All Chases Start Somewhere – Giant Kyote

The amount of times I have stopped and started this and tried to work out
what to share with you all has been the biggest question I have had of late.

For almost 20 years now I have been part of this amazing industry we love,
and I didn’t know what I was going to chat about until tonight. At the time of
writing this it’s September 2nd, 2023, at 10:52pm and was thinking about the
journey and adventure I have had in this life. So, like any good tale I thought
I’d share my journey from the start….

January 4th, 2004, was the day my life would change forever it was the day
that I took my first real steps into the world of pro wrestling. The day I
started training at WCW Australia on the Gold Coast the day I’d meet a man who
would change my life, Mr Peter ‘The Hawk’ Ball the owner, promoter, trainer and
all round badass of WCWA. Pete was a man who could put the fear of god into you
by just looking at you, a solid man, bald head, tattoos and just a truly
powerful presence.

I was 15 years old the first time I entered his training school, his sweat
shop. I walked into the school and Pete was seating there in a director’s chair
the type you see on movie sets. He looks up and from his chair and I’ll never
forget his first words to me. ‘You are a big fucker aren’t you do you think you
have what it takes to be a pro wrestler’ I stood there and just nodded and said
yes sir I believe I do. Pete laughed and said we shall see with a big smile on his
face.

He invited me to sit down and watch the class that was taking place at that
moment to see these men & women working hard on this art was just
mesmerising. I couldn’t take my eyes off what was going on in this small little
hole in the wall shop.

I was watching these people throw their bodies around like it was nothing
and slamming each other onto this white ring that would move each time someone
hit the ropes.

I could not stop smiling the feeling and passion in that shop felt so
powerful and right that it felt like I had found the missing part of me.

Once training was over Hawk asked me if I liked what I saw and did I still
have the guts to try this and I just knew in my heart and in that moment, I was
home.

I officially started my training that following Wednesday. My mum came with
me to meet with Pete to sign the paperwork and pay my training fees. We met in
Pete’s office which was a kink shop attached to the sweat shop, yes you did
read that right Hawk owned a kink shop which was attached to the school. So,
there I am 15 years old signing my life away to start pro wrestling in a kink
shop. Once everything was signed Pete laughed and said well boy now the fun
starts.

I went into the sweat shop ready to start my journey I walk in and see 4
other men standing in the ring on one side while the other was this short
scruffy looking man. Who looks at me and smiles and says, ahh fresh meat but
holy shit you’re big. That trainer was none other than Queensland wrestling
legend “The Weird One” he was the trainer for the rookie’s class.

The 4 other rookies in that class though were people who would all go on to
do amazing things in Australian wrestling, Sorrow, Obie Cartel, Big John
Marshal and Zero.

For the next hour I would start to learn the basic holds and fundamentals of
pro wrestling while Hawk sat and watched us like well…..a Hawk as we worked on
learning this wonderful art to become what I would be called an illusionist of
pain.