gavin taylor
IWC: Hello and welcome to another edition of Interrogation, the show where we get to known what makes the IWC superstars tick. Today we have on our show one of the newest champions in the company, a man that needs no real introduction. Welcome, Gavin Taylor
Gavin: The pleasure is all yours.
IWC: First of all Gavin, thank you for being here, I’m sure your life has been a whirlwind since your huge title victory, so we appreciate you taking the time
Gavin: No problem. I had a break between ESPN, Sportsnet and TSN all begging for interviews, as well as other local publications, and where better to put it than with IWC?
IWC: For those not aware, can you please tell us how Gavin Taylor got to this point in his career. How did it begin for you and how did you arrive in the IWC?
Gavin: I started out in athletics... anything and everything I could get involved in. Amateur wrestling, football, hockey, baseball, track, field, water polo... there wasn't a single athletic discipline that I didn't participate in. And, if I do say so myself, I excelled in every one of them. When I made it to the end of what I consider my "pre-career", I had schools from all across the United States looking at bringing me into their programs - that's a pretty big feat for a kid from Vancouver. I ended up starting quarterback on UCLA's football squad, as well as a first-line right winger for their hockey team in the winter. But before I was able to be drafted into the pros, I came down with a nasty knee injury and it basically scared all of my suitors away, the pansies. So, while my knee was recovering, I started to get into the finer points of professional wrestling. And as soon as I was able, I was signing a contract with a small promotion out of Mexico called the Wrestling Association of Mexica - we called it "WAM", because who would want to let out an entire mouthful when one cyllable would do, am I right? From there, I broke out of the need for gimmicks and got to be myself: the best real athlete the company had. I won every Championship that company had to offer and ended up being courted by the Outback Wrestling League... or OWL. No, don't use the "was it a hoot?" gag. That was a league where I first met Broderick Chase, the man who would become my father-in-law, and Sebastian Blake, my greatest rival. After dominating the Outback and winning all of THEIR titles - helping resurrect that company as a viable business venture and becoming as close to a legend as one can get in the Australian Wrestling scene, it was onto Texas, then Canada. Long story short, I've been around the world, I've headlined events on nearly every continent, I've competed with the best of them and the rest of them and, unlike most of them, I'm still around. That's gotta speak for something.
IWC: So, it’s been a long road to success then right?
Gavin: It really has. I've been through it all... crooked promoters bent on keeping me down, leagues barely surviving, talent thinking what they want is more important than what's best... and through all of that, I never once had the inkling to quit. Sure, there were times when people would look at me in the street and say "Gavin Taylor's such an asshole", but I can comfort myself by knowing three things. One: That their IQs probably rival that of an acorn, two: That I've always put my best effort forth no matter that circumstances, and three: I've got the talent to back my words.
IWC: Ok, how does it feel to finally be the Evolution Champion on your own and by right?
Gavin: It feels gratifying. You know how it is, when you want something so bad that it becomes a driving force in your day to day lives. You wake up in the morning thinking about what steps you can take towards that goal. You plan out your actions with the thought of how that goal can become reality. And then finally, one day, you take a look at your mantle and there it is: the realization that you have completed that goal. That's how I feel with the Evolution Championship. When I signed the dotted line to come to IWC, I was told the tournament was for the Evolution Championship, and I set my sights on that goal on that night. Then, as the months progressed, my eyes kept wandering back to it until I decided it was time to stake my claim and make my ambition known. It was supposed to be batshit crazy to even glance at The Blacklist for too long, and I made my intentions known on their Championship. And as the year passed on, that Championship never fully left my sight. Sure, while Andre and I were tag team partners, I wasn't actively pursuing the belt - not after a while, anyway. When Kordy "won" the belt and Andre turned his rematch over to me, I knew it was now or never. If I lost that match, the odds of you seeing Gavin Taylor back in an IWC ring were fading. Instead, I pulled it out and what a feeling it was.
IWC: Do you think it’s safe to say that a lot of people regarded you as the underdog going into your match with Kordy. She had after all not that long since defeated Andre Jordan?
Gavin: Probably, and that only made me want it even more. I love being the underdog. When I'm told I have no chance at winning? That's when I do my best work. When I had to defend a Championship in a gauntlet match against 7 unknown faces, I was told I had no chance. Do you know what I did? I went through 7 unknown faces and retained my Championship. You want to rally Gavin Taylor? Tell me I don't have a chance.
IWC: But, I’m assuming that you always believed you could win?
Gavin: Of course I always believed I could win. If I didn't think I could win, I wouldn't even be in IWC. I would be a chef or a cop or a paramedic somewhere in a mid-sized city, excelling at that because that's what I do.
IWC: And how did it feel, hearing your name announced over the PA and your hand being held aloft?
Gavin: It was the greatest feeling I've had in my professional career, and second to the day I married my wife.
IWC: Who from all the challengers circling for a chance would you like to face the most? And do you think Andre Jordan will be looking for an opportunity?
Gavin: I don't want to play favorites here... let's just say that I crave to excel, and when someone beats me for the Evolution Championship, they had better be prepared to give better than their best to get the job done, because that's what it'll take. I'm going to carry the belt with the pride and the dignity that it deserves, and if someone wants a crack, I'm certainly not going to duck and run.
IWC: OK first viewer question, Tom from Brooklyn asks, did you ever truly believe you would make it to the higher echelons of the IWC?
Gavin: Yes, Tom from Brooklyn, I did truly believe it. I'm not a guy who lacks confidence in his own ability. I know what I'm capable of, and all I needed was an opening to break through. Ironically enough, it was Andre Jordan who gave me that opportunity.
IWC: But it is fair isn’t it to say that in the beginning people seemed to regard you as a comedic character, more than a bona fide main eventer?
Gavin: Sure... those people were proven wrong at the End of Year Special, but people probably took the whole "cocky jock" thing as a comedy act. But, to me, it was never an act. It's who I am... you can call me a cocky jock all you want. I know that I can back it up when it counts, and that's what matters in the end. Right now, I even have the hardware to prove it.
IWC: So what do you think changed?
Gavin: The narrative. I went from trying to take any shortcut to actually looking to show-off.
IWC: And was that a conscious decision?
Gavin: In a sense, it was. But in another sense, it had to do with the opponents on the other side of the ring. You'd be amazed to think about how different it is to prepare for a Bob or a Frankie Paradise versus preparing for Andre Jordan or Alana Starr. They're different classes of athletes that require you to give a lot more of yourself inside the ring.
IWC: Was it a surprise to you that you weren’t on the Impact 5 for 2014? Taylor Chase-Cruze certainly championed your cause
Gavin: Surprised? Not really. The five on that list ended up making their own impacts in their own right. But let me tell you this: When the Impact 5 for 2015 comes out? Expect to see Gavin Taylor on that list.
IWC: You were quite vocal in the battle with the Sinistry, at one point fighting almost every member at once. Do you think that was the moment the IWC started to take you seriously?
Gavin: I think so... to me, it was like going after The Blacklist all over again, just on another level. The shear numbers that Sinistry had at their disposal made it so. But I've never backed down from a fight - usually to my detriment, but it was something that needed to happen. Even if it was me against all of Sinistry in that moment, I didnt want anyone to think that Taylor was in that fight alone. She never was.
IWC: In the beginning, your friendship with Andre Jordan was a bit fraught. What do you put that down to?
Gavin: It wasn't a friendship in the beginning. It was me getting close to Andre to get closer to the Evolution Championship and take him down a few pegs.
IWC: And how would you describe your relationship with him now?
Gavin: As of today? He hasn't been returning my calls since the End of Year show. Andre, if you're seeing this, check your voicemail. You're better than to walk away over this.
IWC: A further viewer question. Jayne from London England asks did you ever consider joining Silas World, especially when Taylor made her sacrifice for Kelcey?
Gavin: The thought had crossed my mind, but at that time I was in Chase Global with my wife's Uncle Adam, and wasn't really looking for new representation. Then when that fell apart, I was more keen on making my own name without having to latch onto someone else... which really didn't last long. Plus, I don't think I fit Silas' "type" of wrestler.
IWC: Would you ever join a group if the need arose to get ahead?
Gavin: Depends on who's in the group. Taylor? In a heartbeat. Ethan? Not on your life.
IWC: 2015 promises to be a huge year for the IWC, and already the fans are debating who will be Taylor Chase-Cruze’s next opponent for the world title. Is the world title something that is on your radar?
Gavin: Always. And if anyone says any different, they're either lying or just plain stupid. Would I actively hunt Taylor for the title? Probably not. If the powers that be decided Gavin Taylor vs. Taylor Chase-Cruze is the best match to hold for the World Championship, will I give her my very best? Absolutely one-hundred percent.
IWC: And who would you personally say will be there or thereabouts in the reckoning?
Gavin: I'd say Andre Jordan is definitely on the list. Mika Kozlov has a pinfall victory over Tay - even if the circumstances behind it weren't exactly "noble". Alana Starr has two titles, so we can't ignore her - even if we wanted to. And that's not even mentioning Vanilla Skyy, who should have been a World Champion 5 years ago.
IWC: You’ve been in this business for a while, and no doubt some of the newer members of the roster will look to you for guidance. What do you believe to be the essence of a champion? What do you need more than anything else to climb the ranks of this company?
Gavin: You need to keep pushing. People need to realize that in this business, things aren't always going to go your way. One moment you could be on top of the world, preparing for a big match with all the momentum in your favor. The next moment, some crazy bitch could be injuring your arm between a cement wall and a wheeled crate. You have to be able to adapt to the change in the environment. And you have to be able to take motivation out of anything. Your opponent look at you cross? Use it. Someone take the last danish? Make 'em pay! Someone take your parking spot? Park your foot in their ass. And so on.
IWC: And looking at the backstage area, who out of the ‘young guns’ in most likely to succeed in 2015?
Gavin: There are a lot of kids with a lot of potential here. Tina Valentine, even if she thinks I'm a "hater", is tremendous. Jessica Lasiewicz has all of the talent of her family, and the potential to eclipse them. And I'd be foolish if I didn't look at the newer industry members of Pain and Pleasure, Chris Davids and Mya Denton. THEN there's everyone down in Cartel: NxtGen. I could keep talking about that for ages.
IWC: Final viewer question Gavin, from Shane in Washington…other than the title victories, what has been your proudest moment as an IWC superstar so far?
Gavin: Seeing what Taylor has become. I've known her since our days at UCLA. We were actually in the same program, so we kind of knew each other before entering the industry. To see her take all of the roadblocks thrown in her way - the knee injury, Kloe Masters and Gary Matt among way too many other things - and overcome them to become World Champion and, in many ways, the savior of IWC is nothing short of inspiring.
IWC: OK Gavin, we always like to end these interviews this way. I’m going to name members of the roster; you please tell me your first thoughts on them. You ready?
Gavin: Shoot.
IWC: Andre Jordan?
Gavin: World Champion potential, just has to get his head back into the game.
IWC: Orlando Cruze?
Gavin: My favorite Brother-in-law.
IWC: Tina Valentine?
Gavin: A rare kind of talent in both in-ring and getting under skin.
IWC: Selena Frost?
Gavin: Would "let it go" be too heavy-handed? Enigmatic.
IWC: New Eden?
Gavin: As dangerous as any force I've ever seen.
IWC: William Mason?
Gavin: A pure wrestling enthusiast... don't martyr him over it.
IWC: And finally Gavin…Alana Starr?
Gavin: Extremely talented in the ring, kind of unbearable out of it.
IWC: Very interesting comments Gavin, no doubt we shall be hearing from some of those people on social media
Gavin: Of course we will... I wouldn't expect any different. And you're welcome to some popcorn when they do... it'll be entertaining.
IWC: OK Gavin, thank you for your time. How’s about you end this interview by telling the IWC fan base exactly what they can expect from Gavin Taylor in 2015?
Gavin: If you thought the end of 2014 was something else, just wait until you see what I bring in 2015.
IWC: Again, thank you Gavin, it’s been a pleasure
Gavin: I knew you'd say that. We'll have to do it again sometime.
Gavin: The pleasure is all yours.
IWC: First of all Gavin, thank you for being here, I’m sure your life has been a whirlwind since your huge title victory, so we appreciate you taking the time
Gavin: No problem. I had a break between ESPN, Sportsnet and TSN all begging for interviews, as well as other local publications, and where better to put it than with IWC?
IWC: For those not aware, can you please tell us how Gavin Taylor got to this point in his career. How did it begin for you and how did you arrive in the IWC?
Gavin: I started out in athletics... anything and everything I could get involved in. Amateur wrestling, football, hockey, baseball, track, field, water polo... there wasn't a single athletic discipline that I didn't participate in. And, if I do say so myself, I excelled in every one of them. When I made it to the end of what I consider my "pre-career", I had schools from all across the United States looking at bringing me into their programs - that's a pretty big feat for a kid from Vancouver. I ended up starting quarterback on UCLA's football squad, as well as a first-line right winger for their hockey team in the winter. But before I was able to be drafted into the pros, I came down with a nasty knee injury and it basically scared all of my suitors away, the pansies. So, while my knee was recovering, I started to get into the finer points of professional wrestling. And as soon as I was able, I was signing a contract with a small promotion out of Mexico called the Wrestling Association of Mexica - we called it "WAM", because who would want to let out an entire mouthful when one cyllable would do, am I right? From there, I broke out of the need for gimmicks and got to be myself: the best real athlete the company had. I won every Championship that company had to offer and ended up being courted by the Outback Wrestling League... or OWL. No, don't use the "was it a hoot?" gag. That was a league where I first met Broderick Chase, the man who would become my father-in-law, and Sebastian Blake, my greatest rival. After dominating the Outback and winning all of THEIR titles - helping resurrect that company as a viable business venture and becoming as close to a legend as one can get in the Australian Wrestling scene, it was onto Texas, then Canada. Long story short, I've been around the world, I've headlined events on nearly every continent, I've competed with the best of them and the rest of them and, unlike most of them, I'm still around. That's gotta speak for something.
IWC: So, it’s been a long road to success then right?
Gavin: It really has. I've been through it all... crooked promoters bent on keeping me down, leagues barely surviving, talent thinking what they want is more important than what's best... and through all of that, I never once had the inkling to quit. Sure, there were times when people would look at me in the street and say "Gavin Taylor's such an asshole", but I can comfort myself by knowing three things. One: That their IQs probably rival that of an acorn, two: That I've always put my best effort forth no matter that circumstances, and three: I've got the talent to back my words.
IWC: Ok, how does it feel to finally be the Evolution Champion on your own and by right?
Gavin: It feels gratifying. You know how it is, when you want something so bad that it becomes a driving force in your day to day lives. You wake up in the morning thinking about what steps you can take towards that goal. You plan out your actions with the thought of how that goal can become reality. And then finally, one day, you take a look at your mantle and there it is: the realization that you have completed that goal. That's how I feel with the Evolution Championship. When I signed the dotted line to come to IWC, I was told the tournament was for the Evolution Championship, and I set my sights on that goal on that night. Then, as the months progressed, my eyes kept wandering back to it until I decided it was time to stake my claim and make my ambition known. It was supposed to be batshit crazy to even glance at The Blacklist for too long, and I made my intentions known on their Championship. And as the year passed on, that Championship never fully left my sight. Sure, while Andre and I were tag team partners, I wasn't actively pursuing the belt - not after a while, anyway. When Kordy "won" the belt and Andre turned his rematch over to me, I knew it was now or never. If I lost that match, the odds of you seeing Gavin Taylor back in an IWC ring were fading. Instead, I pulled it out and what a feeling it was.
IWC: Do you think it’s safe to say that a lot of people regarded you as the underdog going into your match with Kordy. She had after all not that long since defeated Andre Jordan?
Gavin: Probably, and that only made me want it even more. I love being the underdog. When I'm told I have no chance at winning? That's when I do my best work. When I had to defend a Championship in a gauntlet match against 7 unknown faces, I was told I had no chance. Do you know what I did? I went through 7 unknown faces and retained my Championship. You want to rally Gavin Taylor? Tell me I don't have a chance.
IWC: But, I’m assuming that you always believed you could win?
Gavin: Of course I always believed I could win. If I didn't think I could win, I wouldn't even be in IWC. I would be a chef or a cop or a paramedic somewhere in a mid-sized city, excelling at that because that's what I do.
IWC: And how did it feel, hearing your name announced over the PA and your hand being held aloft?
Gavin: It was the greatest feeling I've had in my professional career, and second to the day I married my wife.
IWC: Who from all the challengers circling for a chance would you like to face the most? And do you think Andre Jordan will be looking for an opportunity?
Gavin: I don't want to play favorites here... let's just say that I crave to excel, and when someone beats me for the Evolution Championship, they had better be prepared to give better than their best to get the job done, because that's what it'll take. I'm going to carry the belt with the pride and the dignity that it deserves, and if someone wants a crack, I'm certainly not going to duck and run.
IWC: OK first viewer question, Tom from Brooklyn asks, did you ever truly believe you would make it to the higher echelons of the IWC?
Gavin: Yes, Tom from Brooklyn, I did truly believe it. I'm not a guy who lacks confidence in his own ability. I know what I'm capable of, and all I needed was an opening to break through. Ironically enough, it was Andre Jordan who gave me that opportunity.
IWC: But it is fair isn’t it to say that in the beginning people seemed to regard you as a comedic character, more than a bona fide main eventer?
Gavin: Sure... those people were proven wrong at the End of Year Special, but people probably took the whole "cocky jock" thing as a comedy act. But, to me, it was never an act. It's who I am... you can call me a cocky jock all you want. I know that I can back it up when it counts, and that's what matters in the end. Right now, I even have the hardware to prove it.
IWC: So what do you think changed?
Gavin: The narrative. I went from trying to take any shortcut to actually looking to show-off.
IWC: And was that a conscious decision?
Gavin: In a sense, it was. But in another sense, it had to do with the opponents on the other side of the ring. You'd be amazed to think about how different it is to prepare for a Bob or a Frankie Paradise versus preparing for Andre Jordan or Alana Starr. They're different classes of athletes that require you to give a lot more of yourself inside the ring.
IWC: Was it a surprise to you that you weren’t on the Impact 5 for 2014? Taylor Chase-Cruze certainly championed your cause
Gavin: Surprised? Not really. The five on that list ended up making their own impacts in their own right. But let me tell you this: When the Impact 5 for 2015 comes out? Expect to see Gavin Taylor on that list.
IWC: You were quite vocal in the battle with the Sinistry, at one point fighting almost every member at once. Do you think that was the moment the IWC started to take you seriously?
Gavin: I think so... to me, it was like going after The Blacklist all over again, just on another level. The shear numbers that Sinistry had at their disposal made it so. But I've never backed down from a fight - usually to my detriment, but it was something that needed to happen. Even if it was me against all of Sinistry in that moment, I didnt want anyone to think that Taylor was in that fight alone. She never was.
IWC: In the beginning, your friendship with Andre Jordan was a bit fraught. What do you put that down to?
Gavin: It wasn't a friendship in the beginning. It was me getting close to Andre to get closer to the Evolution Championship and take him down a few pegs.
IWC: And how would you describe your relationship with him now?
Gavin: As of today? He hasn't been returning my calls since the End of Year show. Andre, if you're seeing this, check your voicemail. You're better than to walk away over this.
IWC: A further viewer question. Jayne from London England asks did you ever consider joining Silas World, especially when Taylor made her sacrifice for Kelcey?
Gavin: The thought had crossed my mind, but at that time I was in Chase Global with my wife's Uncle Adam, and wasn't really looking for new representation. Then when that fell apart, I was more keen on making my own name without having to latch onto someone else... which really didn't last long. Plus, I don't think I fit Silas' "type" of wrestler.
IWC: Would you ever join a group if the need arose to get ahead?
Gavin: Depends on who's in the group. Taylor? In a heartbeat. Ethan? Not on your life.
IWC: 2015 promises to be a huge year for the IWC, and already the fans are debating who will be Taylor Chase-Cruze’s next opponent for the world title. Is the world title something that is on your radar?
Gavin: Always. And if anyone says any different, they're either lying or just plain stupid. Would I actively hunt Taylor for the title? Probably not. If the powers that be decided Gavin Taylor vs. Taylor Chase-Cruze is the best match to hold for the World Championship, will I give her my very best? Absolutely one-hundred percent.
IWC: And who would you personally say will be there or thereabouts in the reckoning?
Gavin: I'd say Andre Jordan is definitely on the list. Mika Kozlov has a pinfall victory over Tay - even if the circumstances behind it weren't exactly "noble". Alana Starr has two titles, so we can't ignore her - even if we wanted to. And that's not even mentioning Vanilla Skyy, who should have been a World Champion 5 years ago.
IWC: You’ve been in this business for a while, and no doubt some of the newer members of the roster will look to you for guidance. What do you believe to be the essence of a champion? What do you need more than anything else to climb the ranks of this company?
Gavin: You need to keep pushing. People need to realize that in this business, things aren't always going to go your way. One moment you could be on top of the world, preparing for a big match with all the momentum in your favor. The next moment, some crazy bitch could be injuring your arm between a cement wall and a wheeled crate. You have to be able to adapt to the change in the environment. And you have to be able to take motivation out of anything. Your opponent look at you cross? Use it. Someone take the last danish? Make 'em pay! Someone take your parking spot? Park your foot in their ass. And so on.
IWC: And looking at the backstage area, who out of the ‘young guns’ in most likely to succeed in 2015?
Gavin: There are a lot of kids with a lot of potential here. Tina Valentine, even if she thinks I'm a "hater", is tremendous. Jessica Lasiewicz has all of the talent of her family, and the potential to eclipse them. And I'd be foolish if I didn't look at the newer industry members of Pain and Pleasure, Chris Davids and Mya Denton. THEN there's everyone down in Cartel: NxtGen. I could keep talking about that for ages.
IWC: Final viewer question Gavin, from Shane in Washington…other than the title victories, what has been your proudest moment as an IWC superstar so far?
Gavin: Seeing what Taylor has become. I've known her since our days at UCLA. We were actually in the same program, so we kind of knew each other before entering the industry. To see her take all of the roadblocks thrown in her way - the knee injury, Kloe Masters and Gary Matt among way too many other things - and overcome them to become World Champion and, in many ways, the savior of IWC is nothing short of inspiring.
IWC: OK Gavin, we always like to end these interviews this way. I’m going to name members of the roster; you please tell me your first thoughts on them. You ready?
Gavin: Shoot.
IWC: Andre Jordan?
Gavin: World Champion potential, just has to get his head back into the game.
IWC: Orlando Cruze?
Gavin: My favorite Brother-in-law.
IWC: Tina Valentine?
Gavin: A rare kind of talent in both in-ring and getting under skin.
IWC: Selena Frost?
Gavin: Would "let it go" be too heavy-handed? Enigmatic.
IWC: New Eden?
Gavin: As dangerous as any force I've ever seen.
IWC: William Mason?
Gavin: A pure wrestling enthusiast... don't martyr him over it.
IWC: And finally Gavin…Alana Starr?
Gavin: Extremely talented in the ring, kind of unbearable out of it.
IWC: Very interesting comments Gavin, no doubt we shall be hearing from some of those people on social media
Gavin: Of course we will... I wouldn't expect any different. And you're welcome to some popcorn when they do... it'll be entertaining.
IWC: OK Gavin, thank you for your time. How’s about you end this interview by telling the IWC fan base exactly what they can expect from Gavin Taylor in 2015?
Gavin: If you thought the end of 2014 was something else, just wait until you see what I bring in 2015.
IWC: Again, thank you Gavin, it’s been a pleasure
Gavin: I knew you'd say that. We'll have to do it again sometime.