with PWF’s commissioner at the time, Scott Mayo, calling out the FGA and accusing them of unfair practices. PWF guys started showing up to our events and I immediately had to prove my worth. So I stood up for FGA and we went to battle with PWF.
The matches on the FRONTIERvsFGA event ended up as a push - each promotion won three apiece. I scored one of our wins in my match with Kevin Hardaway. But I think in the end even that was a moral victory for us.
PWF really are a great promotion, though.
But I made some great friends early on in FGA, too. Ryan Kidd is one of them. We’ve been tight since I hit the FGA scene. He’s been a big part of me adapting there.
Holloway: Speaking of Kidd, the two of you have represented Frontier Grappling Arts well in the UWL, taking a part of all three Events thus far. Kidd, of course held the UWL International Heavyweight Championship for some time, while you won some matches, and lost some matches. But your moment came at Wrestlefest II, capturing the UWL World Heavyweight Championship. Can you reflect on that match? Elijah Black seemed unbeatable going into the night, yet you defeated him.
PGJR: Looks can be deceiving, Holloway. Nobody is unbeatable. And you’re talking about a guy who defended his belt once in 112 days. And on the 113th day he lost. Maybe it was ring rust. Maybe it’s just the fact that I worked so hard to get there, so hard to win. I told him I was gonna hit him with everything I got over and over. That’s what I did. Every time it looked like I was down I just listened to the fans - I listened to them cheering for me. That really helped me to dig in deep - to give them the champ UWL deserves - that THE FANS deserve. And I just had the will to go on when Elijah didn’t.
Now the people have a champion they can be proud of. They have a FIGHTING CHAMPION.
Holloway: We have heard that term “Fighting Champion” from you on more than one occasion now. Is this a new catchphrase? Or a motto? What exactly do you mean?
PGJR: It’s not a catch phrase. I guess maybe you could look at it as a personal motto. But it’s a way of life, you know? I want to be the best champion that I can be. I want to represent the UWL, my home promotion of FGA, my family, and most importantly all of the fans who support me every time I step foot in that ring to the best of my ability. Whether I hold this UWL Championship for two weeks or two years, I don’t want it to be because I backed down from any challengers. I want to take this championship and make it mean something. I want to make it mean to the WORLD what it means to me.
And I want those fans to know that their money is gonna be well spent - that they can see UWL World Heavyweight Title bouts across all the United Wrestling League member promotions, whether it’s my home of FGA, or if it’s North Atlantic Wrestling, in Chicago’s Pro-Wrestling X, up in Canada’s Adrenaline Wrestling Federation, or even all the way on the west coast in Global Wrestling Revolution.
I want those fans to come to wrestling shows and know that they got their money’s worth when they saw Pat Gordon, Jr. wrestle, just like when they watched my dad wrestle.
Holloway: Well this new “Fighting Champion” moniker has led you into a match against Leon Corella for your UWL World Heavyweight Championship at NAW’s St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Just weeks after winning the title, you’re defending it against an unpredictable man like Corella. Do you think it could be TOO soon, to defend the championship?
PGJR: No. Absolutely not. I laid out the open challenge for a reason. I don’t want the title to just sit around collecting dust until March. I’ve got a lot of work to do if I want to make this belt mean something. And the way I see it, whether I beat Corella or have the shortest title reign in UWL history, I’m STILL better than the last champ just for the fact that I didn’t wait around before putting this belt on the line. Just for the fact that I didn’t back down from ANY challenger who came my way.
Holloway: But we all remember what happened the last time you faced Leon Corella. It was at Wrestlefest I. And he beat you in the opening match for the UWL Patriot Heavyweight Championship. Is it possible that Corella just has Pat Gordon’s number?
PGJR: How many times did he beat me?
Holloway: Once.
PGJR: I think after one win, it’s a little early to say he has my number. Any man can be beaten on any night. It’s just the way the chips fell that night. Chris Q has beaten me twice in the FGA. But I won’t back down if he ever challenges me for this or any championship or if I ever get the chance to fight HIM again. And I’m not gonna back down from Leon either. We’ll see if he has my number come this Sunday at NAW’s St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. But until then, I don’t believe there’s anyone I just can’t beat.
Holloway: Either way, this will be one outstanding match. Pat, I want to thank you for your time this evening. Good luck this Sunday at St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, and good luck continuing your reign as the “Fighting Champion.”
PGJR: Thanks, Larry. It’s been a pleasure. And I have to admit this interview was a lot more fun than the last time, if you know what I mean.
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Holloway: First off thank you for joining me Pat. How are you feeling coming off of your big win at Wrestlefest?
PGJR: I feel amazing. You know, this is something my dad and I worked so hard for. When I took that big, golden UWL World Heavyweight Championship belt back home, pulled it out of my duffel bag, and set it on the kitchen table, he lit up. His eyes just beamed. I could tell he was really proud, and so was I.
He’s had a lot of concussions throughout his career, so now he has his good days and bad days. I’m just happy he was having one of his good days and got to share in the moment with me.
Holloway: Speaking of your father, it is well documented that Pat Gordon, Sr. himself is a former professional wrestler. What kind of fighter was your father?
PGJR: He was a helluva fighter. He didn’t back down from anyone. He was a great mat wrestler, but he got more notoriety when he changed his style and got on board with the hardcore wrestling that was popular at the time. The guy once suplexed Billy Matthews off of the WWL Jumbotron and had a really heated rivalry with a guy named Big Dog Thomas. The guy was something like seven feet tall, almost, but that didn’t stop my old man from having some world class brawls with the guy.
My dad always left his sweat and tears, and more often than not his blood, in the ring.
Holloway: A suplex off of the Jumbotron? Sounds like a crazy son of a bitch. He’d have to be to try something like that. What would you say was your fathers crowning moment in his career?
PGJR: It’s hard to say. He wasn’t exactly the most highly decorated man in wrestling, if you know what I mean. But he always went out there each week and he gave his all - and he did it for the fans. But he held the CWWF US Tag Team Championships with Larry Tact briefly as the Five Star Tag Team and the RMWF Iron Man Title for a few minutes before BuhrmanCORP attacked him and allowed Big D to win it right back. I guess to him, his big accomplishment was just having fans and making them feel like they got their money’s worth.
Holloway: And he trained you, correct?
PGJR: Yeah. He opened up a wrestling school in the early millenium. He trained all my brothers and Max Hopper, and a few other people. I was one of the last to come through the school. He had his last match officially in 2006 and shut it down the year after I came through there. But he and my uncle worked with me a lot as a kid, too. Just not officially through the school until I was old enough for it.
Holloway: Okay, so now we are into the beginning of your career. Take us through it. Your father and uncle trained you in his school. How quickly did you catch on?
PGJR: Like I said, they worked with me outside of the school since I was a kid, too. All of us, me and my brothers. In the Pat Gordon Wrestling Academy, I took my fair of knocks, but I’d like to think I caught on pretty quickly. I grew up watching wrestling - not just my dad but others, too. But I always made sure to work hard, too. I wanted to show my dad that I could be a great wrestler.
After that, my first match was in London during a JUST Wrestling tour. I beat a guy named Sean Styles, then I had a short appearance in a battle royal for New Era Wrestling. But my dad insisted that I finish up college before I started wrestling full time.
Holloway: Your father is a smart man. So when the time was right, where did you find yourself?
PGJR: The UltraTitle tournament came up last summer on the ESEN Circuit. It’s something that hadn’t been around in years - not open to everyone like the old days, anyway. My dad had always wanted to compete in that but never got the chance. It was there and so was I. Right place, right time?
I had recently signed on with INFINITE Wrestling, based in Pennsylvania, and decided to represent them in the UltraTitle. There were 128 of the world’s best wrestlers in that tournament and I had a hellacious tournament draw. A renowned legend in round one and the possibility of facing a guy who had never lost in something like five years for round two. But Joe the Plumber - the guy with the unbeaten streak - lost to August Joyce. There were a bunch of big names in our bracket. I made it to the fourth round - the Sweet 16 - and I lost to Jack Harmen. He’s a... seven time World Heavyweight Champion, I think. Anyway, I was proud to be able to say I was one of the top 16 out of 128.
Holloway: Quite the magical run, considering how quote, unquote ‘green’ you were. Let’s fast forward to your signing with FGA. When did that come? And how well did you fit into the mold of FGA?
PGJR: I signed with FGA a few months after my run in the UltraTitle was over. During the tournament, I started talking with some recruiters from Pro-Wrestling FRONTIER who were impressed by my performances week after week. They were based in the UK. We had some really good talks and their offers sounded good.
It was by complete accident that I got in touch with FGA. But they were based closer to home, and with my dad the way he is now, that was a big draw for me. So I signed with them instead.
The situation immediately got ugly with PWF’s commissioner at the time, Scott Mayo, calling out the FGA and accusing them of unfair practices. PWF guys started showing up to our events and I immediately had to prove my worth. So I stood up for FGA and we went to battle with PWF.
The matches on the FRONTIERvsFGA event ended up as a push - each promotion won three apiece. I scored one of our wins in my match with Kevin Hardaway. But I think in the end even that was a moral victory for us.
PWF really are a great promotion, though.
But I made some great friends early on in FGA, too. Ryan Kidd is one of them. We’ve been tight since I hit the FGA scene. He’s been a big part of me adapting there.
Holloway: Speaking of Kidd, the two of you have represented Frontier Grappling Arts well in the UWL, taking a part of all three Events thus far. Kidd, of course held the UWL International Heavyweight Championship for some time, while you won some matches, and lost some matches. But your moment came at Wrestlefest II, capturing the UWL World Heavyweight Championship. Can you reflect on that match? Elijah Black seemed unbeatable going into the night, yet you defeated him.
PGJR: Looks can be deceiving, Holloway. Nobody is unbeatable. And you’re talking about a guy who defended his belt once in 112 days. And on the 113th day he lost. Maybe it was ring rust. Maybe it’s just the fact that I worked so hard to get there, so hard to win. I told him I was gonna hit him with everything I got over and over. That’s what I did. Every time it looked like I was down I just listened to the fans - I listened to them cheering for me. That really helped me to dig in deep - to give them the champ UWL deserves - that THE FANS deserve. And I just had the will to go on when Elijah didn’t.
Now the people have a champion they can be proud of. They have a FIGHTING CHAMPION.
Holloway: We have heard that term “Fighting Champion” from you on more than one occasion now. Is this a new catchphrase? Or a motto? What exactly do you mean?
PGJR: It’s not a catch phrase. I guess maybe you could look at it as a personal motto. But it’s a way of life, you know? I want to be the best champion that I can be. I want to represent the UWL, my home promotion of FGA, my family, and most importantly all of the fans who support me every time I step foot in that ring to the best of my ability. Whether I hold this UWL Championship for two weeks or two years, I don’t want it to be because I backed down from any challengers. I want to take this championship and make it mean something. I want to make it mean to the WORLD what it means to me.
And I want those fans to know that their money is gonna be well spent - that they can see UWL World Heavyweight Title bouts across all the United Wrestling League member promotions, whether it’s my home of FGA, or if it’s North Atlantic Wrestling, in Chicago’s Pro-Wrestling X, up in Canada’s Adrenaline Wrestling Federation, or even all the way on the west coast in Global Wrestling Revolution.
I want those fans to come to wrestling shows and know that they got their money’s worth when they saw Pat Gordon, Jr. wrestle, just like when they watched my dad wrestle.
Holloway: Well this new “Fighting Champion” moniker has led you into a match against Leon Corella for your UWL World Heavyweight Championship at NAW’s St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Just weeks after winning the title, you’re defending it against an unpredictable man like Corella. Do you think it could be TOO soon, to defend the championship?
PGJR: No. Absolutely not. I laid out the open challenge for a reason. I don’t want the title to just sit around collecting dust until March. I’ve got a lot of work to do if I want to make this belt mean something. And the way I see it, whether I beat Corella or have the shortest title reign in UWL history, I’m STILL better than the last champ just for the fact that I didn’t wait around before putting this belt on the line. Just for the fact that I didn’t back down from ANY challenger who came my way.
Holloway: But we all remember what happened the last time you faced Leon Corella. It was at Wrestlefest I. And he beat you in the opening match for the UWL Patriot Heavyweight Championship. Is it possible that Corella just has Pat Gordon’s number?
PGJR: How many times did he beat me?
Holloway: Once.
PGJR: I think after one win, it’s a little early to say he has my number. Any man can be beaten on any night. It’s just the way the chips fell that night. Chris Q has beaten me twice in the FGA. But I won’t back down if he ever challenges me for this or any championship or if I ever get the chance to fight HIM again. And I’m not gonna back down from Leon either. We’ll see if he has my number come this Sunday at NAW’s St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. But until then, I don’t believe there’s anyone I just can’t beat.
Holloway: Either way, this will be one outstanding match. Pat, I want to thank you for your time this evening. Good luck this Sunday at St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, and good luck continuing your reign as the “Fighting Champion.”
PGJR: Thanks, Larry. It’s been a pleasure. And I have to admit this interview was a lot more fun than the last time, if you know what I mean.