Lucas Jackson, the head booker of Dropkixx wrestling tells Alex Barmpatzidis how they have turned young hopefuls into WWE superstars
Dropkixx Wrestling Academy is constantly on the rise in the world of professional wrestling, having already trained many talented wrestlers – some of whom went on to work for major companies such as WWE, Total Nonstop Action (TNA) and Ring of Honor (ROH).
The birth of the gym was at Purfleet, and after briefly moving to East Tilbury, they returned to their home roots in RM19.
From the very beginning, they hosted shows and made a name for themselves quickly. Cards included wrestlers such as Wade Barrett, who today is working for WWE, and Magnus, who is currently under contract with TNA.
Jon Ritchie has been the owner of Dropkixx for many years, and he also used to be in charge of training athletes in the gym and organising the shows.
Today, though, the head booker for the Dropkixx shows is Lucas Jackson, who spoke to Rising East about the company’s past, present and future in all areas.
Q: Dropkixx was the first step for wrestlers like WWE’s Wade Barrett and TNA’s Magnus – what was it that Dropkixx offered them or do you think they were talented by nature?
A: A bit of the latter, but we also offered them their starting ground, and as much as some people like to forget their roots, it is always important. Having regular academy shows was key to their success as they were put on shows often and obviously had the ‘look’ to proceed.
Q: As there is not a ring at the gym in Purfleet, what area does Dropkixx training focus on?
A: We focus on the basics of wrestling as well as throws and suplexes, and there’s lots that can be done without the use of a ring. When we do have ring-training sessions, we then add what everyone has learned at training to the session.
Q: Being the head booker of the promotion, what do you look to get out of the shows?
A: I want to showcase the best talent and people from the gym alongside the guys we bring in for shows.
Q: Of late, you have been bringing UK wrestlers who have wrestled all over the world to the gym for some special ring-training sessions. Have they been effective and what exactly do you look to bring out of those sessions?
A: They have been effective as the publicity for the gym has been good, as well as it being nice for the students to be trained by people with more experience.
Q: It’s known that the gym welcomes any new members to train – have those special training sessions improved the attendance?
A: Yes, they usually do, even if only for that initial session, but I think they help to keep the outside impression of Dropkixx as still one of the best places to train.
Q: What is the philosophy and the main thing that Dropkixx training tries to pass on to new trainees who aspire to become pro wrestlers?
A: You have to work hard to do this in every meaning of the word. We reward people who deserve it and book people who deserve to be booked on our shows and shows around the UK.
Q: Since Wade Barrett started at Dropkixx and then went to the WWE, would you say Dropkixx knows how to get noticed by WWE? If so, what is the way?
A: Wade Barrett going to the WWE was great for the gym, but it was a number of years ago now. We can coach people to a very good level and advise them of who to contact if they wanted an NXT (WWE’s developmental system) tryout or to go to Japan. A lot of burden would fall on the student’s shoulders if that is something they wished to do.
Q: Many gyms have a policy that under-18s cannot train, but Dropkixx welcomes all variety of ages – why is that?
A: The reason why we welcome all ages is financial along with the fact that wrestling is aimed at kids so it is only normal that it will mainly be kids who want to start it.
Q: It’s no secret that WWE is the biggest pro wrestling company in the world and there are loads of kids who are watching it. What is Dropkixx’s answer to the question all kids ask: ‘What does it take and how do you make it to the WWE?’
A: Hard work, looking the part, being good at advertising yourself and timing, amongst other things. It is possible but needs to be known that only the top one percent will ever end up there. But there are other opportunities in wrestling outside of the WWE.
Q: Why have you decided to give the Dropkixx shows more of a family feel?
A: Because it is best for business, really. Kids watch WWE and parents wouldn’t let their kids come to an event if it was geared towards adults. Additionally, venues that I work at will have activities like kids clubs and so it makes sense to get kids involved.
Q: WWE has become PG – do you think this is where pro wrestling is headed as a whole business compared to the old, hardcore, Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and Attitude Era style? If so why?
A: Mainstream wrestling is, yes, but there will always be promotions that exist on the independent circuit that will be more adult-orientated. The reason why most promoters have geared away from adult-only shows is because the audience is smaller and it’s easier to market wrestling to kids. Plus, the number of injuries caused by that style is an issue. WWE’s roster now is the longest serving it has ever been. Guys like John Cena, Dolph Ziggler etc. have had 10-year careers that they couldn’t have had if they had been doing a higher risk style.
Dropkixx hosts training sessions on Wednesdays from 7-9pm and on Sundays from 12-4pm at Hugh Delargy Village Hall, North Road, Purfleet, RM19 1TU.
They can be found on Facebook and Twitter, where they post updates on training and promote their upcoming shows.