Impact's Frankie Kazarian Reminisces About Wrestling Legend Killer Kowalski
During a recent interview with Ad Free Shows, Impact Wrestling star Frankie Kazarian discussed what he learned from his trainer, the late Walter "Killer" Kowalski.
"I got so much, so much I learned from him," Kazarian said. "And not only just in wrestling but about life. I remember on one of the first days him saying, 'Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear.' Especially in this business. I'm like, 'Boy, 25 years later was he right.' I will always credit Killer Kowalski for everything."
He continued, "I find that a lot of times, those pioneers, we're starting to forget them more and more. Walter was trained by Lou Thesz, one of the founding fathers of the industry, of modern wrestling. So to have Lou Thesz, who has his fingerprints on Walter, who has his fingerprints on me, and Matt Bloom who's running 'NXT,' and Triple H, obviously. So that from a personal level is really cool."
Kazarian noted that fans only saw Kowalski as a big, aggressive heel but didn't necessarily see the fundamentals he instilled in other wrestlers. Kowalski wouldn't let students hit the ropes until they learned how to apply holds, counter holds, and just wrestle in general.
Kowalski Would've Loved Kevin Knight
Regarding who from Impact's current roster could've been a good student for Kowalski, Kazarian named Kevin Knight.
"I'm looking at guys who I'm fans of and I'm looking at a guy like Kevin Knight," Kazarian said. "On top of being an amazing athlete, and a very, very good wrestler, he's a very grounded, nice kid who gets it and wants to learn, wants to get better. I could see Walter looking at his raw talent and athletic ability and really being able to sink his teeth into someone like that. That was Walter's specialty, seeing someone that was naturally gifted and pushing them and really focusing on their strengths and getting rid of those weaknesses. I think that would be a guy that he would've loved to mentor and train."
Kazarian and Eddie Edwards are currently involved in a personal rivalry centered around being students of Kowalski. They're slated for a fourth singles match to take place at Kowalski's school, which is located in Massachusetts.
Meanwhile, Knight is a former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion alongside KUSHIDA. He recently had a highly-praised match on "Impact on AXS TV" against Moose.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Ad Free Shows with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.