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WWE star scouts Denver's pro wrestlers

Contributed by: Anthony Welch/YourHub.com on 2/10/2006

World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Al Snow has some simple advice for anyone interested in a career in pro wrestling.

“Don’t do it,” he said. “Don’t do it if you think you’re going to make a ton of money. Don’t do it if you think you’re going to become a superstar. Don’t do it if it’s not something you’re extremely passionate about.”

Snow’s mile-long list of injuries may be reason to avoid trying to make a career in the sport. He’s suffered everything from broken bones and displaced ribs and suffers from a neurological disorder on the right side of his body.

Snow was in Denver on Feb. 4 to offer advice and train with Fusion Pro Wrestling, a Colorado independent wrestling promotion. Snow also made an appearance at the promotion’s Brawl at the Hall event at the VFW Hall on South Platte River Drive in Englewood.

Snow has wrestled for 24 years in the WWE as well as World Championship Wrestling and other promotions. He was the main “drill sergeant” on MTV’s Tough Enough pro wrestling reality show as well. He works for Ohio Valley Wrestling, a feeder camp for the WWE. Snow’s duties include scouting the country for prospective up and coming new talent.

When Snow scouts for new talent, he looks for guys that are a certain size and build, but the biggest thing he looks for is someone with personality and character.

“The major thing is they have to have a charisma about them,” he said. “This is a personality-driven business.”

As far as Denver’s wrestlers, Snow was impressed but said most of them still needed a lot more experience.

“It’ll take a while for them to fill out and gain the necessary experience to get to the next level,” Snow said. “You have to grow up pretty fast in this business. If you don’t, it’ll eat you alive.”

Jeff Michaelis, of Denver, and Billy Roberts, of Englewood, train many of the Fusion wrestlers at the Altitude Pro Wrestling Academy in Aurora. Both were excited about having Snow work with their guys.

“There’s not many guys with his knowledge and experience who are willing to work with guys like us,” Michaelis said.

Roberts agreed that working with Snow was invaluable.

“I won’t profess to know it all,” Roberts said. “He taught us how to get people emotionally involved in matches.”

Snow says he tries to teach younger wrestlers what he was taught when he first jumped into the business at the age of 15. He said there are certain aspects of wrestling that should never change. It’s an entertainment business, and the goal has always been to keep the audience’s full attention.

“I tell guys the wheel is still round. You’re not going to re-invent the wheel,” he said.


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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Anthony Welch has posted 1122 stories and 4 comments since joining on 9/14/2005. Anthony Welch's average story rating is 4.61.
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