Trevor Lee Talks GFW Rebranding, Working Apocalypto, GFW Taping So Far Ahead Of Time, Johnny Impact
I recently interviewed Impact / GFW X Division Champion Trevor Lee. Below is the full interview:
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Trevor, one of the things that caught my attention during your appearance on The Art of Wrestling podcast was about how you came from humble beginnings. Can you provide some insight into how difficult it is for thousands of aspiring wrestlers to make the cut?
"It's difficult to make it anywhere in wrestling, honestly. There's a lot of people that do it, and that's kind of the downfall for it. There's so many people that want to do it, and there's so many people that want to do it for less than what you may want to do it for.
"So that's always an option. There's always people that can take your spot, but you just keep working for it, and eventually hope – hopefully that something can work out with it."
Your persona of being 'The Technical Savage' has brought a new dimension to your work. What was the inspiration or idea behind you becoming the Carolina Caveman?
"It was something that was just kind of given to me. It was given to me at Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), which was the place that first kind of gave me my start, kind of gave me the platform to reach out to larger places. And they just kind of called me that because of my demeanor, and how I kind of moved around. So it just kind of stuck with me."
One of the most interesting or memorable things GFW has done in the past was the Apocalypto episode, where you participated along with Andrew. How was the whole experience for you, just being a part of something that has never been done before in professional wrestling?
"It was very cool. It was, like you said, that has never been done. So it was something we had a lot of different creative outlets (for). It was really cool – I don't know; it was different from just a wrestling match, so it brought interest. There was a lot of interest behind it. It was really cool; I don't know. It was just really cool. It was cool to be a part of; it was just something different."
Obviously in the past year alone, the company has gone through several changes, and was recently rebranded as Global Force Wrestling. How have the performers reacted to the rebranding, and can you give us your thoughts on Dutch Mantell and Bruce Prichard coming in?
"I don't think anything – I don't know; the performers and performance wise, I don't think it has changed anything. The way we looked at it – a few of us at least have been through a couple of changes in the company, but that never changed the way we went out there and tried to perform, or the way we tried to carry ourselves in the back.
"As for people coming in, Bruce Prichard and Dutch Mantell – they're great. Dutch is great; he's a wild man, but he's got a lot of cool ideas. He helps us out a lot, just with verbiage, just with talking and stuff like that. So, I mean, it's always cool to have new people in the back, just because everybody thinks a different way. So if you can just see the way they're thinking, and use it (to) the way you think, then maybe it will be something different, or maybe the way they think doesn't work for you. So you know, it's good to know every aspect of it. "
In the past couple of weeks, we've seen the likes of Johnny Impact coming in. How has that changed the mood of the locker room backstage? And what do you think about his arrival?
"Again, I think new people coming in doesn't change the mood in the locker room. We're just trying to keep us going, we're just trying to make sure things happen every week. We're just trying to see that people are happy. So more people coming in, that other people may enjoy, then good. It's great that we have Johnny Impact now. He's a star; he's easily a star."
GFW now tapes months' worth of content before hand. While that saves thousands of dollars in production, rent and travel, what are your thoughts on the results being leaked – for example, the recent taping of Victory Road?
"Um, I mean, I don't appreciate it. People do do that. But you don't want to go to the movies, and have your favorite movie leaked. You don't want your favorite TV show to be leaked. You don't want to wait till Sunday for Game of Thrones to be leaked for you. You want to enjoy it, and just like anything, that's what we're trying do – it's try to enjoy something.
"So if someone enjoys something, they don't want it to be leaked to them. So the fact that people continue to do that – I think it's disrespectful. But, I mean, there's nothing we can do to stop it. Unfortunately, we're in an era now where everybody has an outlet. Everybody can be somebody, when they're actually nobody. And they can ruin things we're trying to hide, or wait for a later date to show. So, I mean it happens."