Ring name: "The Emperor" Drake Wynter
Date of birth: 22/02/1991
Height: 5'10
Birth place: Birmingham, UK
Debut: 2015
Trained by: Kevin O'Neil, Chris Hero, Johnny Saint
Finishers/Signature Moves: Sit Out Pop Up Powerbomb, Irish Curse/Knee Brainbuster combo, Pendulum Backbreaker
Homepage: N/A

www.facebook.com/DrakeWynter
www.twitter.com/backbreak_kid
www.instagram.com/the_backbreak_kid

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- Thank you for your approval for this interview for the "Pro Wrestling Interview Series Tour 2022".


- Do you remember your first encounter with wrestling?

I remember my first encounter with Wrestling. I was at a friend's house in primary school and remember Raw being on in the background around mid 1998 and saw a bloody brawl between Stone Cold and Kane. That was my first exposure to pro Wrestling.

 

- Please give us a brief summary of how you got into Pro Wrestling?
I remember always wanting to wrestle since I first discovered it. Most places won't train you until you turn 14 which for me was in 2005. I remember looking for schools but they weren't that well advertised in the mid 2000s. I'd almost given up on actually doing it (although I constantly told people I would that whole time) and in 2013 I finally found a decent

school. It was the AWW Wrestling Academy in Dudley and I just took to it. Over time my confidence grew and the rest is history

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- Do you have any previous experience with martial arts from before you became a wrestler or other sports you did?
I have no previous sports experience outside of P.E lessons in school. I was never what you might call a "natural athlete" but for some reason me and pro Wrestling just clicked. Some might say that's a sign you were born to do something, I'm not sure about that, I prefer to say its my passion for the business shining through my actions.

- Can you still recall your first training sessions?

My first training sessions were stressful. As someone who has always had low self esteem I constantly doubted myself and wondered if I was doing the right thing pursuing this. Nothing went wrong, I constantly got positive feedback so those doubts were based on nothing but my own doubts. I do remember on my first session I was practicing bumps on a crash mat outside the ring and I was jumping to do them and got a bit carried away and slammed the back of my head into the wall. I think there's actually still a dent in the wall

to this date where my head hit it actually haha

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- How do you remember your first match, what was the feedback and what experience did you take from it?
So my first match was a Battle Royal. I was in the final 4 and got 2 eliminations so that helped me stand out a bit when no one knew my name. I remember being told I carried myself well and many vets who were involved in the match couldn't tell it was my first time out there


- Do you have a ‚dream opponent‘ you want to fight above all others?
I have a few dream opponents. Mostly people I grew up watching as a kid; Matt Hardy, Rhyno, RVD. If I could have just one match against any of those guys I could retire happy

- Do you have personal highlights, favourite matches or feuds so far in wrestling?

One match that stands out was against Troy Jones at NewRobin Wrestling House of Heroes III. There was a vet of 30+ years in the venue and I was told by his trainees that he was notoriously hard to impress so not to take it to heart if he picks our match apart but when we got to the back after the match, he told us that he caught a glimpse of the match and was glued to it and said that it was old school style Wrestling done right and we were a credit to the business. Myself and Troy also had

a 30+ minute match at our home promotion AWW in mid 2019 which is a personal favourite of mine. And I'd be remiss to not mention the time I took on Bram (NWA's Thom Latimer) with just 2 hours notice the match would even be happening. Three other matches that stand out to me as some of my favourites would be when I took on Leroy James at AWW Breaking Point 2020, a huge 40 minute 6 man Tag for Classic UK Pro Wrestling in 2021 and my first "breakout" match in mid 2016 as myself and Mickey Rowley became the first graduates of the AWW Academy to compete in an AWW main event for the companys top championship. Several wrestling vets were discussing yhe match not realising we were in earshot and said myself and Mickey showed something special you just don't see every day... we were blown away.Feuds that stand out to me include against Mickey Rowley, Niall Fairchild, Morris, the aforementioned Troy Jones.

- What are you doing when you not stand inside the ring?

When not in the ring I stream games on Twitch at www.twitch.tv/JamesistheThunder and

enjoy spending time with my children.

- When a booker or company from your Country or around the world will book you , where can they contact you?
If a promoter wants to book me they can do so by messaging me on any of my social media accounts. I drive and have a valid passport for anyone who is interested in bringing The Emperor in.

- Thank you very much for your time ,i wish you all the success and especially health!