What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW) is blazing a trail through the UK independent sports entertainment scene. Having already staked a claim for publishing some of the most entertaining wrestling commentary online, they are now building a reputation for running high quality, talent stacked shows. The company's next outing will be to Nottingham on November 30th (tickets here) where Broken Matt Hardy will seek to DELETE WCPW! Thankfully, we got in before Hardy had erased it all and managed to speak with one of WCPW's MVP's, the astonishingly talented 'Iron Man' Joe Coffey. He is billed for the Nottingham show and others, a list of which follows the interview. Make sure to look out for Coffey on WCPW's loaded show as it likely won't be long before he's snapped up by a major company. Read on to learn more about the Iron Man.
Tell us about the Iron Man Joe Coffey
Well the Iron Man character came just by chance really. I was in an Iron Man match which I think was 30 minutes with as many pin falls or submissions as you could get. I pushed the guy into the corner and I'd been watching The Wolf of Wall Street, so I beat my chest and chanted "I am Iron Man". Organically the crowd started humming the Black Sabbath song of the same name. I thought "there's something in this" and then kind of developed the character a bit. But the Iron Man, it's not really necessarily to do with a mask or paint or anything like that, it's more to do with me and my ethos. It's how I work and how I train and how I am generally. Although wrestling means slowly tearing our bodies apart, I won't break because there's an iron root underneath.
How did you get your start in wrestling?
I started in SWA but it was about seven years ago and I didnt think there was anywhere in Scotland to do this. Myself and Jackie Polo started together and then my brother a couple of months later. It just snowballed from there and there's been no looking back since.
Big Damo was involved in your training. You must be pleased for him having signed with WWE!
Yes! Yeah, Big Damo was involved in training me. He was at one of the schools I started training with. There was a guy who ran the training school but I'd only done a couple of sessions with him and it was Damo who would deal with the grass roots of my training and he helped with Mark and Jackie as well. Then I learned from the likes of Fergal Devitt, Prince Devitt who is now Finn Balor. I learned a lot from him and Jonny Moss. In fact those two I credit with being the ones that changed my mind in what I wanted to do and really solidified that this is what I wanted to be. Mikey Whiplash as well and Robbie Brookside.
There's a renewed focus on cruiserweights and tag-wrestling, can you be easily categorised?
It depends on who I'm wrestling. I'd like to think I'm fairly adaptable. I'm a hybrid heavyweight, perhaps that's how best to describe me. I can do a bit of flying about, I'm fairly technically sound and I can hit quite hard as well!
Lots of UK talent were at WWE try-outs recently. Is it your goal to sign with them?
Yeah, I think anybody would be lying if they said they didn't want to work for WWE. More for the fact that I could learn so much more. For me it's all about becoming rounded and knowledgeable and being the best professional wrestler that I can be. WWE is obviously the place to do that. Look at the talent pool they have just now, it's frightening. Maybe one day. That would be ideal.
WCPW and What Culture and seem to be putting you front and centre, is that helping expose you to new audiences globally?
I'm a huge believer that travel broadens the mind and that is essentially the same with professional wrestling. You can't have the one skill set, you have to be adaptable and to work against people's different styles. I've worked in Japan, I've wrestled all over Europe and in the UK. I've done a tiny bit in the states but would like to wrestle there a bit more. Ideally I just want to work in as many places as I can to become the best all-round professional wrestler that I can be.
Having spent time with so many greats, is there anyone you'd like to work with that you haven't yet had the chance to?
In the world?! It's hard to say because in every promotion I look at there's people I'd like to work with but I did have the chance to step into the ring with an absolute legend in Kurt Angle. That was one to tick off the bucket list. If I could pick anyone past, present or future it would probably be Shawn Michaels, he was my favourite wrestler watching growing up and is the best all round professional wrestler I think.
Well AJ Styles has already said he'd be keen to wrestle Michaels...
Wrestling AJ wouldn't be a bad consolation prize to be honest!
At the rate he's going, we suspect it won't be long before you see Joe Coffey wrestling AJ Styles at a Smackdown Live event. You can follow the Iron Man on Twitter and as he told us, you can see him everywhere as he's busy every weekend and during the week. The next WCPW shows are as follows (follow the links for details):
Meet and Greets for the international talent including Matt Hardy, Bully Ray, Cody Rhodes, Alberto El Patron and Jonny Mundo are onsale through the WCPW site.