Interview: Dan Edge

I’m currently working with the Nottingham Playhouse and the Roundabout theatre company, doing a piece called White Peacock. Basically, it’s a theatre education piece for young adults with PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties.

 

Well, I'm the leading one. I was the only one for a long, long time, but there's a couple of guys who've gone, “I want to have a go now”. Very flattering, but they’re trying to steal my gimmick! I know they exist, but they're not on the scene full time at the mo, so I'm still the only one. Go me! Ha ha!
 

It's one of those dreams you always have as a kid, and I was lucky enough to get the chance. I was doing my A Levels at the time, and a friend said; “You're really into wrestling and you like to break down and figure out how the moves work -you do know there's a local training school, don't you?” So I went there, and the head trainer - a guy called 'Mr. Total Extreme' Jim Brown – said; “Kid, if you can bump” - land a fall safely – “I'll teach you to wrestle.” Ten years on, and I'm still getting beaten up.
 

Cerebral Palsy – the disability I have - is muscle-related. A lot of the muscles don't go through the full range of motion. I did a lot of horse-riding, simply because it stretched a lot of muscles that I normally wouldn't have.  My dad worked for a company that had its own swimming pool, and the fitness manager was kind enough to give me sessions for the best part of three years. Then someone asked if I fancied playing wheelchair basketball, so I played for about three or four years. Great for the fitness levels, because it's so cardiovascular. You just don't stop! Our team became junior national champion. Then I got the chance to wrestle…

What was your parents’ reaction?

My mum's initial reaction was; “Sigh. Fine. But if you get injured don't come crying to me.” My parents have always been supportive – it’s “we might not like it, but we'll support you.”

Who are your wrestling heroes?

It's a list a mile long. There's guys you idolised as a kid, and guys you look at when you’ve started working in the business. For sheer longevity and the ability to make other wrestlers look good in a match, Ric Flair. I take a lot from him - yes, I do wear a robe with feathers. From a sheer technical wrestling standpoint, people like the Guerreros and Shawn Michaels. And The Undertaker is phenomenal. He's been going forever.

…and that’s one of the hardest things when you're a wrestler – knowing when to stop. Unfortunately there are older-generation guys who are battered and bruised and peeing into bags - because they just don't want to stop.

I originally started my wrestling career under a different guise – I was known as Xavier, after the X-Men films – I’m a bit of a comic book geek. But I kept getting confused with someone with a similar name, which got rather annoying, so it was time for a change. I thought, what could go on a t-shirt? I had an idea with percentages for some reason - being 10% this, 20% that – and then thought; “I'm overcomplicating this. Why don't I just be 100%?” It works on multiple levels. If I'm disliking the fans, I tell them they call me ‘100%’ because I'm better than them, because, let's face it, can be true the majority of the time! And of course, from a dramatic perspective, everybody goes, “No, you're not!”

Yeah, I have been known for doing both. The average wrestling booker will see me and say, “Dan, you make a great face!” I‘ll often play the Rocky scenario - where I get beaten to a pulp and then come through in the end, because wrestling business is, frankly, entertainment. When I'm a heel, I'll tell the world I'm better than them. Because I know I am. And then I hide behind a guy whose bigger than me. I do a lot of managerial stuff as well - guys that aren't as confident on the mic or as developed character-wise.

The obvious comparison is with Zach Gowen, the wrestler with one leg who was brought in by the WWE. But he was typecast as a victim…

I know why they did it. It makes good, stereotypical TV. And with the best will in the world, wrestling will quite happily play stereotypes. I accept that, and know why Vince McMahon did it. Whether you like it or not, Vince is the king in this business. And I cross my fingers, hope and pray that one day I get a phone call from him, or any of the major US bookers. I could make it worth their while. Because I'm English. Because of the way my character’s constructed. And because I'm quite frankly awesome.

You must find the road trips extra-gruelling, though…
The bonds you have with fellow wrestlers are very strong, just because of the sheer amount of hours you spend in a car together, as well as training. You like to get to know the person you're being beaten the shit out of by.

Why do you put yourself through that, though, especially in this country?
Why does somebody zorb down a hill in a big feckin' rubber ball? Why does somebody play in a band? Why does somebody white water raft? As Jeff Hardy said; “Of course you're scared when you go out to wrestle. But if you weren't scared there wouldn't be the pay-off at the end of it.” You stand behind the curtain – actually, the doorway that leads to the outside of the arena, because the arena's that small there’s no actual entranceway in front of your crowd of about six people – and think; “Why am I doing this?” But if you can get the reaction from the crowd that you wanted, your adrenaline goes through the roof, and there is nothing that can top that feeling. That's why a lot of wrestlers - not so much now - would take drugs or lead party lifestyles. It was a way of keeping that rush going.

Any final words?
You know, it really humbles me when somebody says “You've Inspired me... Before I met you... What you do is really great...” But at the end of the day, I'm just a guy doing what I love. I grew up with parents telling me there’s no such word as ‘Can't’ - you just find a way round it. So, disabled or otherwise – If you want to do it? Find a way to do it.