Robbie Eagles Interview- The Soul of PWA Speaks!

This week, I had the opportunity to interview one of the most prolific names in Aussie wrestling, the current Soul of PWA Champion, Robbie Eagles. As a writer, journalist, media man, what have you, Robbie has been at the top of the list of people I wanted to interview since I got into this realm.

I spoke to Robbie about the upcoming Chevs vs. Troy PWA Black Label event on April 11 at Factory Theatre. At that event, Robbie will defend his Soul of PWA Championship against Jimmy Townsend. We spoke about his match, as well as the Last Wrestler Standing main event, his thoughts on the Aussie scene currently, and much more. Below are some highlights:

Click here to watch the interview on Youtube

Mick: What are your thoughts on how that match will go, and your thoughts on Jimmy Townsend- not just as an opponent and a peer, but also as a student, since you’re a coach at the [PWA] Academy?

Robbie: Alright, well, I’ll have to correct you, Mick, because I don’t see him as a peer in the slightest. The only thing that this “Thief” has stolen is top spots of cards by god knows how, because I purely only see him as the bright-eyed, bushy-tailed student that walked into the Pro Wrestling Academy hoping to train with me. So he’s not on my level, he’s not even close to being championship material for all I care. And for him to claim that he’s the “actual Soul of PWA”- that’s just laughable.

I can summarise it very clearly- I don’t think this is going to be much of a match up, much like when a lot of the younger generation come after me, and wanna talk about me being disrespectful, or being a F-wit, or whatever words they want to throw my way, they’re not looking at the stats, they’re not looking at the facts- I’ve been wrestling 17 years, I have wins against the best this world can offer, and that means these people don’t measure up, but they don’t realise that until they’re in the ring with me. So it’s going to be an eye-opening experience for Jimmy. If he does have a lot of backers there, I’m just giving them the heads up that they’re going to leave disappointed.

Mick: So, is it fair to say you take offense to Jimmy saying he’s the true Soul of PWA? Does that play into your approach?

Robbie: Absolutely, I take offense! Because only one person can stake that claim, and that’s whoever holds the championship. And that championship, I believe, was built for someone like myself. A “pillar”, as people would say in today’s language, of PWA. There’s so much historical evidence to show that, behind the scenes and in the ring, there’s so much to say that if I didn’t continue my wrestling career, if I didn’t start, PWA could’ve ended in an instant. But I was the glue that held it together. That’s why I’m still an integral part of PWA today.

Mick: Talking about the Soul of PWA Championship- what does that title mean to PWA and yourself personally?

Robbie: It’s a legacy, right? Its original version was the PWWA Championship, which was our women’s division, which has always been one of the strongest parts of the PWA product. Just look at two of the top names who would be on the cards early on- Madison Eagles, and Jessie McKay, aka Billie Kay from her time in WWE… but that’s such an old fact that some people wouldn’t know the history and legacy, that those two fought over that title.

…For it to turn into what it is now, a gender-less title, which is much alike to PWA as a whole, we don’t like to see a line, we blur those lines. So it’s really calling back to that original concept and I think, honestly, it’s Madison’s legacy. This championship is the legacy of Madison Eagles and what she built, for not only PWA, but for wrestling in this country.

So it’s so important for this company to have its “soul” represented in a championship format, because what it means is it’s the heart, it’s the breath, it’s the life of this company.

Mick: Shifting for a moment to the other big championship match on the card- you talked about the women of PWA- and it’s Jessica Troy, it’s CHEVS, Last Wrestler Standing. What are your thoughts on those two, that match and that feud?

Robbie: It’s been interesting to see how it’s played out, especially as two close friends turning into bitter enemies, and it’s a bit of a faux pas, a bit of a trope in pro wrestling. But the way it’s come about, from absolute spite, and to see what Chevs has turned into- I never thought she would side with North Shore Wrestling. But she struck a deal with the devil and it’s ended up in a title match.

The hatred between the two is maybe getting the better of Jess, but I’ve seen them both go to war with each other, alongside each other, and against multiple people including myself- I felt it firsthand, so I know what they’re both capable of. And it’s a little frightening to think of what could actually happen, because I know how much they detest each other right now and that’s getting to that boiling point. And when you’re at that boiling point, you’re not thinking straight, you’re thinking about one clear objective, and their objective is, “this person cannot stand up, I must win”. And it’s not just the championship on the line, it’s their entire career, because they’ve been latched together from the very start and now they’re trying to separate themselves and create their own names. I feel like they’ve already done that, but this is their spotlight moment in PWA to really cement who is the better wrestler.

Looking at the past, Jess probably has Chevs’ number a little bit, but that’s not to say that Chevs can’t take her here. She’s a whole different beast, this Human Weapon version of Chevs, especially under the North Shore Wrestling banner, she’s willing to do things that Chevs a year ago wouldn’t even fathom.

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Tickets for PWA’s April 11 event at the Factory Theatre, Chevs vs. Troy, are available through Moshtix via the following link: https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/pro-wrestling-australia-black-label-chevs-vs-troy/176643?utm_source=www.factorytheatre.com.au&utm_medium=CV_site

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Robbie gave his thoughts on the Factory Theatre as a venue for pro wrestling- as an avid music fan that has gone to many gigs, Robbie praised it as “one of the best intimate venues in Australia”, with a rich culture including a history of stand up comedy, music, burlesque etc. Robbie also cited the “inner city energy” that Marrickville brings. There’ll be plenty of opportunities for partying and a cheeky beverage or two no matter what happens on April 11 at the Factory Theatre!

When asked about the growth of the Australian scene, Robbie expressed his pride in seeing it continue to get stronger year to year. “They’ve got access to tools that weren’t around when I started”. He hopes to see the scene grow to a level where pro wrestling is sustainable as a career- “some are fortunate enough to do it Friday, Saturday, Sunday, but it’s not enough”.

When asked about talents in the Australian scene that we should keep an eye on, Robbie name-dropped Jesse Love & Jazzy, who he was happy to see part of the PWL/Renegades Australian Supershow, as well as Toa as another Queensland standout. Elsewhere, Kaitoa from RCW- “reminds me of some of the stuff I was doing earlier in my career, he recently had a match with Gino Gambino that really stood out to me.” Also Jimmy Zero out of All Star Wrestling Australia- Robbie would like to see him “expand his horizons” to other places, touting his athleticism and indulging in a bit of fantasy booking imagining Jimmy Zero vs. Ben Braxton. And within the PWA Academy, Robbie was impressed by Marley Peleti, who he wrestled at the Beershed in Leumeah last year, as well as El Phoenician and Maleke.

In speaking about AEW Grand Slam, and his match on the ROH Global Wars show against Lee Moriarty, Robbie never thought he’d be in an arena show in Australia, and expressed gratitude at the amount of “Robbie Robbie Robbie” chants.

The full interview includes much more- more on the Australian scene and PWA, juggling New Japan Pro Wrestling and wrestling in Australia, as well as his future plans. You can watch the full interview with Robbie Eagles on the PW Downunder YouTube channel! Or below.