'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
PJ Black is set to return to his home country of South Africa this October where he will battle former WWE Champion Rob Van Dam in the main event of Slamforce Africa 01 in Pretoria for the inaugural SFA World Championship.
I had the chance to talk to the Darewolf himself via Skype ahead of his title match regarding the Nexus, life outside the ring, facing Nick Aldis for the NWA World Championship and his upcoming title match with RVD.
Special thanks to Slamforce Africa CEO Cornelius A.P. van Tonder for setting up the interview.
SK: Growing up in the city of Cape Town, what or who inspired you to become a pro-wrestler?
Black: "My father [Paul Lloyd] ran a sports promotion and a wrestling company, so when I was really young I used to start like, working for him, refereeing matches and, you know, helping out at the sports events and I just fell in love with it, you know. I fell in love with the whole scene of professional wrestling."
SK: You were part of the infamous faction called The Nexus during your run in WWE. When you look back at it, would you say that was your greatest run in the company?
PJB: "Uhm... yes. I mean... I guess in a way, yes. I mean... for fans viewing it that would probably be my best run in the company but I did a bunch of other stuff too that wasn't seen, Uhm... on television and a lot of backstage stuff but I think my whole run was pretty successful.
I achieved everything that I wanted to achieve. There's a few more things that I wanted to achieve. I think the whole thing started even before Nexus was on NXT. Like look how big NXT is today, right? We sort of built a foundation for that company to what it is today."
SK: After leaving the company, you wrestled for other major promotions such as Impact Wrestling, Lucha Underground and Ring of Honor. This makes you one of the most recognizable faces in the industry. How was the whole experience like?
PJB: "Oh man it's been amazing, you know. I've been very lucky to have all these experiences and work for so many different companies, you know. Lucha Underground was a completely different experience for me because it wasn't so much a wrestling company. It was a TV show, so that was a great experience for me working and you know and working for every single company was a different experience because it's a different feel, a different company... it's almost like if you changed jobs it's completely different - different people.
But luckily wrestling is small. You run into the same people in different promotions all over the world, you know, and it's a fantastic business and I love every single moment of it. And every time I go to a new company it's like I can evolve my character, I can evolve who I am in and out of the ring and you know, it just makes me grow as a performer."
SK: You competed in the first season of NXT before moving to the main roster. What do you think of NXT moving to the USA Network and the Wednesday Night Wars?
PJB: "Oh I think it's fantastic, you know. We laid the groundwork for that company as it is right now and I think it evolved to something completely different to what it was because back then it was kind of like a reality show and like now it's a brand by itself.
I think Triple H has done a fantastic job with the evolution of NXT. I love it, I love watching it still, you know, I'm still a big fan of it and I love to see... actually, [on Wednesday] night in the United States they debuted live on television on USA Network. It happened [on Wednesday] night. It's a pretty big deal for wrestling and NXT."
Up next: PJ Black talks about challenging for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, life outside the ring, etc.
SK: You became the first South African to challenge for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. How did it feel competing for the title?
PJB: "Oh yeah man. You know like, that was one of the titles when I was a kid growing up I always looked up to, you know. A lot of greats held that and it was always on my list. Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful in winning it but there's still time. I feel like I'm five years away from my prime and I want to do South Africa proud and I'm still going to win that title before I come back."
SK: How would you describe your life outside the ring?
PJB: "Outside the ring, you know, I have a lot of hobbies. I started a few companies... Uhm... I'm very excited to teach to the younger generation what I've learned in life and that's one of the main reasons I'm coming back to South Africa - to Slamforce - more scouts to set up a couple of wrestlers... a couple of schools everywhere and teach people, teach the younger generation what I've learned, you know why? Because I feel like it's my duty to make the sport grow in South Africa. And I feel like it's very big there right now already because I get emails and I get people on social media reaching out to me daily like: 'how can I make it?' 'how can I get into it? And I feel like that's my next step... to pave the way for our youths."
SK: Well, speaking of South Africa, in October, you'll return to the country where you'll go one-on-one with Rob Van Dam for the inaugural SFA World Championship. Thats going to be a big match. How prepared are you for the match?
PJB: "Oh man... this is going to be very big, you know. I mean... you trying on Rob, I mean I've been watching him since I was a little kid, I used... I actually am very excited. I know him very well and he knows me very well but we've never been in the ring one-on-one ever before so I think I'm more prepared than I have been before so this should be a good one."
Up next: PJ Black talks about winning the SFA World Championship and more!
SK: What would winning the SFA World Championship mean to you, that too on home soil?
PJB: "Well dude, in the United States, I've never held a big title like that at all, that'll just be the highlight of my career, I think."
SK: Slamforce Africa is Africa's premier wrestling promotion. What do you think about the growth of pro wrestling in South Africa?
PJB: "Uhm... I think it's stagnant from the years that it did but I feel like Slamforce its gonna make it a top priority again. Uhm... you know, in the 80s and 90s South Africa was one of the top-top territories. It was equal to the States and the last ten to twenty years it has dropped off the planet but I want to win this title because I want to put South Africa on the map and because there are a lot of young kids now and I think with my guidance, I think we can make it one of the top territories in the world for international wrestlers."
SK: What can the fans expect from PJ Black this October?
PJB: "Oh man dude you should... you can expect a lot of fire and a lot of fire and drama, a lot of action, a lot of new stuff, a lot of tribal stuff I'm incorporating into my character and a lot of, you know, proudly South African moments, a lot of international flares... yeah, I'm just fighting for the whole family."
SK: What advice would you give to someone who came from the same background as yours who wants to make it in the big leagues as a wrestler?
PJB: "Uhm... you know, follow your dreams, like, a lot of people told me that I couldn't do this when I was a young kid and don't listen to your parents, sometimes your parents they don't know what's best for you, they just want the best but uh... you know, obviously finish school, get an education first, you know, just so you have a backup plan. Sometimes when you have a back-up plan, rely on that back-up plan, so you know. I did get a degree, I did get an education just to make my mom happy and then after that, it was just you know, chase the dream with like every single fiber in my being."
SK: Thank you so much PJ and good luck on your upcoming title match.
PJB: "Thank you so much man, and hope to see you there."
You can watch Slamforce Africa 01 this October here.
