Hardcore wrestler "Joey Terrofyn" McDougal checks in, post-training in Mexico City

By Bree Davies Fri., Sep. 14 2012 at 11:09 AM

Categories: Q&A, Wrestling

Continued from page 1

Primos seems to really be making that education of the American public part of its mission.

This is my business, my company. This is what I do. Sometimes it feels like that is the harder fight -- to try to suspend the American (audience's) belief, if just for one night. If someone goes into wrestling thinking it's totally fake, I'll challenge them. I'll say, well, watch my match, and tell me how fake it is. Or I'll challenge them to come to my gym and come train with me.

If I can take one person from a crowd -- right then and there and challenge them -- that, to me, is our goal. In Mexico, the crowd already believes, so you don't have to try to suspend anything; you just do what you do passionately, and they will see that. Here, we have to show a little more realism - show them the tangible. Pick someone up, put them through a table. I'm not saying that's what we focus on, but if we can show someone a punch, a real punch to a skull, there's no way they can say "that was fake."

We want to be intense and show a passion, if even for one night, with this tangible fight. Then we can create a fan. The allure to wrestling is that the fans feel like they are in on something - they know more than everyone else. They are in on "the secret"; they're smart to it. But that's also what we play off of. Sometimes, it's easier to play off of those who think they know so much about wrestling.

What was the biggest thing that struck you about the time you spent training in Mexico City?

The culture shock of it -- to see how little people live on down there is amazing. We were just four guys in a tiny room. They live on a lot less in Mexico City, but that doesn't mean they're not happy; to me, it was a beautiful experience - I got to see people who care about what we do.

The opportunity is still there for me and any of my guys to go down and train in Mexico again. That was probably the hardest part of my life that I've ever dealt with, but it is part of my journey. My mom even told me that she wouldn't have wanted me to do it any differently.

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