Royce Isaacs Interview

FroWrestling Podcast

In this very special episode, we dive into the career and journey of Royce Isaacs in an in-depth interview with the man himself.   His beginnings in the business, Paragon Pro Wrestling, DDT Pro in Japan, Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, the NWA, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Ring of Honor, and AEW. What are his plans for the future and will we ever see him in WWE?  Follow Him on: Instagram: @royceisaacs On X: @royceisaacs  Find us on all social media, including: Spotify: Fro Wrestling Podcast Pandora: Fro Wrestling Podcast Facebook - Fro Wrestling Podcast Reddit: u/frowrestling On X - @frowrestling Instagram - @frowrestlingpodcast Discord - Fro Wrestling Podcast Flipboard: Fro Wrestling Podcast Bit Chute: FroWrestling Pinterest: Fro Wrestling Podcast  As well as these and many other platforms: Daily Motion, Rumble, Podomatic, Odysee, Bluesky, and many more!  Please support our sponsors: 3WA Wrestling www.worldwidewrestlingalliance.com  Beezle Games - Sketchy People Doodle Games - Banani Market Freddie Foo Creations - Legendary Elements ALL AVAILABLE AT www.thegamecrafter.com   Fro Life Educational Planning www.frolifeplanning.com  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fro-wrestling-podcast--2103073/support.

Transcript

00:20I got 141 and two-thirds chance of winning and sacrifice.

00:33And you are just a buck-tooth nepho baby who ate dog food for a weird old man.

00:40Yeah.

00:41Just when they think they got the answers, I change the questions.

00:47Did he do it? Cover!

00:49Oh, and a kick-out!

00:51Unbelievable!

00:52I will never retire!

00:55Turned too hot to handle and too cold to hold.

00:59And I am a much-looking man savage.

01:03Shut your mouth, you're thong-wearing fatty.

01:05It's me, Austin!

01:07Whoa!

01:08Bang!

01:09Whoa, Austin!

01:10Podcast!

01:12Jacob5-2 in all games!

01:15No breaks with it!

01:17Y'all are made!

01:19Spawn!

01:22Woo!

01:24Jacob!

01:25I said WWE stands for!

01:29Oh, we're not here!

01:31Promotional consideration paid for by the following.

01:36Hello, listeners.

01:37Today, I have a very special guest joining the Fro Wrestling Podcast.

01:41He's a former strong, open-weight tag team champion in New Japan Pro Wrestling, a former NWA world tag team

01:47champion.

01:47He's competed on some of the biggest stages in the world, including performing for Ring of Honor and All Elite

01:53Wrestling.

01:54Tonight, he has graciously agreed to spend some time talking with us about his journey in the world of professional

01:58wrestling and taking us on a tour of his career.

02:00Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Royce Isaacs.

02:03Welcome to the show, Mr. Isaacs.

02:05Hey, man.

02:05Thanks for having me on.

02:07It's a pleasure to be here, and I hope we get to get into some fun stuff today.

02:12Absolutely.

02:13So, I've got to ask you, like, I think sometimes when people think about professional wrestling, they really, they don't

02:18understand what it goes into the preparation and getting ready for all this and just how long it takes and

02:24how much training goes into this.

02:26I don't know a ton about where you got your training.

02:30Where did you get your formal wrestling training at?

02:33So, I started out in Denver, Colorado at the butcher shop.

02:39Lonnie Valdez was my trainer.

02:41He's like a solid Colorado guy, but he was trained by Dory Fung.

02:46And he was like, I don't know, just a really good, like, fundamental trainer, even though he never really traveled

02:52outside of Colorado.

02:54And I was coming from, I had wrestled and played football Division III, both in college.

03:01So, I had a decent athletic background before I ever started, which definitely, like, helped.

03:07I was already been lifting for, you know, 10 years at that point and, you know, really trying to be

03:14an athlete.

03:14So, it wasn't the hardest transition.

03:17Like, it was almost harder to, like, transition to real life where, like, I'm overly competitive at everything that I

03:23do.

03:23And then, finally, I got wrestled and, okay, here I have an outlet.

03:28How long ago was it that you got your training?

03:30I don't know how long you've been doing it.

03:32Some guys talk about, you know, 10, 15, 20 years.

03:36How long ago did you get into the business?

03:38It's been 12 years and some change.

03:41So, I think, I first started training in the April of 2014.

03:47Made my debut in, like, the end of June 2014.

03:52I've been in the game for a little over 12 years now.

03:56It doesn't seem like 2014 was that long ago.

03:59Wow.

04:00Really?

04:00I know.

04:01I know.

04:01It flies.

04:03It really does.

04:04As you went through your journey, you said you started out in Colorado doing some stuff there.

04:08Where was your first, like, big opportunity?

04:11What was the first company you really got started with a bigger stage?

04:15So, some people, I don't even know if anyone will remember this promotion at this point.

04:20But, in 20, I want to say at the beginning of 2016, I got an opportunity with a program called

04:30Paragon Pro Wrestling that was on, like, U2 America or something.

04:34It was on TV, just like a weird, this was at a time where there was no AUWs.

04:39There was no clear number two.

04:41So, TNA was kind of in that spot.

04:43But a lot of people were, like, I think a lot more people were trying to be the number two

04:48program.

04:48Like, I think Lucha Underground started not that long after that or right around that time as well.

04:54So, like, it was kind of, in some ways, there was a less healthy marketing because there wasn't a clear

04:59number two with AEW.

05:01But there was kind of, like, this healthy, like, a lot of people were willing to put a lot of

05:05money down and try to be that number two program.

05:09And so, they did, like, these TV-style, TV-taping-style shows in Dama's Town Casino in Vegas.

05:17And we'd be there all day.

05:19We're shooting free tapes.

05:21Like, it really, like, they had licensed music.

05:23Like, I think I came out to What You Want by the Beastie Boys or something like that.

05:27And they paid for the licensing because it was on TV and whatever.

05:30Like, I did a few with Game Growl and stuff.

05:32They paid really, really well.

05:34It was, like, one of those things where, like, they paid really well.

05:37The economy was, like, inflation was down back then.

05:40And, like, he would work, like, three times in a night or something like that.

05:46So, he'd actually, like, he'd actually be getting, like, a check at the end of the night that was, like,

05:50oh, I could, like, pay some bills with this.

05:52Because it's kind of sick.

05:53So, I definitely thought I had it made in the shade as soon as I got in over there.

05:57I was working with, like, he had really good talent.

05:59Like, I think my first match was with Jesse Sorensen, who, you know, was, like, just came back from his

06:05neck injury on his DNA run and stuff like that.

06:07So, Paragon Pro Wrestling was a really, really good time.

06:10He was a really good friend.

06:12And I think really, like, that's when I first started trying to, like, oh, maybe I can work a TV

06:17style and take myself to a next level and whatever else.

06:20And Paragon, I think I actually did catch an episode or two of that.

06:23If I remember right, I think Wes Briscoe went through there at one point.

06:26And that's what caught my attention.

06:28And as a matter of fact, you said about Gangrel.

06:30I think I remember him being a part of a match with Wes Briscoe.

06:33That's crazy.

06:34Yeah, totally.

06:35And I understand you did a tour at Japan.

06:38I think it was DDP Pro or something like that.

06:42Yeah, DDP I did right.

06:44I met Tiki Taro at one of the Paragon tape babies later in the year.

06:50And I had been kind of messaging a bunch of Japanese promotions just randomly, just trying to get on, trying

06:56to whatever I could get on.

06:58And DDP Pro reached out to me maybe, gosh, sometime late summer of 2015 about a fall tour.

07:12And I ended up doing, like, three tours of DDP.

07:15But that was, like, that was also a huge break for me.

07:19That was, that, I think Paragon rounded out, like, my American style working, my TV style working, working a camera,

07:27you know, storytelling, all that kind of stuff.

07:29And just getting a base and that structure down.

07:32And then I think going to Japan, my work really improved tremendously because you're just wrestling guys that are really

07:40high level, really well trained.

07:43And you kind of, it's kind of like a sink or swing type of deal.

07:46Like, you're, you're either going to figure out when you keep up and you're on these guys' level.

07:51Or I guess you got to figure out what the next, like, gimmick, if you got to start doing comedy

07:57or something or what the deal is.

07:58But luckily for me, like, I, I, I always had an affinity for the Japanese style when I was watching

08:04as a fan.

08:05But as a wrestler, like, I think proof is in the pudding.

08:11If you watch kind of my progression, my work throughout my career, the more that I've kind of leaned into

08:16that Japanese style, the more that I've also leaned into my amateur background and my, my grappling background, I think

08:24the better it is for me.

08:26So, like, that was, the first DDP tour was a really, really big step.

08:30That it really, like, I was improving by leaps and bounds just by being in there with really good guys

08:35and, and, like, doing a style that I was really interested in.

08:39It was, like, really rewarding for me.

08:42Is there anything, because a lot of people I know that I think the biggest exposure in the area I'm

08:46at would be New Japan on AXS television and things like that.

08:49Is there anything the fans should really understand, like, the difference between wrestling in a Japanese promotion versus an American

08:56promotion, whether it's the fans,

08:58the, the way you have to approach preparing for the match or anything like that?

09:02Uh, yeah, I guess the basic kind of difference is, like, the fans are, they're super, fans in Japan and

09:11fans in Mexico are just, like, another level of, like, it's just such a cultural thing, wrestling is, it's already

09:18just such a part of the culture that you do,

09:20the only time you'll really feel like you're, like, you're, like, the Beatles is when you're in Japan or Mexico,

09:26I think, like, they just are so, so into it.

09:30The Japanese are a little bit more reserved.

09:33They'll, they'll revere you, they'll stop you in the street, they'll ask for your autograph, they'll treat you like a

09:38big celebrity, but they're,

09:39they're also, like, really reserved and quiet about it and they're embarrassed about it, and, uh, it's, it's quite sweet,

09:46actually.

09:47Uh, but also, like, when you're wrestling, they're not going to immediately just be super loud, but they're, they're watching,

09:53they're invested,

09:54and you kind of just earn these, you know, little clap breaks and a little bit of noise and whatever,

09:59and eventually it kind of builds into a crescendo as you go or whatever, you know, super, super crazy for

10:04it by the end of the match or whatever.

10:07So it's definitely a little bit of a, a different experience.

10:10I mean, look, the style is just a little bit more hard-hitting, a little bit more, uh, extensive in

10:16the ring in terms of, like,

10:17I don't know, I guess people would consider that, call, call it, like, higher, uh, work rates or whatever, you

10:22know,

10:22probably doing a longer style match, more physically tacky match, but, like, I, I live for it, man.

10:28Um, he just, uh, he just retired recently for some health issues, but I had a really fun match on

10:35that first floor with, uh, uh, Higuchi.

10:39Um, when he was, we were both, like, really green and young in our careers, but I, I think we

10:45both kind of had shown a little bit of that potential,

10:48and I think it was on my second or third day there, I got to wrestle with him, and we

10:52just really knocked down,

10:54dragged out, beat the heck out of each other for a solid 15 minutes.

10:58That was one of those, like, step-up matches where afterwards I was like, okay, cool, like, I, I got

11:03this, uh, I, I, I really enjoyed that.

11:05That was, that's one of my guys that's, like, uh, I really, it's a shame that he had to retire,

11:10because I think, I think the world of him as a wrestler, I think, personally, uh, kind of saw it

11:14at Higuchi.

11:15Is it, I, I hear wrestlers sometimes talk about, like, playing to the crowd, and, and trying, I guess, like,

11:22in stadiums,

11:23sometimes I say it's harder to hear the crowd, because of the vacuum it creates, and stuff like that.

11:26Is it harder to work in Japan without being able to hear the same kind of crowd response that you

11:32would get in an American arena?

11:34No, I don't think, I never, uh, I love, I love how the Japanese crowd interact.

11:39You have to earn it, but also, they're very, they're into it, and they're ready, and they're there to,

11:44to, to be loud.

11:46You just have to kind of work them well enough, and make them, you know, give them the excuse to.

11:50Uh, but I've always really, really loved it.

11:53But the, the last, the last tour that I did, uh, with New Japan, me, Jarrell, and Tom did a,

12:00like, a red, white, and blue dress-up, because we were on the 4th of July,

12:04and, uh, we got USA champs in Crocklin Hall.

12:09Like, that's pretty sick.

12:10You know what I mean?

12:11That's a pretty all-time experience of getting a USA champ in Japan.

12:17That is awesome.

12:19I got a silly question for you.

12:20When you're in DDT, there's a famous championship there, the DDT Pro Ironman Heavy Metalweight Championship.

12:27And I've read about this, and, and I, I, it's, it's interesting, because we've got, like,

12:32inanimate objects that have held this championship, but you are on the list of people who've held

12:37that title.

12:38How do you feel about that championship, in terms of its place in wrestling,

12:42and if that kind of gives you something that you don't really find anywhere else?

12:47Yeah, you know, I was, I was, I liked DDT in this zany kind of style of humor before

12:54I ever got there, I was a fan.

12:57So, to me, it was a huge honor.

12:59That was a really cool feather in my cap.

13:01Like, it's still, to this day, one of my favorite little, like, fun resume builders.

13:06Like, oh, wow, that's a cool thing that you said that, you know, you can say that you did

13:10that in your career, for sure, because everything from, like, inanimate objects, like, I want

13:17it from a pair of chopsticks, but, like, and also, like, Scott Hall held the belt for a day

13:25or two at some point.

13:28Yeah, like, just, like, some legends in the game, some inanimate objects, and, like, school

13:33children, and just, like, a bunch of wrestlers and workers and stuff like that.

13:38So, I think it's, like, got the coolest championship lineage of probably, like, any belt in history.

13:47And then from DDT, it's my understanding you found your way into championship wrestling

13:52from Hollywood, which, in my area, we didn't get a lot of coverage of that for a long time.

13:56And then when we did, it was right around, I think it was Red Carpet Rumble with the gentleman

14:01who would go on to become L.A. Knight now, back when he was, and I apologize, Sean Stricker,

14:08Sean Stricker?

14:08I always forget his name.

14:09Ricker?

14:10Sean Ricker, yes.

14:11It was when he was with Percy Pringle.

14:13That's the first time I got any exposure to championship wrestling from Hollywood.

14:17But I understand you had a tour through there.

14:19Yeah, so, after my third DDT tour, I kind of realized maybe something would happen to me,

14:28but I had kind of done anything that I possibly could do while living in Colorado.

14:35You know, I'd gotten on the TV show with Paragon, I'd gone to Japan, but, like, then in between

14:41that, I'm just coming back to Colorado and doing the same old, same old shows.

14:46And I was, like, I feel like it's kind of glass ceiling for me.

14:50I moved out to Los Angeles, and right after that, I started working at championship wrestling

14:55from Hollywood in, like, the end of 2017, basically.

14:59I want to say maybe, like, October 2017 or something.

15:03Something along those lines.

15:05Maybe November.

15:07But I started working for championship, and that was, you know, similar to my early career

15:14where I got to work a lot.

15:15I definitely was trying to have the best matches I could and keep my, some of my Japanese style,

15:22but when I'm there, I'm definitely working a more traditional American television, lower

15:29pace.

15:30Keep in mind that you're going to have a commercial break, six minutes in, or whatever,

15:35if that's a situation.

15:36And, like, I definitely got to do a lot of cool stuff working for championship, and it

15:43is, like, its own complete different kind of live challenge when you're on, you know,

15:50you're doing, even though we have the benefit of editors and whatever, and, you know, it's

15:55not live-wise, you are working like it's live, and you're trying to hit everything exactly.

16:01You're trying to hit your times or whatever, say, and keep every shot good for television

16:05or whatever.

16:06So it's definitely an interesting and different challenge.

16:10I think a lot of televised wrestling doesn't care nearly as much about that anymore these

16:16days.

16:17But especially back then, I think even on kind of a lot of the mainstream programs, that

16:22was a lot of the focus was really working the cameras and hitting your times.

16:31A little less like, like, now it's like, well, you watch any program once you get, you know,

16:36PWG style matches almost always.

16:40Absolutely.

16:40It has seemed to get more intense, especially with AEW.

16:45I think they're a little more physical.

16:46And I think people appreciate that, being able to see real wrestling and not as much always

16:50having to be interviews and stories, and stories have their place, obviously.

16:54But I think it's great to see real wrestling nowadays.

16:58When you were in Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, I know there's a lot of guys that

17:02have come out of there that have gone into something really big stuff.

17:05Is there anybody that you got to work with there, that you crossed paths with there,

17:11that are, like, super talented, maybe people haven't necessarily heard as much about, or

17:15who went through there, who became stars, that people might not realize went through Championship

17:19Wrestling from Hollywood?

17:21I think, like, a really good example of an underrated guy.

17:25I had a long feud with Andy Brown there, and I really enjoyed that.

17:32Like, I think he built so eventually that he did a little ladder match.

17:36And, like, more, like, of an old-school TV style, like, more of a Shawn Michaels, Razor, Ramones

17:43style ladder match than, like, you know, something you see nowadays, like a Money in the Bank

17:49style, crazy, you know, stunt show type of thing.

17:53Which, nothing against that.

17:54I love those matches, too.

17:56It's just a different TV-style ladder match.

18:00That was really fun to kind of build to.

18:02I think another thing that's really cool about some of these TV program type of wrestling

18:07shows that are on the indies is it gives people a chance to, like, actually get creative.

18:13Because otherwise, you're just kind of just having matches.

18:15If you're lucky, maybe you'll get, like, a series of matches with someone.

18:18You can kind of bring together a series of events into a story.

18:22But, like, when you're doing TV, that's the whole point, you know what I mean?

18:26So you get experience putting promos on people and having these conflicts that come to a

18:31resolution and whatever.

18:33Like, it's important as a wrestler to get reps doing that kind of stuff.

18:36So the other guy that I would point to that I think he had some success from there, got

18:45signed into ROH for a few years.

18:47But I think it's still terribly underrated to beat Tyler Bacon.

18:50I think we ended up doing, like, a best-of-seven series or something like that.

18:56And we had, like, a really bloody, full-rope match at the end of that as well.

19:02And I just respect the hell out of Tyler Bacon's skills.

19:06I think he's really, really, really impressive.

19:09Really bare-bones and kind of simple, but in a good way, where it's just, like, very violent.

19:16All the strikes are really on point.

19:18And Moonset is really interesting.

19:20And he just has a cool look.

19:21He looks like Bill the Butcher from a gang of New York or whatever.

19:25And I – him and Andy were probably my longest few.

19:29So I guess that probably paints a little bit of my recollection of enjoying it so much

19:33because I got to view so much and get creative.

19:35But those would be the two people that I would probably point to my time there that I really

19:39enjoyed working with.

19:40And then after that, we – I was thrilled.

19:43I saw when they were relaunching the NWA.

19:45And Billy Corgan had this vision for making the brand.

19:49It really feels like the old-school, like, TBS Saturday night shows.

19:55And he was really authentic about it, the way the ring looks, the way the studio looks.

19:59When you got over to the NWA, how did you feel about the relaunch?

20:03Did you think this was something that could be successful?

20:05Yeah, I mean, I think certainly out of the gate, there was a ton of momentum.

20:09People were really – I think that period of the NWA is clearly, I would say,

20:17the second most successful period of the NWA in its history probably.

20:26It's just unfortunately it lasted a little bit.

20:29It was a pretty quick – you know, COVID and all this other stuff really messed with it.

20:35And I think there was a lot of – it was tough just to see start to stumble out of

20:39the gate

20:39for a few things.

20:40But gosh, there was so much momentum, I think, before the pandemic.

20:43I think that's really – like, people were ready for a different alternative.

20:47Like, it was actually really, like, a fresh style of show.

20:51No one else was doing a show like that.

20:53Wrestling had done a show like that in a long time.

20:57So I really think it was cool.

20:59There was a lot of people that were into it, into the movement.

21:01And it was very cool being on the ground floor, like, one of the main guys that they were bringing

21:06in

21:06and building around.

21:08You even look at those early tapings and some of the people that were on those tapings.

21:13It was like, yeah, these are, like, all guys that are guys in wrestling now.

21:17You know what I mean?

21:19These are all guys that are spread out all over AEW and WWE or being top indie guys or whatever

21:26else.

21:26Or they've gone to Japan or this guy, whatever.

21:29Like, there's quite the diverse cast of people.

21:33And then obviously there's some people still there doing their thing.

21:37It's – it's – it was a pleasure sharing that locker room because everyone was really hungry.

21:44And there was a whole lot of talented people there that were all trying to do their thing.

21:49And when you were there, you were fortunate enough to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship

21:52from Villain Enterprises.

21:54Did you feel like a weight or a certain – any kind of feeling about holding something that –

21:59a championship that has such a storied history?

22:01Did that affect you in any way?

22:05I mean, it was definitely, like, the biggest accomplishment of my career at that point.

22:11Big stether in my cap.

22:13But I was – I was hungry, man.

22:15I was, like, ready for – like, I wanted more and more and more.

22:18It was a – it was a heavyweight, obviously, a big target on your back to be able to a

22:24big championship like that.

22:25But, like, I was all about it, man.

22:26I was ready to go.

22:29Dung Ho, full steam ahead.

22:31And your partner at the time, Tom Latimer, he wins, eventually, the NWA World Championship.

22:37And you had to have known him better than probably anybody, especially when going through there and having that championship

22:41together.

22:42Were you surprised at all that he won the NWA World Championship?

22:45No, I think anyone that really knows Tom as a dude, kind of – I don't know, he's a guy

22:52that should have done that, you know, a decade before.

22:56He had – he's a guy that got in his own way a few times throughout his career or whatever.

23:03But everyone that knows Tom loves Tom and thinks the world of him in terms of his abilities or whatever.

23:10And it looks like he's a family man now, really living, like, a good, clean life.

23:15He seems really happy and wrestles when he wants to and does what he wants.

23:20But, like, he got that – he got that World Heavyweight Championship, that cherry right on top that everyone wants

23:28to get.

23:30And, you know, realizes potential.

23:32That's huge, man.

23:33Like, that's really big for a guy like him in front of me.

23:36Got to live up to that because he deserved it.

23:40But sometimes you've got to go through the fire and figure your stuff out and make your mistakes and whatnot

23:46and come out the other side of that.

23:48A better man for it, it seems like he's lived a really good life.

23:51So, I think he – I think he won more in the long run and he's still got to have

23:56his World Championship run.

23:59So, sounds like a pretty good deal to me even if he's got to see the ground to finally win

24:03a big one in the race.

24:05Was there any, like, big factor in why you ended up leaving the NWA?

24:09Yeah.

24:11Yeah, it was – it was COVID.

24:14Time and they, like, pretty severely put a bunch of my pay.

24:20And so, it was just a – between that and there was some – there was, like, a little shake

24:26-up with the leadership

24:29because there were some controversies that were going around or whatever.

24:32And it was just like, hey, if anyone wants out, now is the time.

24:36I was like – I, at that point, was not, like – like, I don't know.

24:41I appreciate everything the NWA did for me.

24:45I'm not a guy that would, like, ever be like, oh, I should have been world champion.

24:51I've done this or done that.

24:52I think that's silly.

24:53Like, they gave me some really good opportunities.

24:55I got some really cool stuff.

24:57But, like, I definitely thought – I was getting to the point where I wasn't as in love with some

25:01of the stuff I was doing.

25:02And I thought that maybe I would be better suited doing other stuff.

25:08Like, if you don't really think that highly of me as I think, maybe we're at an injunction where I

25:15should, you know,

25:16kind of – it just seemed like an easy place to part ways where we're in this pandemic

25:20and I can come out the other side of it whenever wrestling does start up again

25:23and kind of get a fresh coat of pain and do my own thing.

25:28And I think, like, they probably – I would be sure at that point were more than happy to let

25:34me go my own separate way

25:35and do my own thing.

25:37Because, like I said, like, if you and I value myself at a different rate, there's nothing –

25:42like, that doesn't mean you're wrong or immoral or whatever.

25:45It doesn't mean I'm right or justified or whatever.

25:48You know, the free market will speak.

25:50And I think it did because I got on with New Japan not that long out after that, coming out

25:56of the pandemic

25:57and had some pretty cool stuff.

25:59Like, some of my biggest stuff of my career, I'd certainly say, came out of that.

26:04So, I think it worked out great for everyone involved.

26:08They're still going strong.

26:09And my career's been to places that I hadn't been before.

26:14So, sounds like a double victory to me.

26:18Absolutely.

26:19And you have some experience in Ring of Honor, too, which historically a lot of people feel like

26:23always puts on, like, the best wrestling in the world

26:26and some of the best matches that have ever taken place.

26:28Do you have any memories of your time in Ring of Honor?

26:30I mean, the cool thing is I'm a guy that can say that I worked both the previous administration of

26:37Ring of Honor

26:37and the current administration of Ring of Honor.

26:41Because, yeah, I do take that as, like, a feather in the cap.

26:44I do think that's, like, a big deal in terms of, like, that kind of checkmark next year

26:50normally in terms of your workability and all that stuff and your work rate.

26:55And that's something I've always pried myself on, maybe not just being, like, a big, strong muscle guy,

27:00but actually, like, caring about my work rate and that, you know, I can bring it in the ring and

27:06all that.

27:07So, definitely cool doing that.

27:09And then the other big one was obviously getting to do PWG because that was the other.

27:15Ring of Honor and PWG were kind of the two places where it's like, oh, that's, like, the high-level

27:19work rate guys go there.

27:22It's really a shame PWG hasn't come back because that's something I think the whole wrestling landscape kind of misses

27:27because the stuff in the Battle of Los Angeles, all that, that was incredible.

27:32And the talent that went through there was off the chain.

27:35It was just amazing stuff.

27:37Yeah, most certainly.

27:38Like, who's who are wrestling now?

27:41And then you mentioned you've done tours with New Japan Pro Wrestling.

27:45One of the things I've gotten questions from some of my listeners about is they notice that when they do

27:50these bigger shows,

27:51and, you know, not just Wrestle Kingdom but some of the other ones,

27:54it seems like they do go out of their way to make sure that a lot of talent gets on

27:58the shows.

27:59Of course, they have their main programs, but then they have a lot of matches where there's a lot of

28:03guys,

28:04five-on-five, six-on-six, that kind of thing.

28:07And, you know, I've had questions about, you know, which is better?

28:09Is it better to have everybody on the shows and have not as many stories,

28:13but then at least everybody gets an opportunity to showcase themselves?

28:16Or is it better to have those longer told stories so that people get emotionally invested in those outcomes?

28:23How do you feel about that and the way New Japan does that?

28:25Because it's almost like what Tony Khan's doing now in AEW is when he has pay-per-views,

28:30having a lot of matches, like on the pre-shows and things like that.

28:33But at the same time, we're getting to see a lot of people we might not otherwise get to see.

28:36How do you feel about that?

28:39Yeah, I mean, I think, obviously, there's, like, ideally, like, a balance for you to get enough of the roster

28:47on the show,

28:47but, like, you still have some people that, like, the main view that are a storyline is their, what's going

28:54on or whatever,

28:55that's telling the story of the company.

28:57I would say probably somewhere in the middle is, like, the sweet spot where you kind of find, like, you

29:02have a balance of everything.

29:04Because you do want to get people on.

29:06You want to get people pay-per-view day-day.

29:08You want to make sure that your people are on your big shows so that you're building your brand and

29:13their brand and everything to have.

29:14But, like, also, yeah, you want to leave room for, like, people need to be, feel satisfied with, like,

29:19oh, the guy that I, like, finally won the championship or his friend turned on him, but he was right

29:26in the end or whatever.

29:28So, yeah, I don't know, man.

29:30That's a, not to put that into the question, but I think somewhere in the middle where you, you want

29:35to,

29:35because you do want to get your people on, you know, your big show and whatever.

29:40And it's good to have some of these, you know, you have a few of these matches where maybe it's

29:44a four-way tag or a scramble or whatever.

29:47Or one of the lesser important titles.

29:51Like, I think a lot of lessons shown to be that it's not just Japan or not just Cody Khan.

29:56Like, you look at big lucha cards, they tend to have a ton of multiman matches or whatever.

30:01And they'll even have stories built intertwined in here and there or the Questus match or whatever.

30:07But, like, they're doing, don't get it twisted.

30:11They're going to do, you know, three, six-mans and eight-mans and whatever other multiman style of matches on

30:22the card as well.

30:23And you've had some opportunities to work with AEW and Tony Khan.

30:26How is that for you?

30:28Do you enjoy the experience you've had with AEW?

30:30And how's Tony Khan to work with?

30:31Yeah, no, I really can only say positive things about, you know, they've always taken care of me really well

30:39with some cool matches.

30:40I mean, they've taken care of me well financially.

30:44And, yeah, I mean, they definitely, I really, even my last match where I came into this versus Khan and

30:52I, you know, in retrospect,

30:53that was my last match before I had this big back injury that I'm dealing with right now.

30:58But as a compromise on my back clearly was, now in retrospect, I had a really fun match.

31:06And I thought that they did a really good job of, like, pretending like I was, you know, a big

31:12deal there and everything like that.

31:13So I have nothing but positive things to say about putting fun and cool.

31:18Do you really enjoy having the creative freedom to, like, showcase your vision for your character now and the way

31:23you've been with promotions?

31:25Are there any promotions in particular that let you do that better than others?

31:28No, I think that's, like, one of the best things since my, you know, I've always, I'm a guy that

31:35has my personality and it's going to, it's going to, it's going to shine through me no matter what, to

31:42a degree.

31:43But I think the times when I've done my best work and been my happiest clearly is when I have

31:48a little bit more, I'm a good team player and I can listen to advice and change things up a

31:55bit.

31:56But, like, I need something that I can buy into and something that, like, comes to me kind of naturally.

32:01And I think that's why when I really started working more with Josh Barnett with Bloodsport and New Japan and

32:13doing their style of wrestling, I think it really, everything about my visual presentation, about my in-ring presentation, everything

32:21just kind of came together really well.

32:25So I think I was someone that really benefited from having a little bit more of a longer creative leash,

32:31but also, you know, good people advising me and being around some killers and stuff so you have some motivation

32:39to really, okay, I've got to figure this out and bring it and look cool and do good stuff.

32:47So I have a couple questions I always like to ask during interviews.

32:50If you were to reflect on all the people you've gotten to work with, who are your top five, the

32:55people you've got to be in a ring with, share a ring with, who are your top five opponents so

32:58far?

32:59Five, okay.

33:01Let's see.

33:02I think I probably had my best match with TJ Perkins.

33:08I think it was extremely underrated.

33:11Like, I don't know, he's the talent for the best one in the world, probably, honestly.

33:21TJ is one, I'd say it's the kind of order that comes to my head.

33:27Charlie Denksey, for sure.

33:30I thought, yeah, he's just a guy that, he's a grappler of pure through and through.

33:38So, and we didn't know each other, but when you got in that ring, we knew each other by the

33:42end of that match really, really well.

33:43So, I, uh, that's an all-time, one of my all-time favorite matches for Trout.

33:49I think the world of Charlie Denksey and his ability.

33:53See, this is tough.

33:54I should, I should have, like, in a little inside baseball, I was offered to get these questions in advance.

34:02I actually really do care about, like, saying my favorite five things in this situation.

34:08Um, Simon Gotch, I had a, one of my best matches for sure with.

34:13I would definitely have to put Simon Gotch on that list.

34:18Uh, most certainly.

34:20I had a really, really good one with him in Denver that I'm really proud of.

34:23Um, yeah, I think he's a really great guy that's a little, uh, one of those guys that's, like, a

34:29lot more low-key good than people kind of realize and, uh, give any credit for.

34:38Um, let's see.

34:40I think Alex Cogren, I'd have to give a shout-out to, uh, he and I just always have really

34:46good, uh, chemistry.

34:48I think he's, uh, he's a guy that, like, really, I don't know, just, he, he just had it.

34:56Like, he was a special guy in wrestling sports for not having him, uh, around anymore, unfortunately.

35:02But, uh, I'm sure whatever he's doing, he's real successful.

35:07He's, like, crunching it right now.

35:09But, uh, I miss my dog.

35:10Because he, my match with him at one sport, the first one I had was a big part of the

35:14reason why I was even able to.

35:17be part of New Japan and everything like that.

35:19So, uh, that's my guy for sure.

35:22And then, uh, number five, I'll give a shout-out to probably Paul London.

35:26I got to work with Paul London earlier on next year.

35:28He was, like, incredibly talented.

35:31There's definitely a bunch of other people I'm going to kick myself about later for not, uh, mentioning before this.

35:38But for now, this is definitely, this is five people that I've named.

35:43Absolutely.

35:44I think I ended up turning, I ended up turning it into a list of, like, my five favorite people

35:48personally to wrestle.

35:50But then, I guess that might be a slightly different, uh, list if we're going with, like, just the five

35:57best.

35:58Uh, you know what?

35:59I will, I'm not going to retract any of my five because I'm making, this is, guys, there are no

36:06rules.

36:06If we can just go however we want, we can be crazy.

36:11And we can add a six-fifth guy to it.

36:14Because I just remember, uh, this guy, not only is he the sixth-fifth guy, he's also the number one

36:21sixth-fifth guy.

36:23Jon Moxley just understands wrestling probably better than anything that he does on first.

36:29And, uh, I got to wrestle him two October, you know?

36:35I guess maybe it was, uh, when was it?

36:38It was, I think it was maybe 20, ever 2024.

36:41I don't think it was the end of 2025.

36:44But I could be wrong, because I clearly fall on my head for a reason.

36:48So, uh, I don't remember exactly when the match happened.

36:51But it was one of these Octobals, but, and not, and not the one that we're currently in.

36:56Um, but Jon Moxley just understands.

37:00Like, he just, there's not many people that I know that just get it more than him.

37:06He just gets what wrestling is, and what it needs to be, what his role needs to be.

37:11And he's just, like, a top flight.

37:13He just, yeah, he's, he's really otherworldly, and you won't even ever know unless you're in,

37:20like, obviously people from afar can also appreciate how awesome he is.

37:23But you'll, if you're a wrestler and you can actually wrestle him,

37:27you just get it on another level because, like, you get the experience.

37:31I love it.

37:32Absolutely love it.

37:34How about, this is a little different one.

37:36If you, now that you've seen a lot of people,

37:38and I'm sure you've been places where you've met guys who you maybe weren't familiar with,

37:41are there, are there a couple people that you might be able to mention

37:45who we should be looking out for in the coming years

37:46that you think are really going to be something,

37:48and have that, that, if they get the right opportunity?

37:51I think a guy that, I mean, he's obviously already a star to a degree,

37:55but I think that, like, could be a guy that we're talking about

37:59as a top and 20 wrestler in the world very easily.

38:04He's a guy like Tempario from CMLL.

38:08He's, like, can do it all.

38:10He has a great look.

38:12Like, he can do any power move.

38:13He can do any flippy move or dive or whatever.

38:18He's just, like, otherworldly talented.

38:21He has an amazing, cool look.

38:25I think he's really, really impressive.

38:29Another guy that I think is really, really good,

38:32and he's had some success, but I think it's had even more success.

38:40Kayome Yoshimura from TGT, he's a big, orange-haired Japanese lad

38:47with, he's wearing a black helmet with maybe some orange plans on it

38:52or whatever.

38:53Has an amazing, like, has, like, the sickest judo throw in Westlake.

38:57I think he's really, he's got a cool look, and he's just been a wrestler.

39:02I think he's a guy that, you know, he could probably do a little bit more

39:06with him really easily.

39:07I think he's kind of got the goods.

39:12Yeah, I'd like to see him hopefully do some more cool stuff.

39:17I'm trying to think if there's a third one.

39:18I'm trying to just kill time to see if there's a third person

39:21that will pop up in my head.

39:22But, yeah, you know what, also I'll shout out, I think,

39:27shout out to Pennsylvania, Matt Mikowski.

39:30I think he's a really talented wrestler that I think.

39:34He should be more well-known, you know, nationwide than internationally.

39:39He's Bellator, Figer, really talented pro wrestler.

39:43I think he, I don't know, he just knows how to put it together.

39:46I'm a big Matt Mako fan.

39:48Very cool.

39:49Are there any goals you have that you're hoping to achieve in the near future

39:53or even the long future throughout the rest of your career?

39:56Is there something you just really want to get done?

39:58I mean, the near future, obviously, we do come back from the folding test,

40:02but every day I think we get a little bit closer to that one.

40:05And I think I'm a lot less worried about that one coming true than I was in July of this

40:13year.

40:15I think the next big goal that I have for myself is I really need to find a more permanent

40:21home.

40:22I love doing the indie wrestling thing.

40:23I hope I kind of always get to do some stuff on the indie before I cut my teeth.

40:29But I also, I need to figure out a place to call home so I can start stacking that dough

40:35up a little bit.

40:36It's one thing that the indie is definitely common, but it's tough when you're out and you don't have all

40:42that.

40:42When you don't have a contract, it just means there's no money coming in.

40:47So, you know, things have been a little tight.

40:50So, I got to find a place that, you know, if my back explodes, they're going to hate me that

40:55dough that's just been on my butt.

40:58So, my plan is to get out there and conquer the world, never have another back problem again.

41:05I can build it up really strong, but I've got to find my next more permanent place

41:11as I've kind of oscillated from, you know, I had to run with NWA.

41:15And then New Japan is doing stuff a little more independently lately to see where that next place goes.

41:22Is there any aspirations to try to get to WWE at some point?

41:25I know some people say that's the goal.

41:26Some people say, you know what, I don't really have to go there.

41:28I'm happy not having to go there.

41:30Do you have a feel about that?

41:31No, I mean, I would love to go there.

41:33That's the place where it's like the biggest stage you could possibly be on as a wrestler.

41:38So, I don't know, I think, I get some people really, you know, feel like you're younger

41:45and you just, like, I just want to, you know, get more matches and more seizing and become an indie

41:50guy

41:51and whatever.

41:51Okay, cool, I respect that.

41:52But I think everyone's long-term goal at some point should probably be, you're a wrestler

41:57to get to WWE or AEW because that's where you're going to make real money

42:01and that's where you're going to make a real impact that people will remember you for.

42:06So, that should be the goal, what we're kind of going for in my opinion, you know.

42:11I found it interesting.

42:12Will Ospreay recently had a quote talking about how he could go his whole career

42:16and not go to WWE and he'd be just fine with that.

42:19And it was interesting.

42:20I had a listener message me and they said, yeah, but that means, you know,

42:24with the distribution of WWE, there's all these kids that will never get to see Will Ospreay.

42:29And it's almost like a travesty, these diehard fans who just never get to see him

42:33because they're not, you know, they're more mainstream fans than they are the diehards

42:36who tune into all the different shows.

42:38Do you sympathize with his perspective more or do you think that it's better for the kids

42:45and everybody to be able to see all these incredible talents that they wouldn't otherwise see?

42:49I mean, at the end of the day, obviously, I would love to have Ospreay, you know,

42:54expose to the most audience of Ospreay can have to be a really special wrestler.

42:59But, like, also, it is his career.

43:01So, for him, what he's comfortable with, what he wants to do, like, I hope he does it exactly his

43:09way,

43:09the way he wants to do it or whatever.

43:11Like, I'm not going to make that determination for him.

43:13But for me personally, yeah, I definitely am, like, great.

43:17I'd love to go to WWE.

43:18I'd love to get exposed to that audience.

43:20I'd love to, you know, who wouldn't want to be on the grandest stage?

43:26He'd love to be on.

43:29It's awesome.

43:30Hopefully one of these days that happens.

43:32I really want to thank you for taking time to share your experience with us.

43:35It's been a sincere honor.

43:37I mean that.

43:37I mean, best of luck with the recovery, the next steps, all that.

43:42Is there anywhere listeners should look when you do come back?

43:44Where do you think you'll be able to be seen?

43:47I think it's more fun to be dark and mysterious.

43:50You know, I think when I pop up, I'll pop up.

43:53And when I'm back, you guys will know it.

43:55But I do appreciate the heck out of anyone that's taken time out of their day to listen to me

44:01ramble

44:02while you kind of herded me along the way and kept me on track for the last 45 minutes.

44:07If you want to drop me a follow on Instagram or Twitter, it's at Royce Isaacs.

44:13I certainly appreciate the help and love and support.

44:16And if you enjoyed this interview, by all means, check out a match on YouTube or something for free.

44:24Enjoy.

44:24Like, see if this guy is an idiot or if maybe he knows what he's talking about.

44:30That was actually a pretty good match.

44:33But I appreciate anyone that listened and supported.

44:36And hopefully, you know, you guys got some good stuff out of it.

44:40Absolutely.

44:41I appreciate it.

44:42It's awesome.

44:42I got to be honest.

44:44For me, I was a diehard fan.

44:45I wanted to do this my whole life.

44:47And I literally, in eighth grade, was going to drop out of school.

44:50My father, who was not a nice gentleman at the time, I thought he was going to tear me up

44:54for it.

44:54He took me to the Wild Samoans Training School in Allentown.

44:57And Lou Albano and Alpha got my head straight.

45:00And they kept telling me, you got to stay in school.

45:02You got to stay in school.

45:04And I listened to them.

45:05And I stayed in school.

45:06They said, you could always do this later.

45:07And then I just never had the money.

45:09Oddly, about 2023, I finally got to have my moment.

45:13I got to check the box.

45:14My school did a fundraiser.

45:16And I got to have a match.

45:17And I, man, I cried the minute I walked through the curtain.

45:20At this point, I've had five matches.

45:22I don't know if there'll ever be a sixth.

45:23But that little tiny sample, for me, I can't imagine what a thrill it is for you guys when

45:29you get to go out there and perform all the time.

45:31So I appreciate what you guys do so much.

45:35Putting your bodies on the line, interacting with the fans, and especially because you have

45:39so much independent experience.

45:40There's nothing like an indie show.

45:42Being able to get up close and personal with people, getting to interact with the talent.

45:46And you guys are always so humble with the fans.

45:48I've never run into an egomaniac at an indie show.

45:51They're always so giving.

45:53So I just, man, I can't even tell you how much we appreciate what you guys do.

45:58Look, one last story I'll leave with.

46:01I actually, the way I got involved more specifically, we talked about the bunch of jobs and whatnot.

46:07The way I more specifically got involved in the business was my friend Gabriel showed up

46:14to my door one Sunday and was like, what are you doing?

46:17And I go, I don't know.

46:18You're coming with me at Lucha Libre and Loss tonight.

46:20And I went to this show.

46:23It still runs in Denver.

46:24I wrestled Minoru Suzuki there now.

46:27But at the time, it was this, they maybe were on their like second or third show or something

46:33like that.

46:33And it was, it was like half span of comedy and half pro wrestling.

46:38All the wrestling was honestly like really bad, really low level.

46:44And there was just something about it, about being at an independent show and being part

46:49of the crowd.

46:51And I don't know.

46:52It was like such a memorable night.

46:55At the end of the night, I went and I talked to the promoter and I said, what do I

46:58do?

46:58How do I get involved with this?

47:00And he told me about the butcher shop and he gave me a number to call.

47:04And literally the next day I was there screaming.

47:07So it wasn't for the magic of an indie show.

47:10I had been to WWE shows before.

47:12I had been in the crowd there and whatever.

47:14It was awesome.

47:15And don't get me wrong.

47:16It's definitely great when you're in the Pepsi Center with 15,000 people and you're all

47:20screaming for whoever's in the ring and whatever.

47:26That is a great experience.

47:27But it was the closeness, the availability of a indie show where it's right there in your

47:36face and you're like a part of it interacting with it.

47:40That kind of gave me the chutzpah to finally be like, wait, I want to do this.

47:45I want to see how I can get involved.

47:46And that was 12 years ago now.

47:49And look where it's got me now on this radio to tell the story.

47:55I love it.

47:56Thank you so much.

47:57It means so much to me.

47:59Thank you so much for taking the time.

48:00I really appreciate it.

48:02Oh, yeah, no doubt, man.

48:03I really appreciate you asking.

48:05And you have some really cool questions.

48:08So that was a good time.

48:09I hope it was a good time.

48:11Oh, a sincere pleasure.

48:13Absolutely.

48:15I hope it was a good time.

48:27I hope it was a good time.

48:42Oh, man.

48:44Vamos in the cold.

48:46Oh, yeah.

48:48Oh, boy.

48:56We're not on our Youngblood.

48:57Please come.

49:15Outro Music

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