Justin Sysum opens up about WOS, working with Shawn Michaels, and ulcerative colitis (Exclusive)

Justin Sysum is the current WOS Champion
Justin Sysum is the current WOS Champion
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That was going to be my next question. Do you think a next season is on the horizon or is it just a waiting game?

I honestly don't know. Every time I phone and someone gives us information from ITV or another investor, it's always that discussions are still taking place, so it's definitely....there is still potential there but at the moment, nothing is in the cards. I know just as much as probably everyone else, really. I'm waiting for the phone call.


Here's hoping so we can see some more incredible moments - like my favorite WOS moment - your bodyslam on Crater! Of course, I wasn't alive from 1965-1985 either, but that moment would take a lot of beating from any promotion.

Is that the most difficult thing you've had to do, physically, in wrestling?

It was one of my favorite moments, too. It's actually my pinned tweet on Twitter.

It's, like, the best thing I think I've done. You know, I can flip around, I can do some cool stuff myself but that's just me - so when you can combine someone who weighs 36 stone and, after doing a load of flips, show a feat of strength as well, because that's actually my background, is strength training.

I was a hammer thrower for a long period, trying to sort of make it professionally. That involved a lot of powerlifting, Olympic lifting, squats, deadlifts, and ridiculous weights - so, given the opportunity to have a go at picking him up, I was never going to shy away from that.

Yeah, and it looks impressive. It definitely looks... I say it looks easier than what it felt, because it didn't feel easy, but when I watch the video back, I'm like, "I got him over."

Then the reaction, I love just watching the people behind me in the crowd just being like, "What the hell just happened?" It was wicked.


My favorite thing about it is actually your reaction. Just the two seconds after you got implanted, your reaction is amazing.

You just mentioned the hammer throwing - for anyone unfamiliar with your ring attire, you're somewhere between Superman and Roman Gladiator. Was it the hammer throwing that inspired that?

It's like a gentle progression. When I first started, I wore a singlet, had long hair, then I moved to trunks and long hair, and a big red cape.

I was kind of just pretending to be Thor, is what was happening. Then he had his hair cut, I had my hair cut at the same sort of time, so I thought, "Why don't we just continue this and kind of keep the superhero thing going? But maybe with a little bit away from copying someone like Thor and just call myself The Superhuman, so it's like a generic superhero just standing up for what is right. And I can move well.

So that cape was actually something that the costume department at ITV developed. They originally had a kind of gladiator look in mind and I try to steal away from it, because a friend of mine, Eddie Ryan, he has that sort of... The Lionheart, he has that gimmick already and I didn't want to step on anyone's toes, so I said, "I like the leather but let's go for a more superhero cape than like a Roman gladiator cloak," so I pushed them towards that direction.

Then I was just trying to match up my move set to a superhero, so plenty of diving, a big spear from the outside in, the Super Spear, a nice flippy move, what used to be called the Thor-50 Splash, a 450 splash.

Yeah, it's just trying to be a superhero. It's every kid's dream.


NEXT: Justin discusses starring in the Barclaycard advert!

COMING UP: Justin Sysum reveals his dream opponent and which former WWE Champion he was a stunt double for

2 more stars coming from AEW to WWE? More details right here

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