Jack Jester has worked hard for the recognition he has achieved and so richly deserves. An ICW mainstay and lead figure in the BBC's 'Insane Fight Club', Jester has repeatedly put his body on the line for his fans and his business. It is not just the extreme lengths he will go to in his matches that have earned him respect though, it is his in-ring ability and his incredible presence. We were privileged to have the opportunity to meet the great man and talk to him during ICW's recent UK tour. To see him in person, make sure to get tickets to ICW's forthcoming shows or watch him On Demand.
How was the ICW tour for you?
The tour was fantastic. There is always a risk when you go on the road you are going to have some dodgy venues or bad crowds but so far it has been great. Tiring and absolute madness but loving it.
You wrestled Sabu on the tour, what did it mean to you?
Well I have wrestled Sabu a whole bunch now. The first time we wrestled, it was for ICW and it was an iconic match. The British Hardcore guy against the Hardcore Superstar. So we had a venue that held 300 and we sold it out, I think it was in a minute and this was months in advance, so we booked a venue that held 1100 and we sold that out. I was so ill that day and Sabu was late - I literally shook his hand and walked to the ring and had no idea what I was doing. But before I went out, the last thing I saw him doing, was snapping a wooden coat hanger and putting a big wooden spike into his boot. I knew it was there the whole match but I didn't know when it was going to come in. And then at one point I turned round and he stuck it right into my forehead. And yeah, it has to be watched.
What's next for ICW domination?
Anything - I really don't think there are any limits. I think if we ever consider that we have peaked, then we aren't doing ourselves any favours. Back in the day, we were wrestling in front of 13 folks. Then, we would get 50 folks and were like, "this is great". Then we would get 100 folk and that was amazing. So to think from back in those days to now, where we are selling out 1600 and we have the SECC coming up in November - it's an arena and we are the first people to do that as well - it's great. We constantly shake our heads and wonder when is it going to end - I just hope to God it doesn't. There is no sign of it because it is going so strong. Every time, we think what's next? We do it. So it's going amazing.
Who are your wrestling heroes?
Mick Foley is my biggest inspiration. He is the guy that got me hooked. I always liked watching the dangerous style but he was the only guy who hooked me in and make laugh, nervous, cry - he really got in to my brain. He was a guy who managed to do the hardcore style for all these years - but he was funny and witty. You look at Cactus Jack in Japan - he was a psychopath. Then you look at Mankind - he was deranged and then towards the end of his career he was practically a clown. He was a very very smart man. I've met him a few times and he was nice. Terry Funk was one of the most believable wrestlers - he is not a guy who is afraid to ask for help during matches. You see him go, "my eye, my eye, help" and he does not see that as a sign of weakness. He is human. And of course obviously watching Sabu - thinking this lunatic. ..its true, the whole suicidal, homicidal etc. It's not a gimmick - he is. I blew my lower back out last night and I was downstairs in pain and he was like "don't you even ... I'm double your age!"
You were injured a little while back, has that impacted you in any way?
Well, fortunately I am really really busy, unfortunately, with an injury there is not time to heal. You just have to grit your teeth and do it. I've never had a chance to take time off. When I broke my tail bone I had a couple of days off. Recently I chipped a bone in my right hip and it was ripping my arse open, I literally tore myself a new arse hole!
You were at Drew McDonalds wake - what impact did he have on your career?
He was my hero. He was the first guy in British wrestling to intimidate me. Not on purpose. He just had an aura about him, he was a hard, hard man and I always said when Drew was gone, there was no more. I'm devastated to say it has happened - I literally thought the guy was immortal. He should have died a thousand times. It was surreal. I found out he was ill and a couple of weeks later he was gone. I was at his wake - it was hilarious as far as funerals go. People knew Drew - what he was like - it was not this sad affair but telling stories about his life, what he got up to, having a good laugh. I just kept expecting him to walk in because it was just that environment where, if he was there, he would have been the life and soul of the party. The guy was just switched on all the time. He went out of his way to entertain you, to do stuff where you thought, "What's he playing at!" When you start talking about Drew McDonald, you are gone for hours and hours because he did so, so much. Fantastic, fantastic man. Hard, but made out of different stuff. I think I'm mad sometimes, but his back, his neck... knee replacements...but he never took time off he was still wrestling with big scars right up his legs. He should not have been wrestling the last 15 years of his career, but he was still going strong at the end!
Loyal, Intelligent and charismatic. Jester will continue to go far. You can follow him @GlasgowJester