Getting To Know The Man In Black: Alex Salyers
An exclusive interview with the Championship Wrestling from Arizona star.
One of the great things The Wrestling Estate has allowed me to do is to connect with all sorts of wrestling industry professionals.
That is why on a sporadic basis throughout 2020, I will be bringing several exclusive interviews from industry insiders, helping fans learn more about their work and impact on the business.
My fourth interview is one which has been a very long time coming. Alex Salyers is one of the biggest stars in Championship Wrestling from Arizona, as well as the American independent circuit. In this wonderful interview, we covered everything from Alex’s beginnings as a fan, to his training regimes, along with his history-making matches and feuds.
What is your earliest memory of wrestling?
Alex Salyers: “The first time I laid eyes on it my mom was just flipping through the channels and I saw a show on and asked her to stop. It was Dean Malenko and Chris Benoit. Talk about a great introduction to the sport, right? From then on, I was hooked. However, oddly enough, so was my grandmother, who, at that time, was on dialysis and very ill. She was staying with us as we were taking care of her in her final years, so we kept flipping back and forth between WWF and WCW. She lived for the moment she would see Sting come down from the rafters in WCW or when she would see the Road Warriors come through the curtain at WWF. Anytime I see them, I can’t help but smile and think of her and how much of an impact this sport has had on my life and household growing up. From that moment at 3 years old, wrestling has been my whole life, my true love.”
How did you get started in pro wrestling and how long have you been wrestling?
Alex Salyers: “This has always been a dysfunctional question / story for me with an unorthodox answer. I was 14 years old when I had my first live match that was in front of about 2,000 people for a lucha promotion. Originally, I had tried out for my high school football team, but my mom had gotten hold of a wrestling promoter, so I ended up saying screw football and took my first bump a week later in training. At that point, I was a freshman in high school (2009) and performing in local small time shows. At the same time, I was an amateur wrestler for my high school team in the 152 lb. weight class. My wrestling coach hated me for double timing and thought I was a joke since (in his words) ‘[I] cared more about being a fake wrestler.’
That was not true. I only wanted to be the best. To keep up with the best, you have to be the best. I wanted to have the same regard from my peers as Ric Flair had with his. So, in my senior year, after an ankle reconstruction surgery after a bad baseball slide out of the ring (resulting in a plate and eight screws in my ankle), my high school wrestling coach kicked me off the team out of spite. Shortly after graduation, I began American-style wrestling training under Lawrence Tyler and competed as Alex Sinister. Depending on who you ask and what you consider legitimate, some would say I’ve been in the business seven years. However, people who’ve been working with me since 2009 would tell you it’s been 11 years now. Either way, my body would tell you it’s been a lifetime, which also shows in my work.”
Who are some of your main influences?
Alex Salyers: “Well, I’m a ‘90s baby, so it wouldn’t surprise anyone when I say that Stone Cold Steve Austin was my all-time favorite character. Growing up, I lived in some rough neighborhoods and went to some pretty bad schools. I was constantly bullied, so I grew more enthralled with Stone Cold and picked up a lot of his character. I cut promos on bullies, delivering the same lines, cussing like him and walking like him. I wanted to essentially be him. I was getting beat up in bathrooms and by older kids in the neighborhood and Austin made me feel like I was tough, almost like an ass whooping wasn’t something to be afraid of. I even used to have a pirate vest with skulls on it from a Halloween costume that I would wear around my apartment until my family grew tired of it. Because of him, I wasn’t scared of anyone or anything, and every black eye I got was worth it.
As far as my style goes, obviously if you watch me, you’ll see a lot of Stone Cold characteristics. But I do have another side. I love catch wrestling, as well as European-style wrestling (some refer to this as ‘shoot/catch wrestling’). So, I have also watched and studied the guys that make it look like a real fight and competition. Guys like Fit Finlay, Johnny Saint and a personal favorite (God rest his soul) Billy Robinson. So, when I’m in the ring with a guy who is technically equipped, I feel I have the opportunity to show my mat wrestling grit and highlight the layers I have to me, both as a professional wrestler and athlete.”
What are some of your favorite matches?
Alex Salyers: “Shawn Michaels is right up there with Austin because of his in-ring capabilities, which if you ask me, are endless. Nobody can outperform the guy. Ironically, their careers and two of my all-time favorite matches have one common denominator: Bret Hart, who is the best guy to watch when you want to make taking an ass whooping look believable. He was a key component to the two matches I would put up against any match of any time and dare you to convince me any match was better: the Ironman Match with Michaels at WrestleMania XII and the Submission Match with Austin at WrestleMania 13. There has yet to be a single match before or after that looked and felt so real to an audience member. It’s a match that I go back to and study when I want to freshen up on my in- ring psychology, or if I am just having a bad day and want to see wrestling that will cheer me up. It also happens to be a go-to match when I give younger guys study material. It is the measuring stick for what a wrestling match should look like. It’s the greatest story I was ever told.”
Which promotions do you currently/primarily work for?
Alex Salyers: “At this time, I primarily work for Championship Wrestling from Arizona, Championship Wrestling from Hollywood and Party Hard Wrestling. CWFAZ and Party Hard are both mainstays at the world-famous Nile Theater in Mesa, AZ. The newest addition that I am extremely proud to say I work for is Impact Zone Wrestling. IZW was the big dog promotion in town in the early to mid-2000s, helping groom household names like Samoa Joe, John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler and so many others. IZW has rebirthed to provide a platform once again for younger talent in Arizona.”
What is CWFAZ like?
Alex Salyers: “Let me start off by saying that ANY televised show and production that comes with it naturally can be a very cabin-pressured atmosphere. And with a show that is not only episodic, but is consistently well written and produced, it would be easy to assume that this would likely fit the narrative. But it absolutely does not. It is such a fun environment and I have had the privilege of being able to absorb an education from the writers and producers of this show: how to work and produce television, how to time a show, how to work ‘Gorilla’ essentially. Because of that, I feel my chances of a successful and lengthy career in this business have grown exponentially.
I have gained some amazing co-workers and friends within the cast and crew. I have worked a lot of different places for many different people. But I would put our executive producer Mick Greenwood against anyone in this business when it comes to making a weekly television show worth tuning into and I also have to credit Peter Avalon for that. Not to mention many faceless people right behind them that also deserve all of the gratitude and appreciation that help make our show so incredible. Mick is easily the best human being I have ever worked for. He isn’t just my boss – he’s my friend. Believe it or not, if there was anyone who had a monumental influence on how the Man in Black character would come to fruition on television, it was him. He gave me an opportunity not many people have.”
Where did the monikers for your character come from and how did your persona grow?
Alex Salyers: “It starts with living a promo. People tune in every week to watch this show and if by chance the first time they are ever doing so happens to be with a microphone in my face, I’m going to make a statement. I ensure that statement and their belief in it by what I do in the ring. Luckily, we have an outstanding commentary booth who help tell my story, so much so that they seem to resonate with the audience to a point that these monikers take on a life of their own.
For example: ‘Alex never met a fight he didn’t like.’ That really became the narrative of my character. It came from being able to stand up after a fight and walk out on my own two feet like a man. I’m not popular on TV for winning all the time. I’m popular because I lose more often than I win, yet I can make every loss relatable to someone in our audience. It can be something serious as a stipulation or even just come down to a facial expression. Either way, you believe it. You feel it. It’s art.
The Man in Black idea came from my love and respect for Johnny Cash. Not just because of his music, but because of the man he was. I am a recovering addict. A father. An entertainer. And I have made monumental mistakes while walking each pair of those shoes. So, the Man in Black is a man at his own funeral mourning the loss of who he always expected to be in this business before life got a hold of him. He buried the man he thought he would be and is surviving as the man he has become. Loved, hated, respected. But will never be forgotten.”
Big Lip Radio has been a sponsor of the show. Are you closely related with them?
Alex Salyers: “Actually, I got Big Lip Radio the sponsorship gig just by making friends with them and introducing them to Mick Greenwood. That was shortly after I was a guest on his show and I had really begun developing a friendship with Jerad Smith, the voice of Big Lip Radio, and his lovely wife Kim. They are easily two of the most kindhearted people I know. His show is so much fun to be a part of. It’s family friendly and I completely endorse his love and passion for professional wrestling. Big Lip Radio was and is an addition to the CWFAZ family, and they also just got their foot in the door with IZW. For those who want to hear a fun-filled wrestling podcast, you can find Big Lip Radio on Spotify, iTunes, IHeartRadio and plenty of other platforms that I am not smart enough to know how to use in today’s world of technology.”
What has been your favorite match in CWFAZ?
Alex Salyers: “It’s nearly impossible to boil it down to one match. The one that meant the most to me was when I main evented the program against R-3 in the finals for the Silver Spotlight this past year.
R-3 has been one of the best in-ring rivals I’ve had in the last decade. But he is also one of my absolute best friends I have ever had in my life. We’ve known each other since I was 15 years old. Now I’m 26 and after all these years, I got main event television with him in front of a sold-out audience, in one of the most anticipated matches of the entire year. I remember standing face to face with him in that ring and felt momentarily paralyzed with emotion. This guy has been my road wife, my roommate, he was at my high school graduation and helped me get my driver’s license. He was even at the hospital before most of my family was the day my daughter was born and was one of the first to hold her. So fast forward 10 years later, here we are face to face and main eventing television together. That’s a story no one can write or manufacture. That exact moment (and match in whole) meant so much to me.
That doesn’t mean my matches with EJ Sparks or Mike James didn’t have the same measure of gravity, because they did, just for different reasons. That match with R-3 was just special. My daughter was in the audience that night and watched me and her Uncle Charlie cement ourselves as main event fixtures for the company.”
Your feud with Mike James was considered the top independent wrestling feud in the U.S. in 2018. How do you feel being part of that series of matches?
Alex Salyers: “I felt like I was in a train wreck every time I left the ring. That feud may have knocked some years off my career. However, how many guys do you can have such an intense feud for nearly two years straight on TV and keep the audience invested the whole time? Not to mention, we’re now almost two years after it ended and people are still talking about it. That is a testament to the hidden faces behind our company that work so hard to provide you with an incomparable TV experience each week. I feel like Mike and I were the flag bearers that opened up the door for more realistic (some would say ‘adult’) television. Something changed the moment blood was drawn between each other. The tone and tenor of the show elevated apologetically.”
If you could wrestle anyone past or present, who would it be and why?
Alex Salyers: “As far as the past goes, if we could take away the hands of time, Alex Salyers vs. Lou Thesz would be a sight to see. Another would be the Man in Black vs. Dynamite Kid. Get me in the ring with a man with that kind of skill level, and you’ll see that I am a well-equipped mat technician. On the independent scene, I would love to take on ROH’s Tyler Bateman. That match, believe it or not, almost happened at one point. If I had to pick one single person from WWE, I would say Aleister Black. He looks hard-hitting and cut-throat. Everything he does has conviction behind it.”
What are your main interests and hobbies?
Alex Salyers: “Would you be surprised if I said I like to sit at the bar and pass the time over beer and whiskey? That is the most Man in Black answer I can give you. The Alex Salyers answer is I like to be outdoors, preferably in the woods away from people. You might find me occasionally fishing and more frequently working on cars. I stay busy and keep my hands dirty.
Above all though, I absolutely love hanging out with my daughter Faith. She is my best friend. We go everywhere together. She is a total daddy’s girl. We do everything together. Matter of fact, she helps me make beer! Yes…I make beer, with a very good friend of mine, Rob, who began teaching me. Now I am teaching my daughter how to make beer. Tell me that isn’t good parenting! My 5-year-old is a little badass.”
Where can people find and contact you for upcoming bookings?
Alex Salyers: “My name on Facebook, @alexsalyers93 on Twitter, @alex_salyers93 on Instagram and my email is alexrsalyers@gmail.com.”
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